My Life, My Hell This Grunt’s Journey Back to the World by Dan R. Vaughn, Jr.

Tags

Dan Vaughn, Grunt's Journey Back to the World, post-traumatic stress disorder, PTSD, Tien Phuo, Vietnam

The bit of snow that blew across the balcony was miniscule.  But ‘tis the season and for that reason, stirred the mind to think upon freshly baked cookies, logs blazing in the fireplace and stockings hung up with care.

There are many books that I read written by veterans who just want to put their story down.  All of them matter to me.  But if it is possible to be moved by one group more than another, for me it is the Vietnam vets who really get to me more than any other veterans’ group.  It isn’t just because I have family and friends who survived the combat hell known as Vietnam.  It’s also because when they got back home they had to hide the fact that they served our country and nearly died for it.  They had to remain silent, as if a piece of them was too nasty to be shared with all those they were willing to die for.  “You were good enough to nearly die for me but don’t try sitting at my table with me,” our society seemed to tell them.

Dan R. Vaughn, Jr., sent me his book My Life, My Hell This Grunt’s Journey Back to the World months ago.  It was about his combat experiences in Vietnam but mostly about his post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), he told me.  He wanted to let his fellow Vietnam veterans know they weren’t alone, and that there was a way back.  Even though I had several other books in my stack to read and write about, I picked up Dan’s and started a few pages, just to get a feel for it.  I read the first three chapters without stopping.  I knew then that this was not going to be a quick or easy read.

When I looked outside my balcony today, after last night’s snow sneeze, I noticed the boards glistened with ice.  The water in the birdbath is solid.  A chunk of snow had somehow gathered onto my roof and crashed down in a boom that scared the ….well, let’s not mention what exactly it scared out of me, this article is G rated for General Audiences…but chunks of snow were lying helter skelter on the balcony flooring.   I am not supposed to, but I set out just a little bit…just a smidgen, really…of bird food.  A beautiful finch arrived and began searching the ground, moving around.  Only, the “around” was covered with ice and the sweet little thing was sliding back and forth.  It was so cute; so sweet.  One would think it would make me laugh.  If I hadn’t been reading Vaughn’s book, I would have.  But all I could think of was what a slippery surface combat PTSD is, and how no one seems to be able to get a steady, solid footing on it. For although one would think that the war is both the life and hell part of My Life, My Hell, it proves to be only the “life” part.  After he arrives from the war, after he is state side, after post traumatic stress disorder rears its ugly head…that’s when the hell of Vaughn’s life begins.

Vaughn writes about his induction into the army, his training for combat, and his eventual combat duty in Vietnam in 1968-1969.  He does a wonderful job of capturing the “grunt” Dan’s youthful enthusiasm, innocence, indignation and blissful ignorance, perfectly.  The true gem of Vaughn’s book, however, is not in the facts themselves, but the personal, spiritual insights he provides in dealing with the PTSD hell that came afterwards.

Combat post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) was not officially diagnosed as such until years after our Vietnam veterans returned home.  Our World War and Korean veterans showing symptoms of PTSD were told they suffered from “combat fatigue” or “shell shock.”  And pretty much told, “Get over it.” As with many Vietnam veterans, there was no welcome home for Vaughn.  “I couldn’t help but think of how the sight of my uniform was reviled by some and appreciated by another.” In linking his war to other wars past, Vaughn connects the dots: He refers to battles that are “not in any history books…but …still lingers in the memories of us who were there within our minds and hearts.”   Like those before him and no doubt those to follow, “Men killed not only one man at a time but by the tens, hundreds and thousands.  Men whose bodies would be stacked like wood to be burned until they could be buried or sent home to their families.”

Vaughn’s respect for all warriors is deep.  “We were reluctant witnesses to those who died in a place called Tien Phuoc in a country called South Vietnam,” he writes.  “We would become a company of brothers born in battle with each one’s face in our memory forever.  Our clothes would be soaked in the blood of those brothers, all heroes as brave as any who died being butchered before them and those thousands who would follow.  This same brotherhood would continue to grow in places like Somalia, Iraq and Afghanistan; and with it, each survivor’s need, as my own, to understand and be understood in order to find inner peace.”

Of his fellow Vietnam warriors, he goes back to the Wall to explain how he feels.  “I have been to Washington, DC and I have seen the Wall and other memorials to America’s war dead.  These memorials are patriotic, impressive and awe-inspiring; but none give the viewer a sense of the real suffering of these men and women.  The surest way to understanding this suffering would be a trip to Arlington National Cemetery and viewing the thousands of graves of our war dead.  Imagine what a difference to the viewer it would make at the Vietnam Memorial if it stood overlooking fifty-eight thousand white crosses covering hundreds of acres.  Of course there isn’t enough space there for all the crosses….”

As I glance back to my balcony I see the chunks of white and I know exactly of what Vaughn speaks.  The white gravesites and crosses at Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia or the white, rowed crosses at Normandy Cemetery in France say all that needs to be said about the lasting destruction of wars.

Vaughn writes of terrible experiences he endured and of terrible dreams.  “I don’t remember the exact date, but it is a day I can never forget.  I have relived it in my mind and heart every day since.  I have tried to wipe it from my memory, but the dream returns day after day to haunt my soul.  I am sometimes overcome with grief and tears as I relive it now and as I try to write….it is difficult to find words to describe the torment within me, which only my death will end.  I am not alone…”  He lives with the guilt of death and his survival.  “I guess to some this would seem…cruel and uncivilized behavior, the kind of thing which only animals or demented humans could do to one another.  My only explanation is that this was war, and men do things in war for which they both take pride and …for which they are not proud.”  He would choose to do what he did, he said, to protect his brothers-in-arms and simply says, “This guilt is a by-product of war which all veterans must endure.”

That Vaughn can write from an astute mind and a compassionate heart after what he has seen and had to do in country, and then suffer rejection at the hands of the very country he fought to preserve, is impressive.  “Americans who served and died in past wars in order to preserve our nation and our rights were loathed then and now by some who consider any war immoral. They are right to feel this way as do those of us who have had to bear the pain of battle and console the dying.  They forget, though, of all those through history who would have millions die and suffer in order to appease their thirst for power.  They would focus their revulsion not on the evil of the world but on those men and women who stood when called and fought and died to stop it…It’s ironic that all who protested the Vietnam War and all wars before and since were able to do so because of the sacrifice of those who paid the price required for that freedom…to voice one’s opinion without fear of retaliation…They should be protesting war itself and not those who must take up arms to protect America and her allies.”

Yes, My Life, My Hell This Grunt’s Journey Back to the World,  is a book about the hell known as the Vietnam War.  Yes, it is about post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).  Yes, the book could have benefited from a stricter editing of the punctuation or grammar here and there.  But what the book is really about, is a profound narrative of how post-traumatic stress disorder comes to live within the warrior’s heart and mind. And, which is the gift of Vaughn’s book…how one can heal from it.  “It’s hard for many to break free of the insanity of war and unlock its grip on their minds and hearts.  It’s no impossible; with love and time we can all heal.  No one should want to die after suffering so much. “

Vaughn returned home to deal with his life and PTSD.  He wrote his book to bring back the men who died, to honor those who survived, and to open his heart “…to someone (anyone) who would listen and help me in my search to find peace.”

The sun has been shining on my balcony for a while now.  The smaller chunks of snow have melted and the ice is beginning to disappear around the balcony edges.    If the sun keeps shining, the cold snow will disappear, the hard ice will melt…and everyone can stand firm.

With the more recent, accurate diagnosis of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD),  more help is available. Although it is true that not all combat veterans suffer from combat PTSD, it is still true that all of you were put in abnormal situations and required to perform in ways contrary to your beliefs in order to survive.  You did the right thing.   persistent re-experiencing of the traumatic event(s). .  If you are suffering from the following symptoms, reach out to someone.  Your brothers and sisters in arms, your doctors, your minister or priest, your friends, or the several organizations that offer help. What you are experiencing with PTSD is nothing to be ashamed of.  You took care of this country.  Now let us take care of you.

Symptoms:
•    avoiding experiences or people that trigger memories of such event(s).
•    increased arousal, to include nervousness, over-reaction to sudden noises, (are you jumpy?), difficulty sleeping (night sweats), and nightmares (ever hit your spouse, girl/boyfriend in your sleep, or are they scared to wake you up?).
•    bouts of “inappropriate” rage and-or depression.
•    difficulty relating emotionally to others.
•    feelings of extreme alienation and meaninglessness.
•    isolation from others (do others see you as cold, unfeeling?).
•    in the most extreme cases, persistent thoughts of murder and/or suicide.

Welcome home, Dan.  I am glad you made it back.  Thank you for your service.

Please keep talking…we’ll keep listening.  I promise.

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Flag of My Father by R-Squared Productions

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Flag of my Father, John Schneider, R2 Productions, Rodney Ray, William Devane

Cast & Credits:
John Schneider (The Dukes of Hazzard, Smallville, Nip/Tuck, 90210) as Daniel
William Devane (Knot’s Landing, the West Wing, Space Cowboys, 24) as Jake
Gigi Erneta as Judith
Andrew Sensenig as Ben

Director:  Rodney Ray

R-Squared Productions presents Flag of My Father, a Rodney Ray story written by Monica Grimm, Leslie Lamb and Rodney Ray.  Director of Photography:  Neal Bryant.  The film features music composed by Daryl Wolgemuth and songs performed by Mason Granade.

The army vehicles move quietly on the desert road.   As day moves into evening, the tiny band of soldiers and nurse traveling with a wounded comrade chat about home, their families or their pets.  The convoy has to make a stop to do a quick, two-minute repair on one of the trucks, a fairly routine occurrence.  Out of the darkness flies an enemy sniper’s bullet, beginning a night ambush on the little convoy.

So begins Flag of My Father.  The film cleverly entwines a consistent theme of respect and appreciation for the U. S. flag by those who served, while mirroring the detached, uninterested disregard of its patriotic meaning by those who did not.  The theme is framed within dysfunctional familial relationships that created long-standing problems among the siblings.

Devane provides a clear and realistic image of Jake, the Vietnam Marine veteran who never talked about his war stories.   He confessed to his daughter that he had even felt ashamed of his service and guessed it was because of the poor reception the troops received when they returned home.  His daughter, Judith, is an army Iraq veteran and the nurse in the opening scene.  Jake’s four sons do not know anything of their father’s war history, and feel chagrined when he walks past them during his birthday celebration to eagerly greet the pals who survived Da Nang with him.   When his sons complain that he had never shared his war experiences with them, he says he didn’t know they were interested and promises to answer their questions.  Unfortunately, Jake dies before he can keep his promise to his sons.

Judith suffers her own effects of combat, keeping her experiences close to her chest but often waking with nightmares.  She was close to her father and is jealously resented by her brothers because of it.  When Ben, the eldest son, is presented with his father’s flag at the funeral, he is determined to keep it as his only tie to his father, even though Judith has asked for it. The remaining three sons do not see why the flag is such a big deal.

John Schneider is great in the role of the troubled, jealous brother Daniel.  His expressions and well-timed gestures are strong factors in displaying all the nuances of Daniel’s character.   Schneider’s face is often a mix of contempt and the vulnerable emotions behind it, turning a potentially dislikeable man into someone who just seems lost and hurting.
Ben is played by Andrew Sensenig who expertly takes a slightly self-pitying, neglected eldest son and offers a more complicated set of emotions.  The result is a likeable man, temporarily misguided, whose basic integrity quickly steers him back onto a path of reconciliation and understanding.

Beyond the fine portrayals of Jake, Daniel and Ben, the remaining characters are not always entirely convincing.  It is important to note though, that the post-traumatic stress disorder in Gigi Erneta’s Judith is utterly believable.  The flashbacks, always a tricky element to pull off, are flawlessly and smoothly transitioned in the film and carry a tremendous impact.  Then there is the surprising discovery related to military service in an old cardboard box found after Jake’s death, for which the sequence of events was brilliantly written.  I will not spoil the movie but will state this was one of my favorite parts.

I would have liked more of an explanation of the mysterious letter found after Jake’s death, as its influence on Daniel is not nearly explored enough.  The references to a strong religious faith seem more as a sidebar at times than a connecting thread throughout the story.  The ending is wrapped up just a little too neatly to seem real.

However, these perceived flaws in Flag of My Father are minor and do not distract from the fact that Rodney Ray’s idea of a good story is spot on.  Most combat veterans do not want to talk about their experiences, especially our Vietnam veterans who were made to suffer an undeserved shame, and Ray’s Flag of My Father gets that.  Most importantly, Ray displays a keen insight into understanding how those who served view the flag — not just a symbol of our nation, but of the men and women who died while serving, and whose caskets are covered by the red, white and blue.

Flag of My Father is superbly directed and speaks of a highly gifted, creative talent in Ray.  Ray’s use of Neal Bryant as Director of Photography, Daryl Wolgemuth for the music composition and Mason Granade for performing the songs, clearly indicates that Ray can spot topnotch talent, too.   Bryant is expert at capturing a scene.   Daryl Wolgemuth and Mason Granade use their multi-talented musical skills to effectively and beautifully set the mood of each scene in which it is used.  The songs flow from eerie to cautious to suspenseful, or poignantly thoughtful.  Suffice it for me to say that any future film that has the touch of a Rodney Ray, Neal Bryant, Daryl Wolgemuth, or a Mason Granade to it, is going to get my immediate attention.  These artists are very, very good at what they do.

Flag of My Father is a thoughtful acknowledgment and tribute to our country’s flag.  Maybe even more so, it a gift from the heart to those who are currently in the military, know someone in the military, or have served in the military.   Which is just about everybody.

To learn more about R-Squared Productions and Flag of My Father, visit the company’s website at http://www.r2films.net.  You can also join the Facebook group “R-Squared Productions” or follow “R2Films”on Twitter.

However you choose, checking out Flag of My Father and/or following the future work of Ray and his fellow artists is a very smart move to make.

11-11-11

Tags

Hal Fritz, John Hodowal, Medal of Honor, Medal of Honor Bridge Dedication, veterans, Veterans Day

OUT OF THE MOUTHS OF HEROES,
A NEW TRUTH ABOUT GREATNESS

In honor of all veterans on Veterans Day, 11-11-11

At precisely 11 AM on November 11, 2011, a wreath will be laid at the tomb of the Unknowns, followed by a parade of colors by veterans’ organizations and remarks from dignitaries, held in the Memorial Amphitheater.  It is a day to set aside time to thank all who have served in the U.S. Armed Forces.

Earlier on October 19, 2011, unassuming, good ole Indiana Hoosiers started showing their gratitude for a special group of veterans and in so doing, made history – again.

The first time Hoosiers led the pack in writing history was May 19.  Dave Shively of Lafayette, Indiana, bore witness to his dream come true:  a Lafayette highway bridge was dedicated to all Medal of Honor recipients, with seven of these astounding men in attendance to cut the ribbon.  It was the first bridge in the nation to be so dedicated to all recipients.

The second bridge to honor all Medal of Honor recipients was dedicated on October 19.  This time in Indianapolis, and not too far from the Medal of Honor Memorial, also the first of its kind in the country (thanks to the efforts of John Hodowal and the IPL company).  This newly dedicated Medal of Honor Bridge is right next door to the well-respected Richard L. Roudebush Veterans Affairs Medical Center (VAMC), on 10th Street.  Eight Medal of Honor recipients attended the event, including Harold (Hal) A. Fritz, a Vietnam veteran who has recently assumed the presidency of the Congressional Medal of Honor Society.

I had an opportunity to chat with Mr. Fritz after the special luncheon held in honor of the recipients.  Mr. Fritz graciously insisted I call him Hal.  I did, but I really wanted to say, “Mr. Hero.”

The Medal of Honor recipient was easy-going and gracious.  Having multiple veterans as friends and working with various associations and publications in their honor, the first thought that came to my mind and I carelessly blurted out was, “Do you sleep at night?”  Hal’s eyes took on the thousand mile stare and I wisely jumped back and asked him what it was he wanted people to know.  Would he mind just telling me what was important to him?

Hal gently touched the magnificent medal that was hanging around his neck.  Its pale blue ribbon with stars and the star-shaped medal is extremely humbling viewed up close, one can only imagine what it must be like to actually wear it.  It was a symbol of other things, he remarked, and marveled at the changes wearing the Medal creates in the life of its recipient.  Suddenly, you are a very public person; but that’s okay, he assured me. The Medal makes you an ambassador for your country, and all recipients accept that with great humility.

He shared his time living in Germany when he and his wife wanted to show respect to their neighbors by recognizing what was important to them.  They had noticed how the lawns were always tidy, and how window boxes were everywhere.  He and his wife tidied and planted and set about other ways of showing respect.  They happily got acquainted with their neighbors. One night during socializing, Hal was surprised when his neighbor raised a toast to the United States, the road systems, and the marvel of traveling from one climate to another while remaining in the United States.

The toast was a true testament to our freedoms.  Not just our right to speak our minds, but the freedom to just go and visit our family or friends, without permission from anyone in uniform; to travel from state to state without any military police stopping you along the way.  Appreciating that freedom and those who defend it is first and foremost.  All the recipients of the Medal of Honor speak with  great admiration for our current military and those who serve because they choose to protect our freedom, to volunteer for serving our county.  They go into it understanding what sacrifices they may have to make, and this makes them truly courageous and equally true heroes.  But our military are not the only heroes, Hal added.  The military is not separate from humanity.

To Hal, The Medal of Honor does not distinguish him from others, but connects him.  It is a medal of honor, but also a medal of unity.  It unifies him, he said, to all the other heroes in life.  He spoke with great respect about teachers and how they are guideposts to help people fulfill their roles in life, to learn to appreciate all the good that exists, and to strive to contribute to the greater whole.  He spoke of those who work hard on every level of life and do their best, day after day.  They, too, he says, have tapped into that greatness that is within all of us, that bit of spark that makes most of us quiet heroes, but heroes nonetheless.   We all have greatness within, he asserts.  All we have to do is tap into it.

In his upcoming two years as President of the Congressional Medal of Honor Society, he will  focus on establishing a museum that holds all that is associated with honoring the Medal of Honor.   He acknowledged the splendid contributions of memorials to the Medal of Honor (MOH) recipients, including a great appreciation for the memorial in Indy, but made a distinction between memorials and museums.   The museum would be a place to hold all the memorabilia and items that have been collected over the years by the MOH recipients.  His desire for a museum is not just to showcase the items, but to continue the legacy of the Medal itself.  With most MOH recipients growing older and few young recipients, the legacy is in danger of losing its continuity.  A museum would help sustain its history and what it symbolizes, and be a message of inspiration to all generations to come.

Hal spoke of post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), but not in a way I ever heard before.  First officially diagnosed with Vietnam veterans decades after the Vietnam War, PTSD is a constant companion to many of our surviving vets.  Hal did not dispute that or its terrible impact upon a veteran’s life.  Yet his face took on a glow of pride when he mentioned our younger veterans.  His voice was full of emotion when he spoke of what the Iraq and Afghanistan veterans have gone through.  There they were, he said in an awed voice, no legs, an arm shattered, skull repaired…and still full of life and wanting to get back into society as a solid, contributing citizen.  He shook his head slightly as he spoke of Vietnam veterans who have health issues themselves, but nothing in comparison to what our current combat vets are facing.  His eyes sparkled with pride when he spoke of how humbling but inspiring it is to the older veterans.  Hal, a Vietnam veteran himself, said that the younger combat vets are motivating his generation of veterans into appreciating what they have and feeling grateful.  The PTSD burden the Vietnam veterans carry is decidedly lightened by the sheer raw courage and strength of the Iraq and Afghanistan combat veterans.

The Indianapolis bridge and the Lafayette bridge that came before it, may be dedicated specifically to the Medal of Honor recipients, but to Hal, it is a part of the larger whole.  Of one generation of veterans helping another; one generation of humanity helping those who came before, and no doubt, those who will come after.  Perhaps, too, one kind of hero reaching out to the hero in all of us.

On this Veterans Day, 2011, may all our veterans…and those they had to leave behind…stand tall with the recipients of the Medal of Honor.  May they all know that these bridges dedicated to this special group of hero, is a shared span of greatness that lives within us all.

Thank you, Hal, for your time, your graciousness and your wisdom.  I am glad you made it back.

He never did tell me if he slept at night.

Book Reviews: Books Written by Veterans or About Veterans

Tags

000 Pains, Distant War, From Time to Time: A Soldier's Story of Life and the Vietnam War, Ivan Goldstein, Joseph T. Neilson, Laos and Cambodia, Lt. Col. Rob "Waldo" Waldman, Marc Phillip Yablonka, Never Fly Solo, Otto J. Lehrack, Recollections of Vietnam, Red Clay on my Boots, Road of 10, Robert Newell, Robert Topmiller, War & Pieces: Damn You Vietnam

War & Pieces:  Damn You Vietnam     by Joseph T. Neilson

For St. John’s literary review go to VietNow Magazine:

http://www.vietnow.com/pagesbooks/warandpieces.htm

Red Clay on my Boots:  Encounters with Khe Sanh 1968-2005     by Robert J. Topmiller

For St. John’s literary review go to VietNow Magazine:

http://www.vietnow.com/pagesbooks/redclay.htm

From Time to Time:  A Soldier’s Story of Life and the Vietnam War     by Robert Newell

For St. John’s literary review go to VietNow Magazine:

http://www.vietnow.com/pagesbooks/fromtimetotime.htm

Distant War, Recollections of Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia     by Marc Phillip Yablonka

For St. John’s literary review go to Veterans Today:

http://www.veteranstoday.com/2009/10/26/book-review-distant-war-recollections-of-vietnam-laos-and-cambodia-by-marc-phillip-yablonka/ or simply go to the Veterans Today web site, click on the “Family” link at the top, and scroll to book reviews.

Never Fly Solo     by Lt. Col. Rob “Waldo” Waldman

For St. John’s literary review go to Veterans Today:

http://www.veteranstoday.com/2010/01/24/book-review-of-never-fly-solo-written-by-lt-col-rob-waldo-waldman/  or simply go to the Veterans Today web site, click on the “Family” link at the top, and scroll to book reviews.

Road of 10,000 Pains, the Destruction of the 2nd NVA Division by the U. S. Marines, 1967 by Otto J. Lehrack

For St. John’s literary review click on Veterans Today or simply go to the Veterans Today web site, click on the “Family” link at the top, and scroll to book reviews.

Surviving the Reich, The World War II Saga of a Jewish-American GI by Ivan Goldstein

For St. John’s literary review click on Veterans Today or simply go to the Veterans Today web site, click on the “Family” link at the top, and scroll to book reviews.

GI Bill Education Benefits

Tags

GI Bill benefits, military educational benefits

Veterans and spouses/dependents:  Have you thought about taking advantage of your GI Benefits to pay for your education at an institute of higher learning?  If so, get acquainted and familiarize yourself with this important web site:

http://www.gibill.va.gov/

The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is the entity that determines for what benefits you are eligible.

On the left hand side of the GI Bill Home Page is a link for “Education Benefits”.   There is an application online, VONAPP (Veterans Online APPlication) that you must fill out in order to have your eligibility confirmed.   Once you have applied, you will receive written notice from the VA of your benefits entitlement.

You may qualify for more than one benefit, but you may only use one benefit at a time.

The amount of time that is covered by your education benefits refers to actual school time, not calendar time.  (For example, if you are notified that you have you can receive 36 months of education benefits, that does NOT mean 3 calendar years — it means 36 school months.  If you go to school for a semester – approximately 4 months – in one year, you will have used up 4 months of your education benefits, not 1 year.)

You may begin your enrollment process at the school of your choice at the same time you are applying for GI education benefits.  Be sure, however, that your school is listed as one accepted by the VA.  You can find that listing also on the web site above.

Once you receive your entitlement letter from the VA, contact the VA certifying official at the school to which you are applying.  The VA certifying official needs to know your class schedule, the length of weeks, dates, and the credit hours.  This information is submitted directly to the VA by the certifying official.  This process is what prompts your education benefit payments, so be certain you do not omit this step (or you may be wondering why you aren’t receiving payments.)  The VA will pay only for those classes that are directly related to your course of study.  (Most schools allow you a certain time to attend classes as “undecided.”)  Consequently, once you begin your classes, you must keep the VA certifying official informed as to whether you drop, fail, withdraw, or change classes, so (s)he can keep your information with the VA current and accurate.  This keeps your benefit payments accurate and current as well.

The “new” GI Bill (Chapter 33), effective August 2009, may provide you with more coverage than is currently offered through the existing GI Bill benefits, but not always.  Be sure to check out the GI Bill web site (www.gibill.va.gov) for updates on this important benefit.  Remember:  if you opt for Chapter 33, you cannot change your mind and go back to coverage under any other GI Bill.

Lastly, there is a Question and Answer link on the GI Bill web site that is extremely helpful.  Be sure to familiarize yourself with this service, as many of your questions and concerns can be put to rest through this Q & A link.

Good luck, and thank you for your service!

 

Help For Veterans: Deciding Which One is Their Candidate

Tags

election, politics

A veteran’s concern isn’t so much different from a non-veteran’s.  We all want appropriate and effective physical and mental health care, affordable prescriptions, a good education, and enough money to live a decent life with dignity and respect.

Politicians are always flowery in their praise of veterans on Veterans Day and when speaking in front of veterans organizations.  I allow speeches to inspire me or repulse me, but I no longer take speeches as proof of anything.

So how can we blow away some of this fog from political rhetoric, and get to the truth of the matter?

There are three areas you should get to know.

#1.  Issues.

What matters to you the most? For example, I have a passion for veterans, the environment and “women’s” issues (which are humanity issues and not gender ones, but that’s another story).  I also care deeply about good health care for everyone; an economy that allows each family to live the American Dream of being financially secure in owning a home; treating workers with respect through good pay, a safe and positive environment and job security; a competitive and kick-butt education for our children; gracious international diplomacy; immigration laws that require earning US citizenship; English as our first language in business and on signs; a national response of outcry and help to those suffering under tyrannical rulers, poverty or genocide.  Etc., etc., etc.

Think about what really matters to you, and then prioritize them.  It may not be easy, but once you prioritize, the rest is easy.

#2.  Voting records.

Talk is cheap, especially to a politician.  It is no longer sufficient to hear what a candidate says about what matters and what (s)he will make a priority.  You have to know for certain if the politician is actually voting in support of what (s)he claims is important.

Project Vote Smart (http://www.votesmart.org) gives you the voting record of a candidate.  You can search candidates by position and state.  And, you can check on how your candidate voted on what issues are important to you.  The Washington Post also has a database of key votes and missed votes for each candidate, and state legislators. It also has a table for how often they voted with their party.  (http://projects.washingtonpost.com/congress/)

Who are the presidential candidates, your congressional delegates, and your state legislative candidates?

In addition to Project Vote Smart, state government web sites offer good election information.  For national elections, this, too, is a helpful web site: http://congress.org/election/home/.

In checking into a specific candidate’s voting records on the Project Vote Smart web site, I was able to scroll until I found “veterans issues,” and then clicked on that.  It took me to a list of past legislation on veterans’ issues.

To my utter horror, I discovered that most candidates lie about supporting veterans, and in fact vote against funding for their health care, education and financial security.

#3.  Special interest groups.

When you consider your top three issues, are there any groups that support your issues?  Do the organizations endorse candidates or rate them?  These endorsements and ratings should not be your end-all and be-all for your choice of candidate, but they are extremely helpful in alerting you to discrepancies in the candidate, or clarifying for yourself how strongly you feel stand on a particular issue.

Project Vote Smart also lists “interest group ratings.”  You can click on that link and check on the rating given to the candidate from:

Vietnam Veterans of America

The Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America

The Disabled American Veterans

The Retired Enlisted Association

The American Legion

My family has been directly impacted by combat-related post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and too many of my veteran friends suffer from it.  Judging from an April 2008 report issued from RAND Corporation (a nonprofit research organization), a great many more families and friends will be impacted by combat-related PTSD.

The report confirmed that, “one in five Iraq and Afghanistan veterans currently suffer from PTSD or major depression.”  According to Terri Tanielian, the project’s co-leader and a researcher, “There is a major health crisis facing those men and women who have served our nation in Iraq and Afghanistan.”

RAND further said, “Unless they receive appropriate and effective care for these mental health conditions, there will be long-term consequences for them and for the nation.”

A 2007 white paper by Dr. Richard McCormick presented to Stand Up For Veterans, an advocacy campaign of the Disabled American Veterans, repeated this concern.  In studying psychological problems of veterans, Dr. McCormick stated, “These psychological …problems that threaten the well being of reservist/veterans and their families are NOW, and growing.  Immediate action is critical.”

A July 2007 study conducted by the Disabled American Veterans organization on the demographic distribution of the U.S. population, military and estimated injuries declared, “The Pentagon estimates that at present 219,000 troops are serving, and of those, 29,000 are Reserve/National Guard.  Estimates for injuries and potential injuries are about 20,000, or about 10%.  However, another source disputes this.  The military estimates are based on the definition of injuries as combat only.  Global Security estimates that all injuries are closer to 30,000 or possibly as high as 50,000.”  The study came to a sobering conclusion.  “Based on these projections, within the near future the care of injured service men and women will have to accommodate nearly 30,000 people in various geographic locations in the country. Not surprisingly, the largest numbers of treatments must be in California, Texas, Florida and Virginia.  These projections may change depending on the circumstances of overseas deployment.  But the immediate attention ought to be paid to the areas of most need in the U.S. for care and treatment of the wounded warriors.”

It isn’t as if taking care of our veterans’ physical and mental health cannot be done.  In a testimony presented before the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs on June 11, 2008, the RAND institution concluded that “Delivery of such care to all veterans with PTSD or major depression would pay for itself within two years, or even save money, by improving productivity and reducing medical and mortality costs. Such care may also be a cost-effective way to retain a ready and healthy military force for the future. However, to ensure that this care is delivered requires system-level changes across the Department of Defense, the Department of Veterans Affairs, and the U.S. health care system.”

Sadly, funding health care for our worthy veterans is not discussed in our Congress very often.  With few opportunities per year to vote in support of our veterans, one would think voting yes to fund their health care would be a no-brainer for legislators, especially when that is all they talk about doing.

Your vote does matter.  Case in point:  When a colleague of mine ran for mayor the first time, I was a judge at the election polls.  I had to stay after the polls closed and verify the count of the votes.  There were two precincts represented at the voting spot, and when the combined final count was done, my colleague won the two precincts by one vote.  I called and left a message for him that he won because of ME!! And then I took a bow.

Voting is important because it is yours by law.  This country needs the intelligence, balance and spirituality of its well-informed voters, especially those who are veterans.

Voting may not be the solution to anything by itself…but it is definitely a step towards one.

—- ©  St. John 2008

People Who May Have Answers

Tags

healthcare, PTSD, VA, veterans groups, veterans organizations

Veterans benefits and how to file/ask for them.   How to obtain books, military/medical records, information and how to appeal a denied claim with the VA.  Almost all provide information when requested by veterans without charges or fees.  (Source:  ROA Bulletin).

Board of Veteran’s Appeals http://www.bva.va.gov/

Center for Minority Veterans http://www.va.gov/centerforminorityveterans/

Center for Women Veterans  http://www.va.gov/womenvet/

Center for Veterans Enterprise http://www.vetbiz.gov/

Compensation Rate Tables, 12-1-03 http://www.vba.va.gov/bln/21/Rates/comp01.htm

Department of Veterans Affairs Home Page www.va.gov/

Directory of Veterans Service Organizations    http://www.va.gov/vso/

Disability Examination Worksheets Index, Comp www.vba.va.gov/bln/21/Benefits/exams/index.htm

Electronic Code of Federal Regulations www.gpoaccess.gov/ecfr/

Environmental Agents http://www.va.gov/environagents/

Environmental Agents M10   http://www.publichealth.va.gov/exposures/

Establishing Combat Veteran Eligibility  http://www4.va.gov/healtheligibility/library/pubs/combatvet/CombatVet.pdf

Evaluation Protocol for Gulf War & Iraqi Freedom Veterans with Potential Exposure to Depleted Uranium (DU)  http://www.va.gov/gulfwar/docs/DUHandbook1303122304.DOC

Evaluation Protocol For Non-Gulf War Veterans With Potential Exposure To Depleted Uranium (Du) http://www.va.gov/gulfwar/docs/DUHANDBOOKNONGW130340304.DOC

Federal Benefits for Veterans and Dependents http://www1.va.gov/opa/publications/benefits_book.asp

Fee Basis, Priority For Outpatient Medical Services & Inpatient Hospital Care

http://www.va.gov/healtheligibility/coveredservices/SpecialBenefits.asp

Forms and Records Request www.va.gov/vaforms/

Geriatrics and Extanded Care www.va.gov/geriatricsshg/

Guideline for Chronic Pain and Fatigue MUS-CPG http://www.healthquality.va.gov/medically_unexplained_symptoms_mus.asp

Guide to Gulf War Veterans’ Health www.va.gov/gulfwar/docs/VHIgulfwar.pdf

Gulf War Registry http://www.publichealth.va.gov/exposures/gulfwar/

Gulf War Registry Referral Centers http://www.vfw.org/index.cfm?fa=vets.leveld&did=3752

Gulf War Subject Index www.va.gov/GulfWar/page.cfm?pg=7&template=main&letter=A

Gulf War Veterans’ Illnesses Q&As www.va.gov/gulfwar/docs/GWIllnessesQandAsIB1041.pdf

Homeless Veterans www.va.gov/homeless/

HSR&D Home www.hsrd.research.va.gov/

Ionizing Radiation http://www.publichealth.va.gov/exposures/radiation/

Iraqi Freedom/Enduring Freedom Veterans VBA http://www.vba.va.gov/VBA/

M21-1 Table of Contents www.warms.vba.va.gov/M21_1.html

Mental Health Program Guidelines www.va.gov/vhapublications/ViewPublication.asp?pub_ID=1094

Mental Illness Research, Education and Clinical Centershttp://www.mirecc.va.gov/visn4/

MS (Multiple Sclerosis) Centers of Excellence http://www4.va.gov/ms/

My Health e Vet www.myhealth.va.gov/

NASDVA.COM Ë National Association of State Directors www.nasdva.com/

National Center for Health Promotion and Disease Prevention http://www.healthfinder.gov/orgs/hr3280.htm

OMI (Office of Medical Inspector) http://www.medicalinspector.va.gov/

Online VA Form 10-10EZ https://www.1010ez.med.va.gov/sec/vha/1010ez/

VA Annual Report To Congress, Persian Gulf Veterans’ Illnesses Research 1999 http://www.research.va.gov/resources/pubs/GulfWarRpt99.cfm

VA Annual Report To Congress, Persian Gulf Veterans’ Illnesses Research 2002 http://www.research.va.gov/resources/pubs/GulfWarRpt02.cfm

Phase II PGR http://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT00255463

Policy Manual Index http://www1.va.gov/vapubs/

Project 112 (Including Project SHAD) http://www.publichealth.va.gov/

Prosthetics Eligibility www.va.gov/vhapublications/ViewPublication.asp?pub_ID=337

Public Health and Environmental Hazards Home Page http://www.publichealth.va.gov/

Public Health/SARS http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15550198

Publications: Manuals www.va.gov/vhapublications/publications.cfm?Pub=4

Publications and Reports http://www.research.va.gov/resources/pubs/

Records Center and Vault Homepage http://www.rcv.va.gov/

Request For And Consent To Release Of Information From Claimant’s Records http://www.va.gov/vaforms/form_detail.asp?FormNo=3288

Research Advisory Committee on Gulf War Veterans Illnesses April 11, 2002 http://www1.va.gov/RAC-GWVI/Committee_Documents.asp

Research Advisory Committee on Gulf War Veterans Illnesses http://www1.va.gov/rac-gwvi/

Title 38 4.16 Total disability ratings for compensation based on unemployability of the individual. PART 4: schedule FOR RATING DISABILITIES Subpart A: General Policy in Rating http://ecfr.gpoaccess.gov/cgi/t/text/text-idx?c=ecfr&sid=1b7e1c80768900fe79b3126a180a3da6&rgn=div8&view=text&node=38:1.0.1.1.5.1.98.11&idno=38

Title 38 Index Parts 0-17 http://ecfr.gpoaccess.gov/cgi/t/text/text-idx?sid=5601440f9a028e2b353f1be27d4535d2&c=ecfr&tpl=/ecfrbrowse/Title38/38cfrv1_02.tpl

Title 38 Part 18 http://ecfr.gpoaccess.gov/cgi/t/text/text-idx?sid=e7f228f056f66128a3cf40196efa0323&c=ecfr&tpl=/ecfrbrowse/Title38/38cfrv2_02.tpl

U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims http://www.uscourts.cavc.gov/

VA Annual Report To Congress, Persian Gulf Veterans’ Illnesses Research 1999 http://www.research.va.gov/resources/pubs/GulfWarRpt99.cfm

VA Annual Report To Congress, Persian Gulf Veterans’ Illnesses Research 2002 http://www.research.va.gov/resources/pubs/GulfWarRpt02.cfm

VA Fact Sheet http://www.vba.va.gov/vba/benefits/factsheets/

VA Health Care Eligibility http://www4.va.gov/healtheligibility/eligibility/determineeligibility.asp

Veterans Legal and Benefits Information http://www.nvlsp.org/

VA Life Insurance Handbook: http://www.insurance.va.gov/miscellaneous/index.htm

VA Loan Lending Limits and Jumbo Loans http://valoans.com/va_facts_limits.cfm

VA MS Research http://www4.va.gov/ms/multiple-sclerosis-research.asp

VA National Hepatitis C Program www.hepatitis.va.gov/

VA Office of Research and Development http://www.research.va.gov/

VA WMD EMSHG http://www.va.gov/OCA/testimony/hvac/sh/08mr00FM.asp

VA WRIISC-DC http://www.warrelatedillness.va.gov/index.asp

VAOIG Hotline Telephone Number and Address http://www4.va.gov/oig/contacts/hotline.asp

Vet Center Eligibility – Readjustment Counseling Service www.va.gov/rcs/Eligibility.htm

Veterans Benefits Administration Main Web Page www.vba.va.gov/

VHA Forms, Publications, Manuals www.va.gov/vhapublications/

VHA Public Health Strategic Health Care Group Home Page www.publichealth.va.gov/

VHI Guide to Gulf War Veteran’s Health http://www.publichealth.va.gov/vethealthinitiative/gulfwar.asp

Vocational Rehabilitation www.vba.va.gov/bln/vre/

VONAPP online http://vabenefits.vba.va.gov/vonapp/main.asp

WARMS – 38 CFR Book C www.warms.vba.va.gov/bookc.html

War-Related Illness and Injury Study Center – New Jersey www.wri.med.va.gov/

Welcome to the GI Bill Web Site www.gibill.va.gov/

What VA Social Workers Do www.va.gov/socialwork/page.cfm?pg=3

WRIISC Patient Eligibility http://www1.va.gov/vhapublications/ViewPublication.asp?pub_ID=1121

 

Heroes Among Us: Medal of Honor Recipients, Part 2 of 2

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Medal of Honor recipients

It was November 11, 2005, and I was in Washington, DC, with my brother attending a special kind of reunion. Not only was it a reunion of veterans, it was a reunion of specific veterans: the survivors of the Vietnam Ia Drang Valley Ambush of November, 1965.  It was their fortieth anniversary,  Ia Drang was the first najor battle of the Vietnam Warm and was later chronicled in the book and movie, We Were Soldiers Once…and Young, written by (Ret.) Lt. Gen. Hal Moore and Joe Galloway, who was a war correspondentcovering the operation for UPI.

Elements of the 1st Air Cavalry Division, including the 1st Battalion, 7th Cavalry Regiment, commanded by Moore (a Lt. Col. at the time), were ordered into the valley to engage a large enemy force.  Within twenty-four hours, the enemy had almost surrounded the battalion, and Moore called for reinforcements.  By the end of the battle, almost two hundred and fifty Americans had been killed, with a similar number wounded.

Medal of Honor Recipients

Among the survivors attending the reunion were three Congressional Medal of Honor recipients:  Joe Marm, Ed “Too Tall” Freman and Bruce Crandall.

Joe Marm

I would not have guessed that Joe was a Medal of Honor recipient when my brother introduced me to him.  All I noticed was his quick smile, kind manner and pleasant disposition.  If someone had predicted that as a 2nd Lieutenant, Marm would draw enemy fire towards himself to save his platoon, charge 30 meters across open ground to hurl grenades, and then keep firing from his rifle while suffering severe wounds, I would have said,  “What?  Good ole Joe?  He’s too nice, too mild-mannered to try such a thing!”  He is a very humble, sweet man.

Ed “Too Tall Freeman”

After talking with Joe, another survivor lead me to a guy on the other side of the room who was so tall, he towered over everybody.  He was entertaining the group with jokes, talking animatedly, gesturing wildly and laughing loudly after he delivered his punch line, right along with his friends.  When I had to look way up to meet Ed “Too Tall” Freeman, my first thought was, “How can such a teddy bear be such a big guy ?”  Ed was as gracious as a knight, easy-going and in great demand by the crowd.  “Too Tall” had been a captain in Vietnam, piloting an assault helicopter.  When the ambush in the Ia Drang Valley started, he flew in under heavily armed fire delivering critically needed ammunition, water and medical supplies.  He did this repeatedly, with little rest.  When the fighting got too intense for the medical evacuation helicopters to fly in for the wounded, “Too Tall” hopped into his chopper and flew back into the fighting to evacuate the seriously wounded soldiers not once, but fourteen times.  Each time within 100 – 200 meters of the defensive perimeter.

Bruce Crandall

Another veteran grabbed my arm and told me there was somebody else I should meet.  He walked me into the middle of the room right next to a pleasant dude with a quick grin.  I had to wait a few minutes to meet this man, as there was a steady stream of veterans coming up, giving him big handshakes.  Who was this quiet, yet cheery man?  “That’s Bruce Crandall,” somebody whispered.

I suddenly felt as if somebody had slapped me.  I knew all about Bruce Crandall.  He didn’t know it, and he didn’t know me — I wasn’t there in the valley – but I was one of the lives he saved in 1965.

Like “Too Tall,” Major Crandall was an assault helicopter pilot, flying in ammunition and medical supplies to the troops.  He was between runs when he heard the medical pilots’ rapid and traumatized talk about how the fighting made it impossible for them to go back in and pick up our wounded.  To Bruce, there was no such word as “couldn’t.”  Fierce assault was only a mere detail to Bruce.  He knew he had to go in and get our boys out, or he would die trying.

On the same day Bruce was arguing with the medical pilots, a slightly built, twenty-three year old 2nd Lieutenant from a small town in Iowa, lay upon the ground, near-fatally wounded by mortar shelling, and bleeding to death.  Four of Bob’s platoon members rolled him onto his poncho and carried him through enemy fire to Landing Zone X-Ray, where the medical helicopters would pick him up.  It was his only chance.  Explosions were bursting all around the landing zone.  The four dropped Bob at the pickup site and headed back towards their perimeter under constant enemy fire.  Soaking in his own blood, prostate on enemy soil, Bob was scared about dying alone in a hostile country, with no family knowing it or being there to comfort him.  He did not want to die that way and prayed for help to come before it was too late for him.  As dusk came into the valley, his thoughts turned to the brutal enemy and how he would rather die than be found and tortured.   With evening darkening the sky, Bob knew his chances were slim.  He was losing all hope when suddenly he heard the familiar whomp whomp whomp of a chopper:  Bruce was on his way.  The young lieutenant reached for the hand of the wounded man on the poncho next to his and croaked, “We’re gonna make it!  We’re gonna make it!”  And then he burst into tears.

Bruce flew through twenty-two missions throughout that day and well into the evening, all under continuous enemy fire, rescuing our wounded boys.  This was Bruce’s 21st mission.   That Iowa boy was my big brother.

Bob had been my hero when we were growing up.  We had a special bond that connected us that made him more a father to me than a brother.   At fifteen, I would not have been equipped to deal with the desolation and depression of Bob’s death in my world.  Grief would have overwhelmed me.  I know I would have chosen a path of self-destruction rather than live without him.   Now in 2005, looking at the man who saved my brother’s life – and in so doing, saved mine —  I wondered:  how many other sisters, wives, and parents of brothers, husbands, and sons, or future sons, daughters and grandchildren, were saved by Bruce that day, too?

As the evening reception wore on, the laughs got less frequent and the chattering started nose-diving into quiet.  Something was changing the mood in the room.  Whiffs of “ died on the jungle floor,” “on the river bed with only one machine gun,” flew between “so my kid wouldn’t have to fight,”  and “still can’t sleep.”  Low voices spoke of names on the Wall.  Percentages of disability weaved in and out of the air with, “VA says I gotta get tested for cancer” or “still in country.”  The multiple conversations created a tapestry of such pain and suffering that it twisted my stomach and heart into knots.

A hurried movement to my left startled me.  Joe Marm was leaving, and quickly.  His face had lost all its peace.  His shoulders slumped.  He looked to be in pain.

Footsteps sounded to my right and I turned to see “Too Tall” walking slowly out of the room, head down and a shuffle to his feet.  His group stood where they had gathered, silent.  All eyes were to the floor.

I sought out Bruce who was turning in my direction and I caught the look in his eyes when he did.  It choked off my air.  His eyes were haunted.  They glittered with sharp fragments of intense pain.  Suffering was spread all across his face.  He turned back and the look was hidden.

In meeting these recipients, it was not just in knowing what heroic actions they accomplished that impressed me.  It was in discovering not how they were different, but how they were similar to all other combat veterans, including those of Iraq and Afghanistan.   Their eyes are all the same.  That haunted look is always there.

I am grateful to have met these three men from the Vietnam War who deserved the Congressional Medal of Honor for their heroic actions.  I am glad our country has found a way to honor those whose great sacrifices saved lives; often, not their own.

Celebrating the awarding of the Congressional Medal of Honor gives us more than just a chance to applaud those who deserve this special recognition.  It gives us cause to honor that high level of sacrifice itself, the commitment to duty and the harsh courage, that must be reached by all who serve their country, and who lived it honorably along with these outstanding Medal of Honor winners.   It allows those of us who were left behind a chance to say thank you to all those other heroes whose served and met this high standard of behavior; to those who must face each day with a special kind of trust unique to all combat veterans; that trust that for each day they arise with a will to live as honorably as they can, with a heart that is willing to be open and kind in spite of the homecoming parades they did not get or the nightmares they did, they are truly the bravest of the brave.

Thank you to the Congressional Medal of Honors recipients.  Thank you, especially, Bruce Crandall.

But thank you, too, to all the other heroes who served honorably and now live quietly among us.  I am glad you made it back, too.

Web sites and locations of Medal of Honor Memorials

Indianapolis, Indiana:    www.medalofhonormemorial.com/

Riverside, California:     www.rncsc.org/

Mount Pleasant, South Carolina:    www.patriotspoint.org/exhibits/medal_honor/

Pueblo, Colorado:    www.pueblomohfoundation.com/

Legion of Valor History:    www.legionofvalor.com/history.php

Preserving the History of the Recipients of the Medal of Honor: www.homeofheroes.com

Height of Valor — Vietnam casualties who earned our country’s highest military honors:

http://www.VirtualWall.org/valor.htm

This index is dedicated to those who earned our nation’s highest awards for valor in combat — the Medal of Honor, the appropriate Service Cross, and the Silver Star Medal.  The names shown here are links to personal memorial pages on The Virtual Wall in honor of the men who earned the award and lost their lives in the Vietnam War.

Heroes Among Us: Medal of Honor Recipients, Part 1 of 2

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Medal of Honor recipients

Of the two hundred and forty Vietnam War Congressional Medal of Honor recipients, only sixty are still living. Which makes meeting three of them in November of 2005 – all in the same room – at the same time – quite remarkable. But it was not just the honor of shaking hands with Joe Marm, Ed “Too Tall” Freeman, and Bruce Crandall that was unexpected. What I saw in the eyes of these three extraordinary men changed my life forever.

Recipients of the Congressional Medal of Honor were virtually ignored by our country for well over a century. It was not until 1999 that these thirty-four hundred-plus heroes were finally brought into the national limelight. In 1998, John Hodowal, then chairman of the Indianapolis, Indiana-based energy company IPALCO Enterprises, read a New York Times article about the annual meeting of the Congressional Medal of Honor Society. The article described the heroic deeds of those who had earned our nation’s highest honor.

John was so moved by their stories that he approached IPALCO for help in finding a way to formally recog­nize these outstanding individuals. To every­one’s amazement, the research indicated that few Americans knew of this elite group’s sacrifices. There was not even a memorial to acknowledge them or their acts of heroism.

Time to correct a national wrong

Not only would John and his company bring the medal’s recipients to Indianapolis for recognition, but they would build them a memorial.

The Medal of Honor Memorial, in Indianapolis, was completed in 1999, with ninety-six Medal of Honor recipients present. The memorial consists of twenty-seven curved blue/green plate glass panels, each between seven and ten-feet tall. The panels display fifteen conflicts, dating back to the Civil War. Three other states quickly followed suit with their own memorials: Riverside, California; Mt. Pleasant, South Carolina; and Pueblo, Colorado.

I live in Indianapolis, and visited the memorial to see where “my” three recipients were listed. As I walked toward the glass panels of names, I thought about the good old Iowa boy who started this medal business back in 1861.

The Medal of Honor

Iowa Senator James Grimes’s bill of 1861was drafted to encourage efficiency in the Navy. Medals were to be awarded to those who distinguished themselves by showing gallantry in action and other “seamanlike qualities.” Signed by President Lincoln, the bill authorized the production and distribution of these new Navy “medals of honor.”

In 1862, Massachusetts Senator Henry Wilson authorized a similar bill for the Army. Its Medal of Honor would be awarded to privates who distinguished themselves in battle. Lincoln authorized two thousand Medals of Honor to “be presented, in the name of the Congress, to such non-commissioned officers and privates as shall most distinguish themselves by their gallantry in action, and other soldier-like qualities.” (The United States Air Force would receive legislative authority for its own Air Force Medal of Honor in 1956.)

Walking through our paneled memorial, I wondered if the Congress of 1862 knew that the military recognition it sanctioned to promote efficiency would become the most elite award for bravery in our nation’s history.

The criteria for receiving the medal have not always been what it is today. It began its first evolution after the Battle of the Little Big Horn in 1876, with a new standard that included conduct beyond the normal discharge of duty.

In 1897, President McKinley added the requirement for eyewitnesses. President Theodore Roosevelt’s 1905 Executive Order required that the medal be awarded in a “formal and impressive ceremony,” presented by the President as Commander-in-Chief, or the designee of the President, with one exception made for campaigns.

In that instance, the division or higher commander could then present the medal. It was not until 1915 that the award, originally designed for enlisted personnel, was extended to officers. The Congress of 1918 seemed to sense some of the medal’s future, passing an act stipulating that only the Medal of Honor could be presented in the name of Congress, and that no person could receive more than one.

The Medal of Honor itself also inspired the creation of two separate associations. Recipients from the Civil War and Indian War Campaign organized themselves in 1890 as “The Medal of Honor Legion.” The group changed its name in 1933 to “The Army and Navy Legion of Valor,” and once again in 1961 as the “Legion of Valor of the United States of America, Inc.”

The early and continuing prestige attached to the Medal of Honor brought on a strong desire in some to promote the ideals represented by the medal itself: patriotism and love of country. In 1946, the Congressional Medal of Honor Society was formed to protect and preserve the dignity of the medal, and aid its recipients, spouses, and children.

Few changes, though, have been made to the appearance of the medal. Currently, though varying in design, the Medals of Honor from all branches of service (Army, Navy/Marines/Coast Guard, and Air Force) display the medal suspended below a neck ribbon.

My three guys

Pausing at the Vietnam War panel, I stared at the names of “my” three guys. Joe Marm was awarded his medal in 1967. Ed “Too Tall” Freeman received his in 2001. Back in 2005, Bruce Crandall’s nomination was still under review. He finally received his medal in 2007. “Too Tall” died in August of 2008.

Every day at dusk, our memorial plays a thirty-minute recording of the stories of the individual acts of heroism carried out by the medal recipients. Most of the stories were recorded by the recipients themselves.

But I already knew the stories of “my” three. I had learned what took place during those horrific days of November 14 through 17, 1965, in the Ia Drang Valley, in South Vietnam. One of “my” men would save lives not only in the valley, but way above and beyond Vietnam, right into a small town in the eastern part of Iowa. One of the many other lives he saved that day was my own.

 

Web sites and locations of Medal of Honor Memorials

Indianapolis, Indiana:    www.medalofhonormemorial.com/

Riverside, California:     www.rncsc.org/

Mount Pleasant, South Carolina:    www.patriotspoint.org/exhibits/medal_honor/

Pueblo, Colorado:    www.pueblomohfoundation.com/

Legion of Valor History:    www.legionofvalor.com/history.php

Preserving the History of the Recipients of the Medal of Honor: www.homeofheroes.com

Height of Valor — Vietnam casualties who earned our country’s highest military honors:

http://www.VirtualWall.org/valor.htm

This index is dedicated to those who earned our nation’s highest awards for valor in combat — the Medal of Honor, the appropriate Service Cross, and the Silver Star Medal.  The names shown here are links to personal memorial pages on The Virtual Wall in honor of the men who earned the award and lost their lives in the Vietnam War.

 

 

 

 

Has Memorial Day Lost Its Oomph?

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Memorial Day, remembering the fallen

Panel 3 East of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall was still dark when we gathered in the wee hours of the morning.  In the pre-dawn darkness, you could see the Honor Guard positioned atop the panel only when a flash from a camera exploded.  Then it lit up enough to see the uniformed young men in Stetsons proudly holding the flag and campaign ribbons of the First Cavalry.

(Ret.) Colonel Hal Moore and Joe Galloway (authors of the book describing the Ia Drang battle, We Were Soldiers Once…and Young) took their places in front of the panel as the day’s first ray of light began to creep upon the ground, encasing the entire memorial in a grayish light.

Hal and Joe respectfully and lovingly began to recite the names of each soldier who had died in the Ia Drang Valley in November of 1965.   Their voices were choked with emotion. With each name, the day widened its grip of the earth, broadening its reach against the panel, coloring its way across the Memorial.   The dawn crept in stealthily as each name was recited, bleeding its reddish hue down the panel like a stream of blood on a battlefield.  The sun’s rays came to rest atop the panel and on the Honor Guard who had remained standing tall and straight, much like their First Cav comrades in combat.

It was Veterans’ Day 2005.  We were all there to remember a specific group who had fallen while serving this nation: the casualties of the Ia Drang Valley.

It is now May 2010.  Monday, May 31, is Memorial Day.  Some people misthink that Memorial Day is to honor all who have died, but it is not.  It is a day set aside for another specific group:  all the men and women who have died while in service to our country.

But will people even bother to remember?  They did once, a long time ago.

Placing flowers upon the graves on those who have fallen in the line of service began before Memorial Day was officially a holiday recognizing this loving gesture.  “Decoration Day,” as it was originally nicknamed, happened in part because of a group of southern women who took it upon themselves to decorate the graves of the confederate soldiers who died during the Civil War.   In truth, many similar hearts across the nation were decorating the graves of their loved ones who had fallen while in service.  The day was not officially set aside as a day of remembering until General John Logan, national commander of the Grand Army of the Republic, proclaimed May 5, 1868, as a memorial day for placing flowers upon Union and Confederate soldiers at Arlington National Cemetery.  The idea caught on in the states.  New York was the first to lead the way in 1873 when it officially recognized the day as a holiday.  By 1890 all the northern states had declared an official Memorial Day holiday.  The southern states joined in when the holiday was changed to include all those who had fallen in service in all wars and not just the Civil War.

In 1951, the St. Louis Boy Scouts and Cub Scouts placed flags on the 150,000 graves at Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery.  This practice is continued every year as a “Good Turn.”

Since the late 50’s on the Thursday before Memorial Day, soldiers of the 3d U.S. Infantry pace and place small American flags at each of the gravestones at Arlington National Cemetery. (There are more than 300,000 people buried at Arlington.)  Their duty is not finished when their task is completed.  They patrol 24×7 until Memorial Day to ensure that each flag remains upright.

The National Holiday Act of 1971 (P.L. 90 – 363)  passed by Congress chose the last Monday in May as the national day of memory to ensure a three-day weekend for Federal holidays.

For twelve years on the Saturday before Memorial Day, at Fredericksburg and Spotsylvania National Military Park on Marye’s Heights, the local Boys Scouts and Girl Scouts place a candle on each of the approximately 15,300 grave sites of soldiers.

In December of 2000, Congress passed the “National Moment of Remembrance” resolution to encourage Americans to recall and respect the true meaning of Memorial Day.  We Americans are asked to stop at 3 P.M. local time on Memorial Day for a moment of silence to honor those who sacrificed their lives for us in the line of duty and service to our country.

In 2004, Washington D.C. held its first Memorial Day parade in over 60 years.

What about today?

The public is losing interest in honoring this special group of people.

Each year the amount of those who care about our fallen is shrinking. The U.S.Memorial Day organization knows this for a fact:  “Many Americans nowadays have forgotten the meaning and traditions of Memorial Day.  At many cemeteries, the graves of the fallen are increasingly ignored, neglected. Most people no longer remember the proper flag etiquette for the day.”

This Memorial Day, as I think upon what it means to give up your life for another, I am also reminded of those who survived and are still with us.   How many go back “in country” each night?  How many suffer with posttraumatic stress disorder?  Do they feel out of place in their skin because America had no place to file them away after they came back?

By remembering all those who have given their lives in service, we do more than merely pay our respects or decorate a grave.  We provide a strong, straight thread of honor and dignity to the living, such as those who gathered on that Sunday morning in Washington DC, and connect it to the fallen, such as those listed on Panel 3 East, and declare, “By your dedication to service you connect the present to the past and weave a tapestry of immortality.  From beginning to end, you have affixed a place of honor forever in our lives and we are the better for it.”

On this Memorial Day if you cannot visit a cemetery and lay a flower, or visit a church and say a prayer, take one minute of private silence at 3 P.M. to be grateful for those who were willing to accept the order to fight and die for you — a friend, a family member or a stranger.

It is the least you can do, but it is the best thing you can do.

We cherish too, the Poppy red

That grows on fields where valor led,

It seems to signal to the skies

That blood of heroes never dies.

—  Moina Michael

Rest in peace my brothers and sisters of wars, for you are not forgotten.

U.S. Memorial Day organization:  http://www.usmemorialday.org