Senate Bill, S409, if passed, would make March 29, of each year, National Vietnam Veterans Day. A national day or remembrance.

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Slim, U.S. Army, Ret.

If I were a VN vet I would want to be honored and remembered with my brothers and sisters from other wars.

As important as it is to honor VN vets, do we have other war-specific vets days?

I hope the thing fails to pass.

I have noted before that I don't need some special day to be "remembered."

I'm here while many others never got to come home or have passed already.

I understand the idea of honoring servicemen and women, especially those who died during their service, but there already is a day for that, really two days, I guess (though I see them as different) and that seems sufficient to me.

Bob

Oh heck, now my wife wants the day, if she gets a day off of work (she's still working and works for the government).

I told her that was pretty shallow, but then she explained that, if she was off, that was one more day she could spend with her VN vet sweetie.

I said, it figures, you want to spend the time with him instead of me.

And, that's when the fight ....

Do you Vietnam Vets need a special day? The only people that will celebrate the day will be veterans and there families and some small towns that still believe in America.

We should all know how returning veterans were treated when they came home and after.

No other group of veterans have been treated and rejected as they men were.

Anyone remember TV and movies from the 70s and how Vietnam vets were showed a being violent and mentally unbalanced.

So do they need a special day ?

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Carpriver.

What day is old, overweight white lawyer of German ancestry day?

Veterans day is for Vietnam Veterans, there are too few WWII or Korean veterans to fill the parade ranks and all the WWI veterans and Spanish American War veterans are gone.

Veterans Day and Memorial Day seem to cover it pretty well for me. I hope all veterans are remembered on those days especially .

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Hue 68 noli me tangere

We should be more observant of Veteran's and Memorial Days rather than making new holidays for people to ignore. There's Grenada, Panama, the Gulf wars and a few others. I think they should all walk in the same parade.

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"He was kinda funny lookin'"

Is it Vietnam Vet or Vietnam era vet?

Veterans Day is enough for me. I'm nobody special. All who ever wore the uniform deserve our respect.

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Music/Sports/Beer fan

What's old is new again...although not yet to the same level.

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Where's my dad's America?

If we had a day for every conflict that we have been involved in they would have to hire contract workers to run the government as the full timers would be out on national days of remeberence's a 100 % of the time.
Wait a minute---HUMMMMMMMM---maybe they are !?
Blessings

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TEXAS, by GOD

To me this day-which has long been established-is for survivors who know how their loved ones have been maligned, mistreated, and marginalized. It has nothing to do with B-B-Q, retail sales or the like.

Summary (1) Text (1) Actions (2) Titles (1) Amendments (0) Cosponsors (11) Committees (1) Related Bills (2)
Summary: S.409 — 113th Congress (2013-2014)All Bill Information (Except Text)

There is one summary for this bill. Bill summaries are authored by CRS.
Shown Here:
Introduced in Senate (02/28/2013)

Authorizes the President to annually issue a proclamation: (1) designating March 29 as Vietnam Veterans Day, (2) honoring and recognizing the contributions of veterans who served in Vietnam during war and peace, (3) encouraging state and local governments to establish a Vietnam Veterans Day, and (4) encouraging the people of the United States to observe such Day with appropriate ceremonies and activities.

September 31st. Whats the problem-you didn't get the memo or what???

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Forum consigliere

While, hopefully, their hearts and minds are in the right place in proposing this, I suspect its more to relieve guilt in how shamefully Vietnam vets were treated for so long.
It would be a better memorial if they resolved to NEVER do it again.
A vet is a vet and there is already a day for that.

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“Look life in its iron face”

Thanks for the thought, but it's a lame idea.

40+ years after the fact, I don't need ANOTHER day without bank, mail, or government access.

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Regards,
Lee Jarrett

I think we should all periodically reflect on what, as a country, we did right and wrong in VN and how our troops were (and have since been) treated.

Do we need another federal holiday for it? I don't really think so.

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paws for friendship

Sounds like another government holiday (with pay) we tax payers will be shouldering.

I already get a free breakfast at Hy-Vee on veterans day, that's enough for me.

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Vietnam 1969-1971

I'm not a fan of the idea either. I'm still not comfortable with the "Thanks for your service" deal and, I think, this will make it worse.

I have spent 46 years (DEROS 17APR69) trying my best to hide and blend in.........don't ruin it now.

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... a little behind in my work

I think there are already too many legal "holidays" which translate into paid time off for a lot of government workers and not much else. When I worked for a County government in Wisconsin back in the 1990's, the County policy was that all employees get the same holidays off that the union employees did. So we got 13 holidays off each year! Nothing but an abuse of the taxpayers. As a Vietnam vet I don't need this additional holiday, especially since I know that it would not actually mean any recognition or appreciation of Vietnam veterans, but just another day off for some, closed government services for everyone, and an excuse for politicians to fake their concern for our nation's veterans.

During my working years I found it somewhat ironic that I had to work every Veterans day while seemingly all the non Vets had the day off. I get the day off now (well, I actually get every day off ) I don't need a day to remember my time there, I recall everything quite vividly no matter how hard I try not to.

I have to agree with a poster above. Some thing that they feel guilty about, and trying to make amends. Too little too late. I was spit on, called a baby killer, and a hired killer. I'm sure that some of you folks were too.
Veterans day is already in place.
Kind of sad that respect for an American soldier did not become common until the Gulf wars. All soldiers deserve the greatest respect.

Another NO vote from a Vietnam Vet. Don't need no special day.

Yep, it would help make up for the **** we got, instead of parades, etc!

What a crock! Vietnam Veterans aren't good enough to be included in the present Veterans Day?

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Quando omni flunkus moritati.

A great idea would be to just leave us alone, won't be the first time.

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Doesn't hasta call me Johnson

I'm a Vietnam veteran (10/67--10/68, including Tet). While I would initially feel honored by a "Vietnam Veterans Day," I feel that all veterans in all wars made terrible sacrifices and there's no need to single out any one group of veterans for special commemoration.
On the other hand, us veterans in particular were singled out for rejection and disrespect from the general population and many of our anti-war politicians. While an apology is long overdue, a special day is not necessary. That's why we have both Memorial Day and Veterans Day.

Every day is Veteran's Day for us that made it " Back to the Block" and I pray for the 58,000 we lost........

Once again-there is no "federal holiday" or interruption of Gov't services. It is a day to remember, "lest we forget." The date commemorates the "official" last day of our troop involvement. There could, and I believe should, be other days from this war that are "officially Remembered," just as there are in other wars, but this one will have to suffice. Oh, and this was already enacted 3 calendar years ago; don't you remember all of the attention it got in the press then, and each year after? Nope, me neither. Don't hold your breath. I guess that as much as things change, some remain the same. I respect the feelings of those that need to remember, and I am puzzled by those who would resist this effort to acknowledgment the memory of those who both served and died-no matter how late it might be. The President's proclamation is available on line regarding this day, for those who would care to be briefed.

....February 29th? That way I'd only have to remember how we got welcomed home once every fourth year.


Actually, having spent the last three nights hunched over a 1040, I'd settle for lower taxes for all veterans.

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Long Barrel
Retired Artilleryman

They're still trying to decide between Sept. 31st or Feb. 31st. And someone mentioned the 6th Sunday of Feb.

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Slim, U.S. Army, Ret.

HUH? You mean on THAT day we won't get spat upon?!

Go figure... spit budget cuts...

Vietnam Vet US Army '70-71...I don't get it, why do we need a special day, isn't Veterans Day enough. Why don't they pull their heads out of their collective alphas and get some real work done instead of goofing around on fluff.

"Is it Vietnam Vet or Vietnam era vet?"

If you severed during 1959-1975Vietnam era vet.

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Carpriver.

Lets make Veterans day special.. Only Veterans get the day off with pay and everyone else gets to work and kids have go to school and learn about the sacrifices our military has made to keep us free.

This gets my vote!

Where were they 45-50 years ago when we came home and needed help & support? If they want to "do something" for veterans, then fix the mess at the VA so those who need help can get what they were promised.

Memorial Day for those that didn't come home and Veterans Day for the rest of us.

101st Airborne, 1970-71

As a Vietnam vet I see this as an idea who's time has come.

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Real men love cats!

I don't see any mention of a "holiday" per se, with a day off, yada yada, but simply a Day of Remembrance, I see nothing wrong with that.

Edit: Amazin already covered this I see, didn't read his previous post.

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Sure you did

Sadly or fortunately, depending on how you look at it, there are fewer and fewer people who know how shamefully returning Vietnam vets were treated. For people not too much younger than you folks who served there, that war is ancient history about which they know little or nothing. For high school kids today Desert Storm might as well be the battle of Antietam.

I look at it sadly. I remember what you guys had to endure when you came home. I think surely you are entitled to formal apology, but I don't know if this is a sufficient or appropriate way to do it.

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Oh well, what the hell.

I was one of those returning servicemen who were spit upon and called baby killers and worse. Kinda put a damper on my trip home for the last time. those who served know what they did and will carry those experiences to the grave. Don't consider what I did anything special while almost 58,000 of my fellow service brothers and sisters made the ultimate sacrifice. They are the ones who should be remembered. Frank

Veterans Day(for the living) and Memorial Day(for our lost brothers) cover it, the same as for any other vet.

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CSM, U S Army(Ret) 1963-1990

Korean War vets are all but forgotten. They served and quietly went about their lives. While I'd like to see a day that honors vets, like my dad, (while he's still around) Memorial Day and Veteran's Day honors ALL vets.

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Thread Killer.

I believe that a great majority of people have already realized the plight of Vietnam Vets as was shown by the outpouring of support for our troops when the Gulf Wars started. It happened because the time was right and people didn't want our soldiers being blamed for a war they were fighing ever again, I hope. I CAN'T forget our people being spit on and called 'baby killers'.

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"He was kinda funny lookin'"

If we aren't proud of having a 'win' to celebrate, it's an 'action', not a war.

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"He was kinda funny lookin'"

I'd rather we have separate holidays for Washington and Lincoln....like before, instead of "President's Day". As it is now, the only national holiday named after a person is MLK day. What's up with that!?