Obscure, Unknown and Sad

Last Saturday there was a Welcome Home lunch to bless those vets who came home from Vietnam to a “less than favorable” experience at that time of civil unrest. All I can say is that it’s about time.

America was tangled in emotion and politics in the years surrounding the Vietnam War and veterans during that time period were not always welcomed home with a proper homecoming.

It was so good to see a Welcome Home Lunch for Vietnam Vets last weekend in Whiteville.

“It means a lot,” said Vietnam veteran Rod Birkle. “When we came home, we were not welcome. So this makes a lot of difference now. All the Vietnam vets made a vow that no other soldier would ever get treated like we were. Usually when some of the soldiers come home from the Middle East, some of the first people they see are Vietnam vets standing to greet them and welcome them back home.”

“We’re doing what we’re supposed to do,” an organizer of these lunches nationwide said. “We are supporting our veterans and we are thankful for their service.”

The Vietnam was fought from 1961-1973 and in 1965 there were 80,000 troops in Vietnam and by 1969 543,000 troops were deployed.

There were 58,257 soldiers who lost their lives in Vietnam. Of those, 2495 were from North and South Carolina. The number wounded was also massive.

“Many of those troops returning from Vietnam were treated with disrespect,” Ruth Herdt said. “It was because of the public debate about the involvement of the United States in the Vietnam War. Soldiers were advised not to wear their military uniform as they returned home.”

In both North and South Carolina, March 29th is recognized as National Vietnam War Veterans Day, commemorating the withdrawal of the last combat troops from Vietnam and the arrival of the last prisoners of war. Sad, really that they get some obscure and unnoticed date on the calendar for all they have done for us.

“My grandfather went through hell,” veteran Brian Boaz said. “He came home a hero. My father who was in Korea and Vietnam didn’t come home a hero. My mom fought in Vietnam. She didn’t come home a hero either. And I don’t understand it. When I came back from the Persian Gulf there were 7,000 people waiting on the pier for us. A lot of them were family, but a lot of them weren’t.”

Boaz went on to tell about how he finally found out about the service that his parents had performed at the request of their government. He shared the personal pain of having parents that were heroes but never treated as such. He spoke firsthand of what the day to welcome them home means.

“It breaks my heart,” Boaz said. “You just don’t know how many people said thank you after I got back. From my generation of veterans to you, I want to welcome you home. What you guys did, I can’t imagine. But guaranteed my generation loves you guys for what you have done. Thank you.”

It is a day to honor those who came back with no honor. It will never be a day to make the haunting and hurting memories go away. It is, however an opportunity to say that we were wrong and we are sorry and we want to set the record straight. You veterans of Vietnam are heroes. Though we didn’t say it then, we say it now before your generation of veterans passes. Welcome home.

Also, last weekend was another special event to recognize and help all veterans. From Wayne Schaeffer.

“Military veterans are familiar with the term ‘Stand Down’, and they recognize that it means the military service member is to pause from operating in a state of high alert, and instead, to move themselves into a state of rest and recovery. On Saturday, April 5^th, local and regional military veterans were offered an opportunity to attend the 2025 Bladen Job Fair and Veteran’s Standdown Event, hosted at the Elizabethtown Baptist Church.

“The Stand Down event has become an annual event directed by Leon Grimes, representing the NC Department of Commerce’s ‘Jobs For Veterans State Grant Program’. Grimes has been assisted by Terri Dennison, with the Bladen Community College Business Center, Michael Osborne, Bladen County’s Veteran Services Officer, and a host of seasoned veterans from the Bladen chapters of the DAV, the American Legion, and the VFW.

“One critical part of the event is designed to provide disabled or recently separated service members referrals for health care services or treatment options that they may not have otherwise known about. In particular, organizations such as the Wounded Warrior Project, Trillium, the Veterans Administration, and Suicide Prevention Teams were on-hand to offer on-the-spot counseling, direction, and advice. In addition, local agencies such as Bladen County Health and Human Services agencies were available as well. The emphasis was on enabling the military veteran to obtain, and maintain, quality health care as they reenter the civilian workforce.

“The second important aspect of a Stand Down is to ‘Hire The Vet’. Military veterans traditionally bring a strong work ethic into the workforce, and many businesses are keenly aware of the in-depth experience and training that a veteran can offer an employer. Thus, organizations such as NCWorks and the Dep’t of Labor’s Job Corp. were on-site to talk with job-seeking veterans. In addition, representatives from Bladen Community College were on-hand to discuss continuing education, and vocational certification programs, that the college offers.

“Saturday’s event offered a flexible venue for vendors, and allowed the Stand Down planners to include over 50 spots for participating organizations. Significantly, the word got out to military veterans thru-out the county and the region, and they took full advantage of a positive opportunity to meet, greet, and to talk face-to-face with the many veteran agencies and civilian organizations dedicated to supporting them!”

We owe our way of life to veterans who fought so we could be free. Some served here, some served overseas. Some returned… and some did not. They paid a price that you can not comprehend if you take our country for granted. If you trample our flag. If you can’t stand at our anthem. If you can’t enourage them with a “welcome home,” or “we can never repay you,” or “Thank you for your service,” you simply… don’t get it.