The Vietnam vets to organize

The Saratogian
July 5, 1981
I remember the plane ride to Vietnam better than the ride home. There was more
to think about then. On the way home I was asleep from exhaustion. Also, I did
not think there was much to worry about “in the world.”

On the way over, I wanted to savor every moment of life, not knowing how much
of it I had left.

We had landed at Cam Ranh Bay not knowing what to expect. The last television
news I could remember showed marines pinned down at Con Tien. The Tet
Offensive had just upset everyone's ideas about who was winning the war. I
wondered what was waiting for me: life, death, wounds; cowardice or heroism;
hatred, disease, friendship or just loneliness. I did not know what to expect there,
but I did know my DEROS, Date Eligible Return from Overseas.

It takes a long time to get used to being in a war, perhaps a day or two. One never
forgets his DEROS though (365). Two hundred and ninety nine days, “God let me
make it!” The war goes on and you settle down knowing you are really there. One
hundred and ninety nine days, “I am no longer a newcomer!”

There are guys who need help accepting that they are in Vietnam. Ninety nine
days, “I am a short-timer!” Pretty soon I'll be going back to the world.” It is time to
start making plans how to stay alive and what to do back home. Thirty days, really
short! It is time to be careful. We all know about the guy who was killed on his
last patrol. “Did you hear about the grunt who was killed a she was getting on the
plane to go home?”

One day to go; I turn in my rifle. Eleven kilometers by bus to the Pleiku airport and
a flight back to Cam Ranh Bay, unarmed. Flying to Cam Ranh, we pray there will
be no “accidents”. A few more hours of processing and we’ll be on our way.
DEROS equals 0. I have won the war! As the plane leaves the country we all cheer,
we have won the war against time. Some laugh, some cry, a few talk and sing,
most of us fall asleep, numb. All we have to do is rest. We want to be in good
shape when we land. No great expectations, but we know that we have
accomplished something.

Midnight, Seattle, Washington: planeload of Vietnam vets snuck back into the
United States hurried onto a bus and processed by sun up.

The next morning four of us are in a cab facing rush hour traffic to the airport. We
join thousands of commuters and the honking horns of daily life. We have just
another fared to the airport. The only visible difference being that we wore our
unit patches on our right shoulder. Only those in the brotherhood knew that
meant service in war. We received the same courtesies that other passengers got
from a national airline.

Very few people knew that I had made it. As I flew from Seattle to New York, I
learned that there was no welcome home. I would have to make my own

It is too late for parades. We are home; we have wives and children; and bills to
pay. Jobs and health care mean more to us now. Education and hope are more
important than speeches.

On July 4, we declared our independence. We held our own welcoming home

party without waiting for a government that has shied away from us. We
gathered at John Boyd State Park for a potluck supper. Families played together
and celebrated life.

From now on, we will be free of obligations to support politicians do not support
us. Free of promises! Free of parades! There are 400,000 of us in New York State.
In 1982 the following candidates will be looking for support: Governor, Lieutenant
Governor; US Senator; all Congressmen; all State Senators; all State
Assemblymen.
Each of us has a family and friends. If the time for action is not now then when is
it? In each county, veterans should meet and welcome each other home; begin
the dialogue and find ways to support each other. Include families and friends.
We are from the generation that responded to the president’s call “Ask not what
your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country”. In conscience
and commitment we stepped forward and took the risk. We did not expect to be
forgotten.

It is time to step forward again; Veterans supporting veterans; learning from each
other what the needs are and how best to address those needs. The initial step of
organizing is dialogue. We must sort out the issues independently but not in
isolation

Don't be afraid of old conflicts. Twelve years after returning from Vietnam I am
president of a 400 person chapter of Vietnam Veterans of America that includes
pro-and antiwar veterans. Earlier differences have been put aside; we have
reformed to make a difference. We all made it past DEROS equals 0. Now we
need to focus on the future, individually and for this country. We join with those
willing to make a commitment and take the risk in 1982. We begin that process
now!