Monday March 30 officially recognizes and honors those who served in Vietnam,

Laos, Cambodia and elsewhere during the Vietnam War from 1955-1975 and came
home. One mayoral candidate, Dan Coffey ran from military service in the time of
war, is disgraceful for a candidate who wants to lead our city of veterans.
Forty-five years ago this past December in 1969, the nation conducted the first
military draft for the Vietnam War for 1970. That year 11,780, service members
sacrificed their lives for our country and for others liberty.
Reviewing the history of our eight mayoral candidates there is only one that was
asked to serve the country in a time of war in 1970. Dan K. Coffey
lottery number 114.
Dan Coffey chose to run from service on a college deferment.
Ironically, if a draft occurred today, a selectee could not use a
school deferment to evade service. Therefore, I express regret that
Mr. Dan Coffey failed to disclose his draft avoidance when the country called and
needed his help. Now he wants to serve our city of veterans.
Mr. Coffey graduated Pomona College outside Los Angeles in
1968 and attended law school at the University of San Diego,
California in the early 70s during the time of the heavy antiwar protests in Southern California.
On March 30, 1973, all U.S. troops withdrew from Vietnam in
one of Americas wars to stop communist domination of the
world from the Soviet Union, China, North Korea and East
Germany.
Our service members did not receive a welcome home or any parades to honor
them, no marches and no speeches like those from previous wars we fought. Thank
God, our current veterans returning home from the war on
terror do not have to experience the spitting, the namecalling, chants of baby-killers and the denigration for serving
their country.
The Vietnam War was lost; however, it is a known fact that
the U.S. military won the war. The scornful politicians, draft
dodgers and anti-war protesters lost it for all of us. Today many of those in my
generation ran to colleges and universities, many making their careers as attorneys,
lobbyist, educators and politicians, self-serving and rich.
In reverence to the veterans that served in Vietnam, WELCOME HOME! For all our
veterans thank you for your service so others could go to school to become lawyers,
rich and famous.