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Operation Dewey Canyon IV

By VVAW

A LIMITED INCURSION INTO CONGRESS 'LAND'

In the last issue of THE VETERAN, the VVAW NATIONAL OFFICE proposed that veterans hold a national march on Washington in the spring of 1982. That will be the 50th anniversary of the bonus March on DC by World War I vets demanding their rights (and giving the impetus which led to unemployment compensation). It will also be the 11th anniversary of VVAW's Operation Dewey Canyon III, the demonstration against the war we had fought in, where Vietnam vets threw away their medals demanding "Bring Our Brothers Home—NOW!"

More important than the anniversaries involved is the situation that Vietnam vets and their families now find themselves in, with budget cuts, Agent Orange poisoning, and moves toward another Vietnam type war in Central America.

Following the proposal for "Operation Dewey Canyon IV" VVAW held a National Interim Committee meeting to come up with an outline for the action. We decided to bring up the following demands based on what we saw were the needs and desires of Vietnam vets:

1. TEST,TREAT, & COMPENSATE AGENT ORANGE VICTIMS
2. DECENT BENEFITS FOR ALL VETS
3. STOP ALL VA CUTS
4. SUPPORT INCARCERATED VETS
5. SINGLE-TYPE DISCHARGE FOR ALL VETS
6. NO AID FOR EL SALVADOR.

We decided to combine demonstrations with confronting our Congressmen and Senators on vets' needs and workshops around organizing and education.

Following the Agent Orange Conference in Washington, VVAW held an extended National Office meeting and decided to hold Dewey Canyon IV from the 12th of May through the 15th of May, catching Congress in session during primary elections, during Armed Forces week but before Memorial Day. The basic scenario for the limited incursions into the nation's Capital is as follows:

Starting on the morning of May 12th we will be setting up a photo display on the history of Vietnam vets, the war and the history of the veterans' struggle. In the afternoon there will be registration with the opening of the cam beginning with the 5 o'clock follies (press conference). At 7PM there will be a candlelight march on the White House with speeches and music by 'Nam vets and their families.

Thursday, May 13th: At 10AM, a picket line at the VA Central office demanding rights and necessities. Following that will be lobbying and confronting members of congress. At the 5 o'clock follies we'll give out reports on the results, to each other and the press. In the evening there will be music followed by educational and rap groups.

Friday. May 14th: a 10 AM demonstration and the Office of Management and Budget, confronting David Stockman. More lobbying of congress will follow. At the 5 o'clock follies we will continue to report on our reception by Congress, and announce the final push of the operation for the following day. In the evening, a vets cultural event followed by discussions on how to build the vets movement and continue the struggle back in our local areas.

Saturday, May 15th: At 11AM vets will assemble at the Vietnam Vets Memorial. We will march to Arlington to lay a wreath remembering our fallen friends. We'll then march back to the Capitol, past the Lincoln Memorial, the Washington Monument and along the Reflecting Pool. At the Capitol we will make our final statement for the operation giving vets and families a chance to say their piece.

While we believe this is a sound basic outline, we are open to suggestions, and hope to get as many as possible from as many individuals and vets groups as we can. We welcome support, participation and endorsements. Initial negotiations for sites and permits are underway and plans are moving forward quickly; the earlier people get involved the more input they will have. As always, we will need donations—donations to VVAW are tax deductible. For more information follow THE VETERAN or write to the VVAW National Office of the VVAW Chapter in your area.

We believe that Dewey Canyon IV can be a strong statement from vets to the government that used us once and now is trying to throw us aside. We won't have it and we're willing and able to stand up for what vets need.

ON TO DEWEY CANYON IV!

Demands:

1. Test, treat and compensate Agent Orange victims: None of us asked to be coated with Agent Orange, nor were we told what could happen to us and our children. Now it's the plain duty of the government and the VA to do what is right—test, treat and compensate victims.
2. Decent Benefits for All Vets: this includes decent healthcare for vets from World War I through Vietnam; GI Bill benefits that permit vets to go to school; disability payments that mean something, and a host of other vets benefits which are more on paper than they are real.
3. Stop all VA Cuts: We'll know more about what cuts are coming down as time goes on, but with hundreds of billions for defense, we know there's money to help the veterans of the last war.
4. Support Incarcerated Vets: With up to 1/3rd of the state and federal prison population being made up of Vietnam-era vets, and with their benefits being smashed, it's up to us to do for them what they are unable to do for themselves.
5. Single-type discharge for all vets: Too many vets have suffered from bad discharges handed out because the vet wouldn't go along with military nonsense. By getting rid of the present discharge system we take one more club out of the hands of the military brass.
6. No Aid to El Salvador: We've been through one Vietnam and have no interest in contributing our children to another.