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Veterans' Day

By VVAW

SAN ANTONIO

VVAW was denied participation in the "official activities by the Greater San Antonio Area Veteran's Association which oversaw the wreath-laying ceremonies at the National Cemetery and the parade that took place later in the day.

After seeing the parade from our vantage spot across from the Alamo, it was clear to us that to be a part of that buffon-filled, mile-long demonstration of America's military might would only have us soon forgotten by those who took time off from work to witness what seemed like 10,000 JROTC kids, M-16's, and erotic displays of young female flesh riding floats under the auspices of Miss Fort Sam and the like. Instead, standing in a post-military formation with signs of "Why Aren't Vietnam Vets part of Vets Day?" and "Test, Treat and Compensate Agent Orange Victims," we soon became the main special of the day, not soon to be forgotten. It seemed like we were the event and the parade marched by us to have them see what is in their future.

By the reactions on the faces of the marchers and some of the vets' groups who moved by us, it was clear that they offered support. Many units threw offers at us to have u join them. But our spot was there standing firm to the decision that we weren't allowed to participate. It became clear to the people who said "No" to us that their decision had backfired. We held the media's attention.

The press conference preceding the parade was as expected: held with good media response. The message was loud: "Veterans continue to be besieged by problems resulting from our service; on this day set aside for veterans we get only a deaf ear." Naming the problems one by one, the news relayed a series of reports which, though not quite accurate, summed it us, and spelled out that we are here and we are not going away.

San Antonio VVAW

STEVENS POINT

November 9-12 were "Agent Orange Information days" in Stevens Point, WI; in response to an invitation from the Environmental Council, members of VVAW from Milwaukee and Madison appearing on TV and radio and talking with vets and others.

A November 9th radio call-in show turned into an all-VVAW event when Dow refused to appear and the VA would only contribute a taped interview.

A literature table at the University of Wisconsin at Stevens Point gave VVAW members a chance to talk with students; this was followed by TV interviews and tapings. As the visiting VVAW members left, David Tesch was installed as the new Chapter Coordinator of the Stevens Point VVAW Chapter.

Ron Rutkowski

CHICAGO

Historically, the "traditional" ceremony bas been tightly controlled by the American Legion, so VVAW and Vietnam vets in general have been excluded from what has also been an extremely boring and lackluster performance by the traditional vets groups.

This year a VVAW sponsored "Memorial to the Living" Vets Day program brought together a number of speakers from other vets groups including Vets for Peace, the Veterans Leadership Conference, Illinois Vietnam Veterans Civic Council and a Vietnam vet American Legion post commander. The brief program, held at the site of Chicago's "Eternal Flame" was somewhat larger than programs in past years cut to the increasing attacks on vets benefits and programs by the Reagan Administration. The alternative Veterans Day completely over-shadowed the Legion-run event both in media coverage and in numbers of Vietnam vets. Few if any 'Nam vets turned out for the "traditional" red, white and blind tap dance.

Chicago VVAW

BIRMINGHAM

The Vets Day action went pretty well. It was not as outrageous as I would have liked but we did have a presence at the thing. We had three times as many people this year as we did last year. And, we were joined by some Benedictine nuns who held up a large sign containing the quote from Pope Paul VI, "No More War, Never Again War." In fact, the Secretary of the Army didn't seem too pleased to have us there either. One bastard from the Chamber of Commerce walked by and said, "I would like to take a gun and shoot everyone of them."

The most disgusting part of their Veterans Day parade was all the National Guard and Reserve punks parading in their uniforms and playing the great protector of "freedom." I doubt any of them know the first thing about real freedom. These are the guys who didn't have the guts to go to Canada or the nerve to join us in 'Nam.

Sterling Lynn
Birmingham, AL
VVAW

MILWAUKEE

Veterans Day marked the 3rd year in a row that VVAW was included in the local Veterans Day parade. This was a far cry from 1974, 75, and 76 when we were barred entry and kept on the sidewalk by 50 police. Well, times change!

Twenty-two veterans and family members marched behind the VVAW colors plus a banner demanding "Testing, treatment and Compensation for Agent Orange victims." The 2 mile parade included Marines, Army Reserve troops, tanks and other tools of the trade. VVAW was a striking difference with our cadences on Agent Orange, VA cutbacks, and no way to the draft. We were met by mostly cheers.

Milwaukee
VVAW