Download PDF of this full issue: v17n1.pdf (15.9 MB)

30th National VVAW Meeting Report

By John LIndquist

We want to thank Athens, GA VVAW for hosting a most productive National Steering Committee Meeting, the 30th such meeting since VVAW's beginnings almost 20 years ago. Twenty-six people from Athens and Atlanta, Georgia, from Chicago, Milwaukee, Madison, New York City Bellaire, Ohio attended the meeting. Although members of the San Antonio chapter could not attend, a brief view of their activities was given by the VVAW National Office.

The first thing we discussed was the need for people to send money and/or pay debts owed to the national office. Pay for those copies of THE VETERAN. Go out and get subscriptions—get your local library to subscribe. Pay dues. Write articles for the newspaper and especially put down your Vietnam or military experiences for use as part of "Recollections."

Barry Romo gave a report on the state of the organization. We might be tired, but VVAW is still growing. An August meeting of 13 veterans peace groups was held in Chicago in order to coordinate efforts of vets in fighting growing U.S. involvement in Central America. VVAW received several ovations during the meeting, one of which was based on out staying power. Our 20th anniversary is coming up next year, and preparations are beginning for a 20th anniversary reunion in Chicago in June of 1987. Some preliminary details appear elsewhere in this issue of THE VETERAN.

All chapters present at the NSCM gave yearly reports on their activities. Some of the highlights were active counter-recruitment or pre-enlistment counseling in schools, especially in Chicago, New York City and Madison. Work around Central America is taking place in every chapter including new chapters in Burlington, VT, and Cedar Rapids, Iowa, where they are trying to keep Iowa National Guard members out of Honduras. Veterans from Tallahassee, Florida, were also at the meeting; this is an area where VVAW has been absent for ten years, and where vets are doing good things and are now working on becoming a VVAW chapter.

We had a good discussion about VVAW and war, the situation in the world and out response. First was Central America. In El Salvador, where the U.S. press has put the war on the back burner, war is heavier than ever after 7 years and $2 billion. At this time without the draft, the U.S. will use National Guard and Reserve units to fight if necessary. Already 7000 American troops in Honduras; the breakdown of the culture has begun (as in Vietnam 20 years ago) with younggirls turning to prostitution, little kids selling drugs, and some young boys coming down with AIDS, all in country which had not seen such problems before.

Besides going into detail on Contra war against Nicaragua, we talked about South Africa and the importance of tying these struggles together. There are major changes going on in the world today, and these are two of the most important.

During these discussions, we also talked about how the U.S. establishment will attempt to rewrite the history of the Vietnam War for a new generation. It is important for VVAW to make our voices heard. Vietnam vets have a duty to expose the war for what it was, and as people learn more about the U.S. involvement in Nicaragua, they will also better understand the nature of the Vietnam War.

We had a good talk about counter-recruitment work going on around the nation. The NY/NJ VVAW publication, "Military Service: Choice or Chance: is in the process of being updated giving the organization another tool to use in combatting the lures of the military. All in all, our work in talking about Vietnam to the young is one of the organization's strengths.

For those who do work in the VA hospitals, be prepared for more of the effects of Gramm-Rudman-Hollings or cuts in services at the VA as well as cuts in benefits and even worse hospital conditions. Where ever possible, join with local traditional veterans' organizations to fight to keep the VA hospital system intact. This was the tone of the meeting leading up to the discussion of Veterans Day, 1986. Everyone at the meeting was urged to be active on Vets Day, and don't forget the veterans in the VA hospitals (reports on the activities of VVAW chapters on Veterans Dar are elsewhere in the paper).

One of the high points of the meeting was the announcement that VVAW will be able to send a delegation to Vietnam in the spring of 1987. This will be our first trip back to Vietnam since December of 1972. The delegation would, among other things, be discussing topics such as the differences between the U.S. and Vietnam concerning MIAs, the common problems of Agent Orange, the situation in Cambodia, normalizing relations with Vietnam. Contributions will be needed to help send the delegation: for more information, please contact the VVAW National Office.

VVAW's involvement in the Veterans Peace Coalition, a grouping of a number of veteran's peace group was discussed. The VPC's first major action was the "Fast For Life." Also planned at the first Coalition meeting in Chicago in August, was a march on the Western White House in March of 1987. VVAW members would be taking a bus or train from the Midwest—more on that later.

Discussion of the "Fast for Life," which, since that time, ended after 46 days, showed VVAW was 100% behind the fasters, but with the hope that they would really "fast for life" since we needed their contributions to the struggle in the future. The fasters wanted a greater commitment from people; they got it, so the fast was, at least in respect, a success.

The meeting ended with the re-election of National Officers. This cannot go on forever! We go through burn-out at times; together, the 4 members of the National Office have 40 years service in the National Office. New blood is needed. It was especially good to see new chapters this year: a change may be coming. It's amazing that we have been around as long as we have, a testament to the ideas that VVAW has been putting in front of the public for 20 years. As we go into the 20th year, I am proud to be a member of Vietnam Veterans Against the War. When I think of the over 200,000 veterans who have been in and out of VVAW since 1967, I know we have had a positive effect on them; they are still all around us. I'm looking forward to be the 20th year in 1987.

—John Lindquist VVAW National Office