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Getting the Word Out

By Mike Kerber

Vietnam was an unnecessary war and as veterans, it is our role to tell people. Recently, I have had the opportunity to work with our local historical museum that provides speakers to high school classes in our community of Bloomington/Normal, Illinois. This is a perfect opportunity to show the high school students where Vietnam is, show some pictures of where I was in the Ashau Valley, some artillery fire bases and some shots of life in the mud of a fire base.

Mostly it gives me a chance to talk about the political climate that led to such a useless war, why it lasted so long and how Vietnam went back to doing what they wanted to do before the war. The statistics on the number of soldiers killed and wounded on both sides, citizens killed, the number of women that turned to prostitution to survive and the suicides committed by US soldiers that followed the war always get their attention.

These talks also give me a chance to relate the Vietnam War to Iraq and Afghanistan. The students can relate to them because they may know someone that has served. Vietnam may be ancient history to them. I am probably ancient in their eyes also.

The question and answer parts go well if the teacher has planted some questions with the students. If not you have to be ready to ask them some questions about what they know about the Iraq and Afghanistan wars and the politics surrounding them. I once heard a vet talking to students about Iraq and one student said he believed that the war was necessary. The vet then challenged him to go sign up for the Army and ask to be sent there if he really believed in the cause.

If this is something that sounds like what you as a Vietnam Vet would want to do, try calling your local high school or historical museum. They are usually looking for someone who has firsthand experience to talk to students. The teachers welcome it because they get a break.

I love to do it because it gives me great satisfaction to maybe have planted a seed in the young minds of high school students that not every war is necessary. If just one of them learns to question their government leaders and make their voices heard then I feel that I have done something to keep another Vietnam from happening.

Mike Kerber is a Vietnam vet. He served in the101st Div. 2/319th Arty 'Nam 69-70.