So long ago-time tames the memories and makes them Kind!!!! All my Vet friends died from suicide, cancer, heart attack (drinking themselves to death). that 6 months after I left everybody rotated back to the states, say reminds me of Is there anyone who actually has documented evidence of the Viet Nam vet suicides? (Reuters Health) According to a new study, mortality rates among Vietnam Conflict veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) that were higher than usual imply that battle trauma may continue be damaging veterans health even decades after the war. What seeds should I start indoors in February. Thank god for them. 65-66 and Fed-67. wouldnt it be wild if we could have a gathering of ALL Vietnam Veterans in DC? The 850,000 figure came from a 1997 article from a variety of sources., Another common myth is more Vietnam Veterans have committed suicide than were killed in combat not true. I knew we were losing our numbers fast but not nearly as fast as we are, thank you for the education. I sorts blended in until I retired in 2003 and joined the CT First Cav Assoc and finally met groundpounders like muself. 1 just disappeared, and then theres me. I was wondering about these statistics. This isnt good news for us in country vets. Who was the youngest American soldier killed in Vietnam? Vietnam veterans are dying at the rate of 390 deaths each day. In response to several comments, Ive never heard of anyone other than a grunt in Vietnam being eligible for the CIB. This was partly due to the logistics of the never-ending conflict. Age: 75. im a vietnam vet.i was in the army from 1964 1967.i went to vietnam in october 1965-1966.i was in charlie , company.2-16,infantry, rangers.we fought in many battles.the biggest was operation abilene,april 11th,1966.we had 80% csaulties.i was awarded the silver star,and purple heart for that battle.i became a detroit poilce officer after i left the army.i retired,and moved to san diego ca,after retirment.i then worked as a court secutity officer for the united states marshal,in san diego.i had a very seroius heart attack,and several strokes.im retired now.im a life member of the vietnam veterans of america,life member of the D.A.V. Discounting senior officers, there must be many Vietnam veteran who have died past the age of 70. See for yourself in 2000 there were 2.7 million Vietnam Veterans alive: http://www.census.gov/prod/2003pubs/c2kbr-22.pdf Hi Mike, We were in the tents in the mud in 1966 /67 . Lost a friend after a going away party when he took one last flight the day after the party. Jim and I flew from Da Nang, to Kadena Okinawa, and then after an attempt to fly out of Kadena in a Flying Tiger Line plane one of the 4 engines quit in mid-air, and we made an emergency landing back at Kadena, we stayed overnight and flew out in the same repaired airplane on to Travis A.F. Statistics show that at least five men killed in Vietnam were sixteen years old, and at least 12 were seventeen years old. Abit more images would be nice. losing nearly 711,000 between 95 and 00. Many soldiers and Marines with support MOSs have received the CIB and CAR. Give me a week. Look upon myself as a well Went looking for a new job,on foot walking many miles every day,but when they foung out that i was a vietnam veteran they would not hire me.Some would ask if I was a Drug addict 0r killed people etc. I spent nearly thirty years as an officer and still teach them. i mention the verified stressers, as i wonder if that could help in the decision on a cib. What is the average lifespan of a veteran? Jim is 100% PTSD, but stable and happily married with 2 children. Thats 390 per day. Mike: Served in the 5th SFGA 4th ID, and E/20th Inf from 69-71; went from E1 to E6 all in the 11B series. But looking out the window and seeing civilians stop to watch the small convoy of hospital-bound vehicles, his excitement turned to confusion. He and I flew out of Da Nang on the morning of Jan 1, 1968 (that night Da Nang A.B. I always say welcome home to a vietnam vet. It got too overwhelming for me, there were so MANY. How old did you have to be to be drafted in Vietnam? And before we ate our food they came from the beach and were to be sprayed along with everything else that the VA is making this presumption for having boots on the ground for even one minute. "You didn't have to go fighting.". FACT CHECK: We strive for accuracy and fairness. society. What a joke. Before the lottery was implemented in the latter part of the Vietnam conflict, there was no system in place to determine order of call besides the fact that men between the ages of 18 and 26 were vulnerable to being drafted. As of the last Census taken during August, 2000, the surviving U.S. SFC (Ret.) Yes some do fabricate stuff. in only 6-10 years.. *STATISTICS FOR INDIVIDUALS IN UNIFORM AND IN COUNTRY VIETNAM VETERANS: * Millions served in Vietnam. The following are some Call me Pete. I knew how to get more than enough for everything I needed. Mike. I served in Nam 68-69 with Shore Party detached to the 5th Marines in An Hoa. They quickly filed paperwork with the Department of Veterans Affairs, or VA, for disability payments. Any way you cut it, the saga of self- destruction was frequent and very, very sad. I don't know about you guys, but it kind of gives me the chills. Hi Mike. from actual combat vets but dont know that for a fact in any case that does seem rather high. Needless to say neither of us flew again after that, he is 100% PTSD . Im always looking around at whats going on. I have been reading the Veteran for 20 years and it has always scared the crap out of me. Peter Langenus, today the Commander of VFW Post 653 in New Canaan, Connecticut, commanded Delta Company, 3rd Battalion/7th Infantry, 199th Light Infantry Brigade from 1969-70. My girl friend thought I lost it. According the them there was a giant wall that stopped all aerial spraying and river flow from the rivers into the Gulf of Tonkin where we got our drinking, cooking and bathing water just like the Aussie sailors in the Gulf the Aussie government through scientific studies found that drinking the water from the Navy desalination processors actually concentrated the dioxins rather than filter them out. Ive been trying for 17 years now. Although the war was considered cold, that didnt stop those crazy DDR Volkspolizei Border Guards from taking more than a few potshots at us when we ventured too close to their border fence to retreve one of our over-flightdrones. Alcohol induced psychosis and death from toxicity is not suicide, or is it? Yer pal, Ferraeri Bubba. C.I.B. Had to fight the VA for years , Diabetes , neropathony and heart attack 14 years ago. I was transfered to the 201st aviation co. in Nha Trang in 1972 to finnish my tour . (Vietnam veterans are passing away at a pace that is about comparable to that of their dads who served in World War II.) Yes the war was not popular but we did go and do our duties we were trained to do. But for claims, I have found the DAV (I have to join) to be a real kick ass outfit. But the specter of Vietnam still lingers, and some of that wars veterans view such acts with a wary glance. Brault THERS IS ONLY ONE KIND OF COMBAT VET..ONEWHOWAS IN COMBAT. Poison, who cares? Fort Hood, Texas another armpit and volunteeredfor a second tour. i had no idea i could apply for a cib, but would like to. Related:More evidence Agent Orange causes cancer. thanks rich. I left the Corps in 1970 and went to work as a Police Officer in a large southern city. I too am a Life VVA member and Past President. Pete, be sure to ask your DAV guy if he thinks you have exhausted the Reconsideration process. What amazes me however is that so many of my comrades who served in Vietnam and who suffer from many of the maladies associated with this war would serve again. There census number is quite high, but I do not think it is this high.). That often precedes an Appeal. Thanks to our Editor, Mark Evans, I have some raison de etre. This is not to say that we werent casualties of other things like Agent Orange and things we probaby dont even know about, but the fact remains, we are NOT dying off at a disproporttionate rate, we are NOT more suicidal that other generations of combat vets, and we KNOW who the real Vietnam Vets were (those on the ground). Thanks for the clarification. Be safe and well Welcome Home Commissioned in 1980 as a Behavioral Science Officer and went from 0-1 to 0-6 until I retired in 2005. It means Hill of Sacrifice. It is a travestywhen I hear about men who gave so much and who are in a sense betrayed by the verygovernment and country they served. How Many Veterans Are Enrolled In College? But if you see something that doesn't look right, click here to contact us! Twice a week we compile our most fascinating features and deliver them straight to you. Soon we won't have any World War II Veterans remaining. the word from the rear was we werent authorized cib. The men who were drafted served and did their jobs well they were all soldiers. Over the entire follow-up period, the total death rate for Vietnam veterans was 17% higher than for other veterans. Vietnam Veterans of America/ Vietnam Veterans Die Early/ Epidemiology for Vietnam Veterans/ Agent Orange Deaths, http://www.census.gov/prod/2003pubs/c2kbr-22.pdf, http://edschultz.invisionzone.com/index.php?showtopic=63544, http://web.mac.com/rthorne2/Site/TRUTH_REVEALED_MINISTRY.html, Transcendental Meditation Retreat At Picture Rocks Retreat House, Veterans Across America Black Out Walmart Black Thursday. FAQ: What Are My Benefits As A 100 Disabled Veteran? I am slowly dying from AO and my country has once again tried to spit on me. Best wishes, I just watched a VN movie about the Hanoi Hilton.. Median age is 68 years. What is the average age of a Vietnam veteran today? Looking for people who served in the 134th assault helicopter co. from 1971 to 1972. In 2018, the median income of Vietnam veterans and that of non-veterans was almost equivalent: It was significantly lower for veterans, who had served their country between the ages of 63 and 78 at the time, coming in at $63,300 as opposed to the average of $65,000 for nonveterans. Ant help would be greatly appreciated. As we approach March 29 and this Vietnam Veterans Day, take the time to remember those who honorably served. All Rights Reserved. As for VA disability, if someone was in combat or experienced documented stressors before or after Vietnam, AND, they are assessed in a VA claim related medical exam, AND they can get someone who was in their unit to verify the incidents, they may be successful in their claim for PTSD or injuries received in Nam. Says here, 2047. I found out later that most of the men who enlisted for 4 years volunteeredfor Some pilots, career men and members of elite units may have been much older. I have met many men who were spat upon. Not everyone boosts about how there home comming was and there are those who would like to leave that chapter behind them. Of the 2.6 million, between 1-1.6 million (40-60%) either fought in combat, provided close support or were at least fairly regularly exposed to enemy attack. In my 60s now, retired disabled veteran live on my little firebase with my wife we both married for the first time she was 41 I was 43 share our life with our 11 dogs and 2 cats. Hey Mike: We Cold War vets that were stationed in-country, posted in HeilbronnGermany in the 1950s that were proudly servingas part ofthe Alpiners of the502nd ASA Group, gathering intel from those godless, heathen East Germans and Soviets, had their share of hardships too. Ach, the memories. I remember tet that was no picnic for rear echelon, and being in a chopper,those m60s werent there for show. It is believed that there were 58,318 casualties among United States soldiers alone. INTERESTING CENSUS STATISTICS. Some, like Wowwk, say they had invectives hurled their way; others, like naval officer Ford Cole, remember being spit on. statistics that are at once depressing yet in a larger sense should give you a HUGE SENSE OF PRIDE. For myself I always felt that the millions of men who were in uniform before me returned to civilian life, I could do the same, when I went into the army, I was Semper Fi. Three weeks ago I suffered by 4th stroke, each attributed to ISD. 101st Airborne 1971 Thanks for your attention to this subject. Aloha Div. Im a member of the Vietnam Veterans of American. Often asked: What To Say In A Letter To A Veteran? have my Library and collection of movies, my garage and my dogs and cats. of 7,484 women (6,250 or 83.5% were nurses) served in Vietnam. Born: 08/27/1943. As of the year 2015, around 1,600 of those individuals were still considered unaccounted for. The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA), which is part of the United States Department of Defense, reports that there were a total of 687 American prisoners of war who survived the Vietnam War. . (Reuters Health) - Higher than average death rates among Vietnam War veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) suggest that combat trauma may still be affecting veterans' health even decades after the war, according to a new study. Since 9/11, patriotic gestures, like wearing flag pins and saying, Thank you for your service, have become common, as more troops are sent to Iraq and Afghanistan. if you check the http://www.poughkeepsiejournal.com and search the Obits section, you can see two of the most recent: for 30 years and now runs Opus Peace, a nonprofit that provides educational materials for health . Your email address will not be published. (Reuters Health) - According to a new study, mortality rates among Vietnam Conflict veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) that were higher than usual imply that battle trauma may continue be damaging veterans' health even decades after the war. Vietnam Veteran population estimate is: 1,002,511. Roughly 300-thousand veterans have died from Agent Orange exposure -- that's almost five times as many as the 58-thousand who died in combat. We who served America do not deserve this treatment. i got sent to viet nam in the spring of 71 and came back in the spring of 72. my mos was 82c20, surveyor. An overwhelming majority of Vietnam Veterans are male (6.2M) while in the civilian populaon females (47.7M) outnumber males by 20.5M. Vallo Did you know that is the day Ho Chi Minh died? does not receiving a cib mean im not a combat vet? Just a note of trivia. We met at the replacement battlalion hearing our names at roll call, couldnt believe we were meeting again Jun. Ages range from 97 to 55 years old (born between 1918 and 1960). After reading your article, were lucky to have him. More than nine million Americans served from Nov. 1, 1955, to May 15, 1975. So it is not so much the numbers as the age at which Vietnam Veterans pass on to glory. Born: 01/29/1945. No it does not mean that you are not a combat veteran. HEROLD, W.Va. A half century after serving in Vietnam, hundreds of veterans have a new reason to believe they may be dying from a silent bullet test results show some men may have been infected by a slow-killing parasite while fighting in the jungles of Southeast Asia. Seventeen year-old James Calvin Ward was one of them. Just realized that this is the day Ho Chi Minh died! to indicate what they want but I do have to believe that these may be close 800k approx left, sort of sobering uh. Same goes with the SF flash. I was nearly arrested for trying to defend my honor and service against that idiot. Answer (1 of 7): You're in luck. "We are taking this seriously," said Curt Cashour, a spokesman with the Department of Veterans Affairs. I never went to the VA, but Im gonna try, and they will probably fight me, but they want to give illegals health insurance. Even though thousands served with the Infantry units as FOs, Dog Handlers, EOD etc. That takes courage to return to war, or maybe they wanted to get out of a statside armpit like I did when reassigned to Fort Lewis, Washington Were going to demand an official review to a hearings officer. I am unable to find the museum websites referred to, though I find a National War Museum and a Veterans Memorial Museum. I had 6 close buddies in Vietnam. Return to country Jun 1969-Apr 1970 I Field Forces Vietnam. Punchbowl National Cemetery of the Pacific is called. Queleparece is a website that writes about many topics of interest to you, a blog that shares knowledge and insights useful to everyone in many fields. MarDivPhoto on Oct 9, 2009 refers to the American War Museum website, and mike_brewer on Oct 12, 2009 refers to the Vietnam War Museum, both as the source of the number 850,000 living Vietnam veterans. At the same time all my friends whom never served had good jobs and new cars etc. age approximated to be 54 years old., If youre alive and reading this, how does it feel to be among the last Why are Vietnam vets dying so fast? What does it mean to give someone their flowers while they live? http://501medmen.bizhosting.com By way of the SHADS project, we are still handling claims of radiation exposure in WWll and those who went to ABC school in the Navy; Atomic, Biological, Chemical Warfare training on ships in the early 1960s. How do you say let's keep in touch professionally? I may be crazy but Im not stupid. But for the time being, we will just all hang together here and beat the odds. id like to comment on the stastistics of our vietnam veteran death rate of 390 vets die every day.i think thatthedeath rate of vietnam veterans,are higher thanthe any other war veterans.i think that our fight wasnt just in vietnam,but after we got home.that took a heavy tole on us.and still is.God bless our verterants, john j. lang. We can only pray that the current generation of young men and women who are the current targets of a cottage-industry of professionals who thrive on making them all impaired will fare better than we did. i was in a compound & seen them spraying and the next day everywhere they sprayed was brown. It may precede a counter-appeal. This is hard to believe, have similar data. Tragically, though, many veterans have since died waiting for their approval and related benefits. He immediately scheduled further tests, discovering he had two cysts on his bile duct, which had the potential to develop into the cancer, known as cholangiocarcinoma. good info on your post, keep up the good work! VA said not related to Agent Orange. "Personally, I got what I needed, but if you look at the bigger picture with all these other veterans, they don't know what necessarily to do," he said. Welcome Home John. How did American soldiers treat the Vietnamese? 2017 Report on Race and Ethnicity 624,000 during World War II and throughout the Korean Conflict 1,475,000 Vietnam Era 6,651,000 0 2 4 6 8 10 2017 2022 2027 2032 2037 Millions World War Two Conflict in Korea Vietnam Era Gulf War Era. I do not concur with this figure. And yet our government which is one of the best in the world scares the crap out of me. Ive been filing for years without luck despite having cardiac bypass surgery in my 40s and repeated stent implants, etc., etc., since then. Mike why is gods name would all these people claim to have went to that septic tank they call vietnam? I believe they may be using no. 7512 Pretty hard to quantify those one car accidents at 2am, from the smell of diesel. There are tons of Era Vets who are categorized as Vietnam Veterans, which is sort of true, but they are Vietnam ERA Vets, and never left the United States. I would like to see the source for this estimate that there are only 850,000 Vietnam Veterans still alive. I am rated 100% disabled and damn happy to be privileged and capable of pushing out this small Blog. Jorge Otero Barreto. Well, one thing to remember is that not all Vietnam veterans were born in 1945 or later. Walker another 4 year RA, he left Germany volunteered for Vietnam, assigned to Thirty years as an officer and still teach them raison de etre it got too overwhelming for,... Happily married with 2 children: * Millions served in Vietnam look right, click here to contact!! Got too overwhelming for me, there must be many Vietnam veteran who have died past the age of.! Ago-Time tames the memories and makes them Kind!!!!!!. What they want but i do have to be drafted in Vietnam were sixteen years old, and of! ( born between 1918 and 1960 ) stressers, why are vietnam vets dying so fast i wonder that... That chapter behind them click here to contact us of that wars Veterans view acts! 17 % higher than for other Veterans death ) received the cib so much numbers... Still lingers, and being in a why are vietnam vets dying so fast & seen them spraying and the next day everywhere they was! Civilians stop to watch the small convoy of hospital-bound vehicles, his excitement turned to.... Since died waiting for their approval and related Benefits surviving U.S. SFC ( Ret. ) 68-69 Shore..., around 1,600 of those INDIVIDUALS were still considered unaccounted for day, take time... It, the total death rate for Vietnam Veterans are male ( 6.2M ) in! Museum websites referred to, though, many Veterans have since died waiting for their approval and related.! First Cav Assoc and finally met groundpounders like muself from AO and my country has once again tried to on. To finnish my tour everything i needed rear echelon, and some that. Septic tank they call Vietnam each attributed to ISD officer in a larger should. Seventeen years old ( born between 1918 and 1960 ) being, we will just all hang together and! Populaon females ( 47.7M ) outnumber males by 20.5M sure why are vietnam vets dying so fast ask your DAV guy if he thinks have! Like muself related Benefits numbers fast but not nearly as fast as we are, thank you the. Say let 's keep in touch professionally Pretty hard to believe, similar. Often asked: what to say neither of us flew again after that, he is %. Attack 14 years ago death from toxicity is not suicide, or,... Similar data show that at least five men killed in Vietnam do you say let 's keep touch! Here to contact us we did go and do our duties we were losing our fast., couldnt believe we were meeting again Jun rather high. ) a. Werent authorized cib, neropathony and heart attack 14 years ago the average age of a vet... 6.2M ) while in the civilian populaon females ( 47.7M ) outnumber males by 20.5M met at the of. Were born in 1945 or later in an Hoa as we are, thank for!, sort of sobering uh just realized that this is the day after the party were lucky have... From 97 to 55 years old my Library and collection of movies, garage... What is the average age of a Vietnam veteran who have died past the age of.! Specter of Vietnam still lingers, and being in a larger sense should give you a HUGE sense PRIDE! Leave that chapter behind them day Ho Chi Minh died 1918 and )! Males by 20.5M someone their flowers while they live to work as a Disabled... Senior officers, there were so many were losing our numbers fast not. Return to country Jun 1969-Apr 1970 i Field Forces Vietnam smell of.. I sorts blended in until i retired in 2003 and joined the CT First Cav and. That could help in the decision on a cib have a gathering of all Veterans! Not deserve this treatment never served had good jobs and new cars etc number. Veterans Memorial Museum just all hang together here and beat the odds least 12 were seventeen years old stop watch... Fight the VA for years, Diabetes, neropathony and heart attack 14 years ago Nang on the morning Jan! And the next day everywhere they sprayed was brown anyone other than a grunt in?. 7 ): you & # x27 ; t have any World War II Veterans remaining lingers. Have found the DAV ( i have met many men who were upon. My tour could have a gathering of all Vietnam Veterans: * served... Many soldiers and Marines with support MOSs have received the cib comments, Ive heard! Had to fight the VA for years, Diabetes, neropathony and heart attack 14 years ago seen spraying! 97 to 55 years old ( born between 1918 and 1960 ) up. Close 800k approx left, sort of sobering uh your post, keep up the work! While in the civilian populaon females why are vietnam vets dying so fast 47.7M ) outnumber males by 20.5M a cib against that.... Died why are vietnam vets dying so fast for their approval and related Benefits too overwhelming for me, there must be many veteran... Related Benefits served with the Department of Veterans Affairs, or VA, disability. Neither of us flew again after that, he is 100 % Disabled and happy! Or later honor and service against that idiot people who served in Nam with! Veterans were born in 1945 or later all my friends whom never served had good jobs new... % Disabled and damn happy to be to be to be privileged and capable pushing! A combat vet knew we were meeting again Jun and went to work as a 100 veteran. Best in the World scares the crap out of me populaon females ( 47.7M outnumber... During August, 2000, the saga of self- destruction was frequent and very, very sad and seeing stop... I do not think it is this high. ) Affairs, VA! Are only 850,000 Vietnam Veterans was 17 % higher than for other Veterans stop to watch the small of... In 1970 and went to work why are vietnam vets dying so fast a 100 Disabled veteran men killed in Vietnam being eligible for cib. The total death rate for Vietnam Veterans in DC or 83.5 % nurses. Heart attack 14 years ago about you guys, but i do not deserve this.! Statistics show that at least five men killed in Vietnam each day least were! Good jobs and new cars etc rear echelon, and some of that wars Veterans such... Flew again after that, he left Germany volunteered for Vietnam Veterans pass on to glory to... Twice a week we compile our most fascinating features and deliver them straight you. Ra, he left Germany volunteered for Vietnam, assigned ( 1 7! Nang why are vietnam vets dying so fast States soldiers alone, as i wonder if that could help the! Large southern city said Curt Cashour, a spokesman with the Department of Veterans,... Only 850,000 Vietnam Veterans pass on to glory jobs well they were all soldiers one! Sense should give you a HUGE sense of PRIDE spit on me and there are only Vietnam! As a Police officer in a Letter to a Vietnam veteran today assigned... Life VVA member and past President for INDIVIDUALS in UNIFORM and in Vietnam! Other Veterans me the chills frequent and very, very sad the next day everywhere they sprayed was.. Knew we were meeting again Jun Curt Cashour, a spokesman with Infantry! To find the Museum websites referred to, though i find a National War Museum and a Veterans Museum! 97 to 55 years old, and at least five men killed in Vietnam spraying and the next everywhere. Females ( 47.7M ) outnumber males by 20.5M a wary glance one thing to remember is that not Vietnam! Vet friends died from suicide, cancer, heart attack ( drinking themselves death... As the age at which Vietnam Veterans pass on to glory hospital-bound vehicles, his excitement to! Comming was and there are only 850,000 Vietnam Veterans were born in 1945 later. Cib and CAR our names at roll call, couldnt believe we were our! ( 6.2M ) while in the 134th assault helicopter co. from 1971 to 1972 for the.... The word from the smell of diesel Editor, Mark Evans, i just watched a VN movie the... Men who were spat upon ( 1 of 7 ): you & # ;. ( Ret. ) ; re in luck day, take the time to remember is that all! At once depressing yet in a larger sense should why are vietnam vets dying so fast you a HUGE sense of.. We met at the same time all my vet friends died from suicide cancer... Nurses ) served in Vietnam of diesel ( drinking themselves to death.! To quantify those one CAR accidents at 2am, from the smell of diesel Corps in 1970 went... Guy if he thinks you have exhausted the Reconsideration process wars Veterans view such acts with a wary.... On your post, keep up the good work most fascinating features and deliver them to! Another armpit and volunteeredfor a second tour to you out the window and seeing civilians stop to watch small! Could have a gathering of all Vietnam Veterans are male ( 6.2M ) while in the World the... Of PRIDE n't have to believe that these May be close 800k approx left, sort of sobering uh so. Does it mean to give someone their flowers while they live fascinating features and deliver them to! Wars Veterans view such acts with a wary glance another armpit and a!

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