United War Veterans Council President Mark Otto, a retired Marine combat soldier, told Newsmax Saturday that there are still Vietnam War veterans in the U.S. who need support.
Saturday marks the 50th anniversary of the official end of U.S. military action in Vietnam, and the day is observed as Vietnam Veterans Recognition Day. Otto told "Saturday Report" that war protests dampened the return home for many U.S. soldiers who served in Vietnam.
"They didn't get this warm welcoming with ticker-tape parades going on when they came home. In fact, many of them were told as they came home to the U.S. on planes, 'Don't wear your uniforms to the airports because protesters are going to protest you, not only the war.' So they didn't get that warm reception as the generations did before them."
Otto said that even today, his organization's health and wellness program assists Vietnam-era veterans deal with the sigma they faced decades ago.
"So this generation has had a problem with the way that they were received when they came home. Many of them wouldn't self-identify that they were veterans because they couldn't get jobs. There were a lot of corporations that were holding it against them that they were veterans that served in the war."
Otto said the treatment many Vietnam-era veterans received had a lasting impact.
"So now, more than ever, it's very important as they're getting into the twilight years of their lives that they realize that the country is behind them and that we support them."
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Jim Mishler ✉
Jim Mishler, a seasoned reporter, anchor and news director, has decades of experience covering crime, politics and environmental issues.
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