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REP. BOB FILNER SAYS NATION FAILED VIETNAM
VETERANS
-- "I have to say to all of you, on behalf of
this country I
guess, we let you down. We didn't give you the
honor
and respect that you deserved and earned."
For more on Vietnam veterans, use the VA
Watchdog search engine...click here...
http://www.yourvabenefits.org/ses
search.php?q=vietnam&op=and
For more on Rep. Bob Filner, use the VA
Watchdog search engine...click here...
http://www.yourvabenefits.org/ses
search.php?q=filner&op=and
Story here...
http://www.kolotv.
com/home/headlines/9457081.html
Story below:
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Nation Failed Vietnam Vets; Wants `De-Boot'
Camps
The chairman of the House Veterans Affairs
Committee issued a broad apology to Vietnam veterans on Wednesday,
saying the nation failed them by confusing the unpopular war with the
warriors who fought it.
In a speech to the 89th national convention of the American Legion, Rep.
Bob Filner also proposed the creation of "de-boot camps" to help
soldiers returning from Iraq make the transition to normal life in the
face of rising suicide rates and post-battle disorders.
"If we are spending $1 billion every 2.5 days in Iraq, we can spend a
few billion on those coming back," he said.
The California Democrat asked how many of the delegates at the
convention in Reno were Vietnam vets and the vast majority of the crowd
of about 5,000 raised their hands.
"I have to say to all of you, on behalf of this country I guess, we let
you down. We didn't give you the honor and respect that you deserved and
earned," Filner said.
"Many people in this country confused the war and the warrior. If you
did'nt like the war, you said, `To hell with the warrior.' That was a
mistake, a tragic mistake, and we owe you an apology," he said to
applause.
Filner said half of America's homeless are Vietnam veterans, more than
200,000.
He said 58,000 Vietnam vets have committed suicide, equalling the number
who died in the war - "a terrible, terrible statistic."
"That says we did something wrong as a nation. We didn't do the care
that was needed. We didn't welcome all the vets back. And I say we have
to say more than we are sorry. We have to do a better job. We have to
serve our Iraqi and Afghanistan veterans," he said.
Filner said he will push Congress for a pilot program to help the tens
of thousands of soldiers returning from Iraq and Afghanistan with brain
injuries and post traumatic stress disorder.
Like boot camps that prepare soldiers for war, the "de-boot" camps or
"Heroes Homecoming camps" could help prepare them for the difficult
return to normal life, he said.
The camps could be made a mandatory part of active duty and include a
soldier's family as well as other members of their company unit, he
said.
"When you leave the combat zone, you can be in Baghdad yesterday and
tomorrow you are taking your kids to a soccer game. There is no time for
decompression," he said, pointing to high rates of domestic violence,
alcohol and drug abuse as well as the highest suicide rate in the Army
in a quarter century.
"We're releasing a time bomb to the community," said Filner, an
eight-term congressman who represents a San Diego-area district.
In a speech to the convention earlier Wednesday, U.S. Secretary of
Veterans Affairs James Nicholson urged American Legion members
to provide support to those returning from Iraq and Afghanistan and
encourage them to seek help from the VA.
Nicholson said that in past wars, post traumatic stress disorder was
called "battle fatigue or shell shock."
"It's important these young heroes who are feeling these symptoms know
they are not losing their minds. It is not something permanent," he
said.
"They are having a common reaction to a very uncommon experience," he
said.
"None of us - spouse, employer, commander - should give any stigma to
this. We should encourage them to come into the VA for help."
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Larry Scott --
