Calls Vietnam veterans unprofessional and takes a swipe at all draftees.

by Larry Scott, VA Watchdog dot Org

In 2004, Iraq War veteran Paul Rieckhoff founded Operation Truth.

Operation Truth was an almost-anti-war, definitely anti-Bush organization funded by vast amounts of left-wing money ... which is not necessarily bad, but it always helps to know where the money comes from.  (The editor at a well-known military web site names George Soros as the source of much of the funding.)

The goal was to co-opt veterans' issues by using the media contacts of the left-wing money ... to make the country think of "veterans" as those who served in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Rieckhoff became a star on such programs as the Rachel Maddow Show on Air American Radio and MSNBC-TV.

Realizing that he needed a broader base, Rieckhoff changed the name of the organization to Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA).

IAVA became a lobbying powerhouse on Capitol Hill.  Even though Iraq and Afghanistan vets make up just 3% of the veteran population, and IAVA membership is just a few thousand of that 3%, IAVA became a loud voice.

Rieckhoff's agenda has always been a divisive force in the veteran community. 

Because of Rieckhoff's work, we now have a two-tiered VA system, with vets from Iraq and Afghanistan getting priority treatment for health care and first-in-line status for disability claims ... while the other 97% of veterans just have to wait.

In fairness, Rieckhoff has worked hard for his constituency, and it has paid off ... to the detriment of other veterans.

Now, we see Rieckhoff's feelings about other veterans, especially those who served in the Vietnam War.

Today, it is reported that a GI in Iraq killed five fellow soldiers.  Rieckhoff issued a press release about this, and said, in part:

"Unlike during the Vietnam War, today's military is a professional, all-volunteer force."

The full press release is here...

With the above statement, Rieckhoff has shown his true colors.  Divide ... conquer.  My vets first ... the unprofessionals later.

Not only does his statement diss Vietnam veterans, but all vets who served during times of a draft ... and that would include my Father who served with distinction during World War II.

So, while Rieckhoff uses his connections to party with the elites of Broadway, 97% of veterans wait for their health care and benefits.

Veterans' Advocate Jim Strickland also has strong feelings about Rieckhoff's comment:

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by Jim Strickland

The boss over at IAVA issued a press release earlier today. In it he
defended the murder of five soldiers by a madman in part by saying,
"Unlike during the Vietnam War, today’s military is a professional,
all-volunteer force."

Somehow that remark is supposed to divert your attention that there's
been a whole lot of friendly fire goin' on in Iraq.

I can't remember a moment in the last 30 years where I've been more
offended. The sentence neatly insults the more than 58,000 US
personnel who died for our country in Vietnam and the millions of the
rest of us who served honorably.

The "Vietnam Era" ran from 1961 to 1975. It wasn't until 1979 that
Public Law 96-22 established the first Vet Centers in recognition of
what the war had done to the nearly 3 million veterans who had served
"In Country". That's 3 million minus 58,000 of course.

The current veterans who are arriving home are finding that there is a
better understanding of their physical wounds and the PTSD that stalks
them because of those 3 million Vietnam veterans and the millions more
of us "Vietnam Era" veterans who served back then.

That the leader of IAVA would make such a divisive statement is
shocking and almost unbelievable. We can debate for months about which
group of soldiers was better educated, more patriotic, better equipped
or who fragged who the most. But the fact is that a warrior is a
warrior is a warrior...no matter the era, we stand united, we fall
divided.

The VBA is enjoying the game of playing the groups against one
another. There is no possible gain for our own leaders to support such
nonsense.

I guess the next thing we may expect from IAVA is a quick one about
how much smarter the current soldier is when compared to the WWII
veteran. Those farm hands and dirt laborers who couldn't read nor
write sure weren't much of a "professional, all volunteer force" were
they?

But somehow those farmers like Audie Murphy and 440 Medal of Honor
recipients (250 awarded posthumously) managed to become what is now
commonly known as The Greatest Generation. Ten's of thousands of them
haven't made it home yet...I know, I've visited their graves all over
Europe.

Back off Paul. We didn't need this slap from you.

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TOPICS: veterans, veterans' benefits, VA, Department of Veterans' Affairs, IAVA, Paul Rieckhoff, Vietnam veterans, draftees