Las Vegas Sun

March 29, 2024

Office reaches out to Vietnam War veterans

At the Nevada Office of Veteran Services, Tom George has the challenging job of explaining to veterans that if they want benefits from the government for post-traumatic stress disorder, they have to relive and remember the experience.

Veterans must write a statement about their experience in the military that led to the disorder. The experience is verified before any benefits are given.

"I'm asking them after 40 years to write in detail what happened to them in the military," George said. "It's a tough job all around."

As Veterans Day is coming up on Tuesday, George, who is also the president of Vietnam Veterans of America, Chapter 17, hopes that people don't think of the day as one to honor those who died in the line of service. Rather, it's to honor those who are still alive, he said.

"It's not Memorial Day where you honor those who died for this country, but it's a day to remember that we (veterans) are here now," he said. "We're here after fighting so that you can enjoy your rights. People should honor veterans for giving up a part of their lives to protect you."

George has been the president for the 165-member local chapter of Vietnam Veterans of America for four years. The chapter meets once a month in the northwest part of the valley at 6424 W. Cheyenne Ave.

He served in the Vietnam War from 1966-67. After returning from Vietnam, he was called names and had obscenities yelled at him. He felt the protesters' anger at the government was being misdirected at the military.

"I served my country, and I'm proud of it," he said.

Many returning Vietnam veterans struggled after returning from the war.

"A lot of the veterans were too ashamed to wear their uniforms," George said.

The hostility and negativity towards the returning veterans affected them to a degree that the impacts are still visible today, George said.

Since George started working for Veteran Services, he has become more aware of those impacts, including the high number of homeless Vietnam veterans.

"It is a problem here," he said. "I see veterans from all eras, but a lot of them are Vietnam veterans. I see more of them than I'd like to."

Post-traumatic stress disorder is one of the causes for homelessness, George said.

"They have mental issues. They have been disabled to a point where they can't fit into society anymore and they become homeless or get locked up," he said.

The Vietnam Veterans of America is the only veteran organization chartered by Congress to serve only one era of veterans.

"It's because Vietnam veterans have specific needs," George said. "They have specific health issues and recognition issues."

As a local chapter of the national organization, the goal is to keep veterans aware of what is happening in Washington, D.C., with legislation for veterans and to reach out to veterans to offer support.

Every year the chapter volunteers to participate in events like the Las Vegas Homeless Veterans Stand Down. The chapter provides care kits with foot powder, denture cream, feminine hygiene products and other items not typically found in a common care kit.

This year the chapter is setting up a tent to talk to veterans at the Las Vegas Intertribal Veterans Powwow on Friday, Saturday and Sunday at the Silver Bowl park, 6800 E. Russell Road. Also, once a year the chapter gives about 15 medals and $100 U.S. Savings Bonds to cadets in the JROTC programs to high schools around the Las Vegas valley.

For the holidays, the chapter donates turkeys to the poor, gives care kits and clothes and participates in toy drives for children.

The future for veterans looks brighter, George said. Although Iraq is considered an unpopular war by many, he doesn't see history repeating itself when it comes to mistreatment of troops upon returning to the United States.

"I find it is the complete opposite — returning veterans from Iraq are treated as veterans should be — they are welcomed home," he said.

Jenny Davis can be reached at 990-8921 or [email protected].

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