Okay, so I've heard it often that there are way too many Vietnam soldiers who were thrown onto the streets after the war was over. Also, there are many homeless veterans or veterans who were affected mentally and/or physically. And I have reason to believe that the government gives these veterans near nothing, they're damn near benefitless. This sounds exactly like your guys' cup of tea. And so I'm wondering if any of you guys would be too kind as to give me any sources, articles, websties, etc. that are concerned with what is stated above. Or just a bit of background info. you guys know or experienced. I am doing a speech on it for a Speech and Debate tournament and can't seem to find anything on Google or anything. PLEASE HELP!!!
Look for academic journals. Maybe your school library website has links to some? Or maybe your local library? Scholarly journals are far better than random articles on Google, and you can usually find electronic versions too. Anyone can post anything they want on Google, regardless of validity. If you want peer reviewed information with more validity, check some electronic academic journals. It will be good practice for college (and maybe even senior year of HS) when articles on Google WILL NOT be accepted. Start that practice of finding scholarly works now, so it will be less of a pain in college when it will be mandatory.
The way vets were treated after the Vietnam war was unforgivable. I think this was the final nail in the 60's coffin because the original hippies (not all of them, I know) betrayed their philosophy and turned their frustration away from the government (were it should have stayed directed) towards the soldiers instead. What idiots.
As both a Viet Nam era vet and a 60's vet of the Haight Ashbury anti war movement I think you would be surprised how many men came home to become hippies and/or bikers opposed to the war. Check out info on such groups as 'Viet Nam Vets Against the War".
Not true. Very inacurate picture of what actually happened. Many vets on their return home became war protesters and hippies. The difference between those times and these are that we didn't glorify war or soldiers by calling them all heros. Remember they came from all of our neighborhoods and many didn't volunteer, they were coerced into serving in war that was not in the US's or their best interests. The story of protesters spitting on soldiers, is a gross exaggeration. They were welcome on school campuses. Those that weren't welcome were recruiters, and ROTC programs that promised GI grants that evaporated after the first semester, assignments and training that never happened, medical care that ended up being limited and required either lengthy travel or huge waiting lines and so much paperwork, that many gave up before they got it. For the original poster of this thread here are some links for you: They should get you started. http://www.vvaw.org/about/warhistory.php http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=14529768 http://www.vvaw.org/mc/ http://www.vietnow.com/agent.htm http://www.eric.ed.gov/ERICWebPortal/custom/portlets/recordDetails/detailmini.jsp?_nfpb=true&_&ERICExtSearch_SearchValue_0=ED344638&ERICExtSearch_SearchType_0=eric_accno&accno=ED344638 http://www.inthesetimes.com/article/3134/gi_bill_fails_vets/ http://www.theatlantic.com/doc/197803/tracy-kidder-soldiers/2 http://www.nvlsp.org/Information/ArticleLibrary/AgentOrange/AO-VABattleBlueWaterVets0407.htm General information that should show you that the VA system is grounded in denying benefits first, something most insurance companies play...if you make the process hard enough to qualify for many won't even bother. Especially those trying to transition back to a life that is now alien to them and many suffering PTSS. http://veterans.house.gov/hearings/schedule105/july98/hearing7-16-98/vva7-16-98.htm
