Viet Nam Veteran Bumper Sticker

[whymememe]

Sorry, BlackEagle, I didn't see you were from the UK until I had Posted. The Revolutionary War in 1776 was not an intentional foul. Again, please accept my humble apologies. Were you in the Queen's service? Officer,Enlisted? What was your military job? Did you enlist or were you conscripted?

[whymememe]

We can give an honorable mention to the Merchant Marines while we are at it. I don't think they were originally given V.A. benefits but later recieved them. I'm not sure about this. Anybody know for sure?

[berto64]

I've similar bumper adornments on my old pickup down AZ. For me it was an invitation to leave me the hell alone and I did not care to hear any liberals feelings about the VNM Conflict. If you haven't been in combat you have no idea what it does to someone and everyone handles it different.

I did 3 tours in-country and don't regret it, I volunteered to go so some married guy might not have to go. But when I got home my reception was somewhat less than cordial. eSPECIALLY IN sAN fRANCISCO. My folks picked me up at the El Paso airport and we drove back to Calsbad. El Paso was not bad because it is a big military town. Home of Ft Bliss and an airfield, I forget the name.

All the guys I went to school that had not ended up in the military would constantly ask what my body count was and crap like that. I finally quit telling people I had been in Vietnam and just told them I had been working out of town.

So ya see Whymememe, there are reasons far beyond your comprehension for that person to have that bumper sticker and it is also his right as free speech.

People don't have agree with it but you wouldn't want take away his rights just because you don't agree with what he is saying would you?

Hurry Sundown

[whymememe]

Originally Posted by berto64

I've similar bumper adornments on my old pickup down AZ. For me it was an invitation to leave me the hell alone and I did not care to hear any liberals feelings about the VNM Conflict. If you haven't been in combat you have no idea what it does to someone and everyone handles it different.

I did 3 tours in-country and don't regret it, I volunteered to go so some married guy might not have to go. But when I got home my reception was somewhat less than cordial. eSPECIALLY IN sAN fRANCISCO. My folks picked me up at the El Paso airport and we drove back to Calsbad. El Paso was not bad because it is a big military town. Home of Ft Bliss and an airfield, I forget the name.

All the guys I went to school that had not ended up in the military would constantly ask what my body count was and crap like that. I finally quit telling people I had been in Vietnam and just told them I had been working out of town.

So ya see Whymememe, there are reasons far beyond your comprehension for that person to have that bumper sticker and it is also his right as free speech.

People don't have agree with it but you wouldn't want take away his rights just because you don't agree with what he is saying would you?

Hurry Sundown

berto64, you might have been the one that took my place. I didn't go and I know I would probably be on the wall now, if I had went. From the training and other combat vets that I served with, I have an idea what it was like. The body count was the way they measured the success of the war. Thats the way the media portrayed it and it was real.
Of course, I do not know how it effected you personally. I experienced being away from states for 17 months. When I got back home I got the same treatment you did. To the civilians, anybody in uniform was a Viet Nam Vet, even when I told them I didn't go to Viet Nam they acted like I was lying. I was once called a baby killer because some guy saw my disabled vet car tag. I have a regular car tag today because of the stigma. I always respected the guys with the CIB's and I had enough respect for them not to ask them alot of questions about it. I did have one of them call me a non-combatant MF and it hurt. I quess it was an ego thing. Or resentment because I didn't go. Then being a draftee and grunt. I was at the bottom of the pecking order. I know I sound like a cry baby, there was absolutly nothing I could do but follow orders. I would have done anything they ordered me to do.
You don't have to answer, but what was your MOS. I didn't think this much until I retired. But there was always anger and rage that would surface sometime. It might sound crazy, but it's like all of you guys were my brothers and I was angry that so many were lost. I didn't realize the magnitude untill a few years ago.

Anyway thanks for serving and thanks for taking the time to help me sort the out.

No, I would not want take away any thing from him. He's already lost too much and he's earned the right to do what he wants. It seems like he's isolating himself and I'm beginning to feel like I want to be isolated too.

[whymememe]

Originally Posted by red14

Back in the 80s my company started a program for Viet Nam era vets for promotions.
I signed up, I needed a raise. I was informed I was not a vet. It still hurts, and was
sure embarassing back them, I was accused of lying by my company. All I have is a
hearing loss in my left ear to show for my tour of duty (7 24 69 - 7 25 75).

I found it very difficult to work with civilians and many times I could not suppress my feelings towards them. Thus, I would go off on them, would never physically harm them. I guess the management viewed me as a serious threat for workplace violence because of my military background. So I kept getting fired and would move on to a new set of co-workers. The proccess would repeat itself over and over and over.

[ozo]

Capt ozo USMC-demolition 69yrs old-2tours-yet upon return- the 'word'
vietnam still wasn't used on TV news.
It was a strange time at best, and a head trip for years at the least.
I have seen many use the viet vet label for personal gain, and of course
the same label to do good and positive things.
I learned my opinion on any/all of the era had no value, and if for some
reason I failed to remember, I was sure to be reminded.
Simply put, it was only a time in life. You were a part of it, linked to it,
or you were not.
I have known as many good people that were vets as I have known bad.
To me, to hash out anything with a 'label' like viet vet, Desert Storm, etc.
and try to put relevance on it that would convey any self-importance, just like the bumper stickers at task, is to dissolve unity among us and dissipate the truth that should be bonding us together.
Mere truth is........we are drowning in a massive sea of government, and is affecting us all,greater than most of us realize.
I ramble surely, but my intent is only to convey that the more we focus on mediocre events that surround us daily, the more we lose focus.

[ozo]

Oh......Master SGT retired......
I love your choice for the avatar......
it resonates in my world like only a few here understand.

[BlackEagle]

Originally Posted by whymememe

Sorry, BlackEagle, I didn't see you were from the UK until I had Posted. The Revolutionary War in 1776 was not an intentional foul. Again, please accept my humble apologies. Were you in the Queen's service? Officer,Enlisted? What was your military job? Did you enlist or were you conscripted?

No apologies necessary.

The Revolutionary War in 1776 was precipitated by taxation with out representation. I keep that in mind when the EU starts making more bids to tax UK subjects.

I was born in the UK, of US citizen parents, so I can claim dual nationality. (Unlike 0 I will not run for president. I will be honest and agree that I am a US citizen but was not born on US soil. From what I understand, 0's citizenship is in doubt.)

I grew up in the US. Senior in High School 1971, then University. While there I enrolled in the Air Force ROTC program for two years.

I decided early on that if my draft lottery number came up I would enlist in the Marines, for various reasons. By the time I graduated, 1975, the war was pretty much over and my classmates who had gone the full 4 years and taken the AFROTC scholarship found themselves graduated with a 6 year obligation but nowhere to fulfill it.

Many of my good friends did serve in country, as the term goes, and I respect them for it. In some ways I feel I missed out on someting by not being there, but in other ways, it was something God didn't want me involved in. My friends have never disparaged me because I was not over there. (I think they think I was too young.)

I did not run away from military service. I was just never required.

I have been a volunteer chaplain with police departments in the past and have gone through much of the police academy training.

[whymememe]

Originally Posted by ozo

Capt ozo USMC-demolition 69yrs old-2tours-yet upon return- the 'word'
vietnam still wasn't used on TV news.
It was a strange time at best, and a head trip for years at the least.
I have seen many use the viet vet label for personal gain, and of course
the same label to do good and positive things.
I learned my opinion on any/all of the era had no value, and if for some
reason I failed to remember, I was sure to be reminded.
Simply put, it was only a time in life. You were a part of it, linked to it,
or you were not.
I have known as many good people that were vets as I have known bad.
To me, to hash out anything with a 'label' like viet vet, Desert Storm, etc.
and try to put relevance on it that would convey any self-importance, just like the bumper stickers at task, is to dissolve unity among us and dissipate the truth that should be bonding us together.
Mere truth is........we are drowning in a massive sea of government, and is affecting us all,greater than most of us realize.
I ramble surely, but my intent is only to convey that the more we focus on mediocre events that surround us daily, the more we lose focus.

thanks for your analysis OSO, I aqree with it.

[whymememe]

Originally Posted by BlackEagle

No apologies necessary.

The Revolutionary War in 1776 was precipitated by taxation with out representation. I keep that in mind when the EU starts making more bids to tax UK subjects.

I was born in the UK, of US citizen parents, so I can claim dual nationality. (Unlike 0 I will not run for president. I will be honest and agree that I am a US citizen but was not born on US soil. From what I understand, 0's citizenship is in doubt.)

I grew up in the US. Senior in High School 1971, then University. While there I enrolled in the Air Force ROTC program for two years.

I decided early on that if my draft lottery number came up I would enlist in the Marines, for various reasons. By the time I graduated, 1975, the war was pretty much over and my classmates who had gone the full 4 years and taken the AFROTC scholarship found themselves graduated with a 6 year obligation but nowhere to fulfill it.

Many of my good friends did serve in country, as the term goes, and I respect them for it. In some ways I feel I missed out on someting by not being there, but in other ways, it was something God didn't want me involved in. My friends have never disparaged me because I was not over there. (I think they think I was too young.)

I did not run away from military service. I was just never required.

I have been a volunteer chaplain with police departments in the past and have gone through much of the police academy training.

thanks for the response, and thanks for providing the support to the LEO and herding the sheep.

[rice paddy daddy]

Originally Posted by whymememe

The other day as I was driving to the store I got behind a car with a VIET NAM VETERAN BUMPER STICKER on one side and on the other side there was one that said, IF YOU WEREN'T THERE KEEP YOUR MOUTH SHUT.

I was drafted in 1971, and trained in infantry mortars. The training was Viet Nam oriented. I was in mortar training at little Viet Nam AKA Tigerland, Ft Polk, Lousiana. I had orders for Viet Nam and spent two weeks on leave thinking I was going to Viet Nam. At the transfer point, they asked us if we volunteered to go to Viet Nam. The war was winding down and they were only sending volunteers. I told them I had not volunteered, frankly I didn't feel I was trained well enough to survive in Viet Nam. Why would I volunteer to go to Viet Nam when I had not volunteered for the Army and I wasn't given my choice of training. The war had caused social unrest and there were many protesting the war. Their were reports of war crimes and fraggings.

I feel like I have been effected by the war. I had to sacrifice my way of life. My military pay was less than half of my previous civilian pay.

My question is why would a guy have these bumper stickers on his car and who would they be directed at. I know it was one big cluster#$%^. for the grunts over there. I don't know about the other branches.

Would this guy maybe have some unresolved issues? How many guys feel like him?

Thank you for serving our country.
You were drafted, you went, instead of running away to Canada. That makes you my Brother.
I enlisted in the Army in 1967, and volunteered for Vietnam in 1969. You are every bit as much a veteran as me.
I have bumper stickers on the back of my truck to show my service:
Vietnam Veteran, Society Of The Fifth Infantry Division, one for the VFW Post I belong to.
You qualify for membership in Vietnam Veterans of America and the American Legion. Do you belong to either? If not, why not? You have earned it!
FWIW, I belong to: Vietnam Veterans of America, VFW, American Legion, AMVETS, and the Society of the Fifth Division.

[aa1911]

being that the Coast Guard falls under Homeland security now, are they still eligible for any VA benefits?

[berto64]

Why me.......

I went thru Tigerland for 2 weeks of por training. In December of 69. 2 ft of snow on the ground. Supposed to hit the dirt in 2ft drifts in jungle bdus when we heard the blanks being fired I was cold man! Showed us how to burn hootches and stuff. That's when we stood in close.

AAaaahhh the good ole daze!

[Snakedriver]

Originally Posted by berto64

Why me.......

I went thru Tigerland for 2 weeks of por training. In December of 69. 2 ft of snow on the ground. Supposed to hit the dirt in 2ft drifts in jungle bdus when we heard the blanks being fired I was cold man! Showed us how to burn hootches and stuff. That's when we stood in close.

AAaaahhh the good ole daze!

2 ft. of snow at Tigerland, as in Ft. Polk LA??? That must have been different! I did Basic at Ft. Polk and hated it. I didn't think my enlistment date through very well and landed at Polk for Basic during July & August. The hot & sand behind the barracks for PT was a hoot!!!

[jim brady]

Whymememe - read your post. I start by saying I have NO bumper stickers on any of my vehicles. I think maybe we see what that guy was saying much differently. To me - he was saying that people who criticize Viet Nam Vets - or our reason for being there in the first place - should keep their opinions to themselves if they don't know what they are talking about.

Until very recently, I've seem many, many instances of people who served in the RVN War being put down as idiots, or as druggies or as lunatics. At the same time I saw people of my age who dodged the draft by attending college or getting deferments in various ways being hailed as 'heroes' for 'standing up against an unjust war".

I am a combat vet (Army), and I salute anyone who did their duty in-country or anywhere they were called to serve. I guess I've tired of argueing about the justice of what we were doing to people who just don't get it. The communists in our education system have had 40+ years to brainwash those who didn't serve, so they sure won't listen to me. Taught how to burn down hootches? gimme a break. If you did that to an ordinary Vietnameese' hut, the First Shirt would have his boot so far up your tail that his laces would tickle your nose. Maybe this is what the bumper sticker meant. The 'Thanks for serving' line is meant as cover in my humble opinion. Something like peeing on my leg and telling me it's raining. Anyone really want to honor a veteran? Vote on Election Day. Stand up straight when they play the National Anthem and quit yakking about the game. Or just put out the flag on the 4th of July and Memorial Day, and remember what it stands for.

[Old Grump]

I'm betting he was talking to all the ersatz veterans who were neither in service or in combat but now claim they were. Funny how in the last 40 years there are now more vets claiming service in Nam then there were in uniform or in country yet those of us who were have been dying off regularly thanks to age, accidents and old exposures to chemicals and wounds take their toll.

[SF Mike]

That is a very old sticker.
There are patches like it.

Don't try to rationalise it if you were not part of it.

A lot is tomgue in cheek, a lot is aime4d at folks who run their mouths about things they don't know about.

During the whole was it was possible to be in VN with about 6 months service or less.

Sufficient or not.

No matter ones opinion or thinking, having "walked the walk" changes a person in ways some who hasn't will never appreciate.

Some guys have different ways of expressing this.

I don't have any like the one mentioned, but I have SF and Airborne decals on my rides.
I went thru long hard extra duty to earn them and I choose to show them.

I am not part of the boo-hoo poor me-I got spit on bunch. I am proud of my service and many of us are.

In the 80s there was a big period of VN related activities, including state memorials and reunions. Kokomo Indiana still has one every fall with around 25-to 30 thousand vets in attendance.

Vendors had a hayday making and selling all kinds of stickers, badges, and pins.

Some were serious and silly like VC Hunting club-others just funny like the **** burners patch.

So I guess if you were not there, don't judge us that were.
We don't care what you think.

[Tom T]

Us Army 69/70. I came home with no scars on the out side but the inside something else. To all our Brothers and Sisters who were there and other hell holes and to the so called non combats it's enough (for me)to be alive and in the country we serve. Tom T

[BlackEagle]

Originally Posted by Tom T

Us Army 69/70. I came home with no scars on the out side but the inside something else. To all our Brothers and Sisters who were there and other hell holes and to the so called non combats it's enough (for me)to be alive and in the country we serve. Tom T

Welcome to the forum. You've found a great place to be. We have great discussions, and lots of good laughs. You'll find people here have a genuine concern for each other. Pull up a chair and keyboard and join in.

Thanks for your service, TomT. The unseen scars can be the worst. You have my respect.

[Tom T]

Thanks for the support. TomT

[kostnerave]

Originally Posted by BlackEagle

Could that just be a warning to the liberal peaceniks to just stay out of it, not bring up the war or the US involvement there or anywhere else? Are they saying "Don't start any arguments. Don't call me bad for serving my country in the armed forces. If you don't I won't call you a chicken livered coward who is disloyal to his country."?

I'm sure they get tired of idiots attacking them because they served our country in the armed forces and fought to protect the privelage of free speech in the US.

Thanks that my thoughts too. If you are a real veteran be proud. There seems to be a lot of folk who wished they where combat veterans now that the war is over.

[Model195Fan]

USN 1963-88. I went where I was told and have no need to apologize for it, but I never confused myself with someone who had feet on the ground in a war zone. I don't really know what that was like for them. If they want to tell me, they will; if they don't, they're entitled to that choice.