“I want the veterans to know that I stand with them in their journey back from combat”, said Rep. Speier.
On November 27, 2013 I received an email communication from Rep. Speier regarding combat veterans returning from service. Here is some of what she had to say:
“Last Saturday marked the 25th Anniversary of the California Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Sacramento. For the past two years my office has helped scores of Vietnam vets receive long, overdue disability compensation. Now, most of these claims, typically filed within the past six years for injuries sustained over 40 years ago, have been resolved. These were difficult cases given that there were no electronic files available as is not the case with veterans who served in Iraq and Afghanistan. Furthermore, a 1973 fire at military records center in St. Louis destroyed many documents for Vietnam veterans and it has been a painstaking process to substantiate injuries that required medical care in Vietnam in the 1960s and 1970s. Now we are nearly finished.”
“The names on the memorial in Sacramento need to be remembered as do those who came home but whose lives were shortened by despair, disease and, in some cases, drugs and alcohol. The reality of war is ugly, but it should never be kept from the national dialogue. Earlier this month I held a forum where combat vets—one from Vietnam and two from Iraq—gave a candid account of what they went through and are still going through now that they are home. One of the speakers, an Iraq platoon sergeant, said “his tour of duty was coming home.” He was alluding to three tours in Iraq that gave him no preparation for a normal life back in the Bay Area.”, she said.
“I want the veterans to know that I stand with them in their journey back from combat”, said Rep. Speier (source: email communication).
See video: The Art and Soul o f Combat veterans https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6MjLYZ_o994
See combat video: Vietnam http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q1cig3PDeQ0
See combat footage Afghanistan http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=prYu928LFMc