Welcome to our special blog post honoring the 2.7 million U.S. troops who served in the Vietnam War. While every day is a great day to show support for veterans, National Vietnam War Veterans Day is a day to come together and show our support for the brave men and women who served during the Vietnam War.
Every year on March 29th, we reflect on the sacrifices that Vietnam veterans have made and celebrate their service to our country. We remember all of the Vietnam veterans who paid the ultimate price for our country. We also honor those who are still living with the effects of their service.
There are many ways to show our appreciation, and we hope you’ll take the time to learn more about how you can support Vietnam veterans.
Thank you to all of the Vietnam veterans out there. We are forever grateful for your service and sacrifice.
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History of National Vietnam War Veterans Day
Our nation first honored Vietnam veterans on March 29th, 1974 with President Nixon’s declaration on the one-year anniversary of our withdrawal from Vietnam in 1973. This day wasn’t chosen by accident. March 29th, 1973 was the day the last U.S. combat troops left Vietnam. The last American POWs were also released on the same day in 1973—now that’s a cause for celebration!
2022 marks the 49th anniversary of our withdrawal from Vietnam.
Over the years, presidents signed different proclamations recognizing Vietnam veterans on different days towards the end of March. However, these declarations never made the holiday permanent, and different states celebrated the holiday on different days.
In 2012, President Obama signed a proclamation to commemorate the 50-year anniversary of the Vietnam War on March 29th.
Now, our nation celebrates this holiday on the same day every year. President Trump signed an order in 2017 declaring National Vietnam War Veterans Day annually on March 29th. The new act solidifies the holiday and encourages Americans to show their support for Vietnam War veterans by displaying the flag.
The Vietnam War
The Vietnam War was a difficult time for America. It was our second major conflict after Korea during the Cold War era, and it lasted for over a decade. The U.S. allied with the South Vietnam government against the communist government of North Vietnam to fight a long bloody conflict.
Although the conflict began in the 1950s, the U.S. military presence didn’t start to build up until the early 1960s and lasted until 1973.
During the war, over 19 million gallons of Agent Orange were dispensed by U.S. troops to combat the Viet Cong. Agent Orange exposure has resulted in devastating health conditions for both the Vietnamese people and Vietnam veterans, and is believed responsible for many of the most common health issues facing Vietnam veterans today.
Vietnam Presumptives and Agent Orange Exposed
Why We Honor Vietnam Veterans for Their Sacrifice
The Vietnam War was a profoundly challenging conflict for many reasons, and it claimed the lives of many American soldiers. In total, 58,220 Americans lost their lives in the Vietnam War. Additionally, over 304,000 U.S. service members were wounded during the Vietnam War. These numbers reflect the cost of this war, and the sacrifices Vietnam veterans made for our country.
As if life-altering combat were not enough, most Vietnam veterans endured tremendous repercussions when they returned home from the war. They were met with protests and hostility, and often carried wounds far beyond the physical. A large percentage of Vietnam veterans suffer PTSD from their time in this war. The alarming findings from one study mandated by Congress in 1983 showed that approximately 30% of men and 27% of women had PTSD at some point following Vietnam.
Despite all of this suffering on their return, many Vietnam veterans felt they didn’t receive the support they needed. With a growing anti-Vietnam War sentiment throughout the U.S., there was little to no gratitude shown by the American people for their service and sacrifice. Without adequate support systems in place for healing, many Vietnam veterans turned to drugs and alcohol to ease their pain. Many studies have shown that Vietnam-era veterans have substantially higher alcohol consumption and drug abuse.
Although America may not at the time have done our best for returning Vietnam veterans, today we have an opportunity to show our gratitude to the men and women who served our country during that fraught time. They put their lives on the line to defend our freedoms, and many of them paid the ultimate price. On this day, we honor them—and we also remember the families of Vietnam veterans who have lost loved ones.
Ways We Can Support Vietnam Veterans
There are many ways to support Vietnam veterans on this day. You can volunteer at a local VA hospital or Veterans Center. You can donate to charities that support Vietnam veterans. You can also simply take the time to learn more about the Vietnam War and its impact on those who served. At VA Claims Insider, helping a Vietnam veteran earn the compensation they deserve is our mission and a privilege.
Donate Your Time to the VA
If you’re looking to thank and serve our Vietnam veterans on Vietnam Veterans Day, getting involved with VA Voluntary Service is a great option. There are several different options to support our veterans:
- The Voluntary Transportation Network helps get veterans seeking VA services get to where they need to be and accepts volunteer drivers
- The VA Student Volunteer Program is an option for students looking to give back to the veteran community
- You can also find local VA facility volunteer opportunities by visiting your local VA’s website
Help a Charity
You can recognize National Vietnam War Veterans Day by donating your time or money to a local charity. We highly recommend Vietnam Veterans of America. This organization supports Vietnam veterans and helps get veterans the care and respect they’ve earned. We’ve also compiled a list of the 75+ best veteran charities to help veterans 365 days of the year.
Help Veterans Earn the Compensation They Deserve
Almost nothing honors—and changes—a Vietnam veteran’s life more than getting the highest possible VA rating and the full compensation they deserve.
At VA Claims Insider, this is our number one mission, and we help veterans do this through many avenues, providing education and resources that veterans can use to find benefits and win claims:
- Blog featuring hundreds of educational articles, frequently updated with the latest information veterans need about their claims, ratings and benefits.
- Youtube channel with hundreds of videos on crucial VA claim topics, including all our Facebook Lives
- Facebook lives every Wednesday at 11 a.m. Central, sharing the latest intel on what’s working for winning VA claims, with Q&A. Join our Facebook Group so you get notified of all Lives!
- Dozens of eBooks, such as the popular Top 25 tips for 100% Disabled Veterans
- #1 Amazon bestseller You Deserve It: The Definitive Guide to Getting the Veteran Benefits You’ve Earned. VACI Claims Insider founder and author Brian Reese explains that he wrote this book to be “the book I wished someone had written for me…a year before I took off my uniform, if only someone had dropped this on my desk and said ‘hey man, here’s your playbook.’” It details step-by-step actions for veterans to get the benefits they deserve for their service: federal, state, nonprofit and for-profit resources for veterans and their families, from health to education to real estate and more. The book is available for purchase, but you can also obtain it for free here.
- Free 30-minute Discovery Call with coaches to help veterans learn how their claims can be improved, and map a game plan for how they can fill any gaps causing denials or low ratings.
- Premium services that include expert one-on-one coaching through the VA disability claim process, free to start with no fee unless and until the veteran successfully increases disability rating. While some veterans can use educational resources to figure it out on their own, many want to fast-track the process with the support of a coach and a community. ELITE members also get connections to medical evidence through a network of independent medical professionals who know how to speak the VA’s language, discounts on mental health evaluations and more. (Click here to apply.)
Our Top Resources Related to Winning Claims for Agent Orange Conditions and PTSD
Hundreds of thousands of Vietnam veterans are still living with the impact of their service in Vietnam today. Nearly 2.5 million service members were exposed to the dangerous herbicide Agent Orange during the war. To learn more, read our article to find out if you’re impacted by one of the 17 conditions on the VA’s Agent Orange presumptive list.
In addition to Agent Orange, for many Vietnam veterans post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) remains a reality of everyday life. In a study conducted by the VA, the VA found nearly 15% of all Vietnam veterans dealt with PTSD as a result of their service, and other studies have suggested percentages much higher. You can read more in our post on combat PTSD.
Recognize National Vietnam War Veterans Day!
There are many other ways to honor veterans on this important day. If you know a Vietnam veteran, it might be a good day to thank them for their service, and even to ask if there’s anything you can do to support them.
We hope this Vietnam War Veterans Day 2022 finds you and your family healthy. We again THANK ALL VIETNAM VETERANS and their families for their service to our country!
About the Author
About VA Claims Insider
VA Claims Insider is an education-based coaching/consulting company. We’re here for disabled veterans exploring eligibility for increased VA disability benefits and who wish to learn more about that process. We also connect veterans with independent medical professionals in our referral network for medical examinations, disability evaluations, and credible independent medical opinions and nexus statements (medical nexus letters) for a wide range of disability conditions.
