Remember                                                        In Memory of Bill Wolf                  

CAPITOL CITY
VETERAN

Newsletter for Sacramento Valley's Chapter 500 of the Vietnam Veterans of America, Inc.

           
President's Message

     I recently was asked to attend a Vietnamese Ceremony recognizing the right for the Vietnamese to fly the South Vietnamese Flag in their community.  Of course this flag will be in the appropriate position to our American Flag.  The Vietnamese are all very honored to be Americans and very proud of the American Flag.
     Not the majority, but many people question the right of the Sacramento City to allow the Vietnamese to fly their flag as well as in twelve other cities across the United States. 
     All first generation people that came to our country in large numbers feel secure living in communities of their own, practicing customs, and wearing clothes from their birth places.  History shows us that Irish, German, Italian, Japanese, and many, many other cultures that make-up America all asked for this right as Americans and all faced the same questions from more established Americans.  But today, we all quite expect to see the Irish Flag on St. Patrick's Day, the colors of Germany flying at Oktoberfests, the Italian flag at picnics in Italian communities, and the rising sun of Japan flying over Japanese Centers.
     Growing pains will pass and we will all eventually learn to understand the right of all Americans to be proud of their heritage, and our responsibility to accept these many cultures into our America.  This is what America is about.  The many cultural backgrounds accepting the American way and America's acceptance of all who do so.
                                    Your President, Gregory C. McNeill

Note:  There are other people out there who have petitioned the United States not to allow the South Vietnamese flag to fly in America.  These people also have petitioned the United States to change the colors of the Vietnamese Service Medal.  These people are the North Vietnamese Communist  Government.  I'm sure no service man or woman who served in Vietnam would agree to allow this medal to be changed.  In fact, they may even wear their medal a little prouder knowing that the Communist Government of Vietnam doesn't like it.

              CURRENT NEWS AND ANNOUNCEMENTS

GET-A-WAY - Don't forget to mark your calendars for Chapter 500's annual retreat at Scott's Flat.  The dates are October 10, 11, 12.  We need to know who is coming in order to plan for the food.  Call Bill Wagner, our Retreat Manager at 916-686-6752, and let him know if you are coming and for what you need to bring.  Note:  This retreat is for ACTIVE MEMBERS ONLY. (This means your dues are paid up.)  Take a break,  and spend a weekend with your brothers. NO GENERAL MEETING AT THE HALL THIS MONTH.  THE GET-A-WAY IS THE MEETING!!!

"LIVING WITH PTSD"

     Chapter members and friends of Vietnam Veterans, please share this announcement with your spouses **. There will be a  free seminar for the spouses of those Veterans who have PTSD and those spouses** who think their Veterans may have PTSD.  PTSD and it's symptoms will be explained along with ways of coping with it.  The seminar will be given by Janet Lyle, VA PTSD Specialist, and Henry Iasiello, the PTSD Chair of the VVA California State Council.  Don't miss this important event.  It could help your relationship with your Veteran.

Date:  SATURDAY, OCTOBER 11, 2003
Time:  10:00AM - 12:00 with plenty of time for a question and answer period.
Place:  2784 Stockton Blvd.  VFW Post #67 (Near UC Med Center)
     Call for reservations:  916-481-6020
**Spouses in this case also includes significant others, close friends and adult children.

 Feel like you are walking on a tightrope
with your Veteran?  Is it hard for you to
know what to say without invoking a
undesirable response??
COME TO THE SEMINAR!!!

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VETERAN BENEFIT UPDATES

     It comes to our attention on a regular basis through phone calls that come into the office that many in country Vietnam Veterans that have Diabetes II are unaware that they may be eligible for VA Health Care and also may file a claim for rating due to a service connected disability.  Some Veterans may even be under the VA Health System for treatment of Diabetes, and do not realize that they may file a claim for rating.  If you have Diabetes I, and can prove that you were originally diagnosed with Diabetes II, you may also be able to file a claim.  If you are an in country Vietnam Vet and have any form of Diabetes, see a Service Officer for help.

EXPOSURE TO HERBICIDES OUTSIDE VIETNAM
From the VA's Guide on Agent Orange

     "Herbicides were used by the U.S. military to defoliate military facilities in the U.S. and in other countries as far back as the 1950's.  Even if you did not serve in Vietnam, you can still apply for service-connected benefits if you were exposed to an herbicide while in the military which you believe caused your disease or injury. If you have a disease which is on the list of diseases which VA recognizes as being associated with Agent Orange, the VA requires: 
1.  a medical diagnosis of a disease which VA recognizes as being associated with Agent Orange.
2.  competent evidence of exposure to a chemical contained in one of the herbicides used in Vietnam (2,4-D; 2,4,5-T and its contaminant TCDD; cacodylic acid; or picloram), and
3.  competent medical evidence that the disease began within the deadline for that disease (if any).
     If you have a disease which is not on the list of diseases which VA recognizes as being associated with Agent Orange, VA requires:
1.  competent medical evidence of a current disability;
2.  competent evidence of exposure to an herbicide during military service; and
3.  competent medical evidence of a nexus (casual relationship) between the herbicide exposure and the current disability."

Note:  From The VVA Veteran
     "The VA does have significant information regarding Agent Orange use in Korea along the demilitarized zone (DMZ).  DoD has confirmed that Agent Orange was used from April 1968 through July 1969 along the DMZ.  .......Units in the area during the period of use of herbicide include:  the four combat brigades of the 2nd Infantry Division (1-38 Infantry, 2-38 Infantry, 1-23 Infantry, 2-23 Infantry, 3-23 Infantry, 3-32 Infantry, 109th Infantry, 209th Infantry, 1-72 Armor, 2-72 Armor, 4-7th Cavalry); and 3rd Brigade of the 7th.  Infantry Division (1-17th Infantry, 2-17th Infantry, 1-73 Armor, 2-10th Cavalry).  Field Artillery, Signal, and Engineer troops were supplied as support personnel as required  The estimated total number of exposed personnel is 12, 056. 
     For purposes of claims for service connection, if a veteran is determined to have been exposed to Agent Orange in Korea or in other recognized areas (e.g., Panama), then the presumption of service connection for the listed diseases applies."
   

LEGISLATION and GOVERNMENT ISSUES

     Updates on Legislation concerning Veterans:

Bills that have been approved:
1.  SB 748 Veterans Cemeteries.  Provides for the establishment of a Governor's Advisory Commission on State Veterans Cemeteries.  Commission is charged to establish the need for the creation of state veterans' cemeteries and locate and prioritize sites for the future construction of those cemeteries. 
2.  AB 1036 Cal-Vet Loans.  Increases the limits on amount of loans for mobile homes and for farms, and provides authorization for the Department of Veterans Affairs to give special assistance to first time home buyers in arranging Cal-Vet loans.
3.  AB 1537 Education:  curriculum:  Korean and Vietnam Wars.  States legislative findings and declarations that existing state-adopted academic content standards for History/Social Science include instruction on the Korean War and Vietnam War that this instruction draw upon personal testimony, especially in the form of oral or video history, if available, and of American soldiers who were involved in those wars.
     Note:  The Chapter will be receiving calls for Speakers when this is implemented.  If you wish to be a part of the Chapter's "Speakers' Bureau", please give the office a call.

SCHOLARSHIP ESSAYS

     This month we are publishing the second essay (What does the Wall (in D.C.) mean to Vietnam Veterans)  of our three scholarship winners.  Kimberly A. Hoffman lives in Folsom graduated from Folsom High School and is attending Sierra Community College.  Her goals are to receive a Bachelors Degree in Nursing.  Kimberly writes:  .........In order to understand the meaning of the Vietnam Veteran Memorial, one needs to understand the Vietnam War.  The Vietnam War was fought from 1959 to 1975, with the major countries being the United States, North and south Vietnam, Japan and France.  Never before in history was a war fought that was surrounded with so much controversy.  During this time, the fear of the spread of communism in Asia was rampant.  The United States believed that the spread of communism might threaten global peace.  North Vietnam was under communistic rule and they wanted to incorporate South Vietnam in communistic rule.  The United States hoped to occupy South Vietnam and help in their struggle for independence.  Many in the United States thought that we had no business in the problems of Vietnam.  They thought that we should address our own problems within our country was the sentiment of many in the United States.  Nevertheless, the United States became involved in the South Vietnam's struggle for independence.  Ultimately, the United States war casualties reached 58,226 with thousands physically and psychologically injured.  There is no clear number of casualties and injuries of Vietnamese, Cambodians, and Laotians lost in the war.  After all of the fighting, and loss of life, North and South Vietnam signed a peace treaty. 
           continued on Page 6 ►►►

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