Second Voice Blog

Vietnam Veterans and Agent Orange Exposure - New Report The latest in a series of congressionally mandated biennial reviews of the evidence of health problems that may be linked to exposure to Agent Orange and other herbicides used during the Vietnam War found sufficient evidence of an association for hypertension and monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance (MGUS).

Sign the Petition United States Department of Vieterans Affairs: Health Data Tracking of Vietnam Veterans and Offspring for Health Care and Benefits

March Newsletter 2016 Second Voice March Newsletter.

The Vietnam War was a long, costly armed conflict that pitted the communist regime of North Vietnam and its southern allies, known as the Viet Cong, against South Vietnam and its principal ally, the United States. The war began in 1954 (though conflict in the region stretched back to the mid-1940s), after the rise to power of Ho Chi Minh and his communist Viet Minh party in North Vietnam, and continued against the backdrop of an intense Cold War between two global superpowers: the United States and the Soviet Union.  More than 3 million people (including 58,000 Americans) were killed in the Vietnam War; more than half were Vietnamese civilians. By 1969, at the peak of U.S. involvement in the war, more than 500,000 U.S. military personnel were involved in the Vietnam conflict. Growing opposition to the war in the United States led to bitter divisions among Americans, both before and after President Richard Nixon ordered the withdrawal of U.S. forces in 1973. In 1975, communist forc...

The following poem was written by SPCGregoryChris at:  Everything2 This gives an honest look at a veterans' feelings of post war. Let's get this straight right from the start Matters like this are close to my heart so don't call me up in the middle of the night I sleep soundly now but  I haven't always and  sleeping bears  don't take kindly to dark hallways So remember that when you're opening up doors and flipping on lights that haven't been on before. I saw a lot of things and no matter what you ask I'm not going to answer I don't have to answer. I'll answer when and if I even have an answer.  Yes, you're welcome for my  service and sometimes it is nice to hear it but sometimes I don't want to be reminded of the things I used to fear- if you just stop to think about it this way- Do you thank every  teacher  that taught your kid math? Do you thank every butcher for the hamburger? If you see me out wearing my  patches , come shake my...

Recently, a child reached out to his Vietnam Veteran father by taking him to the Vietnam Veteran Memorial Wall that was moving through the states, an uncomfortable situation he hadn't dealt with or really explored. What he discovered was his father, forty plus years later after the conflict, had a hard time at the memorial and expressing his feelings, something his father deals with every time, he also realized he didn't know or understand what to do or say, a common issue both with vets and children. Because neither had the tools to deal with the feelings from an adult child or the veterans side, it became a distressing time spent together and confusing for the son. Below are links to help your veteran loved one, neighbor, friend or a stranger feel comfortable talking to you and you be able to have the tools to help them, and yourself properly communicate should you come into this situation. There is information also on dealing with the children's affects of secondary tra...