SwiftVets.com

[GoophyDog]

Below is an oped piece I wrote in the local newspaper about a year ago. At that time I was pretty well uneducated on the actions of the VVAW - even though they were one of the primary causes behind the actions I describe. While this little article is somewhat off topic, I can't help but share it with those who are not veterans. Perhaps you'll then understand what we went through - even after the Vietnam war. I for one didn't enter military service untill well after yet suffered the same trials.


I joined the service in 1976 and went to boot camp in Alameda, California. Unfortunately, there were still hard feelings about Vietnam so when we were granted a day off we were instructed to always go in groups of three. Though we were required to wear our uniforms during this one day off, we wore them with an all-encompassing pride. We had survived boot camp and there was nothing we couldn’t do. We were fire-eaters. We were the best. We were naïve.

San Francisco is probably one of the most beautiful cities in the country especially on a bright summer day. The sights and sounds captivated this country boy whose life experience up until then had consisted of waking to the sounds of a rooster crowing and the cows calling to be milked. To see so many people in one place! The trolleys, the aromas coming from Fisherman’s Wharf, the mind-boggling sight of such tall buildings.

We were cussed at. We were called baby killers. We were spat upon.

Years went by and as in any branch of the service I was transferred to other parts of the country. I made it a point to dress and look as non-military as I could on the few occasions I went out in public. I was still proud of the work I was doing, it was important, but I had seen what a harsh world it was out there and how easily I could be hurt. I had grown a sort of crust around myself so the leers and glares would bounce off me. I was immune. I was naïve.

I was in transit from one duty station to another and had to layover in Seattle for a connecting flight. Since I was reporting to a new command, I was wearing my uniform and yes, my posture was erect and yes, I was proud.

I was cussed out. I was called a warmonger. I was spat upon.

I retired in 1996 and packed the uniforms and the memories away to start a new life. A new job, new friends and frankly nothing to remind me of my time in the service. That is, until my son joined up. The memories came crashing back and I dreaded that the child I had protected for so long might have to face the same degradation that I had.

Fortunately it was not to be. After returning from Iraq my son came home to buy a car. We toured Wenatchee, going from car lot to car lot to find just the right car. Something reliable, something safe, something he could afford. As anyone who has shopped for a car knows, it can be a long and frustrating search and so it was for us until we came to one dealer.

We had been walking the lot comparing notes and looking at how my son could afford the car he wanted when, of course, the infamous used car salesman greeted us. My son explained his situation and the salesman invited us into the showroom to go over options. Apparently he did more than that for as we sat there, several employees came up to my son to shake his hand and thank him for what he was doing. They were proud of him!

The walls I had built, the armor I had forged, the crust I had carried for over 20 years all crumbled with these small gestures. Here finally were people that understood. All the awards, commendations, medals and ribbons are nothing when compared to a simple handshake and a thank-you. All the profanity, name-calling and spit were wiped clean by just one gesture and two words.

My uniform has been unpacked now and hangs in a place of honor. My faith has been restored.

Thank you.
Dennis Keppner
East Wenatchee

Footnote: I will NEVER support a candidate who cultivated the feelings and actions that myself and many others endured.
_________________
Why ask? Because it needs asking.

[hist/student]

retracted

[sdpatriot]

Dear Mr Keppner,
My brother served in Vietnam, and i've never seen him in uniforn
since the day he came home. he never participates in local parades
with the other Veterans, he has never been to a Veteran's Hospital
or asked for any medical help. i know this is all because of VVAW
and what it did to him ... inside. i'm so proud of him, i've told him
so, but it is something he does not want to talk about. i pray the
one good thing comes from Kerry running for president is that
finally people will see what they did to their returning sons - and
never, never let it happen again.
i'm going home for a visit this summer and this time i'm telling
Davey that HE is my hero, and welcome home.

you also are my hero, and thank you for your service, and your
son also (another hero of mine )

respectfully and with much gratitude,
sdpatriot
_________________
"Guard against the impostures of pretended patriotism."
George Washington, Farewell Address, September 19, 1796

[mtboone]

Goofydog, your letter struck deep into my heart and the pit of my stomach. It stirred the memories of that time and it was a well written letter and it does reflect what many of us went through during those years. I know that jfk did not start this action, but I know that he threw gasoline on the flames with his testimony to Congress and his other actions. Bravo Zulu on your letter.

[Navy_Navy_Navy]

BZ's GoophyDog!

Thank you - even though you made me cry!

When my son came home on leave for the first time, he did a week with the local recruiting station and we'd run errands on the way home from the office. Everywhere we went, people would come up to my son and say, "Thank you," or "We're proud of you."

We need to make sure that this "different world" remains the norm. Never again can we stand by, idle, while our military members are slandered and ostracized.

Thanks for the story!
_________________
~ Echo Juliet ~
Altering course to starboard - On Fire, Keep Clear
Navy woman, Navy wife, Navy mother

[War Dog]

GoophyDog I thank you for that touching letter. Being a retired/disabled Veteran who served in Southeast Asia during the Vietnam War and also over in the Middle East during Desert Shield/Storm, I saw both worlds when it comes to the way we were treated upon returning to 'the World' from both these wars/conflicts. The difference between the two was like night and day, or actually more like the differences between the planets Venus and Pluto.

I too went through that period of where I was abused because of my military service over in the Vietnam War. When I arrived at the San Francisco Airport on December 23, 1972 and went from one terminal to the other, I encountered anti-war, anti-military protestors and hippies. I was called babykiller, murderer, rapist, war criminal, and other names. I had vile profanities leveled at me, I even had a paper cup of red paint thrown on my brand new uniform. I was angry, but much more, I was hurt deeply. Like others, I knew what was happening back stateside, but I did not expect that type of 'welcome home' ceremony.

So, I did the same as you did, I did not wear my uniform off base, I grew my hair as long as the Air Force would let me. And in 74 when I got out of the Air Force, I became a druggie and hippie to escape the world that I lived in. I stopped telling anyone about my service time. And even when I decided to go back into the military in 79, I never talked about my time over in SEA, what I did, or my Air Force career. In fact, I put it all behind me for almost 15 years, and refused to think about those years.

I saw many of my fellow Vietnam Veterans lose jobs, families, wives, children, girlfriends and sanity over time. Still to this day, there are those in this nation that firmly believe that all Vietnam Veterans practiced and carried out war atrocities and crimes over in Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia and Thailand. These same people still believe that all Vietnam Veterans are crazy, unbalanced, unstable people that could go 'postal' at the drop of a hat. The hurt and damage from those years that these anti-war, anti-government, pro-peace people is still going on, even to this day. These same people are now doing the same things to our brave men and women in the wars in Iraq, Afganistan and in other places around the world.

Saddam Hussen and Iraq attacked Kuwait on August 2nd, 1990, and the ship I was attached to left the USA with the USS Saratoga battle group on August 5th, 1991. What amazed me in the nine months I spent over in the Middle East was the support of the American People back home. I cried then, and still cry now when I hear Lee Greenwood's "God Bless The USA!" It was so different from when all of us were over in SEA during Vietnam.

And the welcome home in April of 1990 was so overwhelming, that I will never be able to discribe how it felt to actually be welcomed home by people that cared and respected us and what we had gone overseas to do. When our battle group got to within five miles of the coast at Mayport, Florida, there were boats lining the channel for five miles on both sides. The flags, yellow ribbons, music, signs, cheers, waves, thank you's were almost deafening. I don't think there was one dry eye on the ship on the sailors that were topside and able to see and hear what was going on.

When we reached our berth or pier, there were about 10 thousand people waiting on us. Again, the flags, yellow ribbons, signs, music, etc. from the crowd was deafening, and overwhelming. From the Main Gate of Mayport Naval Station, in Jacksonville Florida to interstate 10 is about six or seven miles. It took two and a half hours to drive that distance on that day, and no one could go faster than one or two miles an hour. There were so many people on both sides of the outbound lanes of traffic, and in places, they were three or four deep. It was estimated that there were about 150 to 200 hundred thousand people there that day. Again with American flags, signs, yellow ribbons, banners, cheers, screams, thank you's, people shaking your hand through the window, giving us beers, sodas, water, gifts, flags, and every one of them celebrating us and that we were home.

It crumpled and broke down all the hate, all the bad feelings, all the dispair from the past 19 years. It actually felt good to be an American, to be wearing a uniform, and in the service of my country. In fact, it felt damn good. But again, fate stepped in, and the Clinton years and the liberals in control of our nation damn near ruined our nation and it's military again. People in our military were ashamed to be in, ashamed of their uniforms, ashamed of our President and CIC. Qualified and senior officers and NCO's were getting out of the military in droves because of Clinton and the liberals that ran the government and pentagon, and the rules that were changed and the damage done to the military.

Now, we have a President that has again made the Military what it was in the Reagan/Bush years. The men and women in the military are again proud to be in uniform, and proud to go to war, and do their duty. It's great to again have most of America behind them. But, again the dark forces in our nation that surfaced during Vietnam are again trying their best to bring down this nation, it's government, it's military and the brave men and women in our armed forces. They are again calling them babykillers, rapists, murderers, war criminals and accusing them of war crimes and atrocities just like before.

But thank God, that this time the majority of America is seeing through the crap that is put out by these people who again are being backed by socialist and communist groups, just like before. If John F. Kerry and his ilk manage to get back in power and take the presidency, our nation will again go through dark days again. Our military will be damaged, and maybe beyond repair. Our nation will be turned into a socialist nation, and one where many government agencies will be severly damaged through the actions of these socialist liberals. Appeasement again will be the rule of law in this nation. Being 'Politically Correct' will again be enforced in our nation. What these people did to this nation in the 60's / 70's will happen all over again.

God will disappear from our nation for good. Conservatives will be criminals in the eyes of those in power, the military will be used as Clinton and Carter used them. Budgets will be cut for the military, FBI, police agencies, CIA, etc. so that budgets can be increased for social programs, and to support more nations around the world, the UN, and to make this a 'Global Society' or a one world government.

We can not allow John Friggin Fonda Kerry to be elected as the President and CIC of the United States of America. We cannot allow these people to get in power and control this nation. We must fight this evil that has invaded our nation. We must never stop fighting, we must never give in, and we must never give these people an inch.

War Woof and GOD BLESS THE USA!
_________________
"When people are in trouble, they call the cops.

When cops need help, they call the K-9 unit."

[ASPB]

War Dog,

I suggest you take "friggin fonda" phrase out and send this letter to the editors of every major newspaper in the country and to all conservative magazines and blogs. It's easy to do on the internet. It will be published.


Great work!

Hell, if you want help I'll take care of the west coast. Jest let me know!
_________________
On Sale! Order in lots of 100 now at velero@rcn.com Free for the cost of shipping All profits (if any, especially now) go to Swiftvets. The author of "Sink Kerry Swiftly" ---ASPB

[War Dog]

Tom and others, please feel free to use my previous post in anyway that you want. I would be honored!

FRIGGIN WAR WOOF!
_________________
"When people are in trouble, they call the cops.

When cops need help, they call the K-9 unit."

[ASPB]

[War Dog]

Tom, I just PM'd you with that info. And for anyone else, if you want to be my agent ( ) , I don't mind, and if you need my contact info, PM me!

It's past time to take the gloves off!

FRIGGIN WAR WOOF!
_________________
"When people are in trouble, they call the cops.

When cops need help, they call the K-9 unit."

[ASPB]

[GoophyDog]

Thanks y'all. That little piece was a catharsis for me. I hadn't realized until after I wrote it just how much "baggage" I had been carrying around.