VETERAN’S DAY, 2025
“ Never again will one generation of veterans abandon another.” … — VVA Founding Principle
November is a significant month for all military veterans and their families, as we observe Veterans Day.
This year is a particularly important one for the U.S. Army, Navy and Marines -- 2025 is the 250th birthday for each of these service branches. An extra “Oorah” shout for the Marines: the Corps’ birthday is November 10.
Veterans Service Organizations (VSO) work to help veterans in many ways. The Vietnam Veterans of America is unique in serving those who fought in an unpopular American war.
Nearly 10 years ago, in 2016, the VVA began to seriously deal with the organization’s eventual mortality. Its members, many of whom are in the populous Baby Boom generation, are rapidly aging.
In the VVA Veteran magazine in 2016, VVA President John Rowan stated, “We are not immortal, and planning must occur in an orderly manner.”
VVA Vice President Marsha Four, in the VVAVeteran that same year, explained the spirit behind the organization’s creation, saying, “Veterans returning from the war felt rejected, marginalized, humiliated, and disrespected.”
She also detailed the original and ongoing purpose of the VVA: “We live by a charge that is altruistic in nature, devoted to a selfless concern for the welfare of our brother and sister veterans.”
Even with that awareness, it took until 2021 for the VVA to announce a “Strategic Plan for Dissolution”, now called “The Plan.”
Four more years of work produced The Plan that was presented at the 2025 convention in August. The resolution was overwhelmingly rejected by the delegates. Most seemed to feel that a March 1, 2028 “end date” was too soon.
In the Sept/Oct issue of VVA Veteran, newly elected VVAPresident, Tom Burke, explained, “we did not accomplish much with the resolutions.” Offering a positive thought for the future, Burke titled his column “Coming Together to Write VVA’s Final Chapter.”
The VVA situation is unique and a rare event in the history of veterans service organizations. VSOs have missions to serve. VVA has a specific mission to help all veterans who served at specific times (dates) and in a specific place -- South Vietnam. Membership in VVA is open to all service branches. Eligible dates for all veterans who served in-country are: Nov.1, 1955 to May 7, 1975.
Veterans who served in any duty location from Aug. 5, 1964 to May 7, 1975 are also eligible. The peak combat years in Vietnam were 1964 to 1973, when troops came home. The conflict ended in a peace treaty agreed on in Paris. This “peace” lasted barely two years when the South was overrun, and a communist government took over in 1975. The 1975 date was declared the end of the Vietnam Era by Presidential proclamation.
By the war’s end, 2.7 million military served in-country. An additional 6 million served in support of the war elsewhere. Total casualties in the war included 58,318 dead and 1,566 still missing (MIA). As of 2023, 5.65 million Vietnam veterans were still living.
Currently there are 92,000 members of the VVA located in 560 local chapters in the U.S. and its territories.
The reality for Vietnam veterans is evident in the demographic numbers. The median age is these veterans is about 72; the youngest are in their early 50s, and the oldest are in their 80s and even older.
One of the oldest VVA members has to be Cash Barber, 101, who was born in 1924. He served in WWII and did two tours in Vietnam.
The Navy veteran was the topic of a story in an earlier edition this year of the VVA Veteran. Barber described the Vietnam war as “a terrible mess.”
The Local Picture
In Oklahoma, the VVA is not strongly represented, probably due to a limited number of Vietnam veterans in the population. As of 2020, there were fewer than a dozen VVA chapters in the state.
In Murray County and Sulphur, the American Legion has a long and distinguished history of serving all veterans. Local Legion Post 148 has 56 members; more than half are Vietnam veterans according to the post historian.
The post played a key part in establishing the impressive Veterans Memorial Park on West Broadway in Sulphur. Commemorative bricks pave the walkways around the flagpoles and a granite monument. Many bricks honor the service of Vietnam veterans.
In its 50-year history as a VSO, the VVA has proven to be a strong partner in honoring veterans for service and working on veterans issues of all kinds.
The VVA works with many other VSOs and groups that help veterans. It is a trusted and respected organization and is one of only four VSOs that meet regularly with the VA to brainstorm issues of concern to veterans.
As the VVA inevitably becomes a VSO whose members are rapidly aging, their issues will become more urgent.
In 2023, recognizing the new priorities facing the members, the VVA published a White Paper warning of health care challenges. Lots of elderly veterans will need improved access to health care in the future and for decades later, especially in rural areas.
While debates continue about the VVA’s demise, one fact looks uncomfortably true: It took years to form the VVA. It will take years to fold it up and move on.
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