THE VETERAN Vietnam Veterans Against the War 50¢ Volume 35, Number 2 Fall 2005 VVAW Marches in DC Ward Reilly On a mercifully overcast day in Washington, DC on Saturday, September 24, a crowd of approxi- mately 250,000 people gathered in protest of the wars in the Middle East. This protest had the feel of the late 60s and early 70s, and it was heartwarming to see so many youth in attendance, a group that has been sorely lacking in the current antiwar movement in the United States. The Campus Anti- War Network had many hundreds in their group, and they were just one of several youth groups to have their voices heard on the streets of DC. A strong contingent of VVAW members joined antiwar groups from all over the nation such as Gold Star Families for Peace, Iraq Veterans Against the War, Military Families Speak Out, UFPJ, ANSWER and CAN in condemning the neocon-in- spired disasters in Iraq and Af- September 24, Washington, DC (photo courtesy of Charles Jenks, Traprock Peace Center) ghanistan, illegal wars that have cost us more than 2,000 KIA U.S. troops and almost 20,000 WIA, ineptness that is apparent in every- their display on the perimeter of support of the antiwar movement. not to mention the staggering cost thing the administration does. the staging tent, in a continued Fighting war and injustice has of $300 billion. There were many, many strong effort to show the cost of been a lifetime of work for some $300 billion for what? The VVAW buttons and symbols these Middle East wars in human of these fine people of VVAW. Iraq mess continues to get worse, adorning the banners, shirts and terms, and thousands slowly wan- Ray was interviewed by my as the Bush administration con- hats of the crowd members that dered through that fine exhibit for good friend Donna Bassin, a psy- tinues to make more and more gathered around the “Camp Casey four days running. chologist and film-documentary enemies by using our troops as III” staging area directly in front I was very happy to be able maker from New Jersey. Donna a police force, which is not their of the Washington Monument. The to meet Ray Parrish in person, is documenting how the current job. Had our Louisiana National tent was named after the KIA son one of my own icons in the area war has brought so many of the Guard and their equipment been of Cindy Sheehan, a Gold Star of counseling vets and conscien- old-school vets back into hands- home to protect our citizens, the Mother who has become the face tious objector work. VVAW con- on activism. disastrous Katrina would have of the national antiwar movement, tacts Bill Perry, Billy Kelly, Mike The veterans marched to- resulted in far fewer casualties, which has grown quickly as the Ferner, Dave Cline, Doug Nelson, gether, and the respect they got and there would have been a much reasons for the wars in the Middle Patrick McCann, and Mike Has- from crowd watchers was apparent faster first response, which was East change by the month. tie were just a few of the VVAW virtually nonexistent due to Bush’s The Arlington West memo- members that again came out in continued on page 16 misuse of our National Guard in rial organizers from California the Middle East, and the general placed the crosses and boots of

PO Box 408594 Chicago, IL 60640 www.vvaw.org [email protected] 2 THE VETERAN Fall 2005 From the National Office Barry Romo Well, it’s déjà vu all over again. drawal from Iraq. For those who Thirty-three years ago, who would say “We can’t—we need a plan,” have thought Nixon would be out just remind them that the Pentagon of office before his second term has plans for everything, from was up? His was a landslide re- invading Iran to the Vatican, to election; he had great poll num- pulling out of Korea, to Iraq. Just bers; he seemed competent; and do it. No more blood or insanity. he had a brain. We must also demand decent Baby Bush barely won re- benefits for Iraq vets, especially in election (51% is no landslide), relation to depleted uranium (DU) but he has Congress. He too has poisoning. VVAW played a role in a brain, but it’s named Karl Rove, passing such legislation in Louisi- and this “brain” may be indicted ana, and we are moving in Illinois, for outing a CIA agent. where it will pass. We should take Bush has no poll numbers. this up state by state. He is incompetent, and his ad- Nationally, we have to keep ministration is padded with more up the heat through our local orga- cronies than President Harding’s. nizing. Make noise and bring new And Congress? Well, the possible people into the movement, always trials (DeLay, Frist) are the light remembering that 10% of folks are at the end of the tunnel. coming to their first event. On top of this, the blood of Finally, there is you, the per- our young continues to drip day son reading this paper. If you are after day, and our national treasure not yet a member of VVAW, you is given away to corporate friends. should join right now by filling out At least Nixon put his tail between the form in the back of this paper his legs and got our troops out of or by going to our website. If you Vietnam after his re-election. are already a member, join with So it looks like we can just others to form a VVAW chapter sit back and watch merrily as the in your area. Bush administration and his party Remember that VVAW will Barry Romo on Memorial Day, Chicago, 2005 and the Right go down in flames, be forty years old in eighteen laughing all the way, right? Uh... months, and we are planning to no. We have to continue to push have a great reunion! We must and push hard at every level. always be ready to celebrate, even Editorial Collective VVAW should lay out its call in the midst of serious struggle. Barry Romo in actions on Veterans Day and Joe Miller Memorial Day. Jeff Machota We should push locally for Barry Romo is a national Lisa Boucher resolutions for immediate with- coordinator of VVAW.

Thanks to Jeff Danziger, Vietnam veteran and political cartoonist, for his generous contributions to this issue. Thanks also to Billy Cur- mano for "Oxy, the Smart Bomb," and to Charles Jenks, Curtis Nelson, Claudia Lennhoff, Bill Branson, Dennis McQuade, Robert, Dave Kettenhofen, John Zutz, Bob Gronko and others for contributing photos. VVAW Merchandise • VVAW T-Shirt (L, XL, XXL) - $12.00 ______choose color (black, white, sand) • VVAW Hat - $13.00 ______

• VVAW Embroidered Patch - $5.00 ______

• VVAW Button - $1.00 ______

• VVAW Enamel Pin - $3.00 ______

• VVAW Bumper Sticker - $2.00 ______

•Shipping ($4.00 for first item, $2 ______for each item after, excluding buttons Mail order and check to: & bumper stickers) VVAW Merchandise PO Box 070391 Total Enclosed ______Milwaukee, WI 53207

Ship to: Name ______Address ______City, State, Zip ______Fall 2005 THE VETERAN 3 Vietnam Veterans Against the War, Inc. National Contact List For email addresses, go to our website at www.vvaw.org. If you need a speaker for an event or class visit or interview, please contact the person nearest you. If there is nobody in your area, contact the National Office at (773) 276-4189 or email [email protected].

NATIONAL Northern CA Minnesota Columbus, OH COORDINATORS David Ewing Billy Curmano Mark Hartford Barry Romo (415) 781-8181 (507) 864-2716 [email protected] (773) 276-4189 Central Coast, CA Mpls./St. Paul, MN Kent, OH Pete Zastrow Lane Anderson John Anderson Brian Slease (847) 864-3975 (805) 564-2698 (651) 485-8019 (330) 676-0074 Joe Miller Brighton, CO St. Louis, MO Oklahoma (217) 328-2444 Charles Elliston David Curry Bill Homans Bill Davis (303) 654-1754 (314) 516-5042 (405) 227-4245 (708) 386-1413 Denver, CO New Jersey Waldport, OR David Cline Terry Leichner David Cline Ron Betts (201) 876-0430 (303) 935-5360 (201) 876-0430 (541) 563-3634 John Zutz Miami, FL Jersey Shore, NJ Emmaus, PA (414) 372-0749 Patrick McCann Gerald Gioglio David Shelly Dave Kettenhofen (301) 238-3361 [email protected] (610) 967-2066 (414) 481-4614 Tallahassee, FL Princeton, NJ Levittown, PA Bill Perry Tom Baxter Annie Hirschman Bill Perry (215) 945-3350 (850) 893-7390 (609) 430-0440 (215) 945-3350 Athens, GA Albuquerque, NM Philadelphia, PA NATIONAL STAFF Elton Manzione Bob Anderson Jon Bjornson Bill Branson (706) 369-0546 (505) 858-0882 (215) 438-8883 David Curry Chicago, IL Northwest NM Chattanooga, TN Jeff Machota Barry Romo Joseph Knight Fritz Efaw Lisa Boucher (773) 276-4189 (505) 330-7713 (423) 425-4688 Hannah Frisch Oak Park, IL Las Vegas, NV Austin, TX Bill Davis Rena & John Kopystenski Dave Collins MILITARY COUNSELOR (708) 386-1413 (702) 399-8012 (830) 868-9055 Ray Parrish Rockford, IL New York College Station, TX (773) 561-VVAW Stanley Campbell Ben Chitty Ray "Doc" White (815) 964-7111 (919) 779-1341 (979) 218-6729 Tuscola, IL Cold Spring, NY San Antonio, TX CONTACTS Paul Wisovaty David Eisenhower Tom Wetzler (217) 253-2157 (514) 265-3495 Northwest AR (210) 533-4467 Champaign-Urbana, IL Hudson Valley, NY Dwayne Knox Virginia Joe Miller Jim Murphy (870) 428-5597 Leigh Hauter (217) 328-2444 (845) 358-5709 Cave Creek, AZ (703) 754-4005 Indianapolis, IN Hudson Valley, NY Bob Riggle Northern VA Steven Spurgeon Dayl Wise (623) 465-9837 Doug Nelson [email protected] (718) 231-0616 Huachuca City, AZ (708) 848-3501 Richmond, IN Hudson Valley, NY Michael Holzman Seattle, WA Chuck Yates Mike Gillen (520) 456-9419 Mike Dedrick (765) 966-3221 (914) 948-8983 Arcata, CA (206) 328-5477 Baton Rouge, LA Staten Island, NY Brian Willson Milwaukee, WI Ward Reilly Ramon Rodriguez [email protected] Annie Bailey (225) 766-1364 (718) 447-0049 Southern CA (414) 963-0398 New England Olean, NY Leland Lubinsky Milwaukee, WI Jerry Lembcke Barry Miller (909) 796-6565 Dave Kettenhofen (408) 793-3050 (716) 373-7019 Long Beach, CA (414) 481-4614 Jackson, MI Cincinnati, OH Horace Coleman Northern WI Arnold Stieber Marty Webster (562) 438-2818 Jay Tobin (734) 475-0740 (513) 349-4413 (715) 832-1989 Bunker Hill, WV Bill Czyzewski (304) 229-0692 4 THE VETERAN Fall 2005 Fraggin' Bill Shunas Can you say “Iraq Syndrome”? relief here—you’ve got to think even challenged anymore. We are words are starting to lose their There was the Vietnam Syndrome, this will be the last major war for bogged down in that war. We are effectiveness as wars and hur- which was supposed to mean that a while. (Of course, there will be not winning hearts and minds. ricanes swirl around George the the people of the United States minor wars all around the globe. The flag-draped coffins are accu- Arrogant, and he looks more like wouldn’t and shouldn’t ever again You can’t change old habits.) mulating. Polls are showing that George the Confused. He sadly sanction a major war of dubious Bush and his advisors have more than half of Americans are clings to these words as his answer relevance to our safety. Then came many reasons to be dismayed by opposed to the war. Still, the most to everything. the Gulf War, which was success- what’s happening in Iraq. Cer- prominent Democrats—and the ful and supposedly shattered the tainly one of their disappointments Democratic Party as a whole—are If he’s asked how it’s going in Iraq, Vietnam Syndrome. is that they’re hot to go into Iran, talking about staying the course in his answer is “Democracy.” The thing to realize about the Gulf War was that George the Afghanistan? “Freedom.” First thought that taking Baghdad So now we are going to have was a can of worms better left the Iraq Syndrome, Why do we need Social Security unopened, so he left the Shiite reform? “Freedom.” allies to Saddam’s lack of mercy which is the Vietnam and quickly ended it. George the Jenna’s prom dress? “Security.” First decided that caution was the Syndrome all over again. better part of valor and wisely Iran? “Terrorism.” stopped short of Baghdad. Unlike but there is a shortage of troops. Iraq. How sad. most wars, the victory was a bit Enlistment is down, and troops are The projected 2008 Demo- John Roberts’ Supreme Court unstable, because it was declared tied up in Iraq and Afghanistan. cratic candidates like Clinton, nomination? “Democracy.” without taking the enemy’s capi- Iran would be even more of a Biden and Kerry are not talking tol; but it was enough to enable mess, because of the terrain and about ending this thing. It doesn’t Hurricane Katrina? “Terrorism.” them to declare that the Vietnam a more solidified opposition. And take a PhD to figure it out. If for Syndrome was dead. because of the newly developing no other reason than political The sinking economy? “Free- Unfortunately, eight years Iraq Syndrome, there would be no expediency (since more than half dom.” after George the Cautious came support for an Iran invasion. the voters oppose the war), you’d George the Arrogant. During those That’s good, but one worry think that one of them would come Life with Laura? “Security.” eight years, the Gulf War receded is that in the past, these Bush out in favor of a troop withdrawal. into the past, and the frat boys people have speculated about That person might just jump into Hurricane Rita? “Security.” began slapping themselves on the the feasibility of using nuclear the lead for the nomination. Duh! back. To them, taking the Gulf weapons, tactical and otherwise. The only potential candidate to Homeland Security? “Democ- looked to have been easy. Casu- Because they can’t send troops to come out for withdrawal is Senator racy.” alties were acceptable. Press on. Iran, would they use nukes? In the Russ Feingold, who suggested a Once again, they had the mistaken eighties, there was much talk about withdrawal date of December 31, Growing up as Barbara’s son? idea that superior technology (and nuclear winters and the devastat- 2006. The end of 2006? Don’t go “Terrorism.” in this case, the rout of 1991) was ing effect of even tactical nukes. I too far out on the limb, Russ. By all that was needed to win a war. haven’t heard talk like that lately, that time there will be five hundred Tax cuts for the wealthy? “Free- Heeding the advice of and the consensus might have to a thousand more U.S. dead, tens dom.” Cheney, Rumsfeld, Wolfowitz disappeared, especially among of thousands more Iraqis dead, and and the like, George the Arrogant the arrogant and shallow intellects a couple of thousand new terror- His college-age drug habits? “De- went forth and proceeded to get and the oil men and woman in the ists created. mocracy.” into a mess in Iraq. He so believed Bush administration. Anyway, a So much for the idea of the the talk that he declared victory war in Iran seems unlikely for Democratic Party being the party Poor people? “Freedom.” after the first battle. Since then the moment, and these nuclear of the people. Are the oil compa- things have deteriorated in most thoughts may be dismissed as an nies donating to the Democratic Higher gas prices? “Security.” imaginable ways. occasional resurfacing of latent presidential campaigns too? So now we are going to sixties paranoia. So back to Iraq. Meanwhile, George the Ar- How will the world assess eight have the Iraq Syndrome, which Perhaps the worst thing rogant keeps talking about Free- years of George the arrogant? is the Vietnam Syndrome all over about the whole affair is the party dom, Democracy, Terrorism, and Terrorism. again. With the American people of opposition—the Democrats. Security. These are buzzwords looking at the rising cost of war Here we are involved in a war of he used in the past to gain sup- Bill Shunas is a Vietnam veteran there—and the need for hurricane illegitimate origin; that fact is not port for whatever he wanted. The and author. Notes from the Boonies Paul Wisovaty Like every hamlet and metropolis I got to ride on when I got back hardly be described as meaning- his fantasies about America’s 21st in America, Tuscola has been get- from ‘Nam. ful. I wanted to ask the Question: Century Manifest Destiny. I wear a ting its Iraq vets home this past Or not. Sorry, that was cheap. What’s your take on this war? But VVAW pin on my cap, but maybe couple of years. I was reminded Of course, I am very happy for I didn’t. My fear was that they’d they don’t notice it, or probably of that in August, when several these young men and women, think I wouldn’t understand. What they don’t even know what it is. of them served as grand marshals because they’re home safe and could my tour under Black Jack Then again, it is also possible that of our annual Harvest Festival sound—at least until they put in Pershing possibly have in common they support the war, and who the Parade. The crowds cheered and six or eight months at Fort Riley with what they went through? hell am I to challenge that? They the high-school band played and and get shipped back again. I got Here’s some old guy wearing a were there; I wasn’t. the fire engines blew their horns, to spend some time talking with VFW cap, and he just wants to and it reminded me of all the floats them, but the exchanges could hear something that will prop up continued on page 5 Fall 2005 THE VETERAN 5 "Winter Soldier" Showing in Chicago Barry Romo Thirty-four years ago, VVAW film collective went on to make top organized an inquiry into war documentaries, including Barbara crimes; it was called called the Koppel (“Harlan County, USA”), Winter Soldier Investigation. Robert Fiore (“Pumping Iron”), Held in Detroit over four days, and Nancy Backer (“Born into 125 people testified about war Brothels”). crimes, racism, and imperialism in It was forgotten by most ex- the context of the war in Vietnam. cept VVAW, and we would show This was truly a historic event. it occasionally. For the first time in history, war But last year’s attacks on veterans got together to expose John Kerry, who shows up very their government while the war briefly in the film, brought back in which they had fought was still interest, and people wanted to going on. see it. As a result, screenings of a The right wing attacked the new print occurred in major cities event (and they brought it up again around the country recently. At to attack Kerry in last year’s elec- many of these screenings, many tion). Nixon and his administration old and new VVAW members challenged the testimony, and participated in discussion groups they went after VVAW. Yet with afterward. John Kerry (right) marching with VVAW all the intelligence agencies at his In Chicago, for instance, disposal, he couldn’t find any lies we spoke at eight showings over It was a chance for us to talk announcement in the next issue of or liars. eight nights to packed crowds about the present as well as about the Veteran, or check our website The Winterfilm Collective at the Gene Siskel Film Center. the past. For example, we were (www.vvaw.org). made a documentary about the Normally Q&A goes on for half able to highlight the fact that tor- event; called "Winter Soldier," it an hour after any documentary. ture as U.S. policy did not begin Barry Romo was an infantry came out in 1972. Shown mostly After screenings of "Winter Sol- with Abu Ghraib or Guantanamo lieutenant in Vietnam, 1967–68. on college campuses, it never made dier," however, discussions went Bay. He was a member of the minority it into the mainstream in the good on for more than three times that. If you missed one of these panel on racism and moderator old USA. But in Europe it was a We could have gone longer, except showings, you’ll soon get a of the Americal Division hit, winning documentary awards for the fact that the workers had chance to purchase a copy. The panel at the Winter Soldier and being shown in theaters and on to close the film center and go film is coming out on DVD at the Investigation, where he joined television. Some members of the home. beginning of 2006. Watch for the VVAW.

Notes From the Boonies might be writing a column just grow a spine and talk to some of like this one. I just wish to hell I them in my own backyard. continued from page 4 could do something right now to I guess that’s the reason I don’t ask. my columns have a way of ending help you.” It’s their war. Somehow, I don’t suddenly without answers. They say that if you work feel that I have the right to cross It gets worse. I have never for the government long enough, Paul Wisovaty is a member of that line without being invited. thought of myself as an old fart you get paranoid. Maybe that’s VVAW. He lives in Tuscola, This Memorial Day, I had a guest (since I’m 59, maybe I’d better it. I guess I need to get together Illinois, where he works as a editorial in the Tuscola Review, start), but in talking with these with some Iraq Veterans Against probation officer. He was in and I spoke to that subject. I said bright, sparkly young’uns, I feel the War and talk about all these Vietnam with the U.S. Army 9th that we have no idea what these like I’m a hundred damn years things. Or maybe I just need to Division in 1968. young men and women did in the old. They are just so—I hate this Middle East. They might have word—respectful. They call me spent seven days a week listening “sir,” and I don’t even let my drug to Armed Forces Radio (I read dealers and child molesters do that. somewhere that Chris Noel is now I want to grab them by the shoul- in an assisted living complex), or ders and say, “Hey, I do know what they might have spent an afternoon you went through! I know about listening to “Taps” being blown in being an occupying army with the the field for a buddy. My sugges- ‘best of intentions.’ I know about tion was to tell them how happy destroying a country in order to we are to have them back, and not save it, about turning its adolescent to ask too many questions. If they boys into drug dealers and its pre- want to talk about it, they will. teen girls into prostitutes. I know Or will they? Some of us did, about the smug looks we used to and a lot more of us didn’t. Some of get on our faces when we talked us didn’t start talking about it until about the ‘gooks,’ and I imagine we joined VVAW in the ‘90s. What that you are not unfamiliar with are these young people carrying the term ‘sand niggers.’ (If you inside? How long will they have served with African Americans, to carry it? As “Boonies” readers the term was no doubt modi- are aware, I’ve always been a fied. But it’s all the same.) And I Washington, DC, September 24, 2005 pretty clever wordsmith when it know—I really know—that one or comes to posing questions, but ten or thirty years from now you 6 THE VETERAN Fall 2005 Louisiana VVAW Members Get First DU-Testing Bill Passed into Law Ward Reilly I truthfully didn’t know much antiwar work, and he immediately The Senate committee voted, a true bipartisan political victory, about depleted uranium (DU) took a deep interest in what DU again unanimously, to send the and real support for our troops. other than the common knowl- was doing to our troops and the bill, now officially Act 69, to the All credit goes to Bob Smith, edge that DU was used in armor- environment. He decided to do full Senate for a vote. Again the Dennis Kyne, and Leuren Moret, piercing ammo and some heavy something about it, and he enlisted vote was unanimous, and by this all DU experts. “bunker-buster” bombs. I had my help. time Bob and I were in shock. been in contact with a Gulf War Bob set up a meeting with Was Louisiana about to be- Ward Reilly is the Southeast vet named Dennis Kyne while do- Jalila Jefferson, his New Orleans come the first state in the union national contact for VVAW. ing antiwar work, and when I met representative in the Louisiana to mandate testing for any and Dennis in person at the School of House. What happened next I still all troops coming home from the the Americas Watch demonstra- cannot believe. She listened, as Middle East? tions at Ft. Benning in the fall of did Rep. Juan LaFonta, the New On June 16, only two months 2003, all that changed. Orleans freshman, and they invited after our initial contact with our Dennis had been exposed Bob and me to testify in front of two New Orleans representatives, to DU during Operation Desert the Louisiana House Committee Louisiana became the first state Storm, when he served as a combat on Military Affairs. On April 28, in the nation to pass a bill to give medic, and he had written a book 2005, without batting an eye, the to all military veterans return- about it. I invited him to speak at committee voted unanimously to ing from Operations Enduring the Jazz Funeral For Democracy send it to the full House, who voted Freedom and Iraqi Freedom the demonstration scheduled in New on it two weeks later. right to be tested for depleted Orleans for Inauguration Day, Then we were invited to uranium contamination. The bill January 20, 2005. There he met my testify again, this time in front received unanimous bipartisan fellow VVAW member Bob Smith, of a similar Senate committee. I support, and Governor Kathleen a three-combat-tour Green Beret told them that I was on the draft Babineaux Blanco signed it into in Vietnam, who had retired from board, and that if I was forced to law on June 16. the Louisiana National Guard as a send kids overseas, I wanted to be I still can’t believe it! To top command sergeant-major. able to look them in the eye and it all off, we did not get a single VVAW members Bob Smith (in top hat) and Ward Reilly at the Jazz Funeral Bob had worked by my side tell them that I would take care of no vote from either party in both For Democracy in New Orleans, for more than three years doing them when they came back. the House and the Senate. It was 1/20/05 War Stories You Couldn't Tell Your Mother Jan Barry (Reviewer) Winter Soldier tacks on John Kerry in the 2004 ing stories and photos of torture of about the war, organizing antiwar Directed by Michael Lesser presidential election campaign. suspects to filter out of Iraq. veterans, working in various ways (Milliarium Zero, 2005) Along with Kerry and oth- They talked about how to end the war—ever seemed suf- ers, I was an organizer of that growing up in America prepared ficient. Like many veterans, I’ve I recently saw a film I’ve avoided gruesome forum. It is still hard to them to treat Vietnamese as less tried to live a better life than when for more than thirty years. It’s fathom how the low-key counter- than human. They noted that in I was a twenty-year-old GI armed a documentary about grizzled insurgency operations of the early military training they were told by my government with the power young U.S. veterans describing 1960s morphed into “destroy the to kill gooks—that all Vietnamese of life and death. military operations in Vietnam that village to save it” mindless sav- were gooks, and the only good More than a dozen filmmak- swept through farming villages agery. When I served in the Army gook is a dead gook. These are ers donated their time and skills to like Mongol hordes on a rampage. in Vietnam in 1962–63, the official eerie echoes of the U.S. Army’s record rare moments of reflection The film, "Winter Soldier," is be- mission was to protect the Viet- campaigns against Native Ameri- by young men who visibly carried ing rereleased in movie theaters namese people from a communist can Indians. the weight of massive destruction across the country and on a DVD. threat. Our actual mission was to I saw the film at a showing on their shoulders. When released The distributors hope it provides spark a wider war. By 1965, as at Lincoln Center that included a in 1972, "Winter Soldier" was a timely warning to end the war this film graphically details, the discussion with filmmakers and widely shown in Europe and in Iraq. American military mission had three of the featured veterans, virtually banned in the United These are war stories you shifted to attacking the people we Rusty Sachs, Scott Camil and Ken States. A small art-film distributor couldn’t tell your mother, one had originally been sent to save. Campbell. The vets talked about in New Jersey, Milliarium Zero, veteran said amid serial accounts To the credit of the veter- how this event was a turning point engineered the rerelease. of rape, torture, wanton shooting ans who spoke out about their in their lives. The power of the film For more information, go to of civilians and deliberate destruc- experiences as Marine and Army comes from intensive interviews www.wintersoldierfilm.com. tion of vast areas of Vietnam. The grunts, helicopter pilots, medics, amid selections of testimony, in 95-minute documentary shows and prisoner-of-war interroga- which we see anguished ex-sol- This article was originally pub- portions of testimony by more than tors, they wrestled with why this diers struggle to regain a sense lished in Intervention Magazine one hundred veterans at the Winter happened. They talked about how of humanity after engaging in (www.interventionmag.com). Soldier Investigation, sponsored they had gone from eager view- murderous mayhem. by Vietnam Veterans Against the ers of Hollywood war heroics to I’m still sorting out how I feel War, in Detroit, Michigan in 1971. brutalizing Vietnamese women, about having been in an exotic ad- Jan Barry is a journalist and the The full transcript was read into children and old men. What they venture that grew into a monstrous author of A Citizen’s Guide to the Congressional Record and did to Vietnamese young men, nightmare of our own making. Grassroots Campaigns. He was triggered repercussions that were described in horrific detail, was Nothing I did at the time—re- one of the founders of Vietnam still reverberating in political at- more horrendous than the shock- signing from West Point, writing Veterans Against the War. Fall 2005 THE VETERAN 7 VA Review of PTSD Disability

Ray Parrish The VA, in its unending quest to tors. (Look at the remands.) One improvement in the disability, Appeal! balance the federal budget on the reason is that being in a war isn’t not simply “some” improvement. backs of veterans, will cut off the same as being “engaged in Since this judgment is open to the Once the VA has what they con- benefits for thousands of veterans combat” for the VA. Without med- subjective determination of each sider to be sufficient evidence (af- who have been rated as totally ter the exam), they must notify the disabled by a service-connected veteran of the proposed action. The mental disorder such as PTSD veteran must then be given at least (post-traumatic stress disorder). Veterans who are told their sixty days to submit additional The VA has an unlimited supply of eligibility is under review evidence. If he or she doesn’t, the lawyers who will review the claim VA will then cut the benefits. More files of these veterans to see if they should see a lawyer or a importantly, after the notice, the can sever or reduce compensation veteran has thirty days to request a payments. They will be looking to veterans service officer “predetermination hearing.” After prove that the PTSD is not totally the hearing, the VA can’t cut the disabling or that the veteran has immediately. benefits until they have consid- failed to prove to their satisfaction ered the evidence presented at the that anything traumatic happened hearing or “developed as a result during military service. Although als for valor or a Purple Heart or rating specialist, we can expect of the hearing” and have issued a each case will be unique, veterans documented proof that you per- that many will need to be appealed “final determination concerning need to be aware of their rights. sonally were involved in combat, through the Board of Veterans Ap- the proposed action.” At that point The procedure is explained in 38 the VA won’t take your word for peals into the U.S. Federal Court the veteran has another sixty days CFR Section 3.103–3.105 and in what happened “in combat,” so of Appeals for Veterans Claims. to present more evidence. the VA’s Manual M21-1, Part VI, you need “credible” supporting They must review the “entire Chapter 9. evidence from “witnesses.” history of the disability,” meaning Veterans who are told their The VA inspector general’s that the review can’t be based upon eligibility is under review should quick review of PTSD claim files a single new examination. They see a lawyer or a veterans service revealed that 25% of them failed must find that there has been an Ray Parrish (Sgt., USAF, 72-75) officerimmediately in order to start to make a “legally sufficient” “actual” change in the disability, is VVAW’s military counselor, looking for the evidence to satisfy case. Most of these will likely not simply a more accurate evalu- providing free confidential the VA’s obsessive compulsion focus on a technicality such as ation. They have to find improve- discharge counseling; legal, with documentation. supporting “buddy statements” ment in the “ordinary” conditions medical, and mental health not being notarized or not start- of life and work, not in a protected referrals for GIs and veterans; Failure to Prove ing with: “I swear the following work or supportive living situa- VA claim and discharge upgrade Wartime Trauma to be true…” tion. It also has to be based upon help; and counter-recruiting a thorough examination, not the and draft information. If you The VA’s rules to prove that a No Longer Totally Disabled usual fifteen-minute “How are need help, call him at 773- “stressor” actually occurred are you doing?” 561-VVAW or email him at confusing, even to VA adjudica- First, the VA must find “material” [email protected]. 8 THE VETERAN Fall 2005 Memorial Day in Chicago P. Stewall We had a beautiful sunny day in wounded, not to mention the fact Chicago for the annual ceremony that practically everyone serving where the Vietnam Veterans Me- in Iraq is exposed to depleted ura- morial used to be. It seems that nium. Gulf War Syndrome was a after it was moved for construction mere headache to the VA; this is several years ago, it was misplaced a tumor the size of Toledo. And and hasn’t been found since. One George Bush’s VA is increasing has to wonder if Mayor Daley loses co-payments and instituting an- valuables like this often. Have nual fees to help pay for his illegal you lost your bankbook or your invasion and occupation. wedding ring lately, Dick? But A Marine Corpsman and this article will address another member of Iraq Veterans Against incompetent politician and the the War (IVAW), Charles Ander- way he “supports our troops.” son, said this war is different. It The day’s event began with was not a last resort; it is a war local songwriter Anna Stange of conquest. And now we have singing some old favorites like veterans coming home not only “Where Have All the Flowers physically scarred, but living Gone,” “If I Had a Hammer,” and with the demons of post-traumatic “This Land is Your Land,” mix- stress disorder (PTSD). Many of ing in some original work, such those who do make it home can’t as “There Ain’t No War Unless find jobs and wind up homeless There’s Greed.” on the streets. Charlie Anderson of IVAW on Memorial Day, Chicago, 2005 VVAW national coordina- Paul and Pat Vogel of Mili- tor Barry Romo welcomed the tary Families Speak Out talked tary counselor, spoke about stand- they’re also targets for rape. We assembled veterans, families, about visiting their son in Iraq, ing on the corner in front of the VA need to prosecute rape as a war friends, passersby, and media to and about how Donald Rumsfeld hospital with friends every Friday crime and a crime against human- the 35th annual Memorial Day cer- used the disgusting term “fun- and chanting, “Health care, not ity. In the end, women are left to emony, then he lambasted the Bush gible” to describe our troops. Paul warfare.” He’s also been actively start over after family members administration. Talking about the brought up the counter-recruiting involved in counter-recruiting at die. increasing co-pays and decreasing scholarship they’ve organized: local high schools and events like Jackson Potter, a high-school benefits for veterans, he said they the Ploughshares Scholarship. Pat the Blues Fest and the Air and teacher in a low-income, minority “refuse to treat veterans decently. thanked the VVAW for everything Water Show. community, thought becoming a The only time they care about us they’ve done over the years and Teacher and Code Pink rep- teacher would end his days of be- is when they put wreaths on our for being good and faithful friends resentative Ronnie Areola came ing called down to the principal’s graves.” of IVAW. She spoke eloquently up to the lectern with her daughter office, but he invited Barry Romo David Curry spoke next, about “patriots” and their empty and spoke about the unique posi- to his classroom to speak to his about the nineteen-page report flag-waving, the rhetoric they use tion women have in terms of war. students and was accused of fur- he had just completed, “From to inoculate themselves, and their They are left behind to fill the gaps thering his political agenda. His Vietnam to Iraq: Ignoring the cheering for our armed forces as when fathers go off to war, left to answer was “Damned straight!” Veteran Health Care Crisis.” The if they were a sports team. That support their families. As military He went on to say that the mes- VA was already in crisis before is truly obscene. She longs for a combatants, women are asked to sage these kids get is that the starting a new war. The report il- day when soldiers’ sense of duty sacrifice their lives, but are denied most neglected children’s lives lustrates that as of May 2005, over is reciprocated. reproductive rights. Not only are aren’t worth anything unless twelve thousand troops have been Ray Parrish, VVAW’s mili- they targets on the battlefield, but they make an unusual sacrifice to their county: their lives. Some of his students are harassed daily to enlist. One of his students, senior Latoyia Kimbrough, spoke about being interested in the military because her father was in the Navy. But she refuses to join while Bush is in office; college is first on her agenda. Anna Stange closed the event by singing “Last Night I Had The Strangest Dream” and “Amazing Grace” as those gathered placed flowers where the memorial used to be, in remembrance of veter- ans—those fallen, homeless, and hospitalized by the Bush cabal. There was a moment of silence before the crowd dis- persed.

P. Stewall is a member of the Chicago chapter of VVAW. Dave Curry on Memorial Day, Chicago, 2005 Fall 2005 THE VETERAN 9 Chicago Public Schools Sell Out Jackson Potter This educational system of ours is miraculously succeed? hearing the same a twisted mess. A teacher at Engle- Here’s where the feds come message: that wood High School once told me, in to make this picture prettier. the lives of our “The farther away you get from We’ve got a No Child Left Be- most neglected kids, the greater the rewards.” He hind law that requires schools children are only was speaking about area instruc- to report the names and contact worth something tional officers, administrators and information of all our students to if they make an union officials, but could just as the military, starting junior year. unusual sacri- easily have been talking about We have a systemwide dropout fice on behalf of the Chicago Board of Education’s rate of 50% for African-American their nation—life 2010 strategy. As an educator, it youth and Mayor Daley wants a itself. Even as has become increasingly obvious naval academy at Senn, and there Daley and com- to me that the board’s attempt are proposals to house an Air Force pany sell off our to shutter long-standing schools academy at Englewood. school system (under a myriad of excuses) and What’s really going on? Just piecemeal to the replace them with nonunion sub- like with public housing, Social likes of Micro- stitutes is against the best interests Security, pensions, or veterans’ soft, we would do of students. health care, we have a nationwide well to remember Englewood is a good ex- effort to dismantle the welfare that “philanthro- ample of all this. Chicago Pub- state. It’s not a great leap from pists are those lic Schools CEO Arne Duncan making poor children homeless who give pub- labeled us “a culture of failure,” or semi-transient to depriving licly and steal but did he provide any compre- them of an education—after all, privately.” The hensive assessments of where housing, health care, and educa- corrupt are sell- Jackson Potter on Memorial Day, Chicago, 2005 we failed? No, he presented test tion aren’t explicitly mentioned in ing our kids to the highest bid- vere and pull themselves up out data and graduation-rate figures. the Constitution as rights of man. der, and we all know the military of poverty and despair, when we Did people at the board offer a All fantasies about a meritocracy is top dog on the public dole. I send them on ethically bankrupt scientific approach to repairing our aside, if you are a poor and mar- have one student, a senior, who suicide missions? The simple atrocious dropout percentage? No, ginalized person, the mainstream is harassed on a daily basis by answer is: we can’t. their answer was to shut us down mantra is that you aren’t owed military recruiters to enlist. How and ship our incoming freshman anything. But there is salvation come the government can’t send into other probation schools. So outside of starvation: pull yourself vigorous and dedicated college now already-discouraged students up and join the military, pay for recruiters or unionized employ- of color in schools like mine, who college, get a bed to sleep in... ers instead? Because they don’t Jackson Potter is a Chicago are getting labeled as failures by hopefully not a body bag. care; they are servicing inhumane Public Schools high-school the very adults who have failed From the top officials in the interests. The war on Iraq has been teacher and long-time supporter them, are sent into other chaotic land to the vassals like Michael an unmitigated disaster—how can of VVAW. environments. Where they will Scott and Arne Duncan, we are we challenge our youth to perse-

Pat Vogel of MFSO on Memorial Day, Chicago, 2005

Latoyia Kimbrough on Memorial Day, Chicago, 2005 10 THE VETERAN Fall 2005 ”Bring Them Home Now” Peace Rally Susan Ruggles On Labor Day we held a successful lies for Peace, “Bring Them Home Now” peace whose son, 1st rally at Veterans Park in Milwau- Lt. Kenneth kee. The tour bus that stopped Ballard, was here was one of three that set out killed in ac- from Camp Casey on the last day tion in Najaf, of Cindy Sheehan’s twenty-six- Iraq in May day vigil outside of Bush’s ranch. 2004; Al Zap- The buses converged at a national pala, Gold Star antiwar rally in Washington, DC Families for on September 24. Peace, whose More than three hundred son, Sgt. Sher- people in Milwaukee turned out to wood Baker, hear local speakers Roger Quindel, was killed in Milwaukee county supervisor; Baghdad in Tracey Sperko, executive director April 2004— of Veterans and Military Families the first Penn- (back) John Zutz, Annie Bailey, Dave Kettenhoffen, Pat Kettenhofen, Terry for Progress; John Zutz, represent- sylvania Na- (front) Edie Zutz, Bob Riggle. Michael Winter, John Gladden ing Vietnam Veterans Against the tional Guards- War (VVAW); and Fred Kessler, man to die in state representative. All of them combat since World War II; Cody the U.S. Army and is eligible for Glover and with me. I would have spoke passionately about ending Camacho of Iraq Veterans Against callback, and whose son-in-law preferred more time being spent the war, bringing the troops home, the War, who served as an army is currently serving in Iraq; and talking to people on the bus, but and meeting the needs of people specialist for four years, was de- Tammara Rosenleaf of Military the message got through. here at home. ployed to Iraq from March 2003 Families Speak Out, whose hus- Thanks to the Vietnam Vet- John Zutz of VVAW got the to March 2004, and was honorably band serves in the army and will erans Against the War for setting crowd charged up with his “It Was discharged in October 2004; Stacy be deploying to Iraq. up a peace camp in Veterans Park a Lie” speech, which compared Bannerman of Military Families About a third of the crowd and for providing lunch for people the Iraq War to Vietnam. Speak Out, whose husband in was made up of union people, on the tour. The veterans and their family the Washington National Guard including a contingent from members from the “Bring Them served an extended tour of duty AFT Local 212. The event was For further information on the tour, Home Now” bus tour spoke from in Iraq, and a stop-loss order covered by a photographer from including reports from the road, firsthand experience about the forced him to serve longer than the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, visit devastating effects of the Iraq War. his twenty-year commitment; a reporter from the Mount Mary www.bringthemhomenowtour.org Their powerful and compelling Sheri Glover of Disabled Ameri- College newspaper, and by four stories brought the war home for can Veterans Auxiliary and Mili- television news programs. Chan- everyone. tary Families Speak Out, whose nel 18 devoted a segment of Susan Ruggles is a member of Speakers included Karen nineteen-year-old daughter has their 9:00 p.m. news to the tour, Labor for Peace in Milwaukee, Meredith of Gold Star Fami- completed active-duty service in including interviews with Sheri Wisconsin. Bring Them Home Now Tour in Milwaukee John Zutz The Bring Them Home Now Tour arrived in Milwaukee ahead of schedule, but the Milwaukee chap- ter of VVAW had lunch prepared and set up, and greeted the riders as they arrived. After eating and giving inter- views, the riders were the focus of a public rally. I assured the crowd of about three hundred that killing and dying in a hot, wet climate was amazingly similar to killing and dying in a hot, dry climate. I explained that I am occa- sionally asked to speak to school classes, and asked the gathering to pretend they were in one of those classes. Then I roused the crowd by giving them a pop quiz on the similarities between the wars in Vietnam and Iraq—and Families Speak Out, Iraq Veter- After a three-hour stop, the John Zutz is a VVAW national the gathered people shouted the ans Against the War and Gold bus traveled on to Chicago, with coordinator and a member of single answer, “It was a lie!” to Star Families for Peace told the the ultimate goal of Washington, the Milwaukee chapter. each question. group why they needed to be on DC for the large September 24 The riders from Military the bus. rally. Fall 2005 THE VETERAN 11 VVAW Joins with VFP Members for Katrina Relief Work Ward Reilly When I left the Crawford, Texas demonstration, I didn’t think I would see many of the people that were there again until Sep- tember 24 in Washington, but I was wrong. Bill Perry of VVAW was one of a handful of vets that escorted Cindy Sheehan to Crawford, on the “White Rose,” the Impeach- ment Tour bus of Veterans for Peace (VFP) #116, a California chapter. The “White Rose” was scheduled to tour the south on the way to the demonstration in Washington, DC on September 24, but Hurricane Katrina changed their plans. I live in Baton Rouge, Loui- siana, and while we were hit fairly hard by Katrina, we got off easy compared to the areas of my state Volunteers at the distribution center for Katrina relief goods more to the south. At the same time that the Camp Casey dem- still happening, VFP #116 teamed relief goods. work was hard. Woody Powell, onstration was coming to an end up with myself and hundreds of VFP members Gordon So- the former executive director of in Crawford, Katrina hit and com- volunteers from all over the coun- derberg, Pat Tate, and Dennis VFP, also came down and pitched pletely destroyed New Orleans try in an unbelievable grassroots Kyne (and a few others that I in for five days. regretfully can’t remember) When this effort is all said have done an astonishing job of and done, a proper thank-you will Because 40% of Louisiana’s organizing a pipeline of commu- be forthcoming, but I just wanted nications and supplies. They have to let you know that VVAW and National Guard troops and been treated with hostility and VFP have gone above and be- 75% of their equipment suspicion from FEMA and even yond to help our wounded state, the Red Cross, who sit around and we owe the volunteers much were in Iraq, there was no and do almost nothing, while our gratitude. first response made by our team of veterans and helpers do a It will be months, if not years, remarkable job in getting real aid before New Orleans recovers, but National Guard. to real people in need. we will be back! Make Mardi Gras, Michael Moore even got not war! involved and helped us raise with floodwaters when the levees relief effort, completely bypass- much-needed money, money that Ward Reilly is the Southeast failed in several places. ing the inept government and the red tape has denied us access to. national contact for VVAW. Imagine a city of about one $50 billion wasted on Homeland Everything has been done “out of He was a volunteer infantryman million people losing every job Security that did nothing. pocket,” which is nothing new to serving in the famed 1st & 16th and every business overnight, and Because 40% of Louisiana’s this bunch of heroes. (Rangers) of the First Infantry only then can you begin to picture National Guard troops and 75% of Cindy Sheehan also altered Division from 1971–1974, what has happened down here. I their equipment were in Iraq, there her tour to lend support on Sep- spending a thousand straight was lucky to be without power for was no first response made by our tember 14, and her presence alone days in Germany with the Big only five days, and I was soon back National Guard, and our citizens was a real morale helper, as it Red One. He joined VVAW online; only one tree came down were literally left to die, stranded had been in the upper 90s every originally in 1972, and re-upped in my backyard, missing my house on off-ramps and rooftops as the day since Katrina struck, and the in 2001. by several feet. But New Orleans Bush administration did nothing was wiped out completely. during the critical first four or Camp Casey had been well- five days. supplied, and the VFP team de- To date, we have had 250 cided to head to south Louisiana volunteers show up, distributing to help, bringing all the leftover the more than 3,000 packages that supplies from the Crawford action have been mailed to me in Baton with them. The “White Rose” had Rouge from every state in the a satellite dish, and the VFP team union, getting food, clothing and headed for Covington, Louisiana, untold quantities of dry goods di- directly across Lake Pontchartrain rectly to victims all over southeast from New Orleans, and estab- Louisiana and southwest Missis- lished the first communications sippi. Tractor-trailers filled with in the area. goods from Chicago, California, Over the course of the next New York, and elsewhere also two weeks, in a relief effort that is brought enormous quantities of Billy Kelly with Rev. Powell in Algiers, New Orleans 12 THE VETERAN Fall 2005 Building a Local IVAW Chapter Kelly Dougherty A few months into my yearlong tour in Iraq, I wrote in my journal about how I saw my real com- mitment to my country not in the military contract I had signed, but in speaking out and becom- ing more politically involved. By honoring my military duty, I seemed to be going against my moral duty. When I joined the military, I didn’t expect to be in Iraq fighting an illegal war of ag- gression, yet I felt unable to resist it. I saw the apathy and ignorance of so many Americans during the lead-up to the war, but I felt powerless to do anything about it. When I returned from Iraq, I wanted to become involved in the antiwar movement, but didn’t know how. What changed everything for me was the Veter- ans for Peace (VFP) convention in Boston in July 2004, where I met other Iraq vets who were unit joined, and then an active- will grow in size and in strength. I’ve talked to are opposed to the opposed to the war and who were duty soldier, who was fed up with Colorado Springs has a reputation war and to how veterans are being starting a group called Iraq Vet- the war and with the way that the for being a very conservative com- treated, but feel they don’t have the erans Against the War (IVAW). It supposed all-volunteer army was munity, which makes building an right or the ability to speak against was exciting and reassuring to see using threats to force soldiers to antiwar veterans’ chapter difficult, these wrongs. Another obstacle that there were other Iraq vets who re-enlist. I met another soldier who but it also makes it all the more is the simple fact that people are felt the same way about the war; was returning home after serving a necessary. The people who are busy, and many feel they just don’t now there would be an organized year in Iraq. Our numbers started most affected by this war are those have the time to take on another voice of opposition from those to grow. in the military and their families, responsibility. of us who had witnessed the war Now, a little over a year after so military communities have the I believe that as we Iraq firsthand. the founding of IVAW, we have most need for a strong antiwar veterans tell our stories and speak After the VFP convention, formed a Colorado Springs chap- movement. against the war, more veterans I felt energized and excited; I ter. There are still organizational A very useful way to reach will follow. They will see others wanted to focus all of my energy issues to take care of, but I feel out to veterans has been through a speaking truth to power and mak- on stopping the war. But after a that we have enough motivated group called Vets for Vets (V4V), ing a difference, and they will find few days back home, I started to members to really make our pres- a national peer-support group the strength to do so themselves. lose the energy I had felt in Bos- ence in this community known. for Iraq veterans. I started a very Those on active duty can work ton, where I had been surrounded Several of our members are still successful chapter in Colorado behind the scenes. Active-duty by other like-minded people and on active duty at the local army Springs. Vets for Vets is separate soldiers may not be able to publicly everyone had been so hopeful and base, Ft. Carson, and will be a from IVAW and welcomes all speak against the administration, encouraging. I felt isolated and great resource for speaking to Iraq vets, regardless of their po- but they can tell their stories, and unsure of what to do. other active-duty soldiers and for litical views. It is an opportunity individual stories are the most IVAW is a national orga- seeing firsthand what is happening for veterans to get together in a powerful antiwar statements. We nization, and we have members inside the base. We are planning safe space and talk about their value every level of involvement across the country. A year ago, to go into high schools and talk experiences in the war and upon and understand the everyday de- concentrated groups of members to students about the reality of returning home. V4V is not meant mands that people are faced with. were only on the coasts, and I military service and the war in to be a recruiting tool for IVAW, Our local IVAW chapter is in its didn’t know how to reach out Iraq. We are thinking of ways to but many veterans are members earliest stages of development, but to local vets. I seemed to be the help the overwhelming number of of both organizations. I believe I feel that the time is right and we lone Colorado member of IVAW vets in our community that aren’t that the experience of talking to will continue to grow, spreading for several months. Gradually, getting the medical care they need. other vets is comforting and em- our message of ending the war and I started meeting more people The tasks seem daunting at times, powering. taking care of our veterans. Iraq who wanted to join or had already but I think that with everyone A big obstacles to building veterans are the ones who will lead joined online. A friend from my doing what they can, our chapter a local IVAW chapter has been the fight to bring our troops home, people’s hesitance to become and people will listen. involved in such a controversial group. People who are on active duty are worried that their careers Kelly Dougherty is a cofounder will be jeopardized or that the of Iraq Veterans Against the people they work with will turn War. She served eight years in against them. Even for those who the Colorado Army National are out of the military, there is Guard as a medic and MP, strong pressure not to criticize the including a year in Iraq and Camp Casey in Washington, DC, September 24, 2005 government or its policies. People eight months in the Balkans. Fall 2005 THE VETERAN 13 Training a New Generation of Activists Jen Tayabji

On the fourth anniversary of 9/11, than the Florida State antiwar groups across the United Police during the States organized events to re- Republican National member the 2001 tragedies and to Convention of 1972. bring much-needed attention to the Organized security tragedies committed in the name keeps people safe of 9/11, including racial profiling, (both people attend- the curtailment of civil liberties, ing the event and and the wars in Afghanistan and those opposing the Iraq. At the University of Iowa, event) and allows the the UI Anti-War Coalition and the event to run smooth- local chapter of the War Resisters ly. Good security League held Peacefest 2005 on often means that only Sunday, September 11. security volunteers In preparation for Peacefest, know there has been organizers invited members of a potential problem, because situ- because just being observant can many veterans do not support Vietnam Veterans Against the War ations are dealt with quickly and deter agitators. Another important the current wars in Afghanistan and the Progressive Resource/Ac- without drawing attention away tactic we practiced was how to and Iraq. In addition to speakers, tion Cooperative (PRC) to lead a from the event. Most importantly, talk to people who are upset and there were politically-influenced security workshop on Saturday, security is not there to cause vio- calm them down without causing musical performances and many August 27. The PRC is a multi-is- lence or endanger anyone, but to a scene or provoking them. About local and regional organizations sue, multi-tactical activist organi- do exactly the opposite. fifteen people were in attendance out showing their solidarity with zation at the University of Illinois At the security workshop in for the all-afternoon workshop. the mission of the event. at Urbana-Champaign. Iowa City (led by VVAW national During the final discussion, it VVAW has a long tradition coordinator Barry Romo), we seemed that those in attendance of using security at its events to started by going over the role of had learned a new approach to stop any trouble before it starts. security volunteers, explaining handling conflict at their events. Rocky Pomerance, the former how volunteers work in teams of Peacefest 2005 was a suc- chairman of the National Associa- three, called “affinity groups.” cess. The all-day event featured Jen Tayabji is the executive tion of Police Chiefs, once said We also discussed what to look a myriad of speakers, including director of the Illinois Disciples that VVAW was more disciplined for to prevent possible conflicts, veterans, who emphasized that Foundation.

“SOULstice Experience” Demonstration in New Orleans

Ward Reilly

On June 20, 2005, New Orleans attendance were Bob Smith, Pat Louisiana heat, a good time was Ward Reilly is the Southeast hosted another in a series of an- Dooley and myself, and the key- had by all, and South Louisiana national contact for VVAW. tiwar demonstrations. The theme note speaker was Cindy Sheehan, continued its strong antiwar ef- He was a volunteer infantryman for this event was the “SOULstice who flew in directly from the fort. serving in the famed 1st & 16th Experience,” referring to the sum- Conyers Hearings that she had at- The demonstration was spon- (Rangers) of the First Infantry mer solstice, and bringing home tended in Washington, DC. Cindy sored by GSFP, IVAW, VVAW, Division from 1971–1974, the fact that for those involved in had the whole crowd in tears as VFP, CAWI of Baton Rouge, C3 spending a thousand straight war, every day is the longest day she read a poem written by her of New Orleans, and the Louisiana days in Germany with the Big of the year. daughter, Carly, concerning the Activist Network. Red One. He joined VVAW A heavy rainstorm cleared death of her brother Casey, who originally in 1972, and re- just in time for the participants was killed in action in Iraq on upped in 2001. to gather at Louis Armstrong April 4, 2004. Park on Rampart Street, and the The Blue Nile club on protesters marched through the Frenchman Street generously historic French Quarter of New donated their building to use for Orleans. VVAW member Bill speakers and bands, and Brian Perry and his wife Terri flew all Stoltz of the famous New Orleans the way from Philly to join our Funky Meters was one of several humble gathering, which was led musicians to play for us between by Iraq Veterans Against the War speakers. members Michael Cuzzort (New Charlie Anderson, Pat Dool- Orleans) and Charlie Anderson ey, Bob Smith, Marty Rowland, (South Carolina) carrying the and Megan Finn also spoke out IVAW banner. against the wars in the Middle Other VVAW members in East, and in spite of the intense Dennis Kyne, Ward Reilly, and Michael Cuzzort 14 THE VETERAN Fall 2005 Iraq Is Not Vietnam, but… W. D. Ehrhart

In August 1964, President Lyn- of the Vietnamese, was exactly Secretary of State Colin Powell contempt for what is different, don Johnson dramatically an- nothing. told the whole world we had the the fear masquerading as bravado nounced that North Vietnamese A war begun under false evidence. Secretary of Defense have changed at all. torpedo boats had attacked U.S. pretenses by a government that Donald Rumsfeld claimed he And with each death of a destroyers without provocation in insists it is fighting for freedom, knew where those weapons of comrade, the anger grows, the international waters. In response, slowly but surely winning, and mass destruction were. National bitterness, the desire to strike Congress passed a resolution giv- determined to stay the course Security Advisor Condoleeza Rice back at somebody, anybody. So ing Johnson authority to wage war no matter what: does that sound said Saddam could have a nuclear far, over 1,500 Americans have in Vietnam by executive fiat. We familiar? bomb within a year. Vice President died in Iraq, and there is no end learned only years later that the I’m not a believer in histori- Dick Cheney insisted there was in sight. Meanwhile, the newly president knowingly lied about cal analogies. Iraq is not Vietnam, overwhelming evidence of close elected Iraqi parliament is off to a what had happened in the Gulf no matter how many similarities ties between Iraq and al-Qaeda. rocky start, and Osama bin Laden, of Tonkin and why. In the mean- whom George W. Bush vowed to time, the American people were bring in “dead or alive,” is still out told repeatedly that the United Armed, frightened youngsters there somewhere, planning God States would stay the course in only knows what next. Vietnam, that victory was slowly don’t win hearts and minds I hope I’m wrong about all but surely being achieved, that we this. I hope we’ll be able to look would prevail. Long after the war any more effectively in 2005 back thirty years from now and ended in American defeat and with than they did in 1965. feel that this war was worth it 58,000 American dead, we learned after all, that the sacrifices of the that as early as March 1965, when dead and the maimed and the there were still fewer than 300 broken-in-spirit will not have American soldiers dead in Viet- been made for the wrong reasons nam, Johnson was telling Senator we might identify. But I should Now thousands of young and the wrong people. But I’m not Mike Mansfield that we could not think my fellow citizens would Americans once again find them- betting on it. win the war in Vietnam. Only in have learned enough from the selves armed to the teeth, scared 1995 did former defense secretary Vietnam War to be more skeptical to death, and trusting no one but Robert McNamara finally admit of the present course of events than each other in the midst of an alien that “we were wrong, terribly many of them seem to be. world they do not understand and wrong” in Vietnam, though we Consider that fifteen of the aren’t likely to win over, because now know he had reservations nineteen 9/11 hijackers were Saudi armed, frightened youngsters W. D. Ehrhart earned the about the wisdom of the war as Arabians. None of them was Iraqi. don’t win hearts and minds any Purple Heart Medal, a Navy early as 1966, the year I enlisted But the United States remains a more effectively in 2005 than they Combat Action Ribbon, and two in the Marine Corps believing my staunch ally of Saudi Arabia while did in 1965. They’ve replaced Presidential Unit Citations government would neither lie to invading Iraq. We had to invade gook, slope and dink with rag- in Vietnam. He teaches at the me nor ask for my life if it was Iraq because Saddam Hussein head, towelhead and sand nigger, Haverford School in suburban not absolutely necessary. posed an imminent threat to us. but I doubt that the swagger, the Philadelphia. In Vietnam, however, I found a military dictatorship rife with corruption, venality and repres- sion, and devoid of popular sup- port. I found the forced removal of thousands of people from their ancestral homelands to poverty- stricken, misery-laden shanty- towns. I witnessed and participat- ed in the reckless and sometimes deliberate destruction of men, women, children, crops, livestock, homes, and whole villages. I saw the terrible consequences of send- ing tens of thousands of young Americans—armed to the teeth, scared to death, and trusting no one but each other—into the midst of an alien world we had no chance of understanding or win- ning over. I found that the people we were supposedly defending hated us because we burned their fields and destroyed their forests, and called them gooks, chinks, slopes and zipperheads, turning their sons into shoeshine boys and their daughters into whores. What any of this had to do with preserving freedom, ours or that Fall 2005 THE VETERAN 15 Oil, Snake Oil, and the Axis of Ignorance and Arrogance

Horace Coleman “Pay no attention to the man be- UN verification inspections. post-9/11 fear and bloodlust to cepts like “the common good” hind the curtain on stage!” Continued Iraqi noncompli- divert attention from his lackluster and “the long term.” —paraphrase from The Wizard ance with UNSC resolutions presidency and start a war that Gulf War II has diverted of Oz over a period of 12 years would eclipse Daddy’s. us from Afghanistan, leaving resulted in the US-led inva- On September 9, 2005, Colin warlords in place and increasing The cause of Gulf War I was obvi- sion of Iraq in March 2003 Powell said on ABC’s 20/20 that opium’s importance as a cash crop ous: control of and access to oil. and the ouster of the SAD- there was no link between Sad- there. Our military’s stretched so Hussein invaded Kuwait, claiming DAM Husayn regime. Coali- dam Hussein and the 9/11 terrorist thin that National Guard troops Kuwait was slant-drilling Iraqi oil tion forces remain in Iraq, attack. “I have never seen a con- had to be redeployed from over- fields. And he claimed that Kuwait helping to restore degraded nection. ...I can’t think otherwise, seas after Hurricane Katrina belonged to Iraq. infrastructure and facilitating because I’d never seen evidence struck. Troops are so poorly From the CIA World Fact- the establishment of a freely to suggest there was one.” trained that the interrogation and book 2005: elected government, while Secretary of State Powell told detention of actual and suspected Formerly part of the Ottoman simultaneously dealing with the UN that Hussein had WMDs “illegal combatants” is torturing Empire, Iraq was occupied a robust insurgency. and posed an imminent threat. our law, principles, language, and by Britain during the course Barbara Walters asked whether detainees. of World War I; in 1920, it That’s their story and they’re that dog-and-pony show would Bloated Homeland Security was declared a League of stickin’ to it. tarnish his reputation. “Of course and the dollars we’ve wasted have Nations mandate under UK Gulf War I was a wham-bam- it will,” Powell said. “It’s a blot. made us less able to deal with administration. In stages over thank-you-ma’am romp, although I’m the one who presented it on natural disasters. We probably the next dozen years, Iraq Patriot missiles didn’t work too behalf of the United States to the wouldn’t do any better at dealing attained its independence well, rumblings were raised about world, and [it] will always be a with a “terrist” attack. No-bid con- as a kingdom in 1932. A depleted uranium, and we exposed part of my record. It was painful. tracts will be awarded to the same “republic” was proclaimed ourselves to Hussein’s stockpile It’s painful now.” cronies. The same contractors will in 1958, but in actuality a of ??? by blowing it up. No one What does a career soldier race to the trough, with the same series of military strongmen knows exactly what caused Gulf know about honor, realpolitik, and lack of supervision, overruns, and ruled the country, the latest War Syndrome; maybe it was the necessity, though? Powell’s fatal inept results. was SADDAM Husayn. experimental vaccines our troops flaw (to right-wing Republicans) Does anyone in power know Territorial disputes with were required to take. But we felt is thinking that reality is more how to play this game? Patriotism Iran led to an inconclusive good and bought SUVs. important than ideology. is now more attitude than action. and costly eight-year war As head of the Joint Chiefs People used to say that People “support our troops” by not (1980-88). In August 1990, of Staff, Colin Powell advised Democrats start wars and raise becoming them, putting stickers Iraq seized Kuwait, but was against toppling Hussein—that taxes. Republicans start useless on their vehicles, and going shop- expelled by US-led, UN co- would upset the neighborhood. wars and don’t fund them, expand ping. They get more upset over alition forces during the Gulf Before Gulf War II, Secretary of bureaucracy, and spend more base closings (local jobs lost) than War of January–February State Powell presented the weak than Democrats while slashing VA hospital closings (veterans’ 1991. Following Kuwait’s case for attacking Iraq and remov- or eliminating useful programs. bodies and minds being tended liberation, the UN Security ing Hussein. But wait, there’s more! They cut to). Batter up! Council (UNSC) required War-loving neocolonialists taxes and redistribute wealth... Iraq to scrap all weapons of (who somehow missed out on mili- from those who have less to those Horace Coleman is a veteran, mass destruction and long- tary service) wanted to “democra- who never can get enough. They poet and writer. He is also a range missiles and to allow tize” the Middle East. Dubya used ignore supposedly outdated con- VVAW contact in California.

Washington, DC, September 24 16 THE VETERAN Fall 2005 VVAW Marches in DC continued from page 1 as Dave Cline, Dennis Kyne of Nick Przybyla, VFP, and a couple of others kept a documentary our cadence tight and loud, as only filmmaker from veterans can do. Los Angeles; and In a strange way, one of the Gold Star Mom highlights of the weekend was the Cindy Sheehan pro-war counter-rally organized of California. by the Bush-Cheney lovers; even On Friday with their strong money and ad- night, George vertising campaign, a pathetic 400 Galloway spoke people showed up to voice their loudly and clear- approval of the administration, ly against both even though Uncurious George the British and himself came out of his hiding U.S. govern- place to say a few words. How ments. He is the embarrassed he must have been British member Dave Kettenhofen at Camp Casey in Washington, DC to see only a few hundred sup- of parliament porters after our quarter-million who ripped our rallied against him. What majority Congress last month by turning a train originally scheduled to leave Ward Reilly is the Southeast there might have been at the start Congressional witch-hunt hearing from New Orleans to get southern national contact for VVAW. of the war on March 19, 2003 has into a trial against his accusers activists to Washington, but after He was a volunteer infantryman dwindled to a very small minority. by pointing out that he had met Katrina, it had to depart from Me- serving in the famed 1st & 16th The pro-war folks were quoted in with Saddam Hussein exactly the ridian, Mississippi instead. (Rangers) of the First Infantry the Washington Post as still claim- same number of times that Donald The Peace Train traversed Division from 1971–1974, ing to represent “the majority.” Rumsfeld had, except that his role the south and east coasts, picking spending a thousand straight They obviously live in the same had been peaceful and political, up activists along the way, and days in Germany with the Big dream world as the criminals in while Rumsfeld’s visit was to it was completely full when we Red One. He joined VVAW the White House do. deliver millions of dollars worth arrived in DC. As we pulled into originally in 1972, and re-upped On Monday, 378 protesters of weaponry. Charlottesville, Virginia, we were in 2001. were arrested for sitting in front of Galloway mentioned the surprised to find a huge rally in the White House, a house that we Peace Train, organized by myself our honor. own. Among them were a VVAW and Meredyth and Avery Friend, All in all, it was a great week- member; IVAW members Michael mother and daughter activists from end for the antiwar movement. Cuzzort of New Orleans and south Louisiana. It was an Amtrak

Washington, DC, September 24 Fall 2005 THE VETERAN 17 Thoughts from the Ditch Tony Delcavo

Two narrow farm roads meet on as she keeps trying in her own way the flat Texas ranchlands and leave to stop the insanity. As you walk a triangle of grass at the intersec- along reading the names, they tion. You must stay off the grass, somehow get too blurred to read, however. It is on private property. and now all you see is the names You have to stay opposite, in one of your comrades in Vietnam who of the weed-infested ditches that never came back. is public right-of-way. A hundred In the back of your mind and fifty campers are squeezed into you wonder if one of the pickup the ditches along one of the narrow trucks speeding by might be oc- roads, having made sure that the cupied by some moron who will wheels of their vehicles are not want to desecrate this memorial to touching the pavement. our brave soldiers who willingly Standing motionless, you fought in another unjust, unwin- sweat more in thirty minutes than nable war at the behest of a corrupt you would running three miles in government You want nothing Colorado. Don’t step in the tall more than ten minutes alone with grass. A local rancher has warned any one of the chickenhawks who Billy Kelly and Bill Perry, who accompanied Cindy Sheehan with several other vets on the first day to Bush’s ranch you about the rattlesnakes that are sent naive, brave, and patriotic found there routinely. Don’t put men and women to fight wars of in her own quiet manner. She is dreams. She reads a poem written your fingers under the tarp when conquest in foreign jungles and Cindy Sheehan, whose son, Casey, by Casey’s grieving sister, and you lift it. The scorpions like the deserts, while they hid behind was killed in Iraq, having thought now you are the one who can’t shade under there as much as you hold the tears back. would. You can’t see the bugs, At the end of the day Cindy but are constantly aware of their As you walk along reading the remembers to check her sched- presence as you itch all over. Ev- names, they somehow get too ule to see if she can fulfill your eryone you see is sunburned in dream to have her visit Denver. spite of the SPF-30 they applied blurred to read, and now all you Her calendar is clear on October that morning. see is the names of your comrades 15, and she says she will be there. Across one leg of the tri- You go away with the hope that angle, the CNN truck sits in its in Vietnam who never came back. everyone in Colorado will connect own ditch, waiting for history to with her, just like the residents happen. Another leg is crowded of Camp Casey, who came from with booths occupied by groups their daddies' connections. They it was his duty to answer the call of virtually every state and places like with names like Veterans and are literally above it all as they fly his country. She sits on the ground, Belgium, Australia, and Korea. Military Families Against the overhead in their air-conditioned holds your hand, and falls asleep Just nine months ago it seemed War, Veterans for Peace, Crawford helicopter, while you stand there almost instantly, even though she that there was no hope that our Peace House, and Iraq Veterans with the tears and sweat running is doing a live interview on CNN country would come to its senses. Against the War. The last leg is together on your cheeks. Another in fifteen minutes. Later she leads a Now you know that one woman a quarter-mile-long ditch that is Vietnam vet walks by and silently candlelight vigil while holding the has given the world hope, and you marked with 1,800 crosses, 1,800 offers a hug. hand of an Iraq veteran, imagining can’t help but love her for it. roses, 1,800 names, the grief But there is no place on earth it is Casey’s hand. When reality of 1,800 families. You hear the you would rather be on this day. floods back in, she cannot hold muffled weeping of a newfound On this day a tall, soft-spo- back the tears, knowing she will Tony Delcavo is an Air Force friend who has learned that her ken, unassuming woman walks never again hold Casey’s hand, Vietnam vet from Colorado. He Army penpal has died in Iraq, even along the ditch, greeting everyone hear his voice, or listen to his is a member of VVAW.

First day in Crawford, Texas 18 THE VETERAN Fall 2005 Scholarship Fund Honors Sgt. Shawna Morrison

Pamela Crews

On September 5, 2004, Sgt. education. Lately I have of- Shawna Morrison, my friend and ten been asked whether this co-worker, was killed outside goal might offend Shawna Baghdad when her barracks was herself. The truth is that it attacked with mortar rounds. She might. was U.S. casualty number 983. She Shawna was proud of served with the National Guard’s her service, and the service 1544th Transportation Company, that she willingly signed based in Paris, Illinois. At the time up for should not be deni- of their return this February, the grated. She was devoted to 1544th alone had suffered 50% her unit and her mission. I of all the casualties of Illinois didn’t know her when she National Guard units. Seventy of enlisted in the regular army them were wounded. as a junior in high school. I I remember being incredu- don’t know if the recruiter’s lous when I heard Shawna was promise of a fully funded in the army. She had neither the education was the main disposition nor the appearance motivator for her enlisting. I that I associated with a soldier. have friends and family who She was unbelievably delicate are currently serving. Some and would cry over things that of them signed up because seemed inconsequential in the the benefits looked great on grand scheme of things—but she paper; some of them joined was just as unbelievably strong. up during the patriotic fervor She was brave enough to endear that followed the attacks of 9/11. so much that she had almost no position. High-school students herself to a restaurant full of lib- While I support those who have free time; and she was sent out especially need to understand that erals, defending her choice to be chosen that path and respect them of the country to serve in what is the recruiters who come to their in the military at all costs, even for taking on a difficult job, I also basically the occupation of a for- classes with promises of safety when the military was not living believe that there should be no eign country—something I don’t and money don’t have the power up to its part of the bargain, even to honor those promises—never when some of us attacked her have, never will. And, while we mercilessly for what we thought We established the Shawna need soldiers to serve, we also was misdirected energy and need to insure that our children are conviction. Morrison Education Fund educated and informed before they She often said that we were sign a contract, especially one that all lucky there were people like in the hope of offering an will put them in harm’s way. her who were willing to be alternative to a student who was To date, the Shawna Mor- soldiers. When she was told of rison Education Fund has raised her unit’s activation, she faced looking at the military as an roughly $10,000, due in large part it with characteristic honesty. to the support of the Champaign- Though she was afraid of be- option for funding his or Urbana community. In addition to ing killed in action, she told me monetary donations, we are now that it would be an honor to die her secondary education. seeking advisors. We would like while protecting our freedoms. to become a nonprofit organiza- It was not until she had been in tion and need an attorney’s help. Iraq—which she would come to place in a military currently in- believe is the National Guard’s We would also like to hear from call “the litterbox”—that it seemed volved in warfare for people who purpose. Shortly before her death, anyone who has experience cre- her conviction might be waning, have been lured by the promises of a promised furlough was revoked, ating and endowing scholarship but this wearing down of spirit education and career. Shawna was even after the 1544th had already funds. only seemed to be the result of promised training so that she could suffered more mortar attacks than If you’re interested in donat- living at the most basic level of sur- eventually serve as an intelligence anyone believed they would. ing to our fund in any way, please vival. When your world becomes officer. She was promised money Shawna wasn’t the only one who contact either Pamela Crews kill-or-be-killed, it is difficult to for an education that would also was sorely looking forward to that ([email protected]) or Leslie hang onto altruism. further that goal. What she got quick trip out of the war zone. I Bettridge (elf6485@hotmail. When we found out about was training as a truck driver and know she was not the only one to com), or send checks made out to Shawna’s death, those of use who satellite communications special- find that the military’s promises the Shawna Morrison Education worked with her at Radio Maria ist, and encumbered tuition that are not always honored. Fund in care of Radio Maria, 119 almost immediately decided we kept her out of school at the time Those of us who created N. Walnut St., Champaign, IL needed to do something in her the 1544th was activated. the fund believe that people who 61820. name that would resonate with By the time I met her, simply want an education or job our grief and with our disgust Shawna was beyond frustrated training should not feel compelled over her death. We established with the military holding up her into military service, especially the Shawna Morrison Education tuition money. She had already during wartime. Even the prin- Pamela Crews and Leslie Fund in the hope of offering an served in the first Gulf War and cipal of Shawna’s high school, Bettridge are co-organizers of alternative to a student who was had willingly signed up for the who advised many teenagers that the Shawna Morrison Education looking at the military as an option Guard. She wasn’t receiving her the army was a good way to pay Fund. They both live and work for funding his or her secondary tuition money; she was working for college, has reconsidered that in Champaign-Urbana, Illinois. Fall 2005 THE VETERAN 19 Hope Rises from the Ashes of My Lai Mike Boehm

My tour in Vietnam during the in 1992 when I returned to Viet- received loans. One of the these show us the improvements that had war was not traumatic for me, or nam with eleven other veterans women was Mrs. Huong, and as taken place over the previous two so I thought at the time; I never to build a small primary school we talked with her in her cow pen, years. The change in Mrs. Huong saw a body or fired a gun. I was in the south. our project coordinator, Mr. Phan was amazing—almost unbeliev- stationed first in Dau Tieng and Going back to Vietnam Van Do, asked her if she had been able. She was smiling, laughing, then in Cu Chi, where I worked showed me that despite my lack of in the village during the massacre. and talking, just vibrant with new in an office in the 25th Division combat during the war, I still had I watched as she replied in Viet- life. Do asked her neighbors what headquarters. My weapon was unresolved issues with the war. By namese and then burst into tears. had happened to transform her, and a telephone. I drifted through the end of my two months there She said yes, she had been there they said that once she had started my eighteen months in Vietnam. in 1992, I had undergone a life- during the massacre, and her aunt raising calves and selling them, Still clueless when I came home, changing experience which led to and two of her children had been the crushing burden of poverty I applied for a job with the Bad- a lifelong commitment to doing killed. The massacre in My Lai she had been living under finally ger Ammunition Plant outside of humanitarian work in Vietnam. started and finished in four hours. lifted enough for her to begin to Baraboo, Wisconsin. The first project I became The massacre at Truong Khanh heal. It didn’t take many more involved in was raising money for took place over a period of two Our other projects include years, however, to catch on to a loan fund in My Lai. These funds days, with the GIs returning again building a series of primary what I had been party to in Viet- are based on the Grameen Bank and again to hide the evidence. It schools for My Lai (three so nam. The rage that arose from that concept, where small amounts took days before the villagers felt far); building two peace parks, knowledge—that I had been duped of money are loaned to poor safe enough to come out of hiding one north of Hanoi and one in to participate in evil—is some- women. They establish businesses and unearth the bodies to inter My Lai; facilitating projects for thing I struggle with to this day. for themselves and pay back the them properly. Bodies rot quickly ethnic minorities; the Art Penpals From 1976 to 1978 I attended the loans, which are then given to in tropical heat, and the last thing project (an exchange of artwork Madison Area Technical College another set of poor women. Since Mrs. Huong said before she burst between the children of My Lai (MATC) on the GI Bill. The sum- the establishment of that first loan into tears was, “I cannot forget the and Madison); and the Sisters mer between those two years was fund in My Lai in January 1994, smell of the decomposing bodies Meeting Sisters project, which when everything fell into place for we have funded loan programs in of my children.” We spent more will bring together the women me; I went to my mother’s house, sixteen villages and have provided time with Mrs. Huong, and from of Vietnam and El Salvador to went up to the attic, and took my almost three thousand loans for what I could see, she had died that discuss the ways they have rebuilt uniform, medals, and everything poor women. All but one village day. She was walking and talking, their families, communities, and from my time in the military and are in Quang Ngai province. but dead inside. countries after war. tossed it. When in the fall of 1977 The story of Mrs. Pham Thi I was wrong, though, because Think about how often My I returned to MATC, I went to Huong illustrates the impact of two years later, Do and I returned Lai has been evoked over the the veterans’ rep and told him I these funds. Mrs. Huong lives in to Truong Khanh to check on the years—but what has been done to wouldn’t accept the GI Bill money Truong Khanh. Her village suf- progress of the loan fund, and we help the people there? The closed anymore, because it was blood fered a massacre by a unit of the met with Mrs. Huong again. She loop of recrimination in which money. But other than that small Americal Division in April 1969. and Mrs. Du were on a motorcycle most Americans have been caught gesture, I felt there was nothing I Shortly after we funded the loan a mile outside the village, eagerly over the years has left the people of could do or undo about my part in program in Truong Khanh, we vis- awaiting our arrival so they could My Lai out in the cold. I certainly the Vietnam war. That all changed ited a number of women who had take us around the village and carry my share of grief, and hatred for my government over what hap- pened to the people in My Lai and elsewhere in Vietnam. But I also feel strongly that we cannot walk away from the people there, that our obligations to the people do not end with the ending of the war. So does VVAW. For years now, John Zutz, through the Blessing of the Bock fundraising event, has been a major contributor to our projects in My Lai.

For more information about these projects, visit www.mylaipeacepark.org.

Vietnam veteran Mike Boehm has been working on behalf of the Madison Quakers to establish humanitarian projects in My Lai and elsewhere in Vietnam since 1992. Boehm has traveled to Vietnam fourteen times since then to facilitate these projects. He is a member of VVAW.

Washington, DC, September 24, 2005 20 THE VETERAN Fall 2005 The Lexicon of War and Violence Charley Trujillo War is the “good guys” against the line usually reads something like what type of weapon is employed was usually glorious. “bad guys.” It is easy to identify “Department of Defense Increases or by whom. Ironically, although Iraq is the good guys; they are, of course, its Weapons Program.” This de- The selective-use lexicon is often touted as part of the cradle the ones on your side. I often hear letion of the word “destruction” also evident when it is the bad guys of Western civilization, according statements made in video clips of seems to imply that the nuclear, who use violence, while the good to many politicians and the media, U.S. military personnel in Iraq biological, and chemical weapons guys use force. Yet “force” in Iraq Iraqis are a barbaric people. For referring to the “bad guys,” as in possessed by the United States are has brought about tens of thou- example, decapitations are savage “The bad guys are hiding in those not harmful or destructive, and sands of dead and wounded—the acts when committed by the Iraqi buildings.” Objectivity from the that only the weapons possessed majority of them civilians—with resistance (which they certainly media, politicians, and other pur- by the “bad guys” are destructive. no end in sight. The salient belief are), but when people are de- veyors of political culture should This notion of “weapons of mass behind this is that force is not vio- capitated, blown apart, or literally be a given. One would expect the destruction” is so powerful that in lence because civilized people are vaporized by laser-guided missiles information reported by them to be the case of Iraq, their weapons are not violent. A recent subheading of and other high-tech destructive unbiased, going beyond the notion extremely destructive, even when a headline from a major newspaper weapons of defense, it’s not seen of good guys vs. bad guys, but none are present. concerning American interna- as savage at all. According to this unfortunately, such is not the case. Logic would have it that any tional relations with Europe over thinking, technology brings about After reading numerous magazine nuclear, biological, or chemical the Middle East read: “Analysis: clean and surgical casualties. This and newspaper articles, and after weapon is destructive to human Deep Strains Over Use of Force, is refined killing, brought about by listening to a copious amount of life, the environment, and more Diplomacy.” It read “force” in- surgical strikes, precision bomb- political rhetoric, I have detected importantly, to some property, no stead of “violence.” What is the ing, and Patriot missiles, as well a selective and prejudiced use of matter who possesses or uses it. By difference, from a physical point as other civilized weapons. terminology in the Iraq war. The deleting the word "destruction," of view? Conventional and main- To test if my assertions are objective use of vocabulary is now it implies that weapons used by stream rhetoric usually answers valid or accurate, apply them to a rare occurrence, rather than the the United States have somehow this in moral terms, not in the future newspaper or magazine norm. Is that what we want, or hyperphysically metamorphosed reality of the act and its physical articles you read, or to the political what we should expect from the into something constructive. Us- consequences. rhetoric you hear. media and politicians? ing this reasoning, it is now con- In my travels around the Words can invoke strong structive destruction. We can thus country, I have often heard people emotional and psychological cues have such logic as “We destroyed from myriad backgrounds shrug to help steer the populace into ac- the village in order to save it,” or off the war by simply saying, cepting the unacceptable morality even the idea that there is such a “People get killed in a war, you Charley Trujillo is the of killing. For instance, when the thing as “friendly fire.” Words do know.” This biased use of words author of Soldados: Chicanos bad guys are accused of possessing not change the lethal outcomes has a history in U.S. history and its in Viet Nam and the co- “weapons of mass destruction,” of weapons, no matter the moral conflicts. For example, when the director/producer of a P.O.V. objectively it would be appropri- intentions of the “good guys.” indigenous people of the continent documentary of the same name ate to read a newspaper headline Weapons do not have morals; defeated the U.S. military on the that was broadcasted nationally like “U.S. Department of Defense they are thoroughly objective and battlefield, it was called a massa- on PBS. You can find more Increases its Weapons of Mass destructive. Any type of killing is cre; however, when the U.S. mili- information on Charley at Destruction.” Instead, the head- savage and brutal, regardless of tary won, it was a victory…and it www.chusmahouse.com. Fall 2005 THE VETERAN 21 More at Peace with the Past Paul Wienke (reviewer)

Vietnam: Reflections tions shows him caressing his Billy Bang violin in a more introspectively (Justin Time, 2005) peaceful mood. On the back there is a picture of a peace sign I must start out by saying that hanging in a jungle scene. The I am not a musician, so don’t music mirrors this; it too is much expect this review to be a note- more introspective. Making the by-note musical analysis of this Aftermath CD helped Billy Bang disc. However, my background to let go of some of the demons does include nearly thirty years that had a hold of him since of recording jazz and producing those days, whereas Reflections shows, and I have a lifelong love sounds much more at peace with of the music and the musicians. the past. The healing process This CD is definitely one in the that these two releases provided “love” column. is evident here. This is not to Vietnam: Reflections is Billy say that there is no edge to this Bang’s second release with fellow music—anyone familiar with Vietnam veteran sidemen and their Bang’s recordings knows he Vietnam experiences as a base for always has a truly amazing edge the musical ideas expressed. It is to his playing and writing. of a very different mood than the Bang’s catharsis in getting first CD in this series; Vietnam: past the past so he can exist in The Aftermath, reviewed a few the present (and maybe even the song about a wedding carriage duction, which means he sets the years ago in these pages by Lisa future) has, to a certain extent, drawn by a black horse, has vocals, form and picks who plays when, Boucher (herself a fine fiddler). been accomplished; he has plans drums, and dulcimer with Bang’s but it is up to the musicians to While Aftermath is a look for an orchestral work to complete violin floating over the top. “Doi pick the notes they choose to play. back at the hell that was the Viet- the process. This CD is more about Moi” starts with Bang and the Sounding very Asian with vocals, nam experience and the pain and the cultural experience of Vietnam rhythm section in a very sentimen- dulcimer, and drums, the building passion of that war through the and less of a military “looking tal mood in this mournful ballad, continues as the other instruments experiences of Mr. Bang (AKA back.” This different perspective which is named after Vietnam’s are added in a processional feeling. Sgt. William Walker), this new is expressed in his compositions “open door” foreign policy of the The instruments come and go in recording is a different thing and selection of musicians: some 1980s. “Waltz of the Water Pup- a very mysterious-sounding piece entirely. fellow veterans and some Viet- pets” is named for an amazing art woven together by Butch Morris. The differences start with namese-born Americans. form originating in Vietnam. The “Reconciliation 2” starts out as a the cover art. Aftermath has Bang “Ru Con” is violin, dan tranh song floats on a beautiful melody burning post-bop tune with a blues with an M-60 across his shoulders, (Vietnamese dulcimer), and vocals with wonderful solos by Henry feel with just the rhythm section. looking young and tough with on a traditional Vietnamese lullaby Threadgill on flute followed by Then Bang strides in with an Asian dog tags hanging around his neck, in a straight reading of the tune. Bang and Hicks. “Trong Com” is melody over the top, before set- taken in-country. Vietnam: Reflec- “Ly Ngua O,” a traditional folk Vietnamese for “rice drum” and is tling back into the blues. There is the last of the traditional folk songs no mystery in this reconciliation; featuring Bang on plucked violin, it is fueled by strength and power, Nhan Thanh Ngo on dulcimer, and the solos by Bang and Ted Co Boi Nguyen on vocals, and (I Daniel are much more self-assured believe) Ron Brown on percus- that the reconciliation is being sion. The folk tunes work as a nice accomplished. We finally end up juxtaposition to Bang’s original with one more taste of Asia at the compositions. The participation of coda, which is more dynamic and vocalist Co Boi Nguyen and Nhan powerful, and more certain that the Thanh Ngo on dan tranh show that reconciliation is working. there is more to reflect upon than My recommendation is to just the war: the people and the buy this CD, and buy many of culture in which they live. Billy Bang’s CDs. (Hell, also buy The title tune, “Reflections,” the other works of the veteran is a post-bop tune with an Asian participants on this recording.) flavor, especially at the violin’s By all means, get out and hear entrance and the coda, with great them whenever you can. Support solos throughout. It sets the tone veteran musicians and artists in for this recording in its pure beauty all forms, for their sacrifice is and majesty; it can melt your an ongoing event we should all heart to listen to the violinist’s understand. gut-wrenching sound and soulful melody. The tunes titled “Recon- ciliation 1” and “Reconciliation 2” are not simply alternate takes, but expressions of different emo- Paul Wienke is a member of tions. “Reconciliation 1” starts the Champaign-Urbana, Illinois with Butch Morris doing the con- chapter of VVAW.

Washington, DC, September 24, 2005 22 THE VETERAN Fall 2005 A Warrior’s Voice

Tim Bagwell (Reviewer)

David M. Shoup: A Warrior by Howard Jablon, a professor Shoup was not the against War at Purdue University in Indiana. only ex-general voicing By Howard Jablon From the perspective of VVAW concerns about the Viet- (Rowman & Littlefield, 2005) and other antiwar-veteran organi- nam War, but as Jablon zations, Shoup is best known for points out so clearly, his “When the war is over, you pick the following quotation, voiced battlefield credentials up your gear, walk down the hill in 1966 at Pierce College outside were stunningly impres- and back into the world, where Los Angeles about a year after the sive at first glance (a for- people smile, congratulate you, antiwar movement arose on U.S. mer Marine commandant, and secretly hope you won’t be college campuses: he was the only recipi- a burden on society now what “I don’t think,” he told his ent of the Congressional you’ve done the dirty work they audience then, “the whole of Medal of Honor who sur- shun.” Southeast Asia, as related to the vived the 72-hour battle So wrote Iraq war veteran present and future safety and free- of Tarawa in World War John Crawford of Tallahassee, dom of the people of this country, II—a battle, by the way, Florida in a recent column in the is worth the life or limb of a single that caused considerable New York Times (Sunday, August American [and] I believe that if antiwar sentiment in the 14, 2005, p. 12). we had and would keep our dirty middle of World War II Combat veterans of any bloody dollar crooked fingers out because of its extremely war—but particularly we of the of the business of these nations so high American causali- American war in Vietnam—know full of depressed exploited people, ties) as were his political never wavered for the rest of his exactly the “dirty work” to which they will arrive at a solution of connections. life—there is much about Shoup Crawford is referring: killing that is far too military for me to people who are politically in- easily gloss over. convenient to one’s government. Shoup’s antiwar voice “Shoup was not a gentle From time immemorial, such dirty reformer. His style was abrasive work has been the task of soldiers, is truly a permanent and often cruel” (p. 69). whether careerists, mercenar- “On one occasion, when an ies, or draftees. For those of us landmark for all assistant naval attaché…paid a who have consciously turned our courtesy call on the commandant, backs on war as legitimate foreign antiwar veterans. he appeared before Shoup wearing policy, Crawford’s words resonate dirty and frayed combat ribbons. against older and even more reso- Shoup yanked the ribbons from lute statements made by warriors their own design and want, that The basis of Shoup’s antiwar his uniform and gave him a severe against war. they fight and work for. And if, sentiment was twofold: his expe- tongue-lashing” (p. 114). David M. Shoup, a former unfortunately, their revolution riences as a second lieutenant in “His MOH from Tarawa was commandant of the Marine Corps must be of the violent type…at China in the 1920s, and his later for Marine Corps political reasons and a bearer of the Congressional least what they get will be their Vietnam-era understanding that for planning and overseeing that Medal of Honor, is one that par- own and not the American style, the communists in Southeast Asia island battle; the three other MOH ticularly comes to mind, as a new which they don’t want…crammed were never a threat to U.S. national recipients were for battlefield biography of him has been written down their throat” (p. 101). integrity. bravery that cost them their lives. Writes Jablon about Shoup’s In Utmost Savagery: The Three lessons in U.S. foreign policy in Days of Tarawa, author Joseph China in 1927: “Like the peace Alexander explains that Marine progressives, he believed the Maj. Gen. Julian C. Smith chose deployment was unjustified and Shoup to receive the MOH over imperialistic. He complained in Shoup’s XO Merritt (“Red Mike”) his journal ‘that China has many Edson because Edson “already Americans, or those who propose had a Medal of Honor (from to be Americans, inhabiting her Guadalcanal), (and) Shoup had country and in many cases exploit- next to nothing, and it had been ing her peoples. Yet they claim on Shoup’s broad shoulders that their right to protection from the the battle of Tarawa balanced so U.S. some 10,000 miles away.’ precariously those first thirty-six Furthermore, he did not believe hours” (p. 260). that protecting American citizens Still, Shoup’s antiwar voice was the reason for the deploy- is truly a permanent landmark for ment. Shoup shared the view of all antiwar veterans as we strive to the Marine commanding general, make this nation less militaristic Smedley Butler, that their true and more oriented to its espoused mission was to win a commercial ideals. war in China” (p. 18-19). While I remain commit- ted to the sentiment underlying Tim Bagwell is a member of Shoup’s antiwar position—a posi- VVAW. He lives in Bloomington, tion, by the way, from which he Indiana. Fall 2005 THE VETERAN 23 The Blues Marine Species and the Iraq War Extinctions Feared Bill Homans A headline quote: I was in Lawrence, Kansas for a government is fucked!” “Marine Species Extinctions Feared”— gig at a biker bar. I had showered The brothers hadn’t heard Undersea life in peril and dressed for the gig at the anything like this before, I From profiteering, motel, and I was heading out the guess. There were sickly smiles lobby door to my van to go load all around; there were cordial The writer wrote. in at the club. On their way across goodbyes. Out in the parking Floating dead fish had appeared the parking lot to check in at the lot there was a large RV marked In seas polluted sterile. motel were five very young men. VETSRIDE, INC. These fellas My eyes were blearing. Four were walking, and one with were headed for Washington, DC, no legs was wheeling himself for some reason I didn’t know. But Again I read along. None of the five had four I had one VVAW button with me, That terrifying banner line. whole limbs. and I gave it to the thirty-fiveish, Undersea predation? I said hello, and then apolo- portly driver and asked him to Or desert dying? gized but had to ask, “Did you pass it on to the young brothers fellas lose your legs and arms in in the motel. Young warriors dead Iraq?” And I called George Bush, In dry Iraq, like fish in brine, One of the brothers answered Dick Cheney, Paul Wolfowitz, and From cold exploitation that yes, they had. And then he Don Rumsfeld several unprintable And falsifying. volunteered, “But it’s okay.” names. I did not lose my temper May God bless us all and None will return, completely, but I told the brothers, keep those young brothers from Those brave and dead Marines of ours, “No, it’s not okay! Your govern- getting a terminal dose of the Purposeless brigades ment sent you into a war based blues. Forever linked. on a pack of lies, you gave what you gave, and now you have to Bill Homans, AKA “Watermelon Mourn with concern live with it. God bless you for Slim,” is a VVAW contact in Any deaths that greed devours. your honorable service, but your Oklahoma. Break down the barricades— Or go extinct.

—Sandra J. Fulton 24 THE VETERAN Fall 2005 Torture Is an American Value: Reality vs. the Rhetoric S. Brian Willson I became aware of torture as a Winthrop, spent their time “burn- the country to enforce loan repay- on, Massachusetts: An Exercise in U.S. policy in 1969 when I was ing and spoiling the country” ments to U.S. banks. They defined Torture”) by noting “a clear pattern serving as a USAF combat secu- of Indians in Rhode Island and the resistance forces as “bandits,” and history of systematic torture rity officer working near Can Tho Connecticut in 1636–37, while an earlier equivalent to the “crimi- including withholding water, heat, City in Vietnam’s Mekong Delta. sparing the children and women nal prisoners” in Vietnam and “il- bedding, medical care, and show- I was informed about the CIA’s as slaves. legal combatants” in Iraq. Since ers; imposition of hazards such Phong Dinh Province Interroga- My hometown of Geneva the United States claimed not to as flooding cells, placing foreign tion Center (PIC) at the Can Tho in the Finger Lakes region of be fighting a legitimate military matter in food, igniting clothes and Army airfield where supposedly New York State was once home force, any Nicaraguan perceived bedding, spraying with mace and “significant members” of the VCI to the Seneca Nation with its as interfering with the occupiers tear gas; regular physical assaults (Viet Cong infrastructure) were flourishing farms, orchards, and was commonly subjected to beat- and beatings; and forcing prison- taken for torture as part of the sturdy houses. In one two-week ings, tortures, and beheadings. ers to lie face down, naked and Phoenix Pacification Program. A period in September 1779, Gen- When the Somoza dictatorship (in- handcuffed to one another…on huge French-built prison nearby eral George Washington’s orders stalled by the United States) was freezing…outdoor ground while was also apparently utilized for being kicked and beaten.” This torture of suspects from the Delta was two decades before the Abu region. Many were routinely mur- Ghraib and Guantanamo revela- dered. The plight of prisoners in tions. Naive, I was shocked! The Terry Kupers, a psychiatrist, Agency for International De- the USA is strikingly similar has testified about human rights velopment (AID) working with to the plight of the Iraqis abuses in U.S. prisons. “The Southern Illinois University, for plight of prisoners in the USA example, trained Vietnamese who were abused is strikingly similar to the plight police and prison officials in the of the Iraqis who were abused art of torture (“interrogations”) by American GIs. by American GIs. Prisoners are under cover of “public safety.” maced, raped, beaten, starved, American officials believed they left naked in freezing cold cells were teaching “better methods,” “to lay waste…that the coun- overthrown in 1979, the Somoza and otherwise abused in too many often making suggestions during try…be…destroyed,” instilling torture centers were immediately American prisons, as substantiated torture sessions conducted by “terror” among the Indians, were destroyed. by findings in many courts…” Vietnamese police. dutifully carried out by General In 1946, the U.S. Army in- It would behoove us to at- Instead of the recent euphe- Sullivan, who promised that “the stitutionalized teaching torture tempt to understand the underlying mism “illegal combatants,” the Indians shall see that there is mal- techniques to Latin American psychological defenses that seem United State in Vietnam claimed ice enough in our hearts to destroy militaries with the opening of its to have afflicted us like a cultural prisoners were “criminal” and everything that contributes to their School of the Americas (SOA), mental illness since our origins. therefore exempt from Geneva support.” Sullivan’s campaign which continues today as the Convention protections. has been described as a ruthless Western Hemisphere Institute for The use of torture as a func- policy of scorched earth, bear- Security Cooperation (WHISC). tion of terror, or its equivalent in ing comparison with Sherman’s Torture has been a historical sadistic behavior, has been historic march to the sea or the search-and- U.S. practice in police stations de facto U.S. policy. destroy missions of U.S. soldiers and prisons—and via countless S. Brian Willson was head of a Our European ancestors’ in Vietnam. vigilante crimes of sadistic tor- USAF combat security unit in shameful, sadistic treatment of In northern California, where ture and mutilation against black Vietnam. A lawyer by training, the indigenous inhabitants based I now live, the same grueling his- Americans. and a writer (www.brianwillson. on an ethos of arrogance and tory exists. Bret Harte wrote in The Wickersham Com- com), he is a member of violence has become ingrained 1860 that little children and old mission’s 1931 Report on Law- Humboldt Bay Veterans for in our values. “Manifest destiny” women were mercilessly stabbed lessness in Law Enforcement Peace, a Northern California has rationalized as a religion the and their skulls crushed by axes: concluded that “the third degree contact for VVAW, and a member elimination or assimilation of “Old women…lay weltering is the employment of methods of the Arcata Nuclear Free those perceived to be blocking in blood, their brains dashed which inflict suffering, physi- Zone and Peace Commission. American progress—at home or out…while infants…with their cal or mental, upon a person, in abroad—a belief that expansion of faces cloven with hatchets and order to obtain from that person the nation, including subjugation their bodies ghastly wounds” lay information about a crime… The of natives and others, is divinely nearby. third degree is widespread. The ordained, that our “superior race” In 1920, the National As- third degree is a secret and illegal is obligated to “civilize” those who sociation for the Advancement of practice.” stand in the way. Colored People (NAACP) inves- Seventy years later, the 2002 When examining my roots tigated the conduct of U.S. troops Human Rights Watch World Re- in New York and New England, who had occupied Haiti since port documented systematic use of I discovered that Indian captives 1915. More than 3,000 Haitians torture by U.S. police: “thousands were skinned alive and dragged were killed by U.S. Marines, many of allegations of police abuse, through the streets of New Am- having been tortured. including excessive use of force, sterdam (New York City) in the When indigenous Nicara- such as unjustified shootings, beat- 1640s. Scalping enabled Indian guan resistance fought against ings, fatal chokings, and rough bounty hunters to be paid. the occupying U.S. forces in the treatment.” Captains Underhill and late 1920s, the Marines launched My studies of brutality in Endicott, in the Massachusetts counterinsurgency war. U.S. poli- Massachusetts prisons in 1981 created by Robert Spicher Bay Colony governed by John cymakers insisted on “stabilizing” concluded (in “Walpole State Pris- Fall 2005 THE VETERAN 25

Sheldon Ramsdell Archive I have set up an archive for Shel- (McGovern collection, McCarthy nonprofit book project based on materials to Cornell. Cornell will don “Shelly” Ramsdell at Cornell collection, No. California LGBT his photography with any proceeds reimburse you for any shipping- University. I am requesting that Historical Society, etc.). I am also going to support organizations like related expenses. anyone with Ramsdell-related working with his family regarding VVAW, the Alexander Hamilton items consider sending them on to securing potential archival hold- and Bob Basker American Legion Thanks, Cornell when it is convenient. ings that they may have. Posts, and the AIDS education Shelly's archives are far Overall, I am trying to cre- organizations. Linda Alband flung. My goals for this effort are ate a comprehensive picture of Please contact me directly Executor twofold: (1) To gather as much his work through this collection with any questions or suggestions Sheldon H. Ramsdell Estate as possible at Cornell, and (2) to “network.” At some point, if I am of people I should contact regard- [email protected] put the Cornell archivist in touch able to find key pieces, perhaps I ing Ramsdell archival materials, or (415) 819-3760 with other extant collections can raise some money to begin a to obtain information on sending

Cindy Sheehan and others at Camp Casey, Washington, DC, September 24, 2005 26 THE VETERAN Fall 2005 Freeing Iraq, or Diverting America?

Patriotism? They say it; you pay it. The WWE will set who free? Although ending up in a body bag, John Q & Jane Public? even under a new flag, doesn’t No law can make those patriots act. make your sad folks brag. But you do more than some Jody Grinder You do more. They just snored, ignored sitting in a sports bar, keeping score. the body count, lazily rooted for the home team, chased overpriced dreams. You’re riding a Humvee in misery. Looking over your shoulder, For them, life’s a spectator sport played trying to get older, as on someone else’s court. They shop politicians and schemers think —while you drop. they’re tougher and bolder. As busy camouflaged elves dust Not under SandLand stars, faded folks the nation’s overseas shelves, fly faded flags on cars. As heroes The Grand REMF has plans pull triggers on shadowy figures, needing fresh flesh fertilizer CEOs stretch their checks and more blood on more sands. by a few more zeros. They never answered the call— So you duck RPGs, snipers and IEDs. or had a homecoming stalled. Please, it’s no big thing. It’s just you in the ring, When you signed up, you gave up choice— slouching toward Bethlehem. and voice—but not your mind. You know, putting on a reality show The “real” patriots “support our troops” as mall rats—and Washington brats— by ignoring the bureaucratic hoops and flick their clickers quicker. red-tape loops you must escape and evade. It’s such an easy war— So you ask this: let’s have some more and To get some armor for my body, 24/7, send ‘em to heaven. it’s my family I have to lobby? Take over, make over, do over. And armchair warriors, The stay-at-homes’ smarts safe in their think tanks, went on loan with their hearts don’t even say thanks as they okayed another war’s start: to those in the ranks. “We’re #1!” and second to none— at jiving ourselves. —Horace Coleman

Anna Stange on Memorial Day, Chicago 2005 Fall 2005 THE VETERAN 27 Bodies Do Count: A Cautionary Tale Billy Kelly Tap An Bac, Quang Ngai, “pissing in your pants” fear. There found in every hamlet, village, or unlawful and dishonorable. Vietnam. was no elation, but at least we were city in Vietnam. There are no free passes. No I am probably the only alive. In a military sense, it was I stopped to observe. To- shrink in the world can undo what American alive who knows this a big win. Our opponents were gether with the sculpture, there I did. I killed other human beings hamlet’s name. On March 15, uniform-wearing, arms-bearing was a rectangular structure marked who were fighting against me for 1969, I was involved in an all-day soldiers—soldiers intent on kill- with the names and dates of birth what is now recognized as an hon- battle in this very area—merci- ing us! and death of all the soldiers buried orable and just end. My opponents fully, the only one of my brief I will always remember that in that graveyard. The total came were fighting for their freedom, military career. The combat took day. It was a day when I person- to 584, in a grouping of hamlets liberty and independence. The place within a two-kilometer by ally killed four Vietnamese. And that probably never had more Vietnamese had a goal. A justifi- four-kilometer area. as the CO, I was also responsible than a thousand inhabitants at able end might permit a justifiable I remember the name because for the deaths of many others, only any one time. An amount equal homicide. I received a few citations with this a day shy of a year from Calley’s to one-fifth the casualties suffered I envy them. All wars suck, hamlet’s name printed on them, handiwork at My Lai and only in New York City on September but some might be deemed just and the date of the action was forty kilometers south of that 11, 2001. or necessary. Our opponents took noted. I was also slightly wounded bludgeoned village. I walked amidst the head- up arms to defend their homeland on two separate occasions that After thirty-five years of stones and read the names and from an aggressive invader who day. I kept the military map of reflection, I have come to the dates. When I first saw a name was occupying their land, an oc- the area. unassailable conclusion that our with “my” date upon it, I was cupier who was intent on imposing Over the years, I have come presence in Vietnam was at best a hit with that fabled epiphanous his will upon the will of another by to fully understand the terrible cruel misuse of power, and at worst thunderbolt. Now I knew the use of brute force. To resist that is reality of my people’s involvement a near-genocide. I was a part of the name of someone whose death a person’s duty and obligation. in the affairs of the Vietnamese. war machine, the technological I was responsible for. Suddenly Sadly, I now know that I was Beginning in 1968, the majority juggernaut that would annihilate my pass no longer worked. Dead the neighborhood bully. of my fellow countrymen desig- all in its path. is dead! Does it really matter how I mentioned that this is a nated our Vietnam adventure as a I killed for this machine, but I that death was accomplished? We cautionary tale. By that I intend “mistake.” The poll numbers now gave myself a personal pass, for I humans have no Christs to bring to convey the message that we, are in the 60–75% range. did not partake in any civilian mis- back all those Lazaruses. the veterans of our nation’s last I bridle at that term, for I treatment. There was no burning of To most soldiers, My Lai great debacle, must seek out and think of a mistake as something hootches; no killing of livestock; seems incomprehensible. But listen to our troops returning from akin to forgetting to pick up the no shooting into free-fire zones. I in the grand scheme of things, Iraq. I have no doubt that all will laundry on the way home from acted morally and honorably. does it really matter whether the be suffering from experiences and work. Millions dead and a land This March, I was in Quang death is of a noncombatant or a realizations like mine and those nearly obliterated calls for a term Ngai to honor the victims of My young soldier? Or if it comes in of so many others who fought in less facile than “mistake.” Lai. Arriving a few days before a gratuitously brutal way or in a Vietnam. On that day in 1969, I led a that anniversary on March 16, I fair fight? company of infantry “grunts” to decided to visit Tap An Bac and its The conclusion I have what appeared to be a resounding neighboring hamlets on “my an- reached, with enormous personal success. At the time, the “score” niversary.” With a map, I strolled pain and sorrow, is this: If the end Billy Kelly is a “grunt” officer was approximately thirty Viet- about the lanes and pathways. is immoral, unlawful and dishon- vet of the 11th LIB based in Duc namese killed, and our side suf- There is a martyrs’ monument orable, then whatever the means Pho, ‘68–’69. He is a member of fered not a single loss of life. The for the township, something to be used to reach it is equally immoral, VVAW, VFP, VFW, “etc.” numbers belie the difficulty of the engagement. Our opponents, initially caught off-guard, soon regrouped and hunkered down for a fight. It was very close, and movement by either side seemed to be suicidal. Finally sanity prevailed, and a troop of cavalry was brought in. They quickly brought their fire- power and strength to bear, and all resistance was crushed as the tracks and tanks, followed by an infantry company, moved forward. Months later I was told that captured documents indicated the Vietnamese losses might have been much greater, for many had been buried as the APCs and the tanks did their work. The follow- ing day, we retraced our path, and the stench from burned and decomposing bodies lent credence to that new information. My feelings were numb. I From left: “Freddy” of VFP, Ward Reilly of VVAW, and Dennis Kyne of VFP can only remember the fear—that march in Washington (photo courtesy of Charles Jenks, Traprock Peace Center) 28 THE VETERAN Fall 2005 Brotherhood of the Lottery John Lucas There is one day in my life that He knew the date he was should be drug-tested. but the real choice is tyranny or I will never forget: the day I supposed to go home. Every day, This Iraq policy was designed journalistic integrity. When Tim returned—alive and well—from he crossed out a day on his short- by Bush, Cheney, Wolfowitz, Russert interviewed the president, Vietnam. When I think about it, timer’s calendar. Toward the end, Perle, Rumsfeld, etc. Not one was he could have asked him about there is a rush of feeling and re- his buddies tried to keep him as a member of the Brotherhood of Ben Barnes getting him into the membrance of the sights, smells safe as possible. the Lottery. Bush, of course, dis- National Guard ahead of a hundred and sounds of that wondrous When it came time for Jus- honored himself by using political and fifty others. Russert knew the day. tin to go home, Uncle Sam said, pull to get out of the draft and into truth. Getting off that plane in “Sorry, Justin, your stay here is the Air Guard, forcing someone The New York Times has Washington State with everything extended.” In less than a month, else to become a member of the apologized for not investigating so green and the air so fresh, about Justin became a losing member in Brotherhood. the WMD reports coming out a hundred and fifty young men re- the Brotherhood of the Lottery. In They are supported in this of the administration. Has ABC, turned from Vietnam. Some kissed spite of doing everything he was insanity by their soulmates Rush NBC, or CBS done the same? The the ground; others were yelling supposed to do, he was denied a Limbaugh, Sean Hannity, Den- number of people who believe crazy things; but everyone was so day he would have remembered nis Miller, and the ever-popular there is a connection between high you would have thought they for the rest of his life. There are Michael Savage. None of these Saddam and al-Qaeda is amaz- had just won the lottery—which, certain rules when you are a short- ideologues are members of the ing. Reports show that they were of course, they had. blood enemies and could never These boys were the very work together. happy, very lucky members of the In this world of mass media, Brotherhood of the Lottery. When you go into the the number of lies and distortions Despite the sadness, it always military, you sign a of the truth is staggering. It is time comforts me when I meet or hear for the media to get back to doing about a fellow brother whose life contract. Once you take its job, which is to try to search has turned south on him, for I know for the truth. No one can be com- that for at least one day in his life, that step, you are theirs. pletely objective, but it is in the anything was possible. There are trying that journalism has proven many in this world who will never its great value in a free society. have a day like that, and there are If the media had been doing many who lost in that lottery. its job, Bush would have lost the When you go into the mili- timer. They had changed the rules Brotherhood either. The macho act election, we would not have in- tary, you sign a contract. Once you in midstream. these blowhards put up is getting a vaded Iraq, and Justin would not take that step, you are theirs, but They do not have enough little old, especially when all they be a losing member of the Broth- even then, when it comes to assign- soldiers. If this war in Iraq is do is talk the talk and let the boys erhood of the Lottery; he would ments, the military has a certain set such an important war, where are and girls of the second America be going to school in Portland, of rules it is supposed to follow. the wealthiest Americans’ kids, walk the walk. Oregon. When I was in the army, they sent like Bush’s daughters? The tax The problem is the media. you to Vietnam for twelve months, cuts made sure they go to good I am not talking about the New and if you were a Marine, it was schools like Yale or the University York Post or Fox News; they thirteen months. You knew what of Texas. make no pretense of journalistic you had to do and you tried to Those schools force you to integrity. We like to bash lawyers, John Lucas is an Army vet make the best of it. take a course called Critical Think- but the real choice is lawyers or who served in Vietnam. He is a When President Bush went ing. They knew that if Saddam guns. We love to bash reporters, member of VVAW. on television and said, “Bring it Hussein could not even control the on,” I knew exactly what he meant. northern part of his own country, He had rammed tax cuts through he couldn’t be a threat to us. They the Republican-controlled Con- knew that the inspectors were in The Music of gress to the benefit of the wealthi- Iraq and were doing their job when Jim Walktendonk est Americans, and now not only the president ordered the invasion, would the rest of America have to and that they had not found any carry a greater burden paying for WMDs. his stupid war in Iraq, but their sons They knew that Bin Laden and daughters would have to fight was a religious fanatic and that it for him. I did not think I could Saddam was a secular tyrant who get angrier, but I was wrong. was more scared of him than he I saw a story about a reserv- was of us, and there is no way ist infantryman named Justin they would work together. In other from Portland, Oregon. He was a words, their only source of news good kid who joined the reserves was not the “liberal media,” whose to make some money to go to only source seems to be the Bush school. White House. Time went very slowly for I would like to blame the Justin in Iraq. There were times president and his crew, but they he was scared, but there was also really believe in what they are boredom. His life had taken on a doing. They really believed our cds now available surreal quality, as happens to all soldiers would be met with flow- soldiers, but he did his duty. ers. They actually said it. They www.booneytunes.net Fall 2005 THE VETERAN 29 Enlisted Single Tour All but Ignored Joe Harty

It goes without saying that the who pay millions, cut from vet- effect bringing us under a police and the military will be inundated majority—perhaps as much as erans’ benefits to give money to state. with Christian dogma in place of 80%—of the manpower sup- subcontractors,who get $100,000 I believe that it makes the science and debate. plied to American armed forces yearly to do the same job we argument and shows the outline As veterans, we all took an are in and out of duty, while the do—who are also protected from of things the civilian population oath to protect this country against few benefits remaining focus on punishment when atrocities like has no knowledge of that can hap- all enemies, foreign or domestic: lifers and officers. I contend that Abu Graibh surface. I believe vet- pen, which has only been known it says that as well in the first all veterans deserve benefits for erans should put aside their politics by those who serve up until now. paragraph of the preamble of the having served. I base this on all for everything but veterans’ issue Failing to get anyone to read this Constitution. historical reports of the aftereffects and home defense, so as to save book, I would aim their interest to Rights, once lost, are rarely documented in mental-heath and what little there is available and a speech by a Republican, Ike, who reinstated by a dictatorship, which prison data which bear witness to take care of our brothers. warned us in the late 1950s about is what a police state is: the seizing to how the encounter between The last five years of -anti the growing danger of the military- of all enforcement of the law by American young people has in- military behavior by a GOP-ruled industrial complex, even then a the military. Unlike civilian rule, stant (job placement) and lifelong House and Senate, coupled with bulging mutant growing geometri- it’s a little short on due process; effects (to be old getting into the the passing of the PATRIOT Act cally since the end of World War it requires none, being arbitrary market, late to get married) that cut I and II and their getting ready to II. Every veteran should explain and rigid in its determination of back competing with their peers install rules so they can violate the military appraisals of the recent guilt. Please read this book, or that do not serve. the 1887 Posse Comitatus Act acts in comparison with how we at least read Ike’s last speech. It I make this point for veterans is a doomsday warning. See, the operate overseas. could save our youth from having to convey this bit of information to Posse Comitatus Act is supposed It is this veteran’s greatest to trust anyone over twenty, while their civilian relatives and public to stop the use of our troops in- fear that the rights of E Pluribus saving their lives! Knowledge is sources who seek to understand side of America, against our own Unum days are numbered, that power; let’s see if our knowledge the intricate weave that the mili- people. For history buffs, I suggest soon troops will be in control of can help other voters to think a tary has woven for us who serve. reading “Seven Days in May,” a cities, will regulate movement little clearer. To draw them into our dilemma book made into a movie about the across state borders, that politi- of doing the ugly jobs, suffering international corporate conspiracy cally left and Democratic persons insulting pay, little recognition with our military to exercise a coup will be put in a pound for special Joe Harty served in the Air and disrespect by corporations d’état on our federal system, in treatment; secular schools, prisons Force. He is a member of VVAW.

Have old VVAW photos? The National Office would love to have them in our archives and for the website. Send us copies of the photos or mail us a CD with them scanned at 300 dpi. Please include captions with the year, event and participants if at all possible.

Watermelon Slim Veteran, artist, musician, VVAW for life.

Go to www.watermelonslim.com to order Slim's CD, Up Close & Personal

Nick Egnatz at the Bud Billiken Parade in Chicago 30 THE VETERAN Fall 2005 My Daughter's Two Birthdays result. And here I was awaiting my daughter has two birthdays, some word about the birth of our because she was born to the world continued from page 32 first child, in the midst of nearly one full week before she was about six months together. She We then steamed toward “Yankee” nonstop war activity when no war “born” to me. So on November was pregnant and I was heading station in the north sometime in had been declared. I had no way 12 and 19, I shall again say to my off to WestPac again. I would not November—in the so-called haz- of knowing what was going on daughter “Happy Birthday, Lisa!” be back until well after the birth ardous duty (combat) zone. This back home. Both times! of our first child. But we all know gave everyone a little extra pay Finally, on November 19, the military’s response to this sort and free mail privileges. It also 1965, a delayed telegram (dated (For those who may not know, Lisa of thing. “If the government had meant that communications were November 12) from my dad was is on the National Office staff of wanted you to have a wife and solely directed toward flight ops handed to me. The printed words VVAW and is the copy editor and family, they would have issued and the general operational needs shouted to me: I was now the father fact checker for The Veteran and you one.” of the carrier. In fact, I recently of a healthy and beautiful baby other VVAW publications.) By late October, following realized that we were probably girl, Lisa Ellen Hui-mei Miller. ORI (Operational Readiness In- “on line,” that is on station, during Baby and mother were doing just spection) in and around the Ha- the major battle in the Ia Drang fine. Lisa and I would not meet Joe Miller is a national waiian Islands, the “Tico” again Valley. Though we were further until February 1966, when she coordinator of VVAW and a arrived off the coast of Vietnam, north, I expect that our aircraft was three months old. member of VVAW’s Champaign- first to “Dixie” station in the south. may have been even busier as a That is why I always feel Urbana, Illinois chapter.

Dear Vietnam Veterans Against the War,

Some of your members were with me at “Camp Casey,” including member Bill Perry, from the start. Other members of your organization played a part in the first week, such as Ward Reilly, who was part of my legal team (as an investigator), Mike Hastie, Dave Cline, Billy Kelly, Dave Collins, and several others I don’t know personally.

During the entire month of August 2005, many of your members, and members of Veterans for Peace, were with us, and all played helpful roles in making “Camp Casey” at Crawford, Texas a huge success.

My personal thanks for your support,

Cindy Sheehan, cofounder Gold Star Families For Peace

Paul Vogel of MFSO at Memorial Day, Chicago 2005 In Memoriam: Lawrence D. Graves (12/10/40–5/12/05) Lawrence, a thirty-plus-year mem- these conditions. admiral (buried in ber of the Milwaukee chapter, died Harkuf was a member of the Valley of the this summer while working around VVAW, the Kappa Alpha Psi Kings). As we navi- his house. Fraternity, Mensa, and the local gate the political Lawrence, nicknamed chapter of the National Associa- waters, I will present “Harkuf,” was so smart that he tion of Black Veterans. Civil rights my ideas for progress easily could have been a mul- and education were the name of in the struggle for timillionaire. Instead, he chose the game, and he always took any peace and justice, to spend his brain capital on the opportunity he had to advance as my dear friend, community. He was a linguist (flu- either cause. Even though he was Lawrence “Harkuf” ent in nine languages and always smart, he never made anyone else Graves, always en- learning more), an Egyptologist, feel dumb. He was this author’s couraged. an astronomer, a teacher, a mentor sounding board for thirty years, Lawrence is survived by and a veteran. He loved sailing, and he gave me the confidence to JoAnna, his “old lady” of 37 making music, and the world in put ideas out there and be ready years. which he found himself. He hated for the feedback, whether positive war, poverty, racism, injustice, and or negative. —Annie Bailey that same world that had created Harkuf was the pharoah’s Fall 2005 THE VETERAN 31 Where We Came from,Who We Are,Who Can Join Vietnam Veterans Against the VVAW also took up the Agent Orange victims. did not end when we were dis- War, Inc. (VVAW) is a national struggle for the rights and needs Today our government still charged. We remain committed veterans' organization that was of veterans. In 1970, we began finances and arms undemocratic to the struggle for peace and for founded in New York City in 1967 the first rap groups to deal with and repressive regimes around social and economic justice for all after six Vietnam vets marched traumatic aftereffects of war, the world in the name of “democ- people. We will continue to oppose together in a peace demonstra- setting the example for readjust- racy.” American troops have again senseless military adventures and tion. It was organized to voice the ment counseling at vet centers been sent into open battle in the to teach the real lessons of the growing opposition among return- today. We exposed the shameful Middle East and covert actions Vietnam War. We will do all we ing servicemen and women to the neglect of many disabled vets in Latin America, for many of can to prevent future generations still-raging war in Indochina, and in VA hospitals and helped draft the same misguided reasons that from being put through a similar grew rapidly to a membership of legislation to improve educational were used to send us to Southeast tragedy, and we will continue to over 30,000 throughout the United benefits and create job programs. Asia. Meanwhile, many veter- demand dignity and respect for States, including active duty GIs VVAW fought for amnesty for ans from all eras are still denied veterans of all eras. This is real stationed in Vietnam. Through war resisters, including vets with justice—facing unemployment, patriotism and we remain true to ongoing actions and grassroots bad discharges. We helped make discrimination, homelessness, our mission. Anyone who sup- organization, VVAW exposed the known the negative health effects post-traumatic stress disorder ports this overall effort, whether ugly truth about U.S. involvement of exposure to chemical defoliants and other health problems, while Vietnam veteran or not, veteran or in Southeast Asia and our first- and the VA's attempts to cover up already inadequate services are not, may join us in this long-term hand experiences helped many these conditions as well as their cut back or eliminated. struggle. JOIN US! other Americans to see the unjust continued refusal to provide treat- We believe that service to nature of that war. ment and compensation for many our country and communities

SUPPORT VVAW! DONATE OR JOIN TODAY! Insignia of Vietnam Veterans Against the War, Inc. VVAW Membership Vietnam Veterans P.O. Box 2065, Station A Against the War Champaign, IL 61825-2065

We took the MACV patch as our own, replacing the sword with the upside-down rifle with helmet, the international Membership Application symbol of soldiers killed in action. This was done to expose the lies and hypocrisy of U.S. aggression in Vietnam as well as its cost in Name ______human lives. The original MACV insignia also put forward lies. The Address______City______State______Zip______U.S. military was not protecting (the sword) the Vietnamese from Phone______invasion from the People's Republic of China (the China Gates), Email address______but was instead trying to "save" Vietnam from itself. Branch ______Our insignia has come to represent veterans fighting against new Dates of Service (if applicable)______"adventures" like the Vietnam War, while at the same time fighting Unit______Military Occupation______for a decent way of life for veterans and their families. Rank______Our insignia is more than 30 years old. It belongs to VVAW, Overseas Duty______and no other organization or group may use it for any reason with- Dates______out permission. Yes, add me to the VVAW email list. I do not wish to join, but wish to make a donation to the work of VVAW. Sign me up for a lifetime membership in VVAW. $250 is enclosed.

Membership in VVAW is open to ALL people who want to build a veterans' move- ment that fights for peace and justice. Most of our members are veterans of the Beware of VVAW AI Vietnam era, but we welcome veterans of all eras, as well as family members and friends to our ranks. The annual membership fee is $25.00 (not required of home- This notice is to alert you to a handful of individuals calling them- less, unemployed or incarcerated vets). selves the “Vietnam Veterans Against the War Anti-Imperialist” (VVAW-AI). VVAW-AI is actually the creation of an obscure ultraleft VVAW is a democratic organization. Chapters decide on local programs and projects under the general guidelines of the national program. Chapters elect local sect, designed to confuse people in order to associate themselves leadership and representatives to annual national meetings where major organiza- with VVAW’s many years of activism and struggle. They are not tional decisions are made and national coordinators elected. These coordinators a faction, caucus or part of VVAW, Inc. and are not affiliated with are responsible for the day-to-day organizational leadership of VVAW and issuing us in any way. We urge all people and organizations to beware of national publications. this bogus outfit. Signature ______

Date ______

Total Amount Enclosed ______

Make checks payable to VVAW. Contributions are tax-deductible. RECOLLECTIONS My Daughter’s Two Birthdays Joe miller

While I was stationed with the While I was at sea with the and excitement. Naval Security Group (NSG) at carrier group, sailing up and down However, the grow- Lin Kou Air Station on Taiwan the Western Pacific (WestPac) ing war in Vietnam was in 1963, I met and fell in love from Japan to the Philippines and getting in the way. Roll- with Hui-fang. (Linda was the off the coast of Vietnam (North ing Thunder began in western name she chose when and South), Hui-fang completed February ‘65, requiring she began work at the Taiwan all the paperwork for her move more carriers on sta- Defense Command’s EM Club in to the States. By November, she tion, but none of us in downtown Taipei.) After nearly was settled in with my folks near the Ticonderoga’s crew six months of dating, the exposure Chicago until our ship returned expected that to change of our secret relationship (by a to San Diego from WestPac in our deployment date. so-called buddy) resulted in the December 1964. Then the first official determination that there was a The Ticonderoga was sched- combat units landed near potential “security risk.” We in uled for an extended dry-dock Danang in March. Soon Joe, Hui-fang and Lisa the NSG were not allowed to de- period at Hunters Point, San we were informed that (at one year), late 1966 velop personal relationships with Francisco from January to July the “Tico” could expect individuals or families among the of 1965. Hui-fang and I decided to head back toward WestPac in turn, now scheduled for sometime local population. Since I was not that she would fly out to the West late September or early October. in early 1966—we hoped. willing to give up this relationship, Coast so that we could spend that Damn! There weren’t many on On the afternoon of my flight I was removed from intelligence period living together. We got a board who were very happy to from O’Hare back to San Diego work in early 1964 and posted to great little flat a block and a half hear this news. (where the ship was now waiting), Sung Shan Airport as a courier from Chinatown. The temporary household Hui-fang came along in my dad’s while awaiting orders for transfer To this day, though Hui-fang that Hui-fang and I had enjoyed car. When we arrived at the airport to “regular” Navy duty. and I split up in the 1980s, I re- for nearly six months was com- parking lot and I pulled my sea Hui-fang and I decided that call the wonderful time we spent ing to an end. I took some leave, bag from the trunk, she started we would go ahead with the together in San Francisco. In late and in early June, we boarded a to cry. Deep sobs mixed with rather tedious process of obtain- February 1965, we learned that she train to Chicago. We spent three anguished cries that I should not ing permission to marry. We were was pregnant with our first child. days together traveling across the leave. She would not leave the car successful in fighting through all The doctor told us the baby would country, without pressures of work to accompany me to the departure the obstacles the Navy (and some likely be born toward the end of or other military trappings. We gate. I choked back my own tears corrupt Chinese cops) put in front October or early November. Our even celebrated our first wedding and swallowed the anger that I of us, and we were married on ship wasn’t due to redeploy to anniversary on that train, rolling felt at being pulled from her. By June 9, 1964 by a Canadian mis- WestPac until after that time, so I somewhere through the western this time, we had been married sionary, a day and a half before I expected to be around for the birth plains. We had less than a month just over a year, and we had spent shipped out for sea duty with the of our first child. Hui-fang and I together at my folks’ place, where USS Ticonderoga (CVA-14). were ecstatic with the anticipation Hui-fang would stay until my re- continued on page 30