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.