View from a Vietnam Veteran in our Community Support Network

Here is one Sacramento veteran’s viewpoint on the emerging comparisons between Vietnam and Afghanistan, submitted to the Veterans Community Support Network. This VCSN member knows what our veterans and active military are going through right now...from experience.

"I volunteered for the Army because I couldn’t get a job until after my military draft requirements were fulfilled. I served in 1966 (MACV in Tan Son Nhut) during the early stages of the Vietnam War while U.S. forces were still ramping up.

Peter Baker’s enlightening but sobering article,“Could Afghanistan Become Obama’s Vietnam?” (New York Times, 22 Aug 2006), triggered deep memories and foreboding emotions that those of us who share a kinship with those currently under fire could become victims of circumstances not of their choosing.

An important role for the Veterans Community Support Network over the next few years will be to help differentiate the responsibilities between (A) our country’s warriors who execute orders they gave an oath to obey, and (B) our country’s elected officials and others in the media who may have an axe to grind against whomever is our commander-in-chief at the time.

In the coming months and years, we are likely to hear disparagement of America’s efforts and strategies in Afghanistan as well as Pakistan. These voices will likely claim that the situation is “unwinnable” or there is no common understanding of what “victory” is. We will also hear voices from the other side of the question who will claim that we cannot revise our troop deployment plans downward because it will cause the sacrifices in blood and treasure already spent to be dishonored. In the middle, the troops who have been, are, or will be deployed to help stabilize this dangerous part of our world will be caught in the middle, trying to do their jobs, with uncertain support by the U.S. public.

A recent poll of Americans revealed ominous findings by showing for the first time that 57 percent of Americans think things are going badly for the United States in Afghanistan, compared with 33 percent who think they are going well (New York Times and CBS News, July 2007).

How this will all play out over the next few years is very uncertain and difficult to predict. What is not uncertain and not difficult to predict, however, is that these hostilities will present tremendous challenges to America’s military forces and their families. These challenges will become increasingly difficult to address, particularly those challenges that compete for resources needed by other worthy efforts.

With this in mind, the Sacramento VCSN is to be congratulated for launching a cohesive effort to make sure that this time, our returning warriors are treated with the respect and dignity they deserve, even if the public mood toward that conflict turns more negative as the difficulties in achieving success become even more apparent."

Bud Lee