Good Evening Everyone – VVA/AVVA, All Veterans and Veterans
Supporters:
After Utah became the 23rd State to gain observance of March
29 as Vietnam Veterans Recognition Day in legislation spearheaded by Dennis
Howland, Representative Curt Oda, Utah State Council and Chapter 1079 Vietnam
Veterans of America, we finally got our national day with the action of newly
elected President Donald Trump last March.
I am organizing a ceremony at the Utah State Capitol for
March 29, 1100 hours. Will include a
placing of a wreath at the memorial to honor the 366 young men from Utah lost
in our War. WILL BE ON THE WEST LAWN AT
THE MEMORIAL. PROBABLY NOT IN THE
ROTUNDA. I HOPE OUR COMMUNITIES WILL BE ON BOARD WITH PROCLAMATIONS
HONORING ALL VIETNAM VETERANS.
Next year a ceremony from our Wall which will be dedicated
July 14 in Layton Commons Park. Please
share this info and the Secretary's message below).
Thank you!
Dennis Howland
Utah State Council President
Vietnam Veterans of America
801-389-1893
MESSAGE FROM THE SECRETARY OF VETERANS AFFAIRS
VA Commemoration of the 50th Anniversary of the Vietnam War
In 2017, President Trump signed the Vietnam War Veterans
Recognition Act designating March 29 of each year as National Vietnam War
Veterans Day. Our Nation's Vietnam War
Commemoration is an opportunity for all Americans to recognize, honor, and
thank our Vietnam Veterans and their families for their service and sacrifice
during one of the longest wars in our country's history. As a commemorative partner, VA joins nearly 10,000
organizations across the Nation supporting the Department of Defense in this
mission to honor and thank our Vietnam Veterans. I encourage all VA leaders to either host
ceremonies or participate in community events during the period March 25 – 29,
2018, to express our tremendous gratitude to this generation of warriors and
their families.
The commemoration recognizes all men and women who served on
active duty in the U.S. Armed Forces during the United States' involvement in
Vietnam—November 1, 1955 – May 7, 1975.
Nine million Americans, approximately 7.2 million living today, served
during that period. The commemoration
makes no distinction between Veterans who served in-country, in-theater, or
were stationed elsewhere during those 20 years.
All answered the call to duty.
Thank you for your continued service to VA and America's
Veterans.
David J. Shulkin, M.D.
