Reply #19: WHAT IS A VIET NAM VETERAN [View All]

[EFerrari]

WHAT IS A VIET NAM VETERAN
This is a question often asked by the generation of today. It is not an easy question to adequately answer because not all Viet Nam Vets will fall into a description given by one person. Let me begin by stating some facts about the Viet Nam Vet and then you will understand the complexity of trying to accurately describe him or her.

# During the height of the war the average number of Americans in Viet Nam was about 500,000. It is said a total of 2.6 million Americans served in Viet Nam.
# Of that 500,000 only 50,000 were in actual combat. (Usually about 10%.)

This fact indicates how difficult it would be to give a comprehensive description of a Viet Nam Vet. So what I will attempt to do is give you some statistics about combat vets and let you draw your own conclusions.

# We lost almost 59,000 men and women during the 16 years of Viet Nam. As of 5 years after the war was officially over, we had 150,000 Viet Nam Vets that had committed suicide.
# The suicide rate for Viet Nam Vets is 86% higher than the national average of peers of the same age group.
# 70% of all one car accidents is Viet Nam Vets (was it really an accident).
# 60% of all Viet Nam Vets have serious emotional problems.
# Between 50 and 60% have a history of alcohol and drug abuse.
# The unemployment rate for Viet Nam Vets is double the national average.
# The divorce rate for Viet Nam Vets is almost 3 times as many as the national average.
# About 25% of all incarcerated people are Viet Nam Vets. (Most are non-violent crimes).
# 56% of all homeless Americans are veterans, 44% are Viet Nam Vets.


from: http://www.capveterans.com/caprd_004.htm

whose Mission Statement is:

"The Production Company's mission is to portray, realistic stories from Veterans of the Combined Action Program and later on, realistic stories from other Veterans of the Vietnam War.

The human side of the Veterans will be highlighted with stories of their loneliness, their frustrations, their friendships, their kindness, their dangers and especially their fun.
All profits will be donated to the Cap Veterans Honor Roll Foundation. Vietnam at
the Movies Memorial of
Honor CAP Introduction Recent Interest Cap Veterans Honor
Roll Foundation The Cap Veterans Honor Roll Foundation Membership is open to all Veterans, Families of Veterans and all Friends of Veterans.

Praising Veterans This company belongs to its 'Entire Membership' for the purpose of laying to rest the negative, stereotype Vietnam Veteran image."

Interesting site.