Sunrise With Schubert: February 13 , 2018

“When our ship reached the Golden Gate, they had made a sign with painted rocks on the Marin County side. It said, ‘Welcome Home Boys.’”

“There will be crowds of protesters at the gate of the airport. Do not engage them. People have been hurt there.”

The first was a story told me by a man who had been a Seabee during World War Two. It tells of what greeted those men when they returned home.

The second followed behind, “Make sure your seat belts are securely fashion …” It’s how my brothers, my sisters, and I came home from our wartime service. It was just the beginning.

For the next fifty years, we were, at best ignored, at worst suffered the ubiquitous description as drug-crazed sociopaths in the press, books, movies, conversations, and the national consciousness. We were all bums wandering the streets muttering to ourselves and scaring the bejesus out of good decent people everywhere.

This always troubled me and some good friends—all fellow Vietnam vets. One was an attorney with one of the top law firms in the state, another a successful architect, one the head of a major state office, one a retired police officer, another a manager of the racetrack in West Virginia where they train government agents in evasive driving. (He once had the opportunity to drive Paul Newman around the facility).

I could go on and on. Point is, there’s not a drug-crazed sociopath amongst them.

It didn’t matter. As I’ve said, myth will shred reality on any given day.

But wait. On March 29, the Arkansas Department of Veterans Affairs (ADVA) will host a large ceremony in Little Rock. It will feature the formal pinning of the Commemoration’s Vietnam Veteran Lapel Pin on several hundred veterans.

“At last,” you say, “our country will honor those who served our country in Vietnam. That’s nice.”

But wait, it’s fifty years too late.

“No problem. Better late than never.”

But wait. About that lapel pin … you didn’t have actually to serve in Vietnam to receive one.

“You’re kidding.”

No, if you served anywhere, anytime during that time, you’ll get yours, right alongside the guy in the wheelchair with no legs. Even a former president who avoided Vietnam by joining the National Guard and failed even to attend his drills can get one.

“Too bad. Are you going to sign up?”

No.

“What about the people who worked so hard to put it on?”

As we used to say, “F” ‘em and feed 'em fish heads.

“But shouldn’t all those who served be honored?"

Absolutely. They served their country when so many refused to or even chose to dishonor those who did. I hold most in high esteem.

“But?”

But Vietnam Vet means one who served in Vietnam, not one who served during Vietnam. Would you call the person who spent his enlistment for the last four years at an air base in Florida an “Afghanistan Veteran? If you would, you’ve never had the experience of having someone walking mortar rounds toward where you were posted.

“So what will you do during the ceremony?”

I dunno. Maybe I’ll join a protest. Or maybe I’ll put on my vet’s cap and wander around some neighborhood scaring the hell out of people. It's fun. I do it at Walmart all the time.

Honor or Insult?