Vietnam Veterans Become Political Issue .Splitting Vets

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Vietnam Veterans Become Political Issue

18 minutes ago

By MATT GOURAS, Associated Press Writer

NASHVILLE, Tenn. -snip.....................

But the war has taken center stage again as both parties seek the support of Vietnam veterans — turning to them as the emerging elder statesmen among American war veterans.


At a conference this past week, on the 40th anniversary of the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution, the Vietnam Veterans of America urged its members to make their voices heard.


"This election is probably more important than any election for president since the Vietnam era," Navy veteran Ed Vick, recently retired chairman of advertising giant Young and Rubicam, told the roughly 550 veterans at the convention Wednesday. "We must vote."


For Vietnam veterans — many of whom once felt disconnected from mainstream politics and ostracized by other veteran groups — it's surprising to be an important part of the 2004 presidential election.


"I had no idea I would be in the position I am now," said David Chung, a VVA member who said he returned from the war homeless. "A lot of people thought or hoped Vietnam would go away, but 30 years later it is at the center of things."



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Democratic candidate John Kerry (news - web sites), a founding member of the VVA, is making his Vietnam experience a key part of his campaign, partly to highlight that President Bush (news - web sites) avoided serving in Vietnam. In response, conservative groups are bringing out veterans to question Kerry's service.
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Many VVA members at the convention were hesitant to talk about the current political scene for fear of seeming to publicly endorse one candidate over another. Along with the group's connection to Kerry, its members include officials of the Bush administration such as Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge, who also addressed delegates Wednesday.


Others, like Chung, hold a strong opinion that Kerry abandoned his comrades by returning home and opposing the war.



Putting their war in the middle of an election battle threatens to fracture the group.


"It has caused some inner strife in the chapters," Chapman said. "You have die-hard Republicans and you have Democrats, too, and it's tearing some chapters apart like never before. After the election, we need to remember we will still be brothers."



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On the Net:

Vietnam Veterans of America: http://www.vva.org


http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/20040807/ap_on_el_pr/vietnam_veterans_1