[Right Winged American]

Note: I am a Blue Water Navy Vietnam Veteran. So is John McCain.

Further, while this whole process of excluding BWN Vietnam Veterans from receiving veterans benefits began under Togo West under the second Clinton Administration, it was implemented by the VA under the current Bush Administration.

For other Vietnam Veterans related reasons, I cannot vote for McCain; but I d*mn sure cannot support stripping him of his Vietnam War Veteran status.

Now you know how we got the name "The Stupid Party."

Sigh.

For more Blue Water Navy Vietnam Veterans/Agent Orange Info, go here:

http://bluewaternavy.org

Discussions/Forum about Blue Water Navy Vets, Here:

http://bluewaternavy.org/phpBB2/index.php

FreepMail me to join the Blue Water Navy ping list.

 

 

Blue Water Navy
Vietnam Veterans
of America

[Earthdweller]

That’s a pretty wordy joke there...

[GreyFriar]

ping

[ClearCase_guy]

The VA is careful to keep this distinction of Vietnam Era veterans when referring to veterans who "never set foot on land in the Republic of Vietnam."

I thought McCain spent some time in Hanoi?

[frankiep]

What a disgrace.

Sounds about right though for the disgusting bureaucrats that make up the VA. I hate dealing with them.

[lainie]

Is this thing for real? Even people who can’t stomach McCain (and haven’t been able to for years) agree there’s one die hard fact about the guy: he’s a Vietnam Veteran. wth is this?

[visualops]

What unmitigated crap. It was a fracking WAR whether you were on land or in the air or whatever. Vietnam ERA my ass!

[McGruff]

McCain’s gains 20 points with conservatives in they try this smear.

[FMBass]

Geez, and all this time I thought I was Viet Nam veteran. Man was I fooled. Who knew? I guess those loud noises were just sound effects and all that steaming up and down the coast was just part of a luxury cruise.

I wonder if the those in Navy during WWII are no longer WWII veterans or those now serving off the coast of Iraq are not now not Iraq war veterans?

[usmcobra]

This is sick.

Tonk is doing about 60 rpm right about now.

[Tzimisce]

Hm...

Well if it isn’t a joke, I’m sure it’s not political....

[Enchante]

This is not merely about John McCain, this is about ALL US Navy pilots and others who fought in the war zone from ships and aircraft but who did not “set foot” in the Republic of Vietnam. Plenty of other Naval Aviators plus Air Force pilots flying from bases in Thailand, etc. flew into deadly combat without setting foot in the RVN. Sounds like this is being driven by the potential herbicide exposure issue but it’s still an idiotic distinction when it throws A-4 and so many other combat pilots into the same category as the lying Tom Harkin who served in Japan during the Vietnam Era but did not serve in combat.

[Enchante]

fwiw, my post above was not for you, who obviously know these issues far more thoroughly than I do..... I was just babbling to other FReepers and lurkers.... :^)

[AU72]

Obama says he doesn’t want his war record questioned.

[Blood of Tyrants]

What a crock of crap. Being a POW in N Vietnam for 5 years and he doesn’t qualify as a Vietnam War Veteran? People, contact your Congressmen and Senators about this and get it fixed.

[frankiep]

Are they next going to say that McCain was not a Prisoner of War? Because since the VA now says that he is not a veteran of the Vietnam WAR. So how can they say that he was a POW when, according to their twisted logic, he is not even the veteran of the war?

God, I detest the VA.

[mnehring]

This would be a slap in the face to every Vietnam Vet who was a pilot like McCain. Whomever is trying to push this has major McCain Derangement Syndrome.

[Cinnamon Girl]

I don’t get it. Can you explain this out? How does a veteran become not a veteran?

[FMBass]

Now I’m wondering if I have to give my combat action ribbon back.

[em2vn]

Remember this sad fact. It was “W” who launched the war against veterans with the anti-veteran appointments he made.

[Thrownatbirth]

only individuals who served with "boots on the ground" in South Vietnam

No "boots treading water slightly offshore but well within AK-47 range"? No? How about if I claimed to have touched bottom during swim call?

This could be an exercise of futility.