[rstevens]

Anyone who served during the VN war is considered a VN Vet regardless where they spend their tour and actual service in VN is immaterial.

Lets not get caught up in this foolishness. If they say they are VN veterans and served in the military during the conflict, they are Viet Nam Vets. Period.

[AbnSarge]

"Anyone who served during the VN war is considered a VN Vet regardless where they spend their tour and actual service in VN is immaterial."

Wrong, wrong, wrong

I have over 20 years in two services, am a Vietnam ERA vet, and nobody I met would EVER claim to be a Vietnam Vet if he/she didn't actually go over there.

Being alive and in doesn't count for anything except a fire watch ribbon.

[YaYa123]

"Lets not get caught up in this foolishness. If they say they are VN veterans and served in the military during the conflict, they are Viet Nam Vets. Period."

I would agree with you, but both were using their Viet Nam service as verification that they knew what they were talking about. They were making the point that their Viet Nam service qualified them being there, discussing the horrors of war, and how devasting war is to women and children.

Whether or not you agree this is a foolish discussion, aren't you the least bit aggravated that the mainstream media hasn't discovered and disclosed this discrepancy?

[Eva]

You are wrong. There is a big difference between being a Viet Nam Era Vet and being a Viet Nam Vet. It is very misleading to leave out the word, Era.

[river rat]

If they were NOT awarded this Ribbon...they are NOT Vietnam Vets.
They would be Vietnam Era Vets

Please note - The California Campaign is NOT recognized.

Vietnam Service Medal

Established by order of the President on 01 Oct 1965, for service in Vietnam and contiguous waters or airspace after 03 Jul 1965 and through 28 Mar 1973. Service in direct support of Vietnam from Thailand, Laos, and Cambodia is also eligible.

One bronze service star may be worn for each campaign; one silver service star in lieu of five bronze:

Advisory -- 15 Mar 1962-07 Mar 1965
Defense -- 08 Mar 1965-24 Dec 1965
Counteroffensive -- 25 Dec 1965-30 Jun 1966
Counteroffensive, Phase II -- 01 Jul 1966-31 May 1967
Counteroffensive, Phase III -- 01 Jun 1967-29 Jan 1968
Tet Counterofensive -- 30 Jan 1968-01 Apr 1968
Counteroffensive, Phase IV -- 02 Apr 1968-30 Jun 1968
Counteroffensive, Phase V -- 01 Jul 1968-01 Nov 1968
Counteroffensive, Phase VI -- 02 Nov 1968-22 Feb 1969
Tet 69 Counteroffensive -- 23 Feb 1969-08 Jun 1969
Summer-Fall 1969 -- 09 Jun 1969-31 Oct 1969
Winter-Spring 1970 -- 01 Nov 69-30 Apr 1970
Sanctuary Counteroffensive -- 01 May 1970-30 Jun 1970
Counteroffensive, Phase VII -- 01 Jul 1970-30 Jun 1971
Consolidation I -- 01 Jul 1971-30 Nov 1971
Consolidation II -- 01 Dec 1971-29 Mar 1972
Cease-Fire -- 30 Mar 1972-28 Jan 1973

Semper Fi

[VMI70]

Your assessment is ludicrous on its face.
There is a huge difference.

[LibWhacker]

Every Vietnam vet (which I'm not) and Vietnam-era vet (which I am) is fully aware of the difference between the two. To claim that you're a Vietnam vet when you're not is disgusting in the extreme to me, and I'll bet to every veteran who served during that time.

[Travis McGee]

Anyone who served during the VN war is considered a VN Vet regardless where they spend their tour and actual service in VN is immaterial.

WRONG!!

And it is especially disgusting when someone constantly drops the fake "Viet Nam Vet" leadeing commentators to constantly say "so and so is a Viet Nam combat vet" and then hang back and not correct them.

This also goes for Jesse NEVER WAS A SEAL ONE DAY Ventura, who never got closer to SEALs than UDT, and never got closer to VN than the whorehouses of Subiv Bay in the Philippines.

[Deb]

So, you're saying there's no difference between someone who fought in Vietnam and McDermott...a shrink who never left the states??????