From: jewell@mace.cc.purdue.edu (Larry Jewell)
Subject: 'NamVet Newsletter, Vol.5, no.1 (4/7)
Followup-To: soc.veterans
Organization: Purdue University
Date: Sun, 27 Sep 1992 11:18:40 GMT


     |  fierce pressures of the time, are now coming forward,        |
     |  looking for someone who can help with their healing.         |
     |                                                               |
     |  We hear from children, now 15 - 25 years old, who are        |
     |  searching for bits and pieces of information they can        |
     |  assemble to help fill that empty place in their lives that   |
     
     NAM VET Newsletter                                        Page 45
     Volume  5, Number  1                             January 21, 1991

     |  is the father they never knew well, if at all. And they want |
     |  to talk to each other, to share their special needs and the  |
     |  unique experience of growing up with a father on the Wall.   |
     |  They understand each other all too well.                     |
     |                                                               |
     |  Millions of Americans need to meet and talk because of the   |
     |  Wall, and only the Friends can help them.                    |
     |                                                               |
     |  Initial discussions with many other national organizations   |
     |  whose work brings them into contact with Vietnam veterans    |
     |  and their loved ones have attested to the need for IN TOUCH  |
     |  and their willingness to help.                               |
     |                                                               |
     |  Simply put, the Friends will draw on its special work at the |
     |  Memorial,  its acquired and available data bases and         |
     |  programs designed and integrated by Electronic Data Systems  |
     |  (EDS), and the commitment and concern of its volunteers to   |
     |  place people with a common association to a name on the Wall |
     |  to be in voluntary communication with each other.            |
     |                                                               |
     |  From there, we will let human nature take its good course.   |
     |  And let the healing begin.                                   |
     |                                                               |
     |  The starting point for the data base will be the more than   |
     |  twenty thousand names of people who have requested name      |
     |  rubbings from our volunteers in Washington. Each will be     |
     |  contacted and given the opportunity to participate by being  |
     |  listed in the IN TOUCH central data base file.               |
     |                                                               |
     |  Confidentiality is the keyword to cooperation and IN TOUCH   |
     |  will respect the integrity of all lists and records.  Lists  |
     |  will be unavailable for public use and will not be           |
     |  distributed for any commercial purpose.                      |
     |                                                               |
     |  By its nature, IN TOUCH must reach far beyond the veterans   |
     |  community in order to be successful. With professional       |
     |  guidance, the Friends will develop a program of on-going     |
     |  articles and other coverage in major media markets, high-    |
     |  lighting the personal experiences of people as they are put  |
     |  "in touch."  The International Vietnam Veterans Echo         |
     |  Conference via the Herndon Byte eXchange 1:109/316 node as   |
     |  the enter point for gathering and disseminating information  |
     |  will be used.  Aside from bringing the program  into public  |
     |  awareness, these articles and stories will serve as a val-   |
     |  uable tool for public education on a wealth of matters       |
     |  relating to the Vietnam era.                                 |
     |                                                               |
     |  As a preliminary test of the IN TOUCH project, the Friends   |
     |  has implemented a pilot project to test the design and       |
     |  demands of such a program.  Several hundred requests with    |
     |  full background information have been entered into a system  |
     |  designed to match requestor data with the existing Memorial  |
     |  data. Even with such a small sample, limited data and a      |
     |  fairly unsophisticated cross-indexing system, matches have   |
     |  been made and IN TOUCH has produced its first real           |
     |  connections.  The results have been as profoundly moving for |
     |  the participants as expected. And as gratifying for the      |
     |  Friends.                                                     |
     |                                                               |
     
     NAM VET Newsletter                                        Page 46
     Volume  5, Number  1                             January 21, 1991

     |  But it was clear that the information management system and  |
     |  the supporting hardware system would have to be more power-  |
     |  ful and more complex in order to handle thousands, perhaps   |
     |  hundreds of thousands, of requests.  Confidentiality of the  |
     |  system and information must be paramount.                    |
     |                                                               |
     |  With well over 2,000 Vietnam veterans, Electronic Data       |
     |  Systems (EDS) became involved and has been generous in its   |
     |  assistance with designing the data management systems which  |
     |  will be critical to a successful program.  The Friends have  |
     |  reached a three-year working agreement with EDS which        |
     |  promises continuity and maximum potential for success in     |
     |  building an information bank that can truly help people in   |
     |  their search for others who knew a loved one.                |
     |                                                               |
     |  The Friends are delighted that Bob Hope has agreed to make   |
     |  a public service announcement which we can use on radio and  |
     |  television to help get the word out to the public on the     |
     |  availability of the service.                                 |
     |                                                               |
     |  The Friends are also pleased to note that Hewlett Packard,   |
     |  Zenith Data Systems, Borland International, FASTCOMM         |
     |  Communications Corporation and the First National Bank of    |
     |  Chicago have all contributed computer equipment, computer    |
     |  software, and office equipment to the project, so they are   |
     |  beginning to feel fully functional.                          |
     |                                                               |
     |  The Friends hear from people who have long been living with  |
     |  the pain of loss and looking for a way to heal.  For         |
     |  instance, the Friends recently received a letter from a      |
     |  woman who wrote:                                             |
     |                                                               |
     |       Dear Friends:                                           | 
     |           For quite some time I have been searching for a     |
     |       way to know my brother.  It seems hopeless at times.    |
     |       I was 12 when he was killed...  I had waited for the    |
     |       day he would come back to us.  He never did.  A part    |
     |       of me will always be 12 and continue to wait.           |
     |           Thank you for giving me hope that there may be      |
     |       a way to find him and bring him home to my heart..."    |
     |                                                               |
     |                          +   +   +                            |
     |                                                               |
     |           The Friends of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial        |
     |                     Electronic Data Systems                   |
     |           Herndon Byte eXchange TCOMMnet BBS 1:109/316        |
     |                                                               |        
     |+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++|
     










     NAM VET Newsletter                                        Page 47
     Volume  5, Number  1                             January 21, 1991

                    IN-TOUCH Registration/Request Form
     
                       Input by: Ray "Frenchy" Moreau
                      NAM VETs IN-TOUCH Section Editor
                     Herndon Byte eXchange - Herndon, VA
                               (703) 471-8010
     
         THIS FORM REQUIRES SIGNATURE FOR CONFIDENTIALITY RELEASE 
                             PLEASE READ BELOW
     ------------------------------------------------------------------
     I wish to be IN TOUCH with (Please circle and/or comment) Family, 
     Friends and/or Fellow Veterans of the following: 
     __________________________________________________________________
     __________________________________________________________________
     
     ----------- PERSON WHO DID NOT COME BACK FROM VIETNAM ------------
     
     First Name_____________ Middle Name___________ Last Name__________
     Relationship to You and/or Reason for Request 
     (Answer as fully as possible)_____________________________________
     __________________________________________________________________
     
     ==================================================================
     
     -------- ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT HIM/HER - IF KNOWN ---------
     
     Rank_______ Birth Date ______________ Soc. Sec. # ________________
     Tour Date of Birth _______________ Where Buried __________________
     Branch of Service:  AR__   NA__    AF__   MC__  CG__  RC__   CIV__
     (Fill in his/her equivalent unit designations in the spaces below)
     Division ____________ Brigade ___________ Battalion ______________
     Regiment ____________ Company ___________ Ship ___________________
     Battles:__________________________________________________________
     Locations:________________________________________________________
     Nicknames:________________________________________________________
     Hometown (while in Nam): ____________________ Home State: ________
     
     ==================================================================
     
     ---------------------- INFORMATION ABOUT YOU ---------------------
     Title___  First Name ____________ Middle/Maiden Name _____________
     Last Name ____________________
     Address___________________________________________________________
     City __________________________________ State ____ Zip: _____-____
     Your Home Phone (   ) ____________  Work Phone: (   ) ____________
     
     ---------------- IF YOU ARE A VIETNAM-ERA VETERAN ----------------
     
     Tour date _______________________________  Rank __________________
     Branch of Service: AR__  NA __  AF __  MC __  CG __  RC __  CIV __
          Fill in your equivalent unit designations in the spaces below
     Division: __________  Brigade: ___________  Battalion: ___________
     Regiment: __________  Company: ___________  Ship: ________________
     Battles: _________________________________________________________
     Locations: _______________________________________________________
     Nicknames: _______________________________________________________
     Hometown (when in VN) _______________________ Home State: ________
     Comments: ________________________________________________________
     
     
     NAM VET Newsletter                                        Page 48
     Volume  5, Number  1                             January 21, 1991

                             CONFIDENTIALITY STATEMENT
     _____  I give permission to the Friends of the Vietnam Veterans 
            Memorial to release my name, address, phone number and 
            relationship to other participants in the IN TOUCH project 
            seeking information on the individual above (strike out 
            phone number if you do not want it released).
                                    OR
     
     _____  I would like to have the names, addresses, and phone 
            numbers of persons who knew my friend or relative, but 
            prefer NOT to have my name, address, and phone number 
            released.
     
     I hereby release the Friends of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial from 
     any and all liability that may arise from the operation of the IN 
     TOUCH project.
     
     Signature ____________________________________ Date _____________
     
     NOTE: Do not electronically transmit this form, instead mail to:
           Friends of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial
           1350 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Suite 300
           Washington, DC 20036
     -----------------------------------------------------------------
     


































     NAM VET Newsletter                                        Page 49
     Volume  5, Number  1                             January 21, 1991



     =================================================================
                     T h e   N a m V e t   C h a p e l
     =================================================================

                     "A RETURN TO THE KILLING FIELDS"
                             By: Mike Harris
                   SeaEast Exchange BBS - Kirkland, WA
                              (206) 822-4615
     
        Southeast  Asia.  How could we forget the steamy  jungles,  and 
     muddy  rivers?   The highlands and the lowlands?   The ocean spray 
     and the unceasing cloud cover?  The Vietnamese, Lao's, Thai's, and 
     Cambodian's?   Saigon,  Danang,  Vientiene,and  Phnom  Penh?   The 
     Tonkin Gulf, The Bassac,  and Marble Mountain?   I could go on and 
     on  with the memories.   In fact,  it is hard to stop.   I want to 
     include  everyone  that served.   Even those stationed in  Europe, 
     Japan  and  other parts of the world during the Viet Nam  Era.   I 
     wish  Viet Nam vet included all of us instead of insinuating  just 
     those  who served in-country Viet Nam.   World War II vets are all 
     called "World War II" vets.  Not so in Viet Nam.   It has caused a 
     lot  of guilt in those who served outside of the Viet  Nam.   Many 
     feel  that they didn't do their all.   I want to take a moment  to 
     thank  ALL of you who served during that turbulent era.   Our days 
     were long and we gave it our all!  WELCOME HOME!
        For years I had wanted to return to Southeast Asia.   I grieved 
     as  I watched Saigon fall and the "Boat People"  die at sea.   For 
     years  I  just wanted to forget but couldn't.   We had  left  many 
     allies  behind in the hands of the enemy.   58,000 of our own  had 
     died  and another 300,000 had been wounded.   We all felt betrayed 
     and  knew that all of our POW/MIA's had not come home.   On top of 
     all of it all,  it seemed our own nation didn't want to hear about 
     it.   We  tried to tell them but they wouldn't listen.   One day I 
     cut up my medals, ribbons,  and citations in front of my father as 
     a desperate attempt to show him that our government had done wrong 
     in Viet Nam.  It worked!  He listened more intently after that.
        As the years go by we learn a little more about what went on in 
     Southeast  Asia.   Books like,  "Kiss the Boy's Goodbye"  begin to 
     verify  our  feelings.   So much is done in the name  of  National 
     Security.   Who  knows when the corruption started?   Any time you 
     allow organizations within the government to make their own rules, 
     then  you  are  looking for trouble.   It has been  going  on  for 
     decades now and continues.
        General's  and Colonel's had trouble getting quality maps  when 
     they  prepared for the incursion into Laos and Cambodia.  Later we 
     were  to  find out that Nixon and Kissinger secretly bombed  these 
     countries  of  their  own volition.   When the maps  were  finally 
     viewed,  it was a tremendous shock to our military leaders.   Many 
     areas were totally devastated.   If B-52 missions ran into trouble 
     over  North Viet Nam,  they would drop their load of 500 lb'ers on 
     the  "Trail".   Other missions were diverted to Laos and  Cambodia 
     without  the knowledge of the crews.   Fake coordinates would lead 
     them  to  these areas where they would drop their  loads  thinking 
     that they were over Viet Nam.
        This story is about one of those areas.  This month I stood and 
     witnessed the evidence.   Having been on river boats in the Mekong 
     Delta  during the war,  I had seen what a 500 lb bomb could do  to 
     one of our boats.  I had never seen what one could do to the earth 
     though.   I was to see not one or two,  but many craters during my 
     short stay in eastern Laos.  Let me tell you how I ended up there.
     
     NAM VET Newsletter                                        Page 50
     Volume  5, Number  1                             January 21, 1991

        Presently  I  am Operation's Officer for a large vets  to  vets 
     outreach   called   Point  Man  International(PMI).    It  is   an 
     organization that reaches out to veterans in general.  Our primary 
     focus  is  upon  Viet  Nam and Viet Nam  era  veterans  and  their 
     families.   I began by leading an Outpost in Coos Bay,  Oregon and 
     eventually moved to Woodinville, Wa. to go on staff.
        One day while talking to Chuck Dean,  PMI's Executive Director, 
     I  told  him  that  I  was going back to  Viet  Nam  with  another 
     organization  if  I was accepted.   He asked me to check with  our 
     Point  Man  in  Thailand first to see if we could set up  our  own 
     team's to Asia.  I did so and it all seemed to fall in place.   In 
     Dec.  89  I was in Bangkok with Bob awaiting the arrival of  PMI's 
     first Tactical Team.
        Bob had begun World Aid,  Inc.  and was waiting for approval to 
     journey  into Laos to talk to officials about Medical Relief.  The 
     opportunity  arose and I was able to go in with him.   We traveled 
     around  to  Regional  &  District  hospitals as  well  as  village 
     clinics.  All of us were shocked at the conditions.  They had very 
     little medicines and their medical equipment was antiquated.  Most 
     of the equipment that worked had no film, paper, or whatever.   We 
     talked  to  an Ophthalmologist that was snapping  two-edged  razor 
     blades in half to use for eye surgery. It was truly sad!  I didn't 
     recall  Viet Nam having such horrible conditions.   Of children 12 
     and under, 50% are dying of preventable diseases.  Malaria,  upper 
     respiratory  infection,  and diarrhea are taking their  toll.   We 
     knew we could make a difference!
        After  signing  a  contract,  Bob  was authorized  to  work  in 
     Savannakhet  Province  in central Laos.   His plan was to  utilize 
     many  teams from different sectors to meet the needs.   Point  Man 
     was authorized to field medical and labor teams.  I became excited 
     about  the potential,  immediately putting a team together upon my 
     arrival  home.   That  first  team just returned from  an  18  day 
     journey into Thailand and Laos.  Let me share with you what we saw 
     and did.
        Medicines  were a priority and still are.   We began  gathering 
     what we could along with tools.   Since this was a sort of pioneer 
     project, we had to learn as we went along.   A foundation is being 
     laid  and we already have a commitment to ship over the first  40' 
     container medicines and medical supplies.   The trick is,  we have 
     to  fill it.   Donations are coming in and we feel that it will be 
     shipped soon.
        So this team had to hand carry everything to Bangkok, Thailand, 
     then  up to Mukdahan and across the river into Laos where Bob  was 
     waiting for us.  After the 20 hr. flight and 12 hr.  bus ride,  we 
     still  had  a  5 hr.  truck ride over rough road to  reach  Sepone 
     (Xepon or Tchepone), our ultimate destination.   Most of our truck 
     ride  was in the evening,  so when we got our first glimpse of the 
     surrounding highlands, it was quite a surprise.  The early morning 
     smoke  from  the villages seemed like fog clinging to the  ridges.  
     Familiar  smells permeated our senses.  Adults and children  stood 
     around  quietly watching us strangers.  As I pulled the first  few 
     balloons  out  of  my  pocket,  things  changed.   The  kids  were 
     courteous  as they waited for theirs.   It was the beginning of  a 
     wonderful reception by the "little people".   I am 5'6".   In Viet 
     Nam I remember very seldom seeing a Vietnamese taller than I.   It 
     was  no different in Laos.  I saw a couple taller than I am during 
     our  stay.   It felt good to be the minority.   It was nice to  be 
     amongst  the indigenous again!   It is their land.   We were there 
     just to help.
     
     NAM VET Newsletter                                        Page 51
     Volume  5, Number  1                             January 21, 1991

        It  is not a prerequisite to be a veteran to participate on our 
     teams.   Nor is it a prerequisite to be a Christian.   Our goal is 
     to  make  a difference.   The potential is great if ones heart  is 
     right.  We do not go over to discuss politics and the past.  We go 
     over  to build friendships and look to the future.   We are  there 
     for the long term, not to make a quick showing.
        Five  American missionaries helped us on the projects.   All of 
     them  are  based in Thailand.   This team was made up  of  several 
     former soldiers.   We had a 4th inf.  Platoon leader,  an RTO with 
     the 1st Cav., a Surgical Nurse, two S.F. Team Leaders, a Huey door 
     gunner,  a  Navy Corpsman with the Marines,  a River Rat,  and two 
     civilian types.
        It  was obvious from the start that the Lao's suffer medically. 
     The hospital in Sepone is a place to go to die.   The average life 
     span is only about 42 years.  Way over 50%  of the newborns die in 
     a  few  weeks  from infections.   Malaria is rampant  as  well  as 
     scabies   and  other  diseases.    Gum  disease  may  prevent  the 
     extraction  of  one tooth because the rest may  fall  out.   Their 
     spicy  diets lead to ulcers and other various intestinal problems. 
     Parasites have their way with the people due to bad water and poor 
     hygiene.  Yet they are a humble people.   Willing to trust us with 
     their care.
        World  Aid's  initial goal is to improve the conditions of  the 
     District  Hospitals  in  Sepone  and Savannakhet and  to  begin  a 
     medical  outreach to many villages in eastern Laos.   Point  Man's 
     team was able to aid in putting a huge dent in this goal.
        Three  of  the Thai missionaries had worked in the  Savannakhet 
     hospital  remodeling the Children's Intensive Care Unit for a  few 
     days  before we arrived.   I had seen its conditions in  Jan.  91. 
     Several  young children were on the verge of death.   A group  had 
     donated  a large air compressor to supply oxygen but there were no 
     parts to hook it up.   This time it was functioning.   Plywood had 
     been  applied to the walls and painted for sanitary reasons.   New 
     windows  and screening were being installed.   The floor was being 
     prepared for tile.  I was amazed that it was the same room! Before 
     we  left  for home,  it would be completed.   The  Lao  government 
     installed  an air conditioner to put the "icing on the  cake".   I 
     credit  those three men,and the locals who helped,  for a job well 
     done!
        Out  in Sepone we split up into a work team and a medical team.  
     Three  of  us began painting the inside of a wing of the  hospital 
     while the medical personal began visiting villages.  Sepone has no 
     electricity  so a generator is run each evening for about 3 hours.  
     Getting  to bed early,  we would arise about 6:30 to begin our day 
     by  heating  water  on our portable burner for coffee  and  cocoa.  
     Laos is beautiful during the morning hours. Women and children are 
     packing water from the many ponds to beat the sun.   Roosters crow 
     and  dogs  bark as the countryside awakens from another  night  of 
     slumber.   It  became  a  formality  to drive down  to  the  local 
     restaurant  for a couple of eggs over-easy with Vietnamese  french 
     bread and "ovaltine", a kind of sweet cocoa drink.  As we'd try to 
     adjust the legs of our chairs on the dirt floor, kids would gather 
     at  the doorways of the grass hootch.  They never begged,  but  we 
     would give them our excess.
        Then each team would head their separate ways.   As part of the 
     work  team,  I can attest that we tired of painting after 7  days.  
     In that time frame we had painted the entire interior of a wing of 
     the hospital.   The gratification outweighed the weariness though.  
     All day the children would sing and play with us, pointing out the 
     
     NAM VET Newsletter                                        Page 52
     Volume  5, Number  1                             January 21, 1991

     spots we would miss.   Of course we missed many on purpose.   They 
     taught  us words in Lao as we taught them some in English.   Thank 
     God for water base paint!  I had imagined cleaning up each evening 
     with paint thinner.  It sure made things simpler.
        The first evening the medical team bounced back to the quarters 
     with lots of stories.  They had been welcomed openly by the people 
     and had accomplished a lot.  As the days progressed, they traveled 
     farther  away  from  Sepone and became more weary.   No  one  lost 
     interest  though.   The  new stories were always fresh.  Each  new 
     village  would  greet  them  with a ceremony  of  "thanks"  and  a 
     traditional meal.   Sometimes they would eat 5 times a day.  Since 
     the people were so poor,  the quality of the meals were low by our 
     standards.  But they continued to eat out of respect and loved it.
        Our  work team met them in a village one day.   It was quite  a 
     treat!  We taught the kids all of our little tricks and passed out 
     balloons.  Many had never seen a balloon.   The adults seemed just 
     as interested.  When the meal was prepared, we sat down on mats in 
     the  center of the village and ate in friendship.   The main  dish 
     was  a kind of chicken soup that was very spicy.   One of the vets 
     labeled it "Claymore Chicken" because it appeared they had chopped 
     up the chicken, bones and all,  and served it.  Sticky Rice always 
     helped  us.   We could eat freely to supplement the soup.   I  was 
     impressed  with  the  candid sincerity of the  people.   Only  the 
     elders ate with us while the rest watched.  As I ate, I thought of 
     the medical team doing so 5 times a day.
        We  then  watched  the  team in action.   Working  off  of  the 
     tailgate  of  a pickup,  medicines were administered,  shots  were 
     given,  and  infections were dealt with.   I held heads while  the 
     dentist pulled teeth.  Many volunteered to be worked on.  Everyone 
     gawked.  It was an awesome sight!
        In  our  short  stay,  500 -  600  patients  were  treated.   A 
     vaccination  program was started amongst pregnant mothers.   Local 
     doctors  and nurses participated in order to become familiar  with 
     the  villages and medical practices.   Before we  left,  villagers 
     were  already  walking  for  miles  to get  to  the  hospital  for 
     treatment.  This had not happened in years.   We had begun to make 
     a difference.
        The morning we left the local government and village chiefs had 
     prepared a "going away" ceremony.   As we approached the building, 
     we  could  hear Elton John singing from an old cassette they  had.  
     The  room  was full of bright flowers and bright faces.  Food  was 
     spread  all  over  the mats on the floor.   Joy was in  the  room.  
     Smiles crossed language barriers.   Our interpreter shared with us 
     the  feelings  of the District Chief and Mayor.   Bob  shared  our 
     feelings  with the people.   Then they each embraced us personally 
     with  their thanks.   It was a touching moment.   I had to keep my 
     eye  jammed  into  the camcorder in an attempt to hide  my  tears.  
     They would not be completely hidden.  I saw tears in old mens eyes 
     that  perhaps  had not been there in a long time.   We  bonded  in 
     friendship  and  they invited us back.   We assured them  that  we 
     would return.
        In his short speech,  Bob said,  "We did not know how you would 
     receive  us  as  American's..."    The  entire  room  exploded  in 
     laughter!   It  was their way of telling us that they knew that we 
     were there with a different mission this time.  A mission of hope.  
     A mission based on the future.
        I am returning with another team from Point Man on Feb. 18.  We 
     will do primarily the same functions and return home on Mar.  7th.  
     Then  we have two teams planned to run consecutively in  Nov.  and 
     
     NAM VET Newsletter                                        Page 53
     Volume  5, Number  1                             January 21, 1991

     Dec.  of this year.   It is a bright beginning.   We would like to 
     expand  to  teams  of Doctors and other medical  professionals  to 
     teach  their people.   Teams to concentrate on midwifery,  dental, 
     and  other  areas.   But  there  will always be  room  for  common 
     laborers.
        One  goal  in presenting this article to you is to enlist  your 
     assistance.   You may not have the desire to go,  but you can help 
     by  giving us leads on where to attain medical supplies or you may 
     know  of individuals who may be willing to go.   Word of mouth has 
     always been an excellent way of getting things accomplished.   How 
     about  it?   Would you like to help us make a difference?   If so, 
     why  not  contact me at the following address and I can  certainly 
     get  you  more  information and answer  your  questions.   I  have 
     applications,  itineraries,   general  information  sheets,   etc. 
     available.
        Thank you for taking the time to read this article.   I hope it 
     has touched your heart!  Words and pictures cannot explain the joy 
     in my heart.  I sure would like to hear your responses.
     
                       Point Man International
                          Attn: Mike Harris
                          P.O. Box 440
                          Mountlake Terrace, Wa. 98043
                          (206) 486-5383 (10pm-4:30 am Pac. time)
     
        You can also sign up for our "Free"  REVEILLE newspaper by just 
     sending  your address to the above address.   Ask for our list  of 
     available books, tapes, and literature.   Chuck Dean,  Point Man's 
     Executive  Director,  has written a book titled,  "NamVet:  Making 
     Peace with Your Past".  If you are interested, please send a check 
     for $10 to cover the book and postage.  We are not in the business 
     of  selling  books.   Our  purpose is to help our  fellow  veteran 
     Brothers and Sisters!
     
                           Until Next Time,
     
                                MIKE
     





















     NAM VET Newsletter                                        Page 54
     Volume  5, Number  1                             January 21, 1991

                            I
                            I
                          IIIII
                            I
                            I                         88888
                          ITTTI                    o88888888
                          I   I                 o888888888888o 8888
                          I   I              888888888888888888888888
                          I   I             88888888888888888 8888 888
                         xI   Ix             8888888888888888 88888888
                         T III T              88888888888888 888888 88
                         I III I             8888888888888888 88888888
                        xI III Ix             888  888    88888888888'
                        T I   I T                           88888888
                        I I   I I                             8888
                       xI IIIII Ix
                       TI       IT
                       II       II
                       II       II                The Quiet Place
                      IT    |    TI
                     II   --|--   II
                    XIII    |    IIIX                 oooo    o
                   II I           I II             o88 888) (888)
                  II  I    IIII   I  II         o88  88888888 8888)
                 XII  I  II   II  I  IIX       (88      8 88 888888)
                XIII  III       III  IIIX      (8 8 8 88 88 88 8 888)
               XIIII  I           I  IIIIX      (88 8  8  8 88888888)
              II  II  I  xIIIIIx  I  II  II     ( 8 88     888 88888)
                  II  I  T  T  T  I  II        (8888 88 8 8 8888888)
                  II  I  I  I  I  I  II         (8 88888 888 88 88)
                  II  I  I  I  I  I  II          (8888)888 88888)
                  II  I  I II II  I  II            (8) (I8I8I) 8
       oo8888888o II  I  I  I  I  I  II                 IIIII        X
      8888888 888BII  I  I  I  I  I  IIXX                III      X XX
       88 88 88  BII  I  TIIIIIT  I  IIXXX               III     XXXXX
      888888   88BII  I    ....   I  IIXXXXXX            III    XXgXXX
     888 888888888XXXXXII    ...   IIXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX        XXXXXXjXX
                         II    ..    IIXXXXXXXXXXXXXX         XXXXXXpX
      The Vietnam Veteran XII          IIXXXXXXXXXXXXX         XXXXXXX
       has relatives in the  III        IIIXXXXXXXXXXXX         XXXXXX
       Old and New Testaments   III        IIIXXXXXXXXXX         XXXXX
       who also experienced loss   II         IIXXXXXXXXX          XXX
       and grief, guilt and shame,   II         IIXXXXXXXXX         XX
       rejection and betrayal,         I          IXXXXXXXXX
       alienation and estrangement,    I          IXXXX  XX
       isolation and withdrawal.        II          IIXXXX
                                          II          IIX
      Adam and Eve tried to hide from God; II          II
      Moses, born Hebrew and raised Egyptian IIII        IIII
       searched long and hard for his real self; II          II
      Job, losing his children and all he owned,   II          II
       became sorely diseased;                       IIII        III
      Biblical Joseph was rejected by his brothers,      II         II
       lied about and imprisoned;                          I
      Peter denied Jesus.                                    II
                                                                I
      "And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age"
                           Matthew 28:20
     
     NAM VET Newsletter                                        Page 55
     Volume  5, Number  1                             January 21, 1991

                       Vietnam, U.S. vets seek peace
                  Former Viet soldier visits former foes.
     The Associated Press - Rochester, NY Democrat & Chronicle - 1/6/90
                    Input by Terry Hayes - Waterloo, NY
                        VETLink #1 - Pittsfield, MA
                              (413) 443-6313
     
     BOSTON-The  soldier stood at the memorial marked with the names of 
     Vietnam's valleys of death: Khe Sanh and Con Thien,  Hue and Quang 
     Tri, An Loc and Xuan Loc.
        Then  Nhuyen  Ngoc  Hung  lighted a dozen  incense  sticks  and 
     silently faced his fallen American foes, memorialized in the stone 
     of  the  Dorchester  Vietnam  Veterans  Memorial:  Hain,  Gormley, 
     Rabinovitz, Kelly, Burt. Husbands, sons,  brothers.  Seventy-eight 
     of  them.  "I  said  to those men who have died  during  the  war, 
     'Please lay in peace. The war is over now and I've come a long way
     for reconciliation.'"
        Hung,  a  North  Vietnamese combat veteran,  had come half  way 
     around  the  world for ceremonies such as this one,  and to  drink 
     beer  and  feast  on  lasagna and meatballs with  his  former  war 
     adversaries.
        Fifteen  years after its end in 1975,  American veterans of the 
     Vietnam  War  are shaking hands with the nameless,  faceless  foes 
     like Hung whom they fought in the jungles of Southeast Asia.
        Although they fought on different sides, they share the bond of 
     duty  to  country  and  the events of history  that  brought  them 
     together.
        And  they  hope  the  healing  of  wounds  among  the  warriors 
     themselves   will  nudge  the  U.S.   government  into  diplomatic 
     recognition of its former enemy,  financial aid and the lifting of 
     a trade embargo that is strangling Vietnam's economy.
        As  a  new generation of U.S.  combat forces maintains its  war 
     readiness  in the explosive Middle East,  many of the young men of 
     Vietnam  are  standing down from a war that has  seems  hauntingly 
     unreal.
        Many   are  going  back  to  Vietnam  in  their  middle  years, 
     sentimental  and mellowed by time,  and needing to retrace the old 
     battlefields  that brought them of age.  They gather to share  the 
     pain of war and to heal its stings with understanding.
        And  they go with their arms outstretched with hammers to build 
     and medicine to heal instead of rifles to kill.
        "There  comes a time for healing and I think this is the time," 
     said  Mary  Stout,  a  combat nurse during the war  who  revisited 
     Vietnam two years ago. "I think the people who start it have to be 
     the veterans."
        Hoping to win diplomatic recognition, the Vietnamese government 
     allowed Hung, a 42-year-old English teacher who earns $10 a month, 
     to tour 11 U.S. cities last in November and December. While scores 
     of  Americans  have been back to Vietnam in recent years  to  help 
     that  country's  disabled  veterans,  Hung was the  first  Vietnam 
     combat veteran to visit the United States.
        "I  think Mr.  Hung was here at the auspices of the  Vietnamese 
     government  to  try to begin to take steps  toward  reconciliation 
     with  our  country,"  said Stout,  president of the 40,000  member 
     Vietnam Veterans of America in Washington, who met with him.
        While  the VVA does not yet fully support diplomatic  relations 
     with Vietnam, it has encouraged the beginning of steps toward that 
     goal  with  the  establishment  of a small  diplomatic  office  in 
     Vietnam.
     
     NAM VET Newsletter                                        Page 56
     Volume  5, Number  1                             January 21, 1991

        Hung  said the United States was not what he expected.  "I have 
     learned a lot here," he said. "It changed some of the images about 
     America  and  the  American people.  In the past we  thought  that 
     American  soldiers were professionals.  They were trained to  kill 
     and they would kill like in the My Lai massacre."
        "I  see  they  are just like me,"  Hung  said.  "They  suffered 
     enormously  because of the killing,  so we are just human  beings, 
     the victims of the war."
     


















































     NAM VET Newsletter                                        Page 57
     Volume  5, Number  1                             January 21, 1991



     =================================================================
                     D o n ' t   A b a n d o n   ' e m
     =================================================================

                     Writing Our Incarcerated Veterans
                              By Joyce Flory
               NamVet's Incarcerated Veterans Section Editor
                    Desert Dolphin BBS - Las Cruces, NM
                              (505) 523-2811
     
      Hi. Here's hoping that you and yours had a bunch of Happy 
     Holidays.
     
      I've got a few new addresses to be written to:
        Alexander M. Marathon 79-D-0127 B-2-7
        Ron Chamberlain       81-C-0459 C-17-41
        Giacomo A. Frascone   89-A-3512 A-6-22
        William L. Hargrove   83-A-4292 D-8-18
        Andrews S. Tenny      81-B-2137 E-10-19
        PO Box 618-135  135 State St.
        Auburn, New York 13024-9000
     
        Johnny Chadwick 110520
        Holman Unit
        Holman 37
        Atmore, Ala. 36503-0037
     
       Johnny would love to put more names on my list, but is in a one 
     man to a cell jail that doesn't allow contact with the other 
     inmates.
       On a bit of a happier note, I thought you'd all like to hear how 
     my "card campaign" has fared so far. Of the 81 cards I sent out, I 
     have received a whopping 45 replies (four being in today's mail 
     12-24-90). These have been in the form of notes, letters, and/or 
     cards. Some ask how I got their names, some just say "Thanks for 
     caring", some pour their hearts out to me, some just signed. For 
     the past three weeks, I've been typing my poor fingers to the 
     bone, trying to answer each and every reply. Only 5 behind at the 
     present time.
       My point being, again, how about YOU take the time to just write 
     ONE incarcerated Vietnam Vet ?? All it runs you is a bit of time, 
     a piece of paper, an envelope, some ink, and 25 cents. You'll 
     never know what it may mean to the Vet to get your note or letter. 
     What's this I'm hearing (GRIN)?? You're not sure how to start a 
     letter to a "stranger" ???  It's easy. Just tell the Vet a bit 
     about yourself, background, family, Nam experience, whatever you 
     feel comfortable telling them and just ask them "What's new with 
     you and how's about tellin' me a bit about you?"  See, that's not 
     so hard, is it??
       Some of you may have seen bits and pieces of this next part in 
     the echo as part of a response to Clay, but I'm reiterating it 
     here, in hopes of showing you how I'm treated by the Vets I write 
     to and their reactions to me. While I was answering Clay, all I 
     could see was, "My gosh, I'm writing my update in the echo!".
     "  Again, thank you. As I said, anything I can find to help, get 
     word to or from the incarcerated, I will. What started out as a 
     "silly" question to Gjoe has bloomed into many friendships, 
     without EVER laying an eye on that person, or hearing the sound of 
     their voice. To one guy, I'm the mom with four kids that makes his 
     
     NAM VET Newsletter                                        Page 58
     Volume  5, Number  1                             January 21, 1991

     day with a letter, to another I'm the gal that sends the 
     newsletter on disc so the prison can keep up on the latest news 
     and updates on programs (and sometimes see stuff from their 
     newsletters reprinted), to another guy, I'm a "shameless flirt" 
     (grin) that he can ( harmlessly) flirt back to as his family wants 
     NOTHING to do with him (he's got 3 daughters that he doesn't know 
     where they are, sad to say).
      
     C> Hey gal, if it makes you happy, and helps build up some
     C> moral in our brothers who have found their way into things
     C> they had little control over. Then you're doing right!
     
      It makes me VERY happy to be able to bring a bit of sunshine to 
     these guys. Had someone say at one time that these guys were prone 
     to be asking for money, etc. Not the case with 99% of the guys I 
     write to. As a matter of fact, I've had a couple of them offer to 
     send me money to cover the postage, disc costs, and stationary!!!
      
     C> Only, in a prison with a concerned warden, would they be
     C> aware of someone giving their name out, for something,
     C> even as worthwhile as what you're doing.   It's a damned
     C> shame, but that's the way it is.
     
      I got the addresses mostly from an outdated National Incarcerated 
     Veterans Network Directory that is mostly associated with the VVA, 
     among other Vet groups."
     
      On yet another note, you will find part two of the study and in-
     help program that is being carried on at Muskegon Correctional 
     Facility. I am in contact with Ron Triplett and will bring to the 
     newsletter any word I can on how successful the program is.
       As always, if there's an avenue I'm missing somewhere to get 
     word to or from our incarcerated, please contact me through the 
     echo, Netmail to 305/105, or at 1825 Evelyn  Las Cruces, NM 88001.
           
                                        -- Joyce
     






















     NAM VET Newsletter                                        Page 59
     Volume  5, Number  1                             January 21, 1991

             Operation Self-Help Background/Referral Checklist
                           Input by Joyce Flory
               NamVet's Incarcerated Veterans Section Editor
                    Desert Dolphin BBS - Las Cruces, NM
                              (505) 523-2811
     
     [Joyce's Note: Here's the second installment of Operation Self-
     Help from Muskegon, MI.  Part one was in last month's NamVet.)
     
                            OPERATION SELF-HELP
     
                      Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
                     Background and Referral Checklist
     
     Name: ___________________________________ Date: ________________
     No. :______________________  Lock: _____________________
     
     [ ] I am a Vietnam In-country or Era Veteran (Active Duty from 
         8-05-64 to 5-07-75 )
     
     Branch of Service:  [ ] Army  [ ] Airforce   [ ] Navy
                         [ ] Marine  [ ] Other_________________
     Date of Service: _______________ To________________
     Type of Discharge: _________________________
     
     SECTION I.
     
     I served in Vietnam from the month of __________, 19___ to the 
     month of __________, 19___. I served with the following 
     organizations, or units: ______________________________________
     
     I had the following duties during this time____________________
     _______________________________________________________________
     _______________________________________________________________
     
     Please check any military experience which you think contributed 
     to your present problems:
     [ ] Armed combat or enemy action             [ ] Captured
     [ ] Bombed, shelled or tripped bobby- trap   [ ] Ambushed
     [ ] Shipwrecked, airplane or other accident  [ ] Friend died
     [ ] Grave registration duty                  [ ] Lone survivor
     [ ] Other action that threatened my life     [ ] Other
     
     SECTION II.
     If you are a Vietnam Veteran, Vietnam has affected your life, that 
     much is certain. The first step in putting Vietnam to rest is to 
     consider what those effects are. This form is a way of doing just 
     that. Consider each item HONESTLY. Put a check in the appropriate 
     box that most correctly measures your symptom level.
     
     [0] None  [1] Seldom  [2] Moderate  [3] Frequently
     
     [0] [1] [2] [3] Psychic or emotional numbing or anesthesia
     [0] [1] [2] [3] Depression: feeling of helplessness, apathy, 
                     dejection, withdrawal, isolation
     [0] [1] [2] [3] Anger/rage, hostility (feel like a walking time
                     bomb)
     [0] [1] [2] [3] Anxiety and specific fears associated with combat 
                     experience
     
     NAM VET Newsletter                                        Page 60
     Volume  5, Number  1                             January 21, 1991

     [0] [1] [2] [3] Tendency to react under stress with survival 
                     tactics
     [0] [1] [2] [3] Sleep disturbances and recurring nightmares of 
                     combat
     [0] [1] [2] [3] Loss of interest in work and other activities,
                     fatigue and lethargy
     [0] [1] [2] [3] Hyper-alertness; startles easily, irritable
     [0] [1] [2] [3] Avoidance of activities that arouse memories of 
                     trauma in the war zone
     [0] [1] [2] [3] Suicidal feelings and thoughts; self-destructive
     [0] [1] [2] [3] Survival guilt
     [0] [1] [2] [3] Reluctance to discipline children because you fear 
                     your emotions might make you irrational resulting 
                     in the injury of the child
     [0] [1] [2] [3] Cynicism and mistrust of the government and 
                     authority
     [0] [1] [2] [3] Alienation; feeling estranged like an outsider
     [0] [1] [2] [3] Concern with humanistic values overlaid with
                     self-image
     [0] [1] [2] [3] Negative self-image; low self-esteem
     [0] [1] [2] [3] Memory impairment especially during time of stress
     [0] [1] [2] [3] Hyper-sensitivity about equality, justice and 
                     fairness
     [0] [1] [2] [3] Taking out rage on walls or objects
     [0] [1] [2] [3] Getting into fights for physical release of mental
                     tension or stress
     [0] [1] [2] [3] Desire to sit against a wall rather than in the 
                     middle of the room
     [0] [1] [2] [3] Problems in establishing or maintaining intimate
                     relationships
     [0] [1] [2] [3] Tendency to have difficulty with authoritative 
                     figures (challenging/testing authority)
     [0] [1] [2] [3] Emotional distance from children and concern about
                     anger alienating children, wife and others
     [0] [1] [2] [3] Inability to talk about war experiences and 
                     personal emotions
     [0] [1] [2] [3] Fears of loss of others, losing control or wanting
                     to secretly return to Vietnam
     [0] [1] [2] [3] Tendency to explode in fits of rage and anger; 
                     especially when disinhibited by drugs or alcohol
     [0] [1] [2] [3] You have few personal friends
     [0] [1] [2] [3] Isolates families emotionally, some geographically
     [0] [1] [2] [3] Believes no one can understand, and no one would 
                     listen if he tried to talk about his experiences
     [0] [1] [2] [3] Isolates himself from his partner, family, and
                     others with a "leave me alone" attitude --- he 
                     needs no one
-- 
#L.W. Jewell Moderator at the Veterans Information Site (veteran@cc.purdue.edu)#
#& WWII-L Listowner: "Sunday's horoscope is note worthy because of its strange,#
#sudden and wholly unpredictable and inexplicable occurrences, affecting all   #
#phases of life." "Your Horoscope" L.A. Evening Herald Express, Sat, 12/06/41  #