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NATIONAL VIETNAM VETERANS LONGITUDINAL STUDY
Status Report and Update

Background:

In response to a mandate by the Congress, the Department of Veterans Affairs initiated the National Vietnam Veterans Readjustment Study in 1984. Utilizing a unique, nationally representative sample of male and female veterans, this study was considered a landmark in psychiatric epidemiology and moved VA to the forefront of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) research and public policy. To date, more than fifty research articles and one book have been published based on data collected for this study.  This investigation has had a major influence on the scientific study of war and its consequences, and it continues to do so more than twenty years after its completion. This record attests to the outstanding quality of the methods and measures employed.

[ Read the report ]

VVA Press release - September 22, 2008

VVA to Congress: Right an Historic Wrong By Providing Appropriate Compensation to Filipino American Veterans

With less than two weeks remaining before Congress is scheduled to recess for the final campaigning before the elections in November, Vietnam Veterans of America urges the leadership of the House of Representatives to follow the lead of the Senate and pass the Senate version of the Filipino World War II Veterans Equity Act as part of the Veterans’ Benefits Enhancement Act.

[ Read the press release ]

VVA Testimony

Before House Veterans Affairs Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigation Regarding Media Outreach to Veterans

September 23, 2008

Good morning, Mr. Chairman, Ranking Member and members of the Subcommittee. On behalf of VVA National President John Rowan and all of our officers and members we thank you for the opportunity for Vietnam Veterans of America (VVA) to appear here today to share our views regarding Media Outreach to Veterans. We thank you for your leadership on this all important issue of vital importance to veterans of every generation. I will briefly summarize the most important points of our statement.

It is a truism, but is none the less true that denial of knowledge of veterans’ benefits, health issues, and available medical care is tantamount to denying said health care, benefits, and services. This is the situation that all too many veterans find themselves today, and they are not even aware of it.

Vietnam Veterans of America (VVA) estimates that the majority of those in-country Vietnam veterans who have had prostate cancer and died, are battling prostate cancer today, or who have battled prostate cancer and are still surviving have no clue that it is related to their service in Southeast Asia during the war. Since about 80% of veterans do not go anywhere near a VA medical facility, and the majority of veterans do not belong to any veterans group, and the VA does virtually nothing to educate them and their civilian medical providers that prostate cancer is service connected presumptive at VA and that we are twice as likely to get prostate cancer as those who did not serve in SE Asia, this fact is not surprising.

Some may ask “what is the big deal about that?” Well, what it means for those veterans who get very sick and die is that often their families are left with enormous and crushing medical bills that endanger the retention of the home. Instead of VA paying for something that should be treated as service connected, and the veteran receiving compensation while he is too sick to work and the widow receiving dependency & Indemnity Compensation (DIC) if he dies, the widow and family are left with nothing but debts and in dire financial straights. This is just so wrong on every level. It is egregious that this situation is allowed to continue. Yet VA has done nothing about it, despite the fact that VVA has repeatedly used this example with the current and previous top leadership of VA, to no avail.

Read or Print Complete Testimony

A message from the vva disaster relief committee

It’s been quite a spring and summer.  We’ve seen floods in the Midwest, and now hurricanes, with Gustav and Ike striking the northwest Gulf shores. 

It is clear that many lessons have been learned by FEMA, the Red Cross, and other First Response Agencies.  Supplies have been staged well in advance, and have reached major distribution points quickly.   But a weakness in the system remains getting supplies and man-power to outlying areas.

[ Read the full article ]

Vietnam Veterans of America, Victim of Email Hoax

An email hoax, “Stats From One State,” has been circulating the Internet for more than a year. Unfortunately, someone has taken his/her personal initiative to attach the Vietnam Veterans of America logo to this flyer after it had been in circulation. The content of this email has nothing to do with Vietnam Veterans of America. We regret this egregious misuse of our logo and appreciate your efforts in setting the record straight. 

For information on the LA Times response to this email hoax, please see the linked article.

Thanks so much for your assistance in dispelling this email hoax.

The Wall 25th Anniversary Commemorative book To commemorate the anniversary and memorial events, Vietnam Veterans of America has teamed up with Boston Publishing Company, known to most of our members as the publisher of the Pulitzer Prize-nominated book series, The Vietnam Experience. [Order The Wall Book]

2008 VVA and AVVA membership Directory

Harris Connect has started to contact our members, by phone and email, regarding the Membership Directory. This message is intended to assure our members that the calls from Harris Connect are legitimate. Members do not have to respond if they choose not to.  The Directory is scheduled for completion in Fall 2008.

To order the new 2008 VVA/AVVA member directory with color photos please contact Harris Connect at (800) 558-7915.