There were (and are still, for many) hard times, but after the dedication of the Wall VN vets got a lot of attention. We may still march in the obligatory parades, but our main focus is on justice for the troops and vets who followed us. Like those who were saddled with 'Stop-Loss' and multiple mandatory combat tours.

Vietnam Veterans of America was founded with the declaration that that never again would one generation of veterans abandon another.

An aside: Many years ago I transcribed the lyrics of 'Goodnight Saigon' from a cassette tape for a good friend of mine. She'd been an Army nurse at the evac hospital I went through, and she'd asked me for the lyrics. Having to play the song over and over again to get the lyrics right was tough!

I posted as much as anything to say, there are so many of us who were witness to your pain. We didn't know what to do to make anything better but we cared very much. Although there were people who spat on you and called you names, there were those of us - family members, friends, lovers - who cared more deeply than you will perhaps ever know.