Recruiting in South Carolina:
Offering New Options

ARTICLE & PHOTO BY BILL BENGTSON

Some of Aiken County, South Carolina’s more seasoned military veterans have a new option to consider amid discussion of Vietnam Veterans of America possibly establishing a local chapter.

Blythewood, South Carolina, resident Sam Brick, an attorney and Army veteran, spoke with dozens of veterans and other local residents February 7 and said the organization’s rules recently have been rewritten to require a minimum of 15 members—down from 25—to establish a chapter. Activities included collecting signatures and contact information from people interested in forming a chapter. Brick is president of VVA’s South Carolina State Council.

The state currently has nine VVA chapters, spread among Barnwell, Manning, Walhalla, Union, Spartanburg, Greenville, Myrtle Beach, Columbia, and Charleston. VVA membership is open to veterans who served in Vietnam and to those who served elsewhere during the Vietnam era.

Brick said the organization’s current activities in South Carolina include an initiative to support a reunion of prisoners of war who served in Vietnam. “There are 400 living POWs, and about 120, right now, are signed up to come up to Greenville in the first couple days of June for this meeting,” he said, noting that the POWs “showed what this nation is all about to the North Vietnamese who were holding them.”

Discussion also touched on such topics as social gatherings and service projects. Brick cited the examples of recent efforts to help tornado victims in Kentucky and wildfire victims in Colorado.

“We take care of other veterans as well—not just Vietnam veterans. Our legacy is that we take care of all veterans, not being treated like we were when we came back,” he said, recalling that some Vietnam veterans faced contempt upon returning from their service abroad. 

Dwight Bradham, director of Aiken County Veterans Affairs, helped organize Monday’s assembly. He estimated a wait of about a month for the local veterans’ petition to be considered at the state level, and said that another meeting will probably be scheduled to deal with such concerns as bylaws and electing officers. 

“The turnout was outstanding, and there was a lot of positive information that was exchanged,” said North Augusta resident Kevin Joy, commander of American Legion Post 71. Joy was among the group’s younger veterans, having served in the Marine Corps from 1973-85 and the Army National Guard from 2001-14. 

Among local residents already familiar with VVA are Brent and Linda Caldwell. Linda acknowledged that the Aiken area has plenty of veterans service organizations, so Vietnam veterans looking to get on board with VVA may include some already active in similar groups. 

The Caldwells are both VVA members from years ago when they lived in Flemington, New Jersey, the home of VVA Chapter 452. Linda’s background is in the Army Nurse Corps (1966-69) and Brent’s is in the Air Force (1967-71).

“We thought it was important to join with others who had similar experiences, and that it might serve a purpose for some of the guys and maybe a few gals who are Vietnam veterans,” she said, noting that “there’s comfort in knowing that you’re with somebody who’s experienced what you have, or at least has been in the same situation.”

She said she was pleasantly surprised by the relatively high attendance at the meeting. “I think it’s a good idea, and there’s clearly interest in VVA. Advertising works.”

This article originally appeared in the February 9 issue of The Aiken Standard. Permission was granted—and gratefully acknowledged—for it to appear here with minor edits.

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