BY DENNIS HOWLAND, CHAIR

Thank you to everyone who checked in on my recent surgery after our April meeting and on my well-being during the recovery phase. It was certainly appreciated.

I trust all chapters and state councils have big plans as we celebrate the 250th anniversary of our great nation. We should all feel proud of the service we gave, and I hope you can feel that pride on July 4.

I am also hoping that every VVA member finds a way to represent the organization in their communities’ Independence Day and Veterans Day activities this year. This is a big opportunity to put ourselves front and center as community leaders, showing our communities that we are an active and vibrant veterans organization. Let’s show everyone how special VVA is.

Thanks to the state councils that submitted their top cadet essays for judging at the national level. The Awards Committee has made its decision:. 1st place has been awarded to Georgia; 2nd place to Pennsylvania; 3rd place to Rhode Island; and fourth place to Texas. Congratulations to all. To arrange the monetary awards, email Mokie Porter at mporter@vva.org

Also a reminder that the JROTC, Eagle Scout, Sea Cadet, Civil Air Patrol. and Young Marine medals can be presented to outstanding young people throughout the year. Information is on the VVA website under the “Info for Members” section.

In the March/April issue, I wrote that the PA Committee had decided to create a page on the VVA website to encourage and highlight veteran art and compositions. That page is now active and I invite each of you to go to https://vva.org/veteran-beat to see some of the fine work submitted for members. This is a phenomenal way to show appreciation for the talents of your brothers and sisters in VVA. Please note that if you submit a song, poem, or other original material for this page, it is considered your implied consent that it be made available for public viewing.

I hope everyone stays healthy, busy, and committed to our incredible organization during the upcoming national holidays.

BY SANDIE WILSON, CHAIR

The Agent Orange Committee has been very active during the past few months, and toxic exposure issues continue to demand our attention. The committee and VVA staff are working on several matters at the same time, and we need grassroots help from the membership.

Some of this work requires gathering information. Other parts require educating and encouraging members of Congress and federal decision-makers to act. Support from VVA members—those whose lives and families have been directly affected by toxic exposure—is critically important and can be very effective.

VVA has been involved for several years in efforts to expose and document the toxic environment at Fort McClellan, Alabama. VVA President Tom Burke and staff members recently attended a National Academy of Sciences meeting connected to the ongoing epidemiologic study of veterans who served at Fort McClellan. We will share additional findings with the membership when more information is available.

Thanks to the help of an Army heavy equipment operator who says he buried toxic material at Fort Ord, California, the Agent Orange Committee has obtained satellite imagery of a burial site. We have shared this information, along with other evidence gathered by the committee over many years, with members of Congress representing the Fort Ord area and have requested further investigation.

We remain committed to pursuing accountability and acknowledgment for areas affected by toxic exposure. If you performed tasks related to toxic exposure, disposal, burial, or cleanup, and believe you have information that could help, please contact the VVA Government Affairs office.

Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich.) has introduced H.R. 3052, the Agent Orange Relief Act of 2025. Among other provisions, the bill would help address the long-standing disparity between benefits available to the children of female Vietnam veterans and those available to the children of male Vietnam veterans exposed to Agent Orange. More co-sponsors are needed to move this legislation forward, so please consider contacting your representative and encouraging them to sign on.

This issue also is being raised in court. Yale Law School’s Veterans Legal Services Clinic has filed suit on behalf of Vietnam veteran Ron Christoforo and his daughter, Michele, who was born with achondroplasia, a form of dwarfism. Under current law, VA provides benefits for certain birth defects in children of women who served in Vietnam, but Michele was denied benefits because her father was the Vietnam veteran exposed to Agent Orange. This case underscores why legislative and policy changes remain so important.

There is a great deal of talk in Washington about spending money to help veterans and other citizens. Implementation of long-delayed protections and research for the children of toxic-exposed veterans remains part of that discussion. Because 2026 is an election year, members of Congress will be listening closely to the people they represent.

It is our duty as veterans to educate and encourage our government leaders to make the right decisions. Please stay informed, contact your elected officials, and help us continue the fight for veterans and families affected by toxic exposure.

BY KATE O'HARE-PALMER, CHAIR

It is with a heavy heart that we recognize the loss of Diane Carlson Evans, who died on May 20. She died after years of treatment for a cancer she attributed to Agent Orange exposure in Vietnam.

Her story as a nurse in the Vietnam War and the years she spent working with the Vietnam Women’s Memorial Project and Foundation, beginning in the early 1980s, are inspiring. Those of us who worked with her and knew her as a friend feel the hole in our hearts.

None of us will ever forget the joyous dedication of the Vietnam Women’s Memorial in Washington, D.C., on Veterans Day, November 11, 1993. It was truly a celebration of patriotism and courage. The board of directors and volunteer committees had worked tirelessly for more than ten years to see that day arrive. Many VVA women members worked on those teams, and the bringing together of our veteran communities for emotional and financial support was phenomenal.

Glenna Goodacre created a memorial that gave long-overdue national recognition to the women who served during the Vietnam War. The memorial is for healing and hope. It reminds us not only of those we lost, but also of those we saved.

The memorial inspired many conversations, letters, and notes that remind us of the role women played in the Vietnam War, and of our experiences afterward. We persevered. Many of us came home, took off our uniforms, and never mentioned our service. It was not a popular war, and we became another kind of casualty.

The memorial brought us back together, and our reunion in 1993 was the beginning of healing for many of us. The Vietnam Women’s Memorial Commemorative Book, which Diane and Diana Hellinger helped bring together, is our true yearbook, with so many wonderful stories, pictures, poems, and shared memories.

Few people remember how difficult it was, in the beginning, for many women veterans to receive VA mental health treatment for war-related trauma. Too often, our service was not recognized as having placed us in danger because we did not have combat badges. That was another hill to climb and another way we could help our younger sister veterans be recognized with the same recognition and benefits as men when serving overseas in war zones.

Diane Carlson Evans made sure women would be included in every Memorial Day and Veterans Day ceremony at The Wall. Since then, all the veterans service organizations have included more women in leadership positions.

One of the great highlights of dedication week was the Army Pass in Review ceremony organized for us. I remember hugging Diane that day and seeing the pride she felt as she reviewed the troops. Over the years, she often reminded us: “The team makes the dream.”

Memorial Day this year was a time to remember those who served and didn’t come home. That includes the eight women whose names are inscribed on The Wall.

During Operation Babylift, on April 4, 1975, a C-5A Galaxy crashed while transporting Vietnamese children out of the country. Among those aboard were women working for U.S. government agencies in Saigon. Journalists, missionaries, civilian workers, and women listed as POW/MIA are also among those who did not come home from the war. We will never forget.

Women Veterans Recognition Day took place on June 12. I hope many of you celebrated. The Center for Women Veterans website has been updated at department.va.gov/center-for-women-veterans, and the Women Veterans Call Center can be reached at (855) 829-6636.

The Center for Women Veterans is creating regional summits—“Boots on the Ground”—to help connect and support us. The first will be in San Antonio, Texas, on July 24-25 at the Henry B. González Convention Center. See the Center for Women Veterans website for registration information.

The VVA Leadership Conference is August 11-15 in Jacksonville, Florida. Check vva.org for registration information. I look forward to seeing many of you there.

Please contact me with any questions or information to share, and remember: It takes a village, and we certainly need each other.

Editor’s Note: See the obituary and appreciation of Diane Carlson Evans.

BY DOMINICK YEZZO, CHAIR

The VINJUS Committee salutes Marc Person, a Navy veteran, and Paul Sherman, a longtime VVA member and Army veteran who served in Vietnam in cryptology and communications with a combat infantry unit. We salute them for their service to America and for their work with incarcerated veterans at the Idaho State Correctional Center.

Even in a time of organizational transition, we celebrate members like Person and Sherman, whose work continues inside the correctional facility with Vietnam War and post-Vietnam War veterans. Both men honor the veterans inside that facility, and both stand by VVA’s Founding Principle: “Never again will one generation of veterans abandon another.”

Their work during this moment of transition allows me to remind every incarcerated chapter and every correctional facility with a veteran population to stay the course. We have long requested that veterans incarcerated be housed together when possible. We have long asked veterans inside correctional facilities to treat those units as their home and to respect one another as veterans. We walk together while we have the light.

VVA is in transition. We are aging, but we are not aging out. Our age has given us wisdom, and that wisdom should guide VVA into the future.

We embrace what we have accomplished: a national brand, a congressional charter, major advances in veterans’ medical care and toxic exposure research, benefits gains through Government Affairs, success in service-connected disability claims, assistance with veteran homelessness, recognition of PTSD, chapters doing community work across the country, and our continuing work for veterans incarcerated.

These successes and milestones mean, to me, that VVA must continue into the future. We must continue to identify the issues, teach what we have learned, and advocate for veterans of our war, the wars after our war, and all the wars yet to come.

Now is the time to support Mission 75, President Tom Burke’s plan to continue VVA into the future. Mission 75 is a strategic plan to open VVA membership to veterans who served after the Vietnam War. This plan lives up to our Founding Principle and provides long-term sustainability for our brand and what our brand stands for.

Some will say younger veterans will not join a Vietnam veterans organization. I disagree. I believe veterans from other wars are willing, and even eager, to join VVA because it is a VSO known for service, advocacy, and success. Many younger veterans understand that the benefits they enjoy today are the result of VVA’s work.

VVA represents more than the Vietnam War. It stands for strength, dignity, and respect. It stands for accomplishment against all odds. It stands for honor.

Sherman and Person carry that honor into the Idaho facility, where the average age of incarcerated veterans is 52.

Stay the course. Spread the word. VVA is not going away. With Mission 75, it can become younger, stronger, and better prepared to serve all veterans and their families.

By GRANT COATES, CHAIR

The POW/MIA Committee works for the fullest possible accounting of all American service personnel Missing in Action in the Vietnam War. Case in point: USAF Maj. Earl Wilfred Grenzebach, Jr.

Maj. Grenzebach has been listed as MIA since May 17, 1967, when his F-105D Thunderchief was hit by enemy fire and crashed during a mission with another fighter jet to attack an enemy storage facility in North Vietnam. His wingman reported that Maj. Grenzebach ejected before the crash. He was never seen again, despite several attempted search and rescue missions. Nor have his remains been found.

The Air Force promoted Maj. Grenzebach to Colonel after the war. The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency lists his MIA status today as active. In other DPAA news, the agency was forced to cancel four recovery missions in Laos from April 27- June 10 due to fuel shortages. A DPAA investigative team mission will deploy to Laos to interview veterans of the U.S. war in and around those crash sites.

1,566 Americans are currently listed by DPAA as missing and unaccounted-for from the Vietnam War: Vietnam - 1,232; Laos - 279; Cambodia - 48; Peoples Republic of China territorial waters - 7. These numbers could change due to investigations resulting in changed locations of loss. The last announced identification came on September 25, 2025.

VVA’s Veterans Initiative Program continues the mission. Your help is needed.

Objects taken from the battlefields of Vietnam are more than souvenirs or war trophies. The items may help name and find the location of war dead in Vietnam.

Maps, stories, after-action reports, pictures, and military items may have a story of interest to both American and Vietnamese researchers trying to recover remains from the battlefields.

Please contact the Veterans Initiative at:
Veterans Initiative Program
Vietnam Veterans of America
8719 Colesville Rd., Suite 100
Silver Spring, MD 20910
vi@vva.org

By GUMERSINDO GOMEZ, CHAIR

I was blown away by the response to our column in the May/June issue. I thank all of my brothers and sisters who contacted me to support our committee’s pursuit of the Medal of Honor for SFC Jorge Otero-Barreto, the “Puerto Rican Rambo.”

In that column, I wrote about SFC Otero-Barreto’s 38 combat citations, but omitted mentioning the three Silver Stars he earned. We are working to have one of those Silver Stars upgraded to the Medal of Honor.

VVA’s Government Affairs team is asking members of Congress to introduce the Sergeant Rock Act, which would authorize the posthumous award of the Medal of Honor to SFC Otero-Barreto. Sgt. Rock, the hard-fighting infantryman from DC Comics war stories, also inspired the nickname given to Otero-Barreto in Vietnam by his men.

This request was sent to Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Veterans’ Affairs; Sen. Jerry Moran (R-Kan.), Chair of the Senate Committee on Veterans’ Affairs; Rep. Mark Takano (D-Calif.), Ranking Member of the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs; and Rep. Mike Bost (R-Ill.), Chair of the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs.

The proposal also calls for a special military honors review board within the Department of Defense, reporting directly to the Secretary, composed exclusively of Medal of Honor and Service Cross recipients appointed by the Secretary.

I would like to thank James McCormick, VVA’s Executive Director for Government Affairs, for taking the lead and personally delivering VVA’s written request for the upgrade to those members’ offices on Capitol Hill.

If you are a minority veteran or dependent of a minority veteran and need help with issues involving the VA or any other situation, do not hesitate to call me at 413-883-4508 or email me at Sgtgomez@aol.com.

By DICK SOUTHERN, CHAIR

Let’s take a moment to appreciate our progress in membership. With more than 93,700 members, we’re gaining some 200 new members a month and losing about 100. The average number of chapter members is now 129, and we are always looking to start new chapters. Our ambitious goal of 93,000 members was achieved through recruiting efforts at all levels of VVA. Can we get to 94,000 members? Absolutely.

Federal estimates show that millions of Vietnam War veterans are still living in the United States and abroad, which underscores the importance of our ongoing recruiting efforts. Many prospective members are waiting for your invitation to join as life members. Here’s a hint: look for the ball caps.

The Membership Affairs Committee is here to support VVA members in their recruiting efforts. Every new member strengthens VVA’s ability to advocate for veterans, assist with claims, and serve our communities.

Life membership is a bargain and the best price to join any veterans service organization. Keep that in mind as you keep up your recruiting efforts.

If you have any questions or need help with membership matters, please email me at dick.southern@gmail.com.

By TOM HALL

After a long flight over the Pacific Ocean, Mike landed at an airport in California. Upon arrival, he and the other returning GIs were taken into a room and searched for drugs. Afterward, Mike asked why they had landed at night. The answer stayed with him.

“We landed you at night so people wouldn’t throw vegetables and other things at you.”

Once released, Mike was allowed to dress and make his own way home. He found a taxi and asked the driver if he knew where he could find some marijuana. The driver said no. Mike checked into a motel and caught a flight home the next morning. Returning home did not mean the war was over.

The years that followed were marked by a series of relationships, uncertainty about how to respond in everyday situations, and a persistent sense of tension and disconnection. Like many Vietnam War veterans, Mike was told not to mention his service in the war. He learned to keep that part of his life to himself.

Years later, while reviewing his medical records, Mike discovered that he had been diagnosed with PTSD. That explained much of what he had been experiencing, but it also raised questions about how long he had been carrying the war’s burdens without fully understanding them. When Mike finally told his wife and child about the diagnosis, their reaction surprised him: “Yeah, we know.”

Over the years, Mike received treatment and found some benefit from it. Yet even with help, he told me that he still felt detached from others, as though part of him had never fully returned home.

His story is a reminder that the wounds of war are not always visible and that, for many, the journey home can last far longer than the flight back from the battlefield.

The committee continues to review new approaches to supporting veterans like Mike, who are living with PTSD, substance use disorder, moral injury, or other invisible wounds of service. While significant progress has been made in understanding these conditions, many veterans continue to struggle long after leaving the military, making it essential that we remain open to new treatment options while strengthening access to proven therapies.

Several emerging treatments have generated interest in the veterans community and among researchers. Ibogaine, mescaline, MDMA, and other psychedelic or psychedelic-adjacent treatments have been discussed as possible therapies for veterans dealing with PTSD, substance use disorder, and moral injury. These substances have faced significant research restrictions, but some are now becoming more accessible for scientific study.

Early research and veteran experiences suggest that some of these approaches may hold promise for certain individuals, although more research is needed to better understand their effectiveness, safety, and long-term outcomes. Ibogaine has been associated with reports of improved functioning following a short treatment experience, while MDMA-assisted therapy has received growing attention for its potential role in treating PTSD. However, MDMA-assisted therapy remains under study and has not been approved by the FDA as a PTSD treatment.

At the same time, veterans should know that the VA offers several evidence-based therapies for PTSD, including Cognitive Processing Therapy, Prolonged Exposure Therapy, and Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing. These treatments have helped many veterans reduce symptoms, improve daily functioning, and regain a sense of purpose. Community support groups can also play an important role in helping veterans maintain progress and stay connected throughout their recovery.

A major challenge is not the lack of resources, but the difficulty of taking the first step toward seeking help. Many veterans remain reluctant to contact the VA or discuss their struggles. A new online resource called Ranger may help bridge that gap.

Ranger offers veterans information about filing claims related to PTSD, substance use disorder, and other service-connected conditions. The site also connects veterans with people who can help them navigate the claims process. It is not a substitute for medical care, crisis support, or emergency assistance.

As always, the PTSD Committee and its members will continue to monitor proposed congressional legislation and review how the VA is implementing laws that support veterans and their families. VVA remains committed to ensuring that veterans’ experiences help shape future policy and oversight efforts.

None of this work is possible without your help. We encourage VVA members to share concerns about wait times, access to care, or challenges you are experiencing with VA mental health services. Your feedback helps identify problems and improve outcomes for those who have served.

Progress and positive outcomes are possible. Mike eventually found employment and built a family. Together, we can help bring our brothers and sisters home, not only in body, but in spirit.

By GARY ESTERMYER, CHAIR

The Veterans’ Benefits Committee met twice during the April Board meetings.

I invited Executive Director of Government Affairs James McCormick to attend our first meeting. He spoke about pending legislative issues, including efforts to revise language in the Code of Federal Regulations and to advocate for the use of VA physician assistants when physician positions are understaffed. Inadequate Compensation and Pension (C&P) exams also remain a priority concern because they may result in veterans receiving denied claims or reduced ratings. It was agreed that the committee and the Government Affairs Department will continue to work closely together.

The committee continues to review and monitor its 15 Veterans’ Benefits resolutions to ensure they remain relevant in the ever-changing VA world. One of our resolutions, VB-1, Judicial Review, is connected to the issue of non-accredited persons acting as agents—often called claim sharks—and charging veterans exorbitant fees.

Marc McCabe provided a review of the recent Ford v. Veterans Guardian VA Claim Consulting ruling, in which a federal judge found that Veterans Guardian violated federal law by preparing VA claims for veterans and charging fees while not accredited by VA.

While we hope to introduce resolutions to help combat this issue, our continuing advice to veterans who want to file VA claims is to work with a VA-accredited representative from an established organization recognized by the VA. Those organizations include VVA, VFW, The American Legion, DAV, and Veterans’ Voice of America, all of which provide accredited claims assistance free of charge.

Several committee members plan to attend the National Leadership & Education Conference in Jacksonville to participate in discussions about VVA’s future and to attend two benefits seminars: “Ask a Top Gun VSO,” presented by Marc McCabe and Paula Tuero-Flesch, and “Enrollment and Eligibility as It Relates to the PACT Act,” presented by James McCormick and Michael Fimmano. Both seminars promise to be informative for attendees.

VVA’s service officers around the country continue to update their training above and beyond VA requirements. We are preparing for future training by Bergmann & Moore, a law firm that helps VVA service officers with claims and appeals work.

Our dedicated VVA service officers continue to advocate tirelessly for veterans and their eligible family members. Their work is deeply appreciated.

By ALLAN PERKAL, CO-CHAIR

The PSA test is a routine blood draw that measures the level of prostate-specific antigen in your bloodstream. Elevated levels can be an early signal of prostate cancer, often long before any symptoms appear. Prostate cancer is frequently first detected with a PSA blood test or a digital rectal exam, and many men have no symptoms in the early stages. That is what makes screening matter so much.

The greatest risk factor for prostate cancer is age. Other significant factors include having a father or brother with the disease and being African American. There is an additional and critically important risk factor for veterans: toxic exposure during military service.

Some studies have found that veterans are diagnosed with prostate cancer at higher rates than men who never served in the military. Prostate cancer is one of the most common cancers among veterans and is diagnosed in thousands of men in the VA system every year.

If you served in Vietnam or in other areas where herbicides were used, your risk profile is different and may demand more vigilance. Vietnam and Korean War veterans with exposure to highly toxic chemicals such as Agent Orange have a higher occurrence of prostate cancer. A study conducted at the Portland VA Medical Center and Oregon Health & Science University found that veterans exposed to Agent Orange were at higher risk for prostate cancer and more likely to develop aggressive forms of the disease.

That last point cannot be overstated. It is not only about getting cancer; it is about the possibility of getting a more aggressive, harder-to-treat form of it. The VA recognizes this. Veterans who develop prostate cancer and were exposed to Agent Orange or other herbicides during military service do not have to prove a connection between their prostate cancer and their service to be eligible for VA health care and disability benefits.

Some guidelines recommend tapering or ending routine prostate screening after age 70, but those recommendations are generally aimed at average-risk men. If you carry multiple risk factors—age, family history, military service, toxic exposure, or African American heritage—you are not necessarily an average-risk patient.

Research on nearly one million veterans found that PSA values from ages 65 to 69 were strong predictors of 10-year prostate cancer-specific mortality and metastatic disease, regardless of race or other health conditions. Your PSA history tells a story, and your doctor needs that story to assess your risk. For some men at elevated risk, continued PSA screening after age 70 may be worth discussing with a health care provider.

When prostate cancer is caught early, while still confined to the prostate, treatment options are broader, outcomes are far better, and the chance of successful treatment is significantly higher. Waiting until symptoms such as urinary difficulty, pain, or fatigue appear often means the cancer has progressed to a more dangerous stage.

Men should have conversations with their health care provider about their individual risk and whether continued screening is right for them. It’s worth repeating: If you are over 70, served in the military, and were exposed to Agent Orange or other toxic substances, please talk to your doctor about PSA screening. Don’t assume no symptoms means no problem. Early detection saves lives.

By LESLIE DeLONG, CHAIR

VVA’s 22nd biennial National Convention in Arlington, Virginia, begins on August 25, 2027. Proposed constitutional amendments may be submitted by any VVA member, chapter, or state council starting September 1 this year.

Constitutional amendments may be submitted electronically using the form available on VVA’s website under the “Info for Members” tab (https://vva.org/constitutional-amendment/) or may be mailed to the VVA national office using a printed copy of the online form or the form that will appear in The Veteran. Forms not submitted online should be mailed to the national office at the address below, postmarked no later than March 15, 2027, at 12:00 midnight.

The Constitution Committee will meet in April to review all proposed amendments and prepare its report for the membership. The committee’s report will be forwarded to state councils and chapters and will be available on the VVA website no later than June 26 as per the VVA Constitution.

The committee will hold an open hearing at the Convention before proposed amendments are presented to the delegates for action. We encourage everyone to attend this hearing to voice their opinions.

By STEVE WILLIAMS, CHAIR

Earlier this year, VVA President Tom Burke asked me if I would be willing to chair the Legacy Task Force. I accepted and told him I would be honored to help in any way I could.

I was told that the future structure of VVA would remain the responsibility of VVA’s officers, Board of Directors, and Convention delegates, while the Task Force would focus on preserving VVA’s impressive history.

So, what is the VVA Legacy Task Force? LTF member Chuck Odom describes our mission as follows:

“The men and women who served in Vietnam are among the last living witnesses to one of the most consequential — and contested — chapters in American history. Their stories, sacrifices, and hard-won advocacy have shaped this nation’s conscience. But time is not standing still. As our generation ages, every day that passes without action is a story lost forever. The VVA Legacy Task Force exists to make certain that does not happen.

“The VVA Legacy Task Force is a strategic, mission-driven initiative formed to plan for the long-term preservation of the organization’s records, members’ histories, and institutional memory. It operates on a fundamental truth: VVA’s mission does not belong to a single generation — it belongs to history.”

The Task Force is about preserving VVA’s legacy, not about closure. It is about ensuring that VVA’s work and mission outlast any organizational structure that carries it.

The first step in accomplishing this monumental task is to understand how to digitize our information, what should be prioritized, when the process should begin, and how much it will cost. With this in mind, several committee members, VVA managers, and I will be meeting in Silver Spring with an experienced archivist to gather information and begin developing an initial plan.

We have several early target areas for archival attention. First, we are investigating the possibility of starting an oral history program in which members would talk about why they joined VVA and what they did as members.

Along with that, we are exploring a secure private portal where veterans and their family members could contribute and preserve personal service records, photographs, personal accounts, and family histories.

We are also looking at how to set up a structured archive of VVA’s corporate and institutional documents, such as board minutes, resolutions, policy documents, official correspondence, video recordings, photographs, and records of VVA’s advocacy work and legislative achievements. We also envision a curated access point for historians, academic researchers, students, and librarians, enabling scholarly research, historical documentation, and public education about VVA and our organizational legacy.

We hope to deliver a product that every VVA member can interact with, in which our history and achievements are preserved and the lessons learned by VVA can be shared with veterans who follow us.

I look forward to working for you. May God bless you and keep you safe. Remember: Be proud, be professional, and press on.

By JOHN MARGOWSKI, CHAIR

The 22nd biennial VVA National Convention in Arlington, Virginia, begins on August 25, 2027. Starting on September 1, 2026, you may submit proposed resolutions.

The purpose of the Resolutions Committee is to fulfill Article I, National Provisions, Section 7, Committees, Paragraph A.4 of the VVA National Constitution. To wit:

“The Resolutions Committee shall report the resolutions to be addressed by the delegates assembled from among those submitted by the chapters, state councils, standing committees, membership, or other sources. Provided, however, that any such resolution shall be filed with the Resolution Committee at least one-hundred twenty days prior to the commencement of the National Convention, at which resolutions are to be addressed.

“The Resolutions Committee shall review proposed resolutions received, and shall, not less than sixty days prior to the commencement of the National Convention, forward to the chapters and state councils copies of all proposed resolutions submitted to the Committee pursuant to this section along with the Committee’s recommended action regarding each proposed resolution.

“Resolutions not reported by the Resolutions Committee may be brought to the floor for debate and action upon the motion of any delegate and concurrence by a majority of the delegates.”

Proposed Resolutions must be received or postmarked no later than midnight on March 15, 2027. The Resolutions Committee will mail all the proposed resolutions with appropriate committees’ recommended actions to all state councils and chapters no later than June 26, 2027, by first-class mail.

Proposed resolutions must be submitted to the National Resolutions Committee on the official resolution form located at https://vva.org/convention-resolution/ If necessary, completed forms may be mailed to:

Vietnam Veterans of America
ATTN: Resolutions Committee
8719 Colesville Road, Suite 100
Silver Spring, MD 20910

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