Vietnam Veterans of America, Inc. (VVA) is a national

non-profit A nonprofit organization (NPO) or non-profit organisation, also known as a non-business entity, not-for-profit organization, or nonprofit institution, is a legal entity organized and operated for a collective, public or social benefit, in co ...

corporation founded in 1978 in the

United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country Continental United States, primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 U.S. state, states, a Washington, D.C., ...

that is committed to serving the needs of all veterans. It is funded without any contribution from any branch of government. VVA is the only such organization chartered by the

United States Congress The United States Congress is the legislature of the federal government of the United States. It is Bicameralism, bicameral, composed of a lower body, the United States House of Representatives, House of Representatives, and an upper body, ...

and dedicated to

Vietnam veteran A Vietnam veteran is a person who served in the armed forces of participating countries during the Vietnam War. The term has been used to describe veterans who served in the armed forces of South Vietnam, the United States Armed Forces, and ot ...

s and their families. The group holds a

congressional charter A congressional charter is a law passed by the United States Congress that states the mission, authority, and activities of a group. Congress issued federal charters from 1791 until 1992 under Title 36 of the United States Code. The first char ...

under

Title 36 of the United States Code The United States Code is the official compilation of the Federal laws of a general and permanent nature that are currently in force. Title 36 cover, "Patriotic and National Observances, Ceremonies, and Organizations." Parts Subtitle I: Patrio ...

. Its founding principle is, "Never again will one generation of veterans abandon another."

Advocacy

Vietnam Veterans of Amrica marching in 2011 Ypsilanti Michigan Independence Day Parade

VVA aims to campaign on issues important to Vietnam veterans, to create a new identity for this generation of veterans, and to improve public perception of Vietnam veterans. The organization's main efforts concern: *Government Relations Advocacy on veterans' issues *National Task Force for

Homeless Homelessness or houselessness – also known as a state of being unhoused or unsheltered – is the condition of lacking stable, safe, and adequate housing. People can be categorized as homeless if they are: * living on the streets, also kn ...

Veterans *Health care for veterans, including disabled veterans *Issues pertaining to women and minority veterans *National scholarship fund *Assisting veterans seeking benefits/services from the government *Organizes "Stand Downs" for the hard to reach homeless veteran in need of services. VVA has organizing councils in 43 states, some 650 local chapters, and more than 85,000 individual members.

History

In January 1978, a small group of Vietnam veteran activists came to Washington, D.C., searching for allies to support the creation of an advocacy organization devoted exclusively to the needs of Vietnam veterans. VVA, initially known as the Council of Vietnam Veterans, began its work. By the summer of 1979, the Council of Vietnam Veterans had transformed into Vietnam Veterans of America, a veterans service organization made up of, and devoted to, Vietnam veterans.

Bobby Muller Robert O. Muller (born 1946) is an American peace advocate. He was born on Long Island, and grew up in Great Neck, New York. He enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps in 1967, during the Vietnam War. His commission with the Marines began the same ...

and Stuart F. Feldman were among the organization's co-founders. Membership grew steadily, and for the first time, VVA secured significant contributions. The combination of the public's willingness to talk about the

Vietnam War The Vietnam War (also known by #Names, other names) was a conflict in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. It was the second of the Indochina Wars and was officially fought between North Vie ...

and the basic issues that it raised, as well as the veterans themselves coming forward, was augmented by the nation's dedication of the

Vietnam Veterans Memorial The Vietnam Veterans Memorial is a U.S. national memorial in Washington, D.C., honoring service members of the U.S. armed forces who served in the Vietnam War. The site is dominated by two black granite walls engraved with the names of those ...

in November 1982. The week-long activities rekindled a sense of brotherhood among the veterans and a feeling that they shared an experience that was too significant to ignore. In 1983, VVA took a significant step by founding

Vietnam Veterans of America Legal Services Vietnam or Viet Nam ( vi, Việt Nam, ), officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam,., group="n" is a country in Southeast Asia, at the eastern edge of mainland Southeast Asia, with an area of and population of 96 million, making it ...

(VVALS) to provide assistance to veterans seeking benefits and services from the government. By working under the theory that a veteran representative should be an advocate for the veteran rather than simply a facilitator, VVALS quickly established itself as the most competent and aggressive legal-assistance program available to veterans. VVALS published the most comprehensive manual ever developed for veteran service representatives, and in 1985, VVALS wrote the widely acclaimed ''Viet Vet Survival Guide'' — over 150,000 copies of which are now in print. The next several years saw VVA grow in size, stature, and prestige. VVA's professional membership services, veterans service, and advocacy work gained the respect of Congress and the veterans community. In 1986, VVA's exemplary work was formally acknowledged by the granting of a congressional charter. Today, Vietnam Veterans of America has a national membership of nearly 90,000, with more than 650 chapters throughout the United States, Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, and Guam. VVA state councils coordinate the activities of local chapters. VVA places great emphasis on coordinating its national activities and programs with the work of its local chapters and state councils and is organized to ensure that victories gained at the national level are implemented locally.

Presidents of VVA

*Jack McManus, 2021– * John Rowan, 2005–2021 * Thomas H. Corey, 2001–2005 *

George C. Duggins George may refer to: People * George (given name) * George (surname) * George (singer), American-Canadian singer George Nozuka, known by the mononym George * George Washington, First President of the United States * George W. Bush, 43rd Presiden ...

, 1997–2001 * James L. Brazee Jr., 1991–1997 *

Mary Stout Mary may refer to: People * Mary (name), a feminine given name (includes a list of people with the name) Religious contexts * New Testament people named Mary, overview article linking to many of those below * Mary, mother of Jesus, also call ...

, 1987–1991 *

1983–1987; Executive Director, 1978–1983

Publications

VVA helps to provide greater public awareness of the outstanding issues surrounding Vietnam-era veterans by disseminating written information on a continual basis. The print edition of
The VVA Veteran
', VVA's award-winning magazine, is mailed to all VVA members in addition to paid subscribers. The magazine has been availabl
on line
since 2011. Self-help guides on issues such as

Agent Orange Agent Orange is a chemical herbicide and defoliant, one of the "tactical use" Rainbow Herbicides. It was used by the U.S. military as part of its herbicidal warfare program, Operation Ranch Hand, during the Vietnam War from 1961 to 1971. It ...

, to

posttraumatic stress disorder Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a mental and behavioral disorder that can develop because of exposure to a traumatic event, such as sexual assault, warfare, traffic collisions, child abuse, domestic violence, or other threat ...

, to discharge upgrading are published and made available to anyone interested.

References

External links