Editor, Gazette-Journal:

Back in 1970, I became the first local advocate for the Vietnam veteran. I appeared numerous times on "Kaleidoscope" and countless other media sources, not to mention testifying at Congressional committees, starting the first Virginia chapter of the Vietnam veterans, helping build the Washington Vietnam Memorial—before tiring of the public pressure and being treated like a leper and quitting.

However, in one last statement, we the Vietnam veterans swore we would never forget another generation. And we have not, even when we saw preferential treatment, better health care and even educational benefits for family members before we received them ourselves.

We continued hoping and working for everyone’s rights, even when being told we had our day, let it go. I could have sworn that, like the Korean War veteran, we never had a day. In fact, back in March of 2011, when Sen. Richard Burr of North Carolina sponsored a "Welcome Home Vie...