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MARCH 30, 2008

MARCH 30, 2009

MARCH 30, 2010

For the record : updated: July 14, 2008

March 30th is the official Welcome Home Vietnam Veterans Day for 2008, as declared in the United States Congress. In Whittier California on March 30th at California High School we celebrated the first official WHVVD. The Celebration went well, better then expected, despite a light morning rain we estimate about 2500 to 3000 attended nearly 2000 veterans signed in not including their families it was a great showing. 3 bands, a car show with over 100 cars and motorcycles, 4 local radio stations, a couple dozen dignitaries, several VFW, VVA, Am vets and a slew of other military and veteran organizations all attended. Below is a list of all the organizations that attended. Thank you to all who attended and made this event possible it is greatly needed. We plan to do this event again next year bigger and better. Please note there were several more important people at this event and we thank everyone who was involved. The list below is just to give you an idea of how big this event actually was, so if you missed it in 2008 then make sure you come to the 2009 celebration. Thanks again

Art Duran

WHVVD President

entered 10-18-06 webmaster

To Whom it may concern,

Well, its been another year since we last added to this page and not much has changed.The wars of the past still haunt the veterans of today. The current wars are going to haunt the soldiers coming home from Iraq and Afhganistan.We still need to Welcome Home our Vietnam Veterans to insure that they are never forgotten. Our troops are quietly coming home from Iraq many of them in boxes draped with old glory. Many are war weathered and need to know that we appreciate their service. whether we agree or disagree with the current war effort. We still need to understand that these soldiers are sacrificing everyday and the ones that make it back will find that the fight is just beginning. Right now they are in a war for their country, for themselves, for their honor, for their families, they are trying to do something good, while we sit at home watching on TV from the convenience of a safe home. While we ridicule their every move.What they often find is death, despair, hatred, evil, lose of common good. there fight is to help the war effort by surviving, maintaining there duties as directed and building a thick skin as to survive the mental torments that will try to over take them, character is constantly at challenge. Every piece and fiber of our soldiers is used to it's fullest while in the combat zone. They are all hero's in my book whatever big or small their sacrifice. We need to remember to raise a smile to our soldiers, a tip of the hat, a welcome home that they will remember as they quietly return from there tour of duties. There is nothing greater that can be done for our brave comrades then to show a little gratitude for their extreme hardship and sacrifice. They should always be able to hold their heads high. Wherever we can we should try to help them when they return, some of them need a break to get a decent job, and they need VA hospitals and organizations that can help them cope with the after effects of war. Coming back from a tour of duty like Iraq a soldier has a lot time to think back and usually depression will set in, a depression that sometimes hits so hard the soldier never sees it coming. Soldiers are trained to be tough and hardcore the idea of being depressed does not fit the macho image. While soldiers are trained to respond and deal with critical situations in combat, they are not trained or prepared for the depression that comes after they return home after the parades and celebrations if they are lucky enough to have a proper welcoming. The Government has named this problem PTSD [post traumatic stress disorder]. This site is dedicated to those that are living, to those who we can still help by being aware of there sacrifice. By remembering that they fought in hopes to end the war, and the troops there now are fighting in hopes that the war will end and that peace can be restored. I don't want to get into politics. My concern is the soldiers coming back if we can't even recognize our Vietnam Veterans who are still suffering from severe combat PTSD [post traumatic stress disorder] with a simple Welcome Home Vietnam Veterans Day. How are we supposed to deal with our Iraqi and Afghanistan Veterans. Do what is right, click on the"how you can help" link on this page and contact your local government representatives tell them we need a "Welcome Home Vietnam Veterans Day"

This Year 2006 we are averaging 2.2 soldiers killed in Iraq and Afghanistan combined per day. To date we have lost over 3100 soldiers since the war started, not including coalition forces. You can at least triple these numbers for the amount of wounded soldiers, and permanently disabled coming home. So far it does not look like it is getting better for us it looks worse.

http://projects.washingtonpost.com/fallen/

Sincerely Webmaster

A. E. Duran, Co Founder/Desert Storm Veteran

For the record : updated: October 6, 2005

Entered 10-7-05:The following is an email sent out by José G Ramos Oct. 7, 2005 Regarding Senator Boxer:
 
yesterday i sent out an email to all the Veterans, Veterans organizations and friends of Veterans asking for their support in asking the senate to read the WELCOME HOME VIETNAM VETERANS DAY bill on the senate floor.  this bill was originally introduced to Congress by Congresswoman Linda T. Sanchez of California and will soon be introduced to the Senate by Senator Barbara Boxer, also of California, my home state.  i learned yesterday that this legislation is known as a House Resolution and it is not READ but is ENTERED into the senate record.  i apologize to all for my misinformation, especially to those in the senate/congress and their staff who worked so hard to make this RESOLUTION a reality.  although this was an error in my part, i still need the support and endorsement of EVERY SENATOR in the country, so that this  House Resolution will be approved and passed immediately after it is introduced.  as soon as i receive a copy of the resolution and it's NUMBER, i will once again send you a copy or link where you can read the House Resolution yourself.  this is where you come in.  no matter what state you live in, no matter what political party you endorse, it is imperative you contact YOUR Senator and ask them to do the right thing by supporting the WELCOME HOME VIETNAM VETERANS DAY bill.  once again i am including the link which will help you to find your local Senator or Congress person.   this bill for so many reasons is very important to me.  since 2000, i have worked very hard and long [including riding my bicycle across the country] to get this bill to where it is and i do not wish to see it tarnished by people's personal politics and personal agenda with other matters. 
if you do not agree with what i am doing, if you do not want to help, be decent enough to send me an email asking me to remove you from my mailing list.  just please don't be rude, disrespectful or share your anger with me or the others who recognize the value of what we are trying to accomplish.  my PTSD group at the Vet Center, my fellow Veterans of ALL wars and my personal friends, brothers and sisters who have died since serving our country deserve YOUR respect, especially if you are a Veteran yourself.  do the right thing.  thank you all and once again, sorry for the misinformation.  God bless AMERICA and ALL it's Veterans. 
PS: {i am including Congresswoman Linda T. Sanchez's and Senator Barbara Boxer's contact information so that perhaps you might find the time to email/contact them and their staff and thank them for all their work, time and effort.} 
CONTACT YOUR U.S. SENATOR:     
Click here: U.S. Senate: Senators Home
 
 José G. Ramos
founder/team coordinator
WWW.WHVVD.ORG
"FOR ALL WHO SERVED

Entered 10-6-05: The following is an email sent out by José G Ramos Oct. 6, 2005 Regarding Senator Boxer: TO ALL FRIENDS AND ALL FELLOW VETERANS, SENATOR BARBARA BOXER OF CALIFORNIA, WILL SOON INTRODUCE OUR "WELCOME HOME VIETNAM VETERANS DAY" BILL TO THE SENATE.  I THANK HER FOR TAKING THE INITIATIVE, THE WISDOM AND THE COURAGE TO DO NOW, WHAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN DONE WHEN THE VIETNAM VETERAN MEN AND WOMEN FIRST RETURNED FROM A VERY DIFFICULT WAR DURING A MOST DIFFICULT TIME IN AMERICA.  SENATOR BOXER'S PLAN IS TO INTRODUCE THE BILL INTO PUBLIC RECORD ALONG WITH HER LETTER STATING WHY THIS "WELCOME HOME" BILL SHOULD BE APPROVED BY THE ENTIRE SENATE.
I SEND YOU THIS LETTER NOT ONLY TO LET YOU KNOW OF THE BILL'S INTRODUCTION BUT ALSO TO ASK FOR YOUR HELP.  I FEEL THAT THE VIETNAM VETERAN HAS WAITED FOR MANY DECADES TO BE THANKED AND WELCOMED HOME AND THAT THIS VERY IMPORTANT AND SIGNIFICANT BILL SHOULD NOT SIMPLY BE PLACED INTO "PUBLIC RECORD" BUT SHOULD BE INTRODUCED TO THE ENTIRE SENATE BY BEING READ ON THE SENATE FLOOR SO THAT ALL CAN HEAR OF WHAT THIS BILL MEANS NOT ONLY TO THE VIETNAM VETERAN BUT OF WHAT IT MEANS TO ALL VETERANS OF ALL WARS AND TO EVERY AMERICAN WHO REMEMBERS HOW TOUGH IT WAS TO SERVE OUR COUNTRY DURING THAT TIME AND ALSO OF HOW TOUGH IT WAS TO COME HOME A VIETNAM VETERAN. 
I AM ATTACHING SENATOR BARBARA BOXER'S CONTACT INFORMATION AND ASKING YOU TO PLEASE LET HER KNOW HOW IMPORTANT IT IS THAT SHE READ THIS BILL ON THE SENATE FLOOR.  IT WILL NOT TAKE MORE THAN A FEW MINUTES OF HER TIME AND THE TIME OF THE SENATE.  WE HAVE WAITED FOR FORTY YEARS, THE SENATE SHOULD BE ABLE TO GIVE US A FEW MINUTES.  ALSO I AM ATTACHING THE LINK THAT GIVES YOU THE CONTACT INFORMATION FOR YOUR LOCAL SENATOR, HOPING THAT YOU WILL TAKE JUST A FEW MINUTES OF YOUR TIME TO EITHER EMAIL, FAX OR PHONE YOUR SENATOR AND ASK THEM TO SUPPORT THE "WELCOME HOME VIETNAM VETERANS" BILL.  IT HAS BEEN MY EXPERIENCE THAT FAXES, PHONE CALLS AND EMAILS ARE MORE EFFECTIVE RATHER THAN POSTAL LETTERS.  [MANY POSTAL LETTERS ARE DAMAGED DURING SECURITY SCREENING].  THANK YOU ALL FOR TAKING THE TIME TO READ MY LETTER.  GOD BLESS YOU, GOD BLESS AMERICA AND A VERY SPECIAL "THANK YOU AND WELCOME HOME" TO ALL VETERANS WHO GAVE TIME OUT OF THIER LIVES TO SERVE THIS WONDERFUL COUNTRY OF OUR'S.
José G. Ramos
founder/team coordinator
WWW.WHVVD.ORG
"FOR ALL WHO SERVED"
 
CONTACT YOUR U.S. SENATOR:     
Click here: U.S. Senate: Senators Home
 
 
CONTACT SENATOR BARBARA BOXER:
Boxer, Barbara- (D - CA)
112 HART SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510
(202) 224-3553
Web Form: boxer.senate.gov/contact
 
Feinstein, Dianne- (D - CA)
Class I
331 HART SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510
(202) 224-3841
Web Form: feinstein.senate.gov/email.html

Media

May 2004: Bike Across the Country to Help Vietnam Vets

News Paper Articles:

Whittier Daily News

January 25, 2004

January 26, 2004

Los Angeles Times

December 13, 2003

Whittier Daily News

February 16, 2003

January 26, 2003

January 25, 2003

January 22, 2003

May 17, 2001