| Show Rob II i i.- i. Television movies the attitudes attitudes attitudes at at- of some teachers employers employers employers em em- and the public in general have painted a picture picture picture pic pic- pic- pic ture of the Viet Nam era veterans Usually the drug drug- g- g crazed and or psychopathic muggers and bearded bearded bearded bear bear- ded sub-citizens sub of an era everyone everyone everyone ev ev- would just as soon forget That Tha t of course was not the picture when that war was going on but now that it is over and everyone has realigned realigned realigned re re- re- re aligned their morals it would seem like a natural one Natural Natural Natural Nat Nat- ural in that it portrays a nations nation's conscience After all the only ones that were wrong were the ones who were doing the fighting As I remember it however however however how how- ever not everyone went because because because be be- cause they necessarily supported sup supported supported ported the war Some came home from a weekend in the canyon and found a letter inthe inthe in inthe the mail box that went something something something some some- thing like this GREETINGS GREETINGS GREETINGS GREET INGS you are hereby ordered ordered ordered or or- dered to report for induction into the United States Army Others were drafted out of schools when their grades fell below par and others merely enlisted into the Reserves or enlisted for 3 or 4 years in an effort to either avoid the infantry or Viet Nam alt altogether gether Still others were confessing to be he dope addicts or homosexuals or any ny number of things in order to avoid serving in any capacity Yet Vet people were getting on buses bound for induction centers on crutches necessitated fo for recently self- self inflicted wounds ranging g g. g from having someone run fun run over your leg as you sit therewith there therewith therewith with it propped up on a curb and gutter to severing a trigger trigger trigger trig trig- ger finger or two and maybe even blind in one eye or the other Then there were those who would tell you Im getting out of this mans man's Army you just watch upon which they would proceed to todo todo todo do some hilarious or ridiculous ridiculous ridiculous lous thing not uncommon to something you might see on MASH or in some some nuthouse nut nuthouse nuthouse house of some kind land For the most part you just went and did what they told you to do If II you didn't have a religion or a million bucks or your name wasn't Casius Clay you just went Not a whole lot of people argued out loud about the war then I mean they were locking people up for burning their draft cards and what not Getting a haircut and killing a Commie for Christ was very much in at that time and it wasn't long before you realized that was exactly what was expected from you So some went and some went and came back and some went and came back a little less than when they started For those that came back the idea of being type cast as a sub-citizen sub might just bounce off the armour ar- ar armour armour ar ar- mour they seem to have acquired acquired acquired ac ac- ac- ac in surviving the war but to those that didn't comeback comeback come comeback back or that came back in parts it would seem a little i deeper than that What can be done for these people What does America meric owe ow- ow these s y veterans t tiit t didn't run and didn't hide hid f Ican I Ican can tell you what is being done and what is not being done First let me tell you about HR 2231 somebody has too a bill pending in the House of Representatives Representative Veterans Affairs Committee The bill would extend the ten year delimiting date for up to two more years and would allow a veteran to draw up to twice the amount of his regular regular regular reg reg- ular entitlement on a prorated prorated pro pro- prorated rated basis It would increase to almost double the amount that a student may borrow per r year and is retroactive to October 1977 That would mean up to a thousand dollars dollars dollars dol dol- dol- dol lars in back pay that an eligible eligible eligible el el- veteran could collect up to this point Also you would have up to 18 months to file for this increase once the bill is approved Now for what is not being done We Weare are not hot being informed informed informed in in- formed by those people responsible responsible responsible res res- res- res for getting this information information information in in- formation to us What exactly exactly exactly ex ex- is the function of this schools school's veterans veteran's affairs office office office of of- fice You would think it was to provide a service of some kind The only service they are performing with any proficiency proficiency proficiency pro pro- it seems is picking picking picking pick pick- ing their noses well no thanks Illk Ill I'll pick my own |
