According to Government Public Information Office statistics filed in 1997, of the 2,709,918 Americans who served in Vietnam, less than 850,000 are estimated to be alive today, with the youngest American Vietnam veteran’s age approximated to be 54 years old. In a commentary that followed the issuance of these statistics, a publication in Texas was quoted as saying,
"So, if you’re alive and reading this, how does it feel to be among the last one third of all the U.S. vets who served in Vietnam?"
In a recent interview with Chandler, who is a Tioga County resident serving veterans throughout several counties, many of the surviving Vietnam veterans are showing the affects of a toxic defoliant that was used to clear jungle brush during herbicidal warfare — Agent Orange.
Members of the VVA Chapter 480, as well as other veteran organizations, are working to assist these veterans to get the help that they need. They are also working to get the Vietnam veterans the respect they deserved upon their return from Vietnam — respect that, in their terms, is long overdue.
If you would like to learn more about any of these activities or services, you can contact Chandler by calling him at (607) 222-6357. You can also contact your local Veteran’s Administration.
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