Vietnam Vet vs. Vietnam Era Vet (2024)

FAQs

Vietnam Vet vs. Vietnam Era Vet? ›

Vietnam era veterans are those who served during the time of the Vietnam war but didn't set foot in the country of Vietnam. The Vietnam vet is one who was assigned within the combat zone of the country and it's surrounding waters.

Vietnam Veterans may be eligible for a wide-variety of benefits available to all U.S. military Veterans. VA benefits include disability compensation, pension, education and training, health care, home loans, insurance, vocational rehabilitation and employment, and burial.

Vietnam War era (November 1, 1955, to May 7, 1975, for Veterans who served in the Republic of Vietnam during that period. August 5, 1964, to May 7, 1975, for Veterans who served outside the Republic of Vietnam.)

Approximately 2.7 million American men and women served in Vietnam. During the war, more than 58,000 servicemen and women lost their lives. Vietnam Veterans represent the largest cohort of American Veterans in terms of service era.

As of this date The American War Library estimates that approximately 610,000 Americans who served on land in Vietnam or in the air over Vietnam between 1954 and 1975 are alive today. And approximately 164,000 Americans who served at sea in Vietnam waters are alive today.

Vietnam Veterans may be eligible for expanded VA disability compensation under the PACT Act, a law passed in 2022 which increases access to VA benefits and health care for Veterans exposed to toxic substances during their military service.

Generally, combat veterans are those that served in a combat zone during their military service. This can include service in Vietnam, the Persian Gulf, and certain areas of Iraq and Afghanistan, among other locations.

Vietnam era veterans are those who served during the time of the Vietnam war but didn't set foot in the country of Vietnam. The Vietnam vet is one who was assigned within the combat zone of the country and it's surrounding waters.

Based on the results of the exam, your disability rating may increase, decrease, or stay the same. Once you turn 55, you are typically "protected" and will no longer have to attend an exam to prove that your condition has not changed unless there is reason to suspect fraud. This is sometimes called the 55-year rule.

Generally, there is no reduction of Social Security benefits because of your military retirement benefits. You'll get your Social Security benefit based on your earnings and the age you choose to start receiving benefits. While you're in military service, you pay Social Security taxes, just as civilian employees do.

Why do so many Vietnam vets have PTSD? ›

Those who served in the Vietnam war still frequently struggle with PTSD. PTSD can occur in Veterans who witnessed a traumatic events in service, such as a natural disaster, death, combat exposure, or sexual assault.

The era ended May 7, 1975, by order of President Gerald Ford. During the 11-year campaign, approximately 2.7 million American men and woman served; of those, 58,220 died and 153,000 were wounded. Today, there are fewer than 850,000 living Vietnam War veterans, many of whom who are eligible for VA benefits.

Many Vietnam veterans still experience PTSD symptoms that vary from veteran to veteran including flashbacks to combat, feelings of alienation, major depression, loneliness, drug and/or alcohol problems, even suicidal feelings.

Expands and extends eligibility for VA health care for Veterans with toxic exposures and Veterans of the Vietnam, Gulf War, and post-9/11 eras. Adds 20+ more presumptive conditions for burn pits, Agent Orange, and other toxic exposures.

When it issued payments, military members received an average of $3,800. Today, veterans who receive financial assistance as a result of Agent Orange connected medical issues generally get their compensation in the form of disability benefits.

If there are no blue pins in your area, check back frequently, as new events are added every week. Another option to receive a lapel pin is by visiting the Commemorative Partner Map. Please contact a partner in your area to find out when the next event will be or if they have lapel pins on hand to present to you.

What ribbons can a Vietnam-era veteran wear? ›

The Vietnam Service Medal (VSM) is a decoration of the U.S. military presented to personnel of any branch of the U.S. Armed Forces who performed military service during the Vietnam War and meet specific qualifications laid out by the United States Department of Defense.

They were not joiners." Some World War II veterans cite the fact that it takes, quite literally, an act of Congress to enable the Veterans of Foreign Wars to accept into its membership veterans of a specific conflict. They say many Vietnam veterans were not recognized because the VFW was not sanctioned to accept them.

Many Vietnam veterans claim that most people treated them with indifference and seemed uncomfortable listening to their stories from battle. Some people, however, saw returning soldiers as dangerous, violent symbols of an increasingly futile and terrible war—much like the individual Wowwk encountered.

After returning to the United States, many veterans continued to support American military involvement in Vietnam. Even though they had not accomplished all of the U.S. goals, they still felt proud of their service to their country. They believed that they had done their duty and fought bravely for a good cause.

The veteran's total disability due to PTSD is permanent with no likelihood of improvement. The 100 percent rating for PTSD is total, permanent, and static in nature.

Don't Lie or Stretch the Truth. This is a big one. Don't ever lie or stretch the truth when it comes to your VA disability claim. At your C&P exam, you should think, look, act, and speak as you would on a normal day.

TEN YEAR RULE -The VA 10 year rule means the VA cannot eliminate a rating that's been in place for 10 years or more. However, the rating can be reduced if medical evidence shows that the disability has improved.

To acquire the full amount, you need to maximize your working life and begin collecting your check until age 70. Another way to maximize your check is by asking for a raise every two or three years. Moving companies throughout your career is another way to prove your worth, and generate more money.

The Social Security disability five-year rule allows people to skip a required waiting period for receiving disability benefits if they had previously received disability benefits, stopped collecting those benefits and then became unable to work again within five years.

What happens to my VA disability when I turn 65? ›

Disability and TDIU benefits are not based on age or income. A veteran can be retired and still get other benefits, including TDIU benefits, permanent TDIU benefits, SMC benefits, and military retirement pay.

Veterans who served in Vietnam, Cambodia, or Laos during the Vietnam War have a higher prevalence of mental health issues, particularly PTSD, compared with both other Vietnam-era Veterans and non-Veterans, according to an analysis of data from the Vietnam Era Health Retrospective Observational Study (VE-HEROeS).

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)

It is a complex and evolving biological, psychological, and social entity, making it challenging to study and diagnose. PTSD is often researched in war and disaster survivors but can affect anybody, including children.

Shell shock, Battle Fatigue, Post Vietnam Syndrome, and Gulf War Syndrome were all names given to symptoms of PTSD before it was officially added to the DSM (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders) as an anxiety disorder in 1980. It has since been changed to a trauma and stressor related disorder.

The Army suffered the most casualties, 38,179 or 66% of all casualties. As a branch of the US forces, however, the Marine Corps lost the highest percentage of its own men (5.0%) which in turn accounted for 25.5% of all casualties.

In fact, the President's Commission on Mental Health Report reported that 38% of marriages of Vietnam Veterans resulted in divorce within 6 months post-deployment.

About 16 percent of all Vietnam veterans who were alive in the 1980s are now dead, with most deaths due to cancer and heart disease, the authors estimate.

However, the more common usage distinguishes between those who served "in-country" and those who did not serve in Vietnam by referring to the "in-country" veterans as "Vietnam veterans" and the others as "Vietnam-era veterans." Regardless, the U.S. government officially refers to all as "Vietnam-era veterans."

Their study found that almost three decades after the Vietnam War, many veterans continued to experience problems with PTSD. At the initial interview, approximately 12% had PTSD. Fourteen years later, the rates of PTSD had dropped only slightly to approximately 11%.

How old would a Vietnam vet be now? ›

Today, Vietnam Veterans range in age from 61 to 103 years old.

Otero Barreto (born 7 April 1937), a.k.a. "the Puerto Rican Rambo" and "Sergeant Rock", is a former United States Army soldier. He earned 38 military decorations during his career, and has been called the most decorated U.S. soldier of the Vietnam War.

VA Benefits for Vietnam Veterans

VA benefits include disability compensation, pension, education and training, health care, home loans, insurance, vocational rehabilitation and employment, and burial.

Veterans also don't share combat details because they fear their family's reaction, specifically rejection or pity. “If they knew what I had to do, what I am capable of, they will think I'm a monster.” Families often share frustration that Veterans are more willing to talk to each other than them.

Roughly 300-thousand veterans have died from Agent Orange exposure -- that's almost five times as many as the 58-thousand who died in combat. “Did it save lives? No doubt. Over there it did, but nobody knew it was going to be taking them later,” said Dan Stenvold, President of the North Dakota branch of the VVA.

Richard James Flaherty (November 28, 1945 — May 9, 2015) was a captain in the United States Army who served in the Vietnam War. Due to his small stature (he was just 4 feet 9 inches (1.45 m) tall), he was known as "The Giant Killer". He was the shortest US serviceman in history.

In association with (A) above, the Commemoration uses the term "Vietnam veteran" to describe those who served on active duty in the U.S. Armed Forces at any time during the period of November 1, 1955 to May 15, 1975, regardless of duty location. We do NOT use the phrase "Vietnam-era veteran."

The deadliest day of the Vietnam War for the U.S. was 31 January at the start of the Tet Offensive when 246 Americans were killed in action.

If you're a current or former member of the Reserves or National Guard. You must have been called to active duty by a federal order and completed the full period for which you were called or ordered to active duty. If you had or have active-duty status for training purposes only, you don't qualify for VA health care.

Who qualifies for Vietnam Service Ribbon? ›

It is awarded to all service members of the armed forces who between July 4, 1965 and March 28, 1973, served in the following areas of Southeast Asia; Vietnam and the contiguous waters and airspace; Thailand, Laos, or Cambodia; or the airspace thereof and in the direct support of military operations in Vietnam.

Today, veterans who receive financial assistance as a result of Agent Orange connected medical issues generally get their compensation in the form of disability benefits. Single veterans are eligible for up to $39,984 per year as of 2022, while married veterans or those with dependents are eligible for $42,214 or more.

What Is the Most Approved Disability? Arthritis and other musculoskeletal system disabilities make up the most commonly approved conditions for social security disability benefits. This is because arthritis is so common. In the United States, over 58 million people suffer from arthritis.

Tinnitus. Tinnitus, otherwise known as “Ringing-in-the-Ear-Syndrome” is by far the #1 easiest VA disability to claim. Tinnitus is when you experience ringing, hissing, buzzing, or other noises in one or both of your ears.

When it comes to their assessments of the job the VA is doing, 9% of veterans say the department is doing an excellent job meeting the needs of military veterans; an additional 37% say the VA is doing a good job. About half say it's doing only a fair (37%) or poor (15%) job.

The Vietnam Service Medal (VSM) is a decoration of the U.S. military presented to personnel of any branch of the U.S. Armed Forces who performed military service during the Vietnam War and meet specific qualifications laid out by the United States Department of Defense.

To verify service in the RVN, review the veteran's DD Form 214, Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty, to determine if appropriate service, such as “Foreign Service: Republic of Vietnam,” is shown.

For the purposes of VA compensation benefits, Veterans who served anywhere in Vietnam between January 9, 1962 and May 7, 1975 are presumed to have been exposed to herbicides, as specified in the Agent Orange Act of 1991.

What's the difference between a Vietnam veteran and a Vietnam era veteran? ›

Vietnam era veterans are those who served during the time of the Vietnam war but didn't set foot in the country of Vietnam. The Vietnam vet is one who was assigned within the combat zone of the country and it's surrounding waters.

The colors of the ribbon are green, yellow, and red, which represents the flag of the Republic of Vietnam at the time—yellow with red stripes running horizontally—and the green Vietnamese jungles. In addition, the three red stripes indicate the three ancient empires of Vietnam Tonkin, Annam, and Cochin China.