RIECKHOFF'S NON-APOLOGY TO VIETNAM VETERANS

This is from Larry Scott and pretty much sums up how I feel as well.

Mr. Rieckhoff, your non-apology is not accepted.

And, to the staff at IAVA: Keep Paul Rieckhoff away from all computers. He's the only person I know who can dig a hole with a keyboard.

Rieckhoff can claim what he wants in order to defend what he said, but the truth is, all you have to do is listen to him talk when he pops up on cable stations and know, he really isn't interested in Vietnam veterans or other veterans at all. It really is a shame because he can't understand he ended up insulting every other generation of veterans in the process. I wonder how many of those "other" veterans supported the IAVA and ended up shocked by what he said?

This is really beyond just slamming Vietnam veterans. The media has not been interested in them at all but they have been suffering from lack of care longer than the newer veterans. Not only are they still trapped in the monstrous backlog of claims, they are being treated to appointments cut back to make room for the newer veterans. Does Rieckhoff ever think of this? Does he use the media spotlight to bring this appalling treatment into the public's mind? No. Does he bring it to the public's mind that had it not been for the Vietnam veteran he just slammed, none of the understanding, as pathetic as it is, would have been available for "his kind of veterans" had they not fought for it and demanded it over 30 years ago and never gave up fighting for it for their generation as well as all other veterans? Does he acknowledge at all that because of the way Vietnam veterans were treated when they came home "his kind of veterans" have been treated with respect and appreciation by the public and people around the country are fighting like hell to make sure they are taken care of including the Vietnam veterans and their families?

Rieckhoff has had no use for me or this blog. After all, I can't gain him any attention. If he had been interested at all he'd see how hard this Vietnam veteran's wife is fighting for "his kind" of veteran as well as all veterans. We have one Department of Defense and we have one Veterans Administration supposedly taking care of all generations and if there is a problem with "his kind" of veterans then he needs to fully acknowledge there is a problem with ALL generations of veterans. I am so tied of the spotlight focused on just the newer veterans because people like Rieckhoff get their attention but people like Larry Scott don't. He's focused on what the VA does and does not do for ALL veterans! You'd think the media would get the message that as they focus on the newer veterans suffering we still have Vietnam veterans suffering after all these years and yes, they watch TV too! Plus they don't consider how many more Vietnam veterans there are than the newer veterans. Wonder what their ratings would be if they ever paid attention to them?

RIECKHOFF'S NON-APOLOGY TO VIETNAM VETERANS
IAVA chief claims remark was about who fragged the most and not meant as disrespect.

by Larry Scott, VA Watchdog dot Org



Sometimes I wish people would just do the simple and correct thing when they open their mouth to change feet: Apologize for an un-smart comment and move on.

But, no ...

Sometimes I wish people would just do the simple and correct thing when they open their mouth to change feet: Apologize for an un-smart comment and move on.

But, no ...

Most people have to explain and explain ... and explain some more in an attempt to make it appear that what they said really was correct and really wasn't meant to be offensive ... thus trying to put the onus back on the person(s) they offended.

Such is the case of Paul Rieckhoff, Executive Director of Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA).

Yesterday we reported that Rieckhoff, in response to a soldier killing five fellow troops in Iraq, said, in part:

"Unlike during the Vietnam War, today's military is a professional, all-volunteer force."

This remark greatly offended me ... as it did Veterans' Advocate Jim Strickland ... and, we let our feelings be known. It also offended many other veterans as noted by the angry comments at the bottom of the article.

Instead of just saying, "I'm sorry. It was an insensitive remark and doesn't reflect my true feelings. I apologize," Rieckhoff tried to explain his way out of it.
go here for more
http://www.vawatchdog.org/09/nf09/nfmay09/nf051309-1.htm