Why Vietnam Veterans break my heart and restore it again

by
Chaplain Kathie

I've been blessed to have veterans in my life since my life began. My father was a disabled Korean veteran. My uncles were WWII veterans. While they were still living, I met and married my husband, a Vietnam veteran. His father and uncles were also WWII veterans. Not bad considering we are only second generation Americans.

Ever since my life with my husband began, we've been active with veterans. I've been doing outreach work with them helping them to understand what PTSD is since 1982. It seemed only natural to do this. In all of these years, my heart has been broken over and over again because of all the suffering they have gone through, all so needlessly because they never received what they needed to heal beginning with the lapse of coverage from the media. If it were not for bad stories on Vietnam veterans for the last 30 years, there would have been no reporting on them at all. It's what the media does not report on that has restored by heart over and over again.

This past weekend we traveled with the Nam Knights from Orlando to Washington DC. While Rolling Thunder received the coverage for their ride on Sunday, May 24th, the Nam Knights rode on Saturday. We had about 400 Harleys roaring thru the streets of Washington, past Arlington National Cemetery up to The Vietnam Memorial Wall, parking a few streets away with a fantastic police escort getting us from one point to the other. They escorted us after a ceremony on the lawn near the Memorial to the Law Enforcement Memorial. Considering the Nam Knights is a group of Vietnam veterans, other veterans and Law Enforcement this memorial was important to them. The escort then blocked roads all the way from DC into Maryland for a feast provided by the VFW Post.

What does not get reported on is what the Nam Knights do other than once a year. They give back to this country as they have since they gave in Vietnam. The biggest thing Vietnam veterans did was fight for all other veterans. When they came home wounded by PTSD, they fought to have it treated and recognized by the VA and the DOD. Despite the fact other established groups wanted nothing to do with them, they didn't allow that to stop them. They started their own groups and made sure the power of their numbers along with the hearts of warriors, they would not be defeated in fighting for all veterans. Because they pushed to have the wound of PTSD treated, it began to be treated in police officers, firefighters, civilians after tragedies, accidents and crime.

Had it not been for them the older veterans suffering from what was called "shell shock" wouldn't have been treated. The Gulf War veterans wouldn't have been treated. Survivors of the Oklahoma bombing wouldn't have been treated. Survivors and witnesses of the multiple school shootings wouldn't have been treated. Survivors and witnesses of September 11th wouldn't have been treated. The troops and veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan wouldn't have been treated. With all of this, the police officers and firefighters, National Guardsmen and emergency responders wouldn't have been treated for doing their duty. With all of this, when they are informed of exactly how far reaching their efforts accomplished, they are stunned. They never thought about it. They only thought of doing the right thing.

Yet with this, they still die of PTSD and they still die homeless on our streets.

Vietnam veteran buried in Farmington
NewsWest9.com - Midland,TX,USA

FARMINGTON, N.M. (AP) - A veteran of the Vietnam War was buried in Farmington on Memorial Day, more than three months after he died at age 62 in Las Cruces.

Steve Nelson Baker was receiving treatment for post traumatic stress disorder shortly before he died. He was homeless when he died Feb. 2, and had been homeless off and on since his two tours of duty as a private in the Vietnam War.
click link for more

They still see their wound carried so deeply within them but push on with acts of kindness, with humility, seeking nothing than the help and hope they seek to offer to someone in need. Be it a soldier being wounded sent to Walter Reed to recover or coming into the area, they are there.

One of the Orlando Knights has a son serving now and his friend was wounded in Iraq. There was a donation taken up for him and his family and while a stranger to all the Knights, all gave what they could.

We had a family in a chase truck in case one of them broke down. They didn't have their Harelys with them. One of the Knights put out a request for rides for them so they could come with us to the Wall and within seconds, each one had a ride. Without helmets in hand another call was put out and four were offered when only three were needed. The best part of this story is that the man in the chase truck, a Vietnam veteran and Silver Star recipient had never seen The Wall before. He couldn't take his bike for the trip because he was hit by a car and his back was broken. That didn't stop him from making the trip from Orlando to DC. He drove the chase truck the first day and made sure the rest of the pack was safe considering there were drivers trying to cut into the group because they wanted to go faster and endangered the lives of the riders. His son took over after that and protected the group. With all he and his family were prepared to give to the rest of the Knights, they never thought of themselves and how they would be able to go with us to the memorial. They just wanted to help. Yet you will not read their story in the news paper or see it on the news. No one bothered to cover this day or the fact the Nam Knights was been giving back for 20 years.

NAM KNIGHTS OF AMERICA MC
AMERICAN MILITARY VETERAN
& LAW ENFORCEMENT
MOTORCYCLE CLUB
Parent Chapter: Carlstadt, New Jersey
with 36 additional chapters in New Hampshire (2), New York (6),
Maryland (2), North Carolina (2), Georgia (6), Florida (10), Massachusetts (3),
Pennsylvania (1), South Carolina (1), Virginia (1), Alberta (1)
and another in New Jersey (2)

About the Nam Knights
In the summer of 1989 a small group of Harley-riding combat vets of the Viet Nam War, who were also police officers, banded together to form the Nam Knights.

The Club was founded in New Jersey by Jack Quigley, now retired Undersheriff of The Bergen County Sheriff's Department. Jack served as a platoon sergeant with the 11th Motor Transport Battalion, First Marine Division.

Today, the Nam Knights of America Motorcycle Club has grown to 37 chapters in ten states and one Canadian province, with hundreds of members made up of veteran's of all eras as well as law enforcement personnel plus a few special and dedicated "civilians."

As Jack has said: "The club was formed to recapture the brotherhood its founding members shared while serving in Southeast Asia, and to help other veterans of all wars who are unable to physically or financially help themselves.

"The mission of the Nam Knights is to honor the memory of American Veterans and Police Officers who have lost their lives in the line of duty, to assist Veterans and Police Officers in their time of need, and to promote community awareness through sponsorship and participation in various community and fund-raising events.

"The Nam Knights Motorcycle Club continues to grow and thrive due to the extraordinary dedication of its members, their families and our benevolent supporters."

NAM KNIGHTS OF AMERICA MC
President's Message


Dear Visitor:

Our organization is pleased that you have the interest to surf into our web site. We are very proud of our site. NK Carl (Sgt. Maggot) Magnifico, NK David (Wrongway) Lewis and NK Steve (Slider) Mona have certainly put their expertise into compiling a most exciting and interesting web site. This is just an example of what a fine organization the Nam Knights of America Motorcycle Club is.

Membership is made up of 50% police officers (active and retired) and also 50% Viet Nam and other military era veterans, plus a few confirmed "civilians". The members who are non-police/non-veterans enjoy all the benefits of any member, although they cannot hold executive positions from 1st Sergeant At Arms up through the position of President. All members ride Harley-Davidson Motor Company or custom-built motorcycles with the appearance and construction of which is identical to a Harley-Davidson, and which engine parts are interchangeable with a Harley-Davidson with an engine displacement of 750cc or above.

The organization's main interests are to stress the importance of helping our fellow police officers and family members that may be in need of assistance. We also place a great deal of importance in the well-being of our veterans and to bringing out the message to the general public about our prisoners of war and those that are missing in action. We support legislation for the benefit of veterans and veteran's facilities, the advancement of studies and treatment of Agent Orange, Post Traumatic Stress and Hepatitis C. Many of our projects are to benefit the Paramus Veterans Home, police personnel and the betterment and enjoyment of motorcycle safety.

Again, I would like to thank you for your interest in our organization. If you will please sign our Guest Book and let us know your personal feeling about the web site, the Nam Knights, and/or our missions. If you are a Veteran of any conflict, please let us know that too. If you are an active or retired police officer, please let us know which department.

As President of the Parent Chapter, I feel that this is the best organization that I have ever had the privilege to be a part of and to serve. With chapters up and down the East Coast and one in Western Canada we have had many opportunities to meet more of our veteran comrades. We have grown very close and are able to share the importance of being veterans or police officers in our own way. We thank you for your support and help in the past and present in keeping the above issues alive.

To the many police departments that have helped us in the past with our functions -- helping to make them run smoother and safer -- thank you so much. Last but not least, those of you from the biker world: The only thing that I can say is thank you so very much for all the support that you have given us in the past. You have truly been very important and financially supportive in all that we have done to support our veterans and law enforcement personnel. It certainly is true that the biker is a person with a large heart, and not a person without honor. We thank you. To all the veterans' organizations and motorcycle clubs that have helped us in the past, we thank you for your support, interest and friendship in the Nam Knights Motorcycle Club.

Fred (Fritz) Reiman
President
N.K. Parent Chapter
NK1Fritz@aol.com

Please go to the site and thank them for what they do and have done no matter what some people think of them when they see them riding in packs down the street with their Harleys roaring engines, leather vests with the Nam Knights rocker on their backs because in their warriors hearts beats compassion beyond belief and a brotherhood that embraces acts of kindness. Considering they keep giving isn't it time we gave them at least a thank you on a guest book?

When you look into their eyes, you can see what makes a warrior live on. Knowing what they do and how much they give, my heart has been restored over and over again and I feel honored to know them and be counted as a Lady along with the other wives of these magnificent men. All of the wives are standing by their side and doing almost as much as they do.




If you see this on their back, thank them for all they do and have done for 20 years.