FOR SHAWRD81: I know what you mean and how you feel. If you haven't already, you should read STOLEN VALOR by B.G Burkett and Glenna Whitley, which tells "How the Vietnam generation was robbed of its heroes and its history." Burkett spent over ten years researching the subject and showed that most of the supposed Vietnam Vets portrayed in the media as homeless bums, addicts and jailbirds actually were never even in any military service. He proved that many "veterans" being treated for PTSD WERE NEVER IN THE MILITARY. I don't remember the exact percentage but showed that most of the scraggly bums you see at and near the Viet Nam Wall, with thier partial uniforms, boony hats, medals , etc ARE PHONIES who have never been in the service. Like the guy you saw, they are just trying to get handouts by claiming to be Veterals. He goes into detail about how these phonies have fooled the VA, the govenment, the media and the American people and by doing so denegrated the service, patroitism, and gallantry of our real Veterans.

Burkett shows that there are really many thousands of Vietnam Vets who really are homeless bums, addicts and jailbirds, many of whom suffer from very real PTSD, but most of the REAL ONES are not the ones you will see around the Wall and in the media. From my experience, I agree with him.

The news programs I saw last night just keep the myth going and it makes me sick to my stomach.

Grumpy