American Legion commander's Vietnam vet credentials questioned; Morin served in N.J.
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    Angry American Legion commander's Vietnam vet credentials questioned; Morin served in N.J.

    American Legion commander's Vietnam vet credentials questioned; Morin served in N.J.

    By: Associated Press

    BOSTON -- The national commander of the American Legion never served in Vietnam although he describes himself as a "Vietnam veteran," a newspaper reported Sunday.

    Paul A. Morin, who was elected Aug. 31 to a one-year term as commander of the nation's largest veterans organization, spent his time in the Army from 1972 to 1974 at Fort Dix, N.J., The Boston Sunday Globe reported.

    Neither the federal government nor the 2.7 million-member American Legion makes a formal distinction between veterans who served in Vietnam and those known as "Vietnam-era" veterans.

    "I am a Vietnam veteran," Morin, of Chicopee in western Massachusetts, told the newspaper. His biography on the Legion's Web site also describes Morin as a "Vietnam veteran of the US Army."

    The Legion's top spokesman, Joe March, backed Morin's position. He said any current service member stationed in the United States at present could claim to be an Iraq war veteran.

    But former Sen. Max Cleland of Georgia said Morin's claim may undercut the credibility of veterans groups that fight for Congressional funding of veterans' programs.

    "For the national commander of the American Legion, who never even served in the Vietnam theater, to call himself a Vietnam veteran is a lie," said Cleland, who lost both legs and an arm during combat in Vietnam, and who has been a Legion member since 1969.

    Thomas G. Kelley, the Massachusetts secretary of veterans affairs and also a Vietnam veteran, said Morin is misleading people.

    "When someone says he is a Vietnam veteran, it means he served in the theater of the war," Kelley said.

    Before his national campaign, Morin was a ranking member of the Legion's state office and was described on its Web site as a Vietnam-era veteran who was stationed in New Jersey.

    Morin is the superintendent of the Soldier's Home, a state-run facility in Holyoke for needy veterans. He took an unpaid leave to serve as leader of the American Legion.

    Morin did not return two calls from The Associated Press seeking additional comment Sunday. March, the Legion's spokesman, also did not return a call Sunday.

    On the Net:

    Legion: http://www.legion.org/

    Ellie


  2. #2
    Marine Free Member 10thzodiac's Avatar
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    General Smedley D. Butler, refused belonging even to the Marine Corps League and all other organizations believing they were just mouth pieces for big business interest. Reluctantly he did join the Veterans of Foreign Wars as a favor to General Lejeune, but Smedley prided himself as being a “most inactive member” of it.

    SF
    10th


  3. #3
    Whenever asked, I openly share that I enlisted in the Marine Corps as the Vietnam war was winding down, and that although I consider myself fortunate that I wasn't asked to serve there...I would have willingly gone and done my duty, if needed.

    SEMPER FI
    drumcorpssnare


  4. #4
    Marine Platinum Member Zulu 36's Avatar
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    I too enlisted as the Vietnam War was winding down for US involvement. All through boot camp we were harrassed by the drill instructors about enlisting too late for Vietnam and were called various names implying cowardice.

    However, I ended up going to Vietnam for literally the last nine months before the US signed the Paris Accords. That I am aware of, at least three other guys from my boot camp platoon served in Vietnam (two with me in MAG-12, one in 1st ANGLICO) and a couple of others from the series (also in MAG-12).

    When I ran into one of my DIs a few years later on my second WestPac tour, he was rather surprised to see my Vietnam service ribbons.

    However, in my opinion, if you didn't get a VN Service Medal, you can't claim to be a "Vietnam Veteran." Serving in New Jersey puts one a little short of the requirements.

    Despite some bad experiences, all-in-all I am glad I was able to serve in Vietnam and proudly claim the other title of "Marine Vietnam Veteran."


  5. #5
    I too enlisted as Vietnam was winding down and never got to go. I have always refered to myself as a Vietnam era veteran. As far as I'm concerned, the only ones that get to call themselves Vietnam vets are those who went there. Same goes for today's vets. If you didn't go to Iraq or Afghanistan, then you're a GWOT era veteran. At least this time around I did get to go, so I'm proud to call myself an Afghanistan veteran.


  6. #6
    about six months ago I received a letter from the hq of the American Legion stating it was from the office of Paul Morin. In it he stated that as a fellow "VietNam Vet" he was asking me to join and have a part in the efforts to elevate the status of the VietNam Veterans.


  7. #7
    It sounds like Morin is now doing the dance around the mulberry bush.

    Just to show you how things can get confusing however, look at my record---
    My DD-214 does not show service in Vietnam.
    I do not have a Vietnam Service Medal.
    I am not a Vietnam Era Vietnam.

    So it would follow that I am not a Vietnam Veteran.
    As Paul Harvey would say, "Now for the rest of the story".---LOL


  8. #8
    I would NEVER EVER describe myself as an Iraq War Veteran having not been there

    it is outright misleading and a lie.

    Morin needs to be replaced.


  9. #9
    Marine Free Member jinelson's Avatar
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    Ya'll want to know what I find funny? For decades we Vietnam Veterans were the scum of the earth and now everyone claims to be one in public!

    Go Figure

    Jim



  10. #10
    Good return fire Jim! They had their day, now they want ours. I guess they learned that being a dirt bag and being crass had no honor.


  11. #11
    Marine Free Member FistFu68's Avatar
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    Usmc~1968

    THEN & NOW~VIETNAM COMBAT VETERAN~DAM PROUD OF IT


  12. #12
    Marine Free Member 10thzodiac's Avatar
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    Arrow Yo Jim

    Quote Originally Posted by jinelson
    Ya'll want to know what I find funny? For decades we Vietnam Veterans were the scum of the earth and now everyone claims to be one in public!

    Go Figure

    Jim
    After the war was over and employers frowned on hiring Vietnam Veterans, I was already working at Brach Candy in Chicago as an electrician. They hired a Vietnamese electrician. He was formally the Vice Minister of Industry of South Vietnam, he had a French degree in Electrical Engineering and had pictures of him and Johnson shaking hands.

    I didn't care for him and I let him know I didn't like him. Additionally my boss had an ax to grind with me because of the hard time I gave him when I was union steward.

    I knew the boss was keeping written notes on me in a folder hoping some day he could fire me. I guess this Nuyen told the boss we were not getting along and the next thing I know the boss was asking me if was I a Vietnam Veteran. I told him yes. It wasn't long after that I saw my boss writing some sh*t in his folder about me.

    I could just imagine what he was writing, 10thz doesn't like Nuyen because he's a Vietnam Veteran, giving Nuyen a bad time, he's prejudice.

    Nuyen had a photographic memory but couldn't tape two wires together, an accident looking for a place to happen.

    Our electric shop was a real motley crew, we had Irish, Lithuanians, Germans, Poles, Greeks, Italians, Chec's, Mexicans, Blacks, Iranians, Palestinians, Indians (dot heads), Koreans and Vietnamese. We actually even had "Tom, Dick and Harry."

    The Korean guy wanted to kill the Vietnamese. Nuyen would tease the sh*t out of Kim as being inferior. Kim was big and must of threatened Nuyen because Nuyen started packing. I trying to tell Nuyen to leave him alone after he showed me a gun and that he'd shoot Kim, but the boss thought I was cranking Nuyen up to go after Kim and told me to stop talking to Nuyen. LMFAO.

    SF
    10thz


  13. #13
    I, too served during the Vietnam Era and am called a Vietnam veteran although I did not actually go "in" country but as was stated eariler would have gone if I had been ordered to.I realize that not being combat tested is a big difference,but we all still had our jobs to do in support of the Marines in country,how else were they able to do the things they had to do. Many a time I have questioned myself on this matter because as a Marine I sometimes feel cheated about not being able to go in country,but then again I feel fortunate that I did not have to go. I say many thanks to the ones who did go and feel blessed that I didn't have to. I lost a very good friend in Nam who was in the Army and I didn't know it until after he was dead and buried.


  14. #14
    Can we put this Viet Nam veteran and Viet Nam Era veteran bull**** to rest please. I enlisted in November of 65(service no. 217****)
    and was told by everyone; my recruiter, Drill Instructors, etc... that it was
    next stop-Westpac. Well , the closest I got was K-Bay. When I went to the
    gunny to ask permission to request mast to see the CO to volunteer to transfer to the 27th Marines who were training there at the time he told me
    to shut the f*** up and get back to work; when the Corps wants you in
    Nam ,they will let you know. That makes me a Viet Nam era vet and I've never claimed to be anything else, and I'm very proud of my 3 years service. To think less of Marines who were not in country is wrong.However
    it is also wrong to mislead people about your tour of duty, and the new
    commander of the American Legion should have been upfront about where he did his.


  15. #15
    This goes to the "Stolen Valor" issue, basically. Not only Vietnam vets, but in wars prior to Vietnam, people have claimed service in places they've never been and things they've never done.

    I've never seen combat, unless you count being at the Pentagon on 9/11. Note it's "at", and not "in". To me, there is, in fact, a difference.

    I think it's the same for the "Vietnam era" vet thing. There were plenty of guys who served in Korea, Germany, and all over who did what they were supposed to do who didn't see combat, but still should be proud of the service they rendered.


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