Is there a disconnect between the Korean & Vietnam Veterans & the Gulf/OIF/OEF Veterans?

Sir, I am only an outsider looking in and I can clearly see a divide. However, there seems to be a true disconnect with more than these generations. It appears, not only with branches and era's, if you will. This younger generation of warriors from OIF forward to today are still very traumatized. I do see the Vietnam era veterans reaching out to the younger, but not the later, Korean war or WWII much anymore. It appears the later is lost to the younger veteran. They still require conversation and reach out. The Bridge will come with strong leadership,building strong teams, made up of the best and the brightest; such as yourself, asking the right questions, the solution will come with continues honest effort. This is just a tip from "Your Aunt Kim", according to this civilian~You are the best that american has or had to offer, you all answered that call, when others did/could not. You are a band of brothers and sisters, with a culture all your own.Change it one person at a time, and yes it does start with you. Within yourselves lies the answer as to how you build that bridge. Just please do not stop reaching out and communicating your needs and experiences, as you stand on tall shoulders! And the lessons from your elder's are priceless!

There is a disconnect only in that, as we get older, we forget being without family, witnessing the horrors of war and the faith and trust that each has in the other. Korean War veterans were treated with a general apathy. This in itself was indeed wrong, but not as humiliating as being made to feel less than honorable. As a Vietnam veteran, I and so many others remember only the way we were treated when we returned and the lack of support from the older vets. For that reason, we made it a mission never to let one generation abandon another. I have been approached by many of today's young vets who were very thankful to us for that. We were the best of our generation and they are the best of theirs. Being a veteran is a great honor and with that honor comes a responsibility. No country can long exist if it forgets or mistreats its veterans. It is our duty now to remind everyone of that simple fact.

COL Mikel J. Burroughs and Rally Point Team,

I scratched my head a little with the question… because at first blush I was like, “of course!”
I then took a step back from the regular thoughts and asked myself the follow on question of “why?” and more importantly what COL Burroughs asks, “How do we bridge the gap?”

To that question here my 2 cent answer.

How do we “bridge the gap”? We bridge it buy offering each other mutual respect and trust. We bridge it by not falling into these little games of minimizing the contribution of one generation over another. We bridge it by opening our minds to the fact that every person that has faithfully served in uniform… whatever uniform… in whatever branch… in whatever capacity…. Is a member of the family of the less that 1% ers! They are our Brother/Sister! And that their respective contribution was no less… than what I/we contributed.

When we start living by, and offering, the Respect (the “R” in the Army Values) to each member… we begin to “Bridge the Gap”.

Our military family generationally needs to simply accept that each of our experiences (times, perspective, culture, people, etc…) are different. That difference changes our outlook and just because something was one way ten years ago… last conflict… this theater… that theater… branch… (you get the idea)… it doesn’t make them the “sole truth” for everyone. Just like combat… today's… fight is not like yesterdays…. Much less twenty years ago.
I have observed that there is a tendency in a few posts to “spotlight” how “my/their” war/conflict/police action/counter insurgency… pick the flavor… was different. My immediate response is… of course they were! My experience in Central America in the 80s, were different than my experience in the Balkans in the 90s and 00s, and was different that my experience in SWA in the 90s and then in 00s. Times change as do the experiences we face.

What I’m submitting is that we need to be receptive to each other. Let’s not play the “one-up-manship” game I see… or worse yet… minimizing anthers vets experience. We can begin to bridge the gap then…. And when you realize that yes… you didn’t experience what the other Vet did… even while you may/or may not be able to relate… don’t minimize. That just breeds the animosity and resentment… and further widens the gap.

I have read many forum posts, some on Rally Point which is sad, where Vet’s minimize the service of other vets.

REALLY!?!?

Sometimes it’s a Vietnam vet, sometimes it’s a Korean Vet, and sometimes it’s an OIF/OEF Vet against another OIF/OEF Vet because they were in a different “sector/zone”… and worse yet is when a “war” vet minimize the contribution of another Vet that hasn’t been to theater. I just can’t fathom this… and have little respect for those use this method of engagement.

Maybe…. Just maybe… if we “respect” each other and “trust” that when we offer our “opinion” on a subject… we can be “engage” in a thoughtful exchange… then maybe we can begin to bridge the gap.

Well… that’s my 2 cents.

Peace/Out

If tgere is a disconnect, i dont think its between thos who fought in those wars. I dont really know much about the vietnam or korean war for that matter, but from what i see, the disconnect is from society. The way vietnam vets were treated by a lot, if not most was absolutely terrible. First people who didnt go through what you did spit on you treat you like crap. As where people of today, seem to be more accepting and on the side of the soldier. They both seem like political wars to me though. I have my theories.

I always thought as a Vet ,Desert Storm was not enough to join the club.
I looked UP to the experiences and horrors of those who preceded me I am AMAZED at what they did.
If THEY think I'm good enough,that is all I need. I SURE as hell know they are

Beyond the distinction of being the "newbies" like we (the Nam vets) were with the Korean War and the WWII vets initially, the guys that came after us were brought up in a different world. The majority came from homes with a working mother, that is if they came from a two parent household in the first place. Television and the Internet gave a lot of these guys their perspective on the world and you can't get feedback on your ideas from TV. The internet also allows some anonymity because you can say things without showing your face. I say all this because if we want to bridge the gap, us old guys have to go out of our way to welcome the new guys into our camaraderie. I think we just have a tough time talking to each other.

As an Army veteran of 35 years and fifteen years as a defense contractor supporting troops in overseas locations, I am of the opinion that there are few gaps between veterans except those lonely hard drinkers in the VFW clubs who choose to set themselves aside from what has been going on in the world outside their club houses. I spent two combat tours in Vietnam as an Infantryman, a few others that had no name or publicity and Desert Shield/Storm. I have supported troops in Afghanistan, Iraq, Bosnia, Croatia, Hungary, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Rwanda, Zaire, and Uganda, Jordan and a few other places. I am active in military affairs in my home state of Texas and am close to young men and women who currently serve. I have to tell you that the veterans who have gone before these great soldiers have all the respect and affection you can imagine. I give presentations to service organizations and radio audiences on how similar combat operations are between all the wars and conflicts. The Cold War soldiers did their jobs as well and I have never had any indication that they felt a gap, except that one they created when they talk about not having gone to war and wish they had. The young folks I talk to, KNOW that the greetings and respect they get when they return from the Sand Box or wherever, is due to the way we Vietnam and Korean vets were treated on our returns. They are grateful for our efforts and sacrifices and many times want to know how it was different and how it is the same. My book "Young Soldiers Amazing Warriors" is often used as a training text by active duty battalions for small unit tactics and operations. I think if there is a gap between the veterans of our conflicts, it is between individuals who don't recognize the big picture of how our armed forces relate to the challenges of their generations and how, at the bottom of it, are all pretty much the same.

I don't think there is that much disconnect between the Nam vets and Korean Vets. There were simularities, particularly in the "Homecoming" or lack thereof. My Uncle was U.S. Army ret'd. He was wounded on Pork Chop Hill during the Korean War and again in Nam ( He was there when I arrived ). Like he said. In Korea and Nam, you got your orders ( course, with Nam, you had the E&E thing ), you get to you embarkation point and there is a Group. You load up and go. Once in Country at the disembarkation point, you sit around until you are assigned to a unit and off you go. When your time is up, it is back the same way. You get back to the disembarkation point in the States and everybody goes in different directions. Because of those simularities, those two groups could identify with each other, not to mention a common enemy ( Communists ). As a Life Member of the VFW and DAV, I talk to Vets from WWII to the Mideast.

I have to say there is a generational gap which results in a disconnect. I have the utmost respect for WWII & Korean War vets, as for vets from any more recent conflict. I have no idea, except what I read in books what they went through and often it seems worse than anything in my limited experience. We do have one thing in common and that is we are all vets and that can serve as the foundation for appreciating what the other generation went through, and to be thankful for what they did.

Between those who fought, I don't know how much of a disconnect their actually is. War is war and it all sucks. But the culture of the country was different in each of the wars. The Korea war vets were forgotten, the Vietnam vets were despised. The more modern war vets (Gulf, OEF, OIF) I believe were treated better by society.
The tone of country seems to dictate how the vets were treated.