Why has the Vietnam Campaign Medal (RVNCM) attachment never been updated?

2016-07-25T10:44:49-04:00

The official attachent (device) for an RVNCM has the date 1960 with a dash after it and then a space. The thought is that the device would eventually be updated to include the date of the end of the war, but this never happened. Isn't it time to finish the job and update this medal? It may be a small thing, but it seems disrepectful to me to leave this medal incomplete.

Response by LTC Private RallyPoint Member made Jul 25 at 2016 10:46 AM

2016-07-25T10:46:44-04:00

That is a good question. Wish I knew the answer.

Response by CPT Jack Durish made Jul 25 at 2016 10:51 AM

2016-07-25T10:51:19-04:00

They can add the end date after the last Vietnam Vet dies. Sadly, the war followed us home and continued here. Many are still fighting it. I know that I occasionally run into some old peacenik who is wont to belabor the point with me.

Response by SFC John Hill made Jul 25 at 2016 10:55 AM

2016-07-25T10:55:27-04:00

Probably because it was established by the Government of the Republic of Vietnam, a nation that no longer exists.

Response by SGT David T. made Jul 25 at 2016 11:01 AM

2016-07-25T11:01:53-04:00

I just read that the 1960 device was supposed to have the end date of the war when South Vietnam triumphed over North Vietnam. However, with the collapse and surrender of South Vietnam that date will remain blank. The award was issued by the South Vietnamese government which no longer exists, so the United States government does not have the authority to fix it.

Response by LTC Stephen C. made Jul 25 at 2016 11:05 AM

2016-07-25T11:05:38-04:00

I may be totally off base here, CPO Jon Campbell, but this was a foreign medal, awarded by the former South Vietnamese government. Seems like it would be the foreign government's province to update the clasp, but if that government doesn't really exist any longer, who's to update it? The medal was awarded under the authority of the Chief of the Joint General Staff, Republic of Vietnam Armed Forces. CPT Jack Durish LTC Private RallyPoint Member
Here's part of the answer, SPC Jeff Daley, PhD.

Response by Sgt Private RallyPoint Member made Jul 25 at 2016 11:19 AM

2016-07-25T11:19:44-04:00

I have the medal, and always assumed that it was U.S. Government issued.

Response by Capt Tom Brown made Jul 25 at 2016 11:47 AM

2016-07-25T11:47:03-04:00

As some have said the war is not over for those who fought there, and it will go on forever in one form or another. Some can get closure by taking a trip back there with a tour group to visit old battlefields and statues erected to victory by NVN. The war ended for the little nation of South Vietnam, but never ended for US because we didn't win. The war just petered out but didn't end.

Response by SGT Philip Roncari made Jul 25 at 2016 3:41 PM

2016-07-25T15:41:58-04:00

I did know it was issued by South Vietnam that no longer exists,but find it fitting that there is no ending date on the medal since for many of us Vietnam vets the war goes on forever in our shared memories,my very small rack of awards and medals are in a storage area I don't have to see or display them,but know what they mean to me and the men I had the honor to serve with.

Response by 1SG Private RallyPoint Member made Jul 25 at 2016 4:14 PM

2016-07-25T16:14:24-04:00

The RVNCM is a foreign award. For the Republic of Vietnam, the war ended with their demise.

Response by SCPO Private RallyPoint Member made Jul 27 at 2016 12:01 AM

2016-07-27T00:01:18-04:00

I like mine just the way it is.

Response by CPL Beth Allsop made Jun 12 at 2017 6:39 PM

2017-06-12T18:39:26-04:00

I know through family that my father was in Viet Nam or possibly Laos during a period of his Army service however he passed away in 99 and other than items brought back from there I have no way to get a copy of his DD214, do you to a fire at a warehouse in the 70s. As a cold war veteran I cannot apply to the VFW myself, however with proof that my father was there I wouldn't have an issue. I'm wondering if anyone knows how I can prove that he was there. If anyone has any ideas please let me know. COL Mikel J. Burroughs,Lt Col John (Jack) Christensen,SFC William Farrell,SFC Private RallyPoint Member,SPC Jeff Daley, PhD,SPC Adina (Fawn Mac) McKenzie,SPC Ken Harper,SGM David W. Carr LOM, DMSM MP SGT,SGT Francis Wright,SGT Kirk Smith,SPC Woody Bullard,Maj Rev. Fr. Samuel WATERS - Traditional RC Priest,LTC Private RallyPoint Member

Response by SFC Michael Hasbun made Jun 13 at 2017 6:09 AM

2017-06-13T06:09:59-04:00

The Republic of Vietnams' government no longer exists, so there's no one to update. I don't believe we're authorized to modify another country's awards....

Response by SFC William Stephens A. Jr., 3 MSM, JSCM made Jun 13 at 2017 8:59 AM

2017-06-13T08:59:49-04:00

They haven't recovered all the bodies from there yet? just my 2 cents

Response by SMSgt Lawrence McCarter made Jun 18 at 2017 11:43 PM

2017-06-18T23:43:43-04:00

That medal should be a constant reminder to the US Government that they ran out on the South Vietnamese Government after withdrawing but promising support that was never given. The South Vietnamese Military had weapons without ammo to defend against an invading, well equipped North Vietnamese Army that violated the Paris peace accords and invaded anyway. The US failed to help in any way, they just left the South to fend for itself. Would any of You stand with an empty weapon to face an invading Army ? The credibility of the United States to live up to its word and commitments was gone. That was never restored in the eyes of other nations until Ronald Reagan assumed the Officer of the President of the United States and restored the pride and Credibility of the nation which had been lost due to that failure. Until then many nations thought the US would run out on them just as they had the Republic of South Viet Nam.

There were also the factors of greed, contractors making hug amounts of money as long as the war continued. The connection of contractors to certain high ranking US officials meant Millions in profits for those people, they were in no hurry to leave. Another item, the MACV (military assistance Command, Vietnam ) rules of engagement made it very difficult to fight a war which was also micro-managed in Washington by President Johnson and the Secretary of Defense Robert McNamara who called the battlefield shots and decided what would and what would not be attacked. One of those major contractors RMK-BRJ was a consortium of six Texas Contractors that were friends of Lyndon B. Johnson and a company, Pacific Architects and Engineers whose ownership He turned over to Lady Bird Johnson so She owned the company and not him was a major Subcontractor of RMK-BRJ It may also be added that the RMK-BRJ consortium had also been used by LJB when He was Governor of Texas and were old buddies of His. RMK=BRJ was completing tasks that both Navy Sea Bees and Air Force Red Horse units were completely capable of doing and were doing until these contractors showed up in Viet Nam. There was no money to be made though if the Military did the work. This added years to a conflict that could have been ended in 4 to 6 months.It seems everywhere I looked in Viet Nam as a Viet Nam Vet, RMK-BRJ had showed up. It was almost impossible to go anywhere there and not see that company in their major construction projects. The anti war press and the anti War demonstrators also are not free of blame, their despicable, ill informed conduct cut support for the war and left the South Vietnamese and the US Military out to dry. The job was never finished, just run out on by the Nixon Administration. Seems some things that were corrected later in the post post Reagan era regressed back to what had been. In the long run it seems very little has changed except for not blaming the Military for what politicians had done.
We should remember that reminder of the unfinished war. Keep in mind also with North Korea that war never ended, that is a cease fire and a DMZ at the 38th parallel and that country still divided by North and South. Not the same situation, We didn't run out on South Korea but still unfinished business.

Response by Cpl Lawrence Lavictoire made Jun 19 at 2017 3:44 PM

2017-06-19T15:44:20-04:00

Considering how we got involved and how it was ended, (how we left) does it actually matter anymore? The date will live on with all us VietNam vets, period!