VietNow National Magazine

No Brag – Just Fact!

Rather than being braggers, VietNow people are more likely to be “doers.” They get their many projects done and move on to the next – without stopping to brag about their noteworthy achievements.

By Rich Sanders – VietNow National President

Not long ago a question was posed to the delegations: “What is your response when asked what VietNow does?”

That doesn’t seem like such a difficult question. However, the difficulty arises in the fact that essentially VietNow people are just “doers.” We aren’t braggers. We don’t spend much time dwelling on our achievements because we are too busy moving on to the next task, project, or event. In the time that would be wasted in hooking our thumbs into our suspenders, sticking out our chests and proclaiming what a good job we have done, most of us have moved on to numerous other “Veteran Helping Veterans” projects.

Chapter newsletters do highlight some local projects. But these reports are usually only presented in such a manner to encourage members to become involved in these fun work details. The intent of these descriptions is not to brag about the accomplishments.

But in reviewing chapter newsletters, it becomes clear that VietNow chapters cover a huge spectrum of need within their communities. VietNow supports the education of many young people through numerous chapter scholarship programs. Hundreds of needy veterans’ lives are made a little brighter during the holidays through chapter food basket projects. Children who are without, some without families, are made happier during the Christmas holidays because of VietNow. The plight of our POW/MIAs and their families is continually made public through the efforts of VietNow chapters.

The lives of our hospitalized veterans and those who are in veterans nursing homes are made happier through the efforts of our chapters. Physical, emotional, and sometimes financial help is quietly given to fellow veterans by members of VietNow. Help with community and civic projects is often provided as chapter projects.

And the list goes on! So, why do chapters feel uncomfortable and almost embarrassed when they try to verbalize all that they do? The same scenario is true on the national level. VietNow National tends to work in the background and take on tasks because they are the right things to do and because the cause is just. Rarely (and maybe to a fault) will a list of accomplishments be gloated over.

Little mention is ever given to the thousands of dollars that VietNow National sprinkles annually across the country to stand-downs or to the large amount of financial support that we provide nationwide to veteran transitional housing projects. The project of distributing literally tens of thousands of sandwiches to the homeless in the Chicago Loop gets done with little fanfare. We don’t publicize the numerous scholarships that we provide each year – both through our own scholarship program and a program that we fund for the descendants of the men and women who were killed in the Vietnam War. Our financial backing of a mobile medical service center for veterans in Florida is only visible because of a small “VietNow” sticker on the vehicle. Many dollars of support are given each year to endeavors that would be best described as community projects. Thousands of dollars have been provided to support worthy projects that other veterans’ organizations have undertaken. And we steadfastly support organizations working fervently to resolve the POW/MIA issue.

VietNow National provides all this support, not for bragging rights, but because the need is there.

We don’t stand on a podium and expound about being ever cognizant of the needs of the mothers, fathers, sons, and daughters of our brothers and sisters who have died in combat. No – we simply take care of those precious family members because we know that our deceased brothers and sisters would do the same for us if the situation was reversed.

We did not send several thousands of dollars to a group of young people who wanted to bring the Traveling Wall to a small southern town simply so we could get our pictures in the paper. We did not show up in large numbers to help these same boys and girls wherever needed during that weekend so we could take over their event. We saw that these kids were taking on a gigantic project and we wanted to make sure that they were successful in their mission.

Several copies of the VietNow National Magazine are sent to each VA hospital to help the patients pass the time of day. We have sponsored afternoons of musical entertainment in these same hospitals.

And the list goes on! So, why do VietNow members feel uncomfortable and almost embarrassed when they try to verbalize all that gets done? Well, because if it is right – if it needs to be done – surely, if it is “Veterans Helping Veterans” – look for VietNow to just get it done and move on to the next worthy project.

No brag…just fact!

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VietNow National
1835 Broadway – Rockford, Illinois 61104
800.837.VNOW – 815.227.5100
vnnatl@inwave.com

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