FAQs

The Department of Veterans Affairs estimates that currently there are more than 7 million Vietnam veterans living in America and abroad, along with 10 million families of those who served during this time frame.

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The Commemoration thanks and honors all our Vietnam veterans and their families, regardless of their political views. 

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Yes; the Commemoration is collecting oral history interviews on video of Vietnam veterans and their families. As we interview these Vietnam veterans, we are able to leverage their vast network of fellow veterans to interview and capture a wide breadth of experiences—all ranks, Services, specialties and viewpoints—that reflect personal thoughts and opinions about all aspects of the war.

Eventually, this collection of interviews will be shared, unedited, with the Library of Congress Veterans History Project. In addition, we anticipate these interviews being available on the Commemoration website in the future. More than 800 interviews have been completed. 100 are featured on our website and more than 400 have already been formatted and delivered to the Library of Congress. 

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The Commemoration honors all United States veterans who served on active duty in the U.S. Armed Forces from November 1, 1955 to May 15, 1975, regardless of location. 

We make no distinction between veterans who served in-country, in-theater, or who were stationed elsewhere during the Vietnam War period.  All were called to serve, none could self-determine where they were stationed, and all were seen in the same way by a country that could not separate the war from the warrior, as we do today.

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Living United States veterans who served on active duty in the U.S. Armed Forces from November 1, 1955 to May 15, 1975, regardless of location, are eligible to receive one lapel pin.

We make no distinction between veterans who served in-country, in-theater, or who were stationed elsewhere during the Vietnam War period.  All were called to serve, none could self-determine where they were stationed, and all were seen in the same way by a country that could not separate the war from the warrior, as we do today.

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The Commemoration is providing Vietnam Veteran Lapel Pins to Commemorative Partners for dignified public presentations to U.S. military veterans who served during the Vietnam War period.

However, if a Vietnam veteran is unable to attend a public ceremony, Commemorative Partners are authorized and encouraged to present lapel pins to these veterans in a private setting. Vietnam veterans and their families can locate upcoming commemorative events by visiting https://www.vietnamwar50th.com/events/. Zoom in to locate your state and city or town.  Blue pins represent future events. When a pin is clicked, details about the event are revealed, including contact information. If there are no blue pins in your area, check back frequently, as new events are added every week.  Veterans who need help finding a commemorative event can email whs.vnwar50th_events@mail.mil.

Due to the ongoing pandemic, we also created a means by which individual Vietnam vetersns may request their Vietnam Veteran Lapel Pin. Simply visit our homepage and click on "How Can I Get a Vietnam Veteran Lapel Pin?

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Commemorative Partners can request lapel pins and other materials by submitting the DD Form 2956 found under the Event Support tab in the Partner Portal. For best results, use the online form. Note: Portal access requires the User ID and Password emailed to the Commemorative Partner Chairperson upon acceptance in the program.

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The images on this lapel pin are significant; great care and thoughtfulness were used in their selection.  The Vietnam Veteran Lapel Pin Fact Sheet explains each element incorporated in this lapel pin.  We encourage all our Commemorative Partners to provide a fact sheet with each lapel pin they present.

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Vietnam Veteran Lapel Pins, and all other Commemoration materials, are provided to our Commemorative Partners at no cost, and are intended to be freely presented at commemorative events.  No Vietnam veteran should ever pay to receive this “lasting memento of the Nation’s thanks.”

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The Vietnam Veteran Lapel Pin was initially introduced in small numbers in late 2014 with the first lapel pin presented to then Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel. Full production of lapel pins began in 2015 and they have been available to our Commemorative Partners for presentation to eligible Vietnam veterans ever since.

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While we recognize the contributions and sacrifices made by our Allies in Vietnam, Vietnam Veteran Lapel Pins are specifically for U.S. veterans.

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While we highlight the contributions of Federal agencies and non-governmental organizations that served with or supported our Armed Forces, Vietnam Veteran Lapel Pins are specifically for uniformed U.S. veterans.

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Yes; the Commemoration created a Certificate of Honor Program to recognize four distinct subcategories of Vietnam veterans and their families – 

1) Former, living American military POWs from the Vietnam War as listed by the Department of Defense;
2) Immediate family members of American military personnel listed as missing and unaccounted for from the Vietnam War by the Department of Defense;
3) Immediate family members of a veteran who is listed on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C.; and
4) Surviving spouses (at the time of death) of veterans who served in the U.S. Armed Forces at any time during the period from November, 1955 to May 15, 1975, regardless of location.

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More than 12 thousand organizations have become Commemorative Partners since this Commemoration began, and this number continues to grow. 

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There are a variety of wonderful ways in which our Commemorative Partners recognize Vietnam veterans and their families. Although each partner may utilize a different approach, there are two key aspects common to each: (1) a dignified, public presentation of thanks on behalf of our Nation, and (2) individual recognition of each Vietnam veteran. 

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Advertisements recognizing Vietnam veterans are important and appreciated. The efforts Commemorative Partners are making to personally recognize individual Vietnam veterans and their families during hometown-centric events and activities, on behalf of the Nation, provide local communities the opportunity to do what we should have always done: thank and honor our Vietnam veterans and their families for their service and sacrifice.

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Once an organization becomes a Commemorative Partner, the following material is provided by the Commemoration —

1) Commemorative Partner "Starter Kit:"
    a) Vietnam War Commemoration Introductory Letter;
    b) Certificate of Commemorative Partner Designation signed by the Secretary of Defense;    
    c) Commemoration Flag; 
    d) Commemoration Objectives; and
    e) Presidential Proclamations.
               i) President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. (issued March 28, 2022)
               ii) 45th U.S. President Donald Trump (issued November 10, 2017)
               iii) 44th U.S. President Barack Obama (issued May 25, 2012)

2) Event Support can include listing Commemorative Partner events on the Commemoration website; providing materials for Commemorative Partner events, which include Vietnam Veteran Lapel Pins, Certificates of Honor and their accompanying lapel pins, pamphlets, posters, bumper magnets and tin-pin buttons; and, on a limited basis, providing speakers, presentations and information booths at events.

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On the Partner Portal login page, click on the "Forgot Password?" link. You will be prompted to enter the email address of the Committee Chairperson (this is also the User ID). A new password will then be emailed to the Committee Chairperson.

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The Commemoration has two seals; both are protected by law.  The first is our official seal, which is authorized for use only by Commemoration staff on official material (e.g., website, printed material). 

The second, the Commemorative Partner (CP) Seal, is similar to, yet distinctive from, the official seal and contains a banner under the seal that reads "COMMEMORATIVE PARTNER."  Our Commemorative Partners are authorized to use the CP Seal, and access is found inside the Partner Portal.  Our Partners are not authorized use of our official seal.

Our Partners also have access to an electronic version of both the CP Seal and the Flag through the Commemorative Partner Portal, along with a Style Guide providing guidance on the proper use of each, including display of the Flag.

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A request is made by submitting a DD Form 2956 through the Commemorative Partner Portal as follows:

1)  Log on to the Portal.

2)  Click on the "Event Support" tab.

3)  Under "Commemorative Events Request Form", click on the (online) DD2956.

4)  Complete the form
-- Note: any fields in RED and noted at the top of the page need correction before the form will be accepted by the system.

5)   A "Thank You" page will appear when the form has been properly submitted.

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Submit your request for support (DD Form 2956) at least 90 days before your event when requesting a speaker, booth or both (Full Support). 60 days is the lead time required when requesting materials or a website posting of your event. Requests not meeting these timelines will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis.

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Three levels of support are available —

1) "Event Website Posting" only, where your event is posted on the Commemorative Events map;

2) "Materials." These include an Event Website Posting, along with Commemoration materials, which include Vietnam Veteran Lapel Pins, Certificates of Honor and their accompanying lapel pins, pamphlets, posters, stickers and tin-pin buttons; and

3) "Full Support," available on a limited basis. This includes Event Website Posting, materials, and support by VWC personnel (e.g., speaker, staffed booth or both). Commemorative Partners incur no costs for any materials or Full Support.

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Yes; a printable PDF of materials is available exclusively to our Partners via the Partner Portal under the “Event Support” tab.

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The Commemoration does not provide a list of speakers; however, speakers typically are retired Military senior leaders, as well as Vietnam veterans.  Although availability is limited, you may let us know the type of speaker you are seeking and we will do our best to fulfill your request. 

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Requests for event website postings are typically approved and posted within 2 business days.  For requests involving materials and/or full support, Partners are typically notified within 10 business days.  To verify our receipt of your request, please call (877) 387-9951, or email whs.vnwar50th_events@mail.mil.

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An AAR is our acronym for an "After-Action Report" (DD Form 2957). Once Commemorative Partners hold an event, we ask that they submit an AAR through the Partner Portal.  This allows the Commemoration staff to keep records of all events supported, report cumulative progress and take corrective action when any process improvements are needed.

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Several means of "publishing" event photos are outlined in the 2015 VWC SITREP, Issue 5.  All our SITREPs, which contain helpful tips and event highlights, can be found under the "Communication Resources" section of our website.  Event photos we receive can be viewed in our Photo Gallery, or our Facebook rotating slide show.

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By Presidential Proclamation, The U.S.A. Vietnam War Commemoration will continue through Veterans Day, November 11, 2025.  Thus, our Nation will commemorate this 50^th anniversary over a 13-year period.

For the purposes of this Commemoration, November 1, 1955 to May 15, 1975 is the period being utilized to recognize the service and sacrifice of those who served on active duty in the U.S. Armed Forces.  November 1, 1955 was selected to coincide with the official designation of Military Assistance Advisory Group-Vietnam (MAAG-V); May 15, 1975 marks the end of the battle precipitated by the seizure of the SS Mayaguez.

As additional background, U.S. involvement in Vietnam started slowly with an initial deployment of advisors in the early 1950s, grew incrementally through the early 1960s and expanded with the deployment of full combat units in July 1965.  The last U.S. personnel were evacuated from Vietnam in April 1975.

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The United States of America Vietnam War Commemoration was established under the Secretary of Defense, per Section 598 (Public Law 110-181) of the 2008 National Defense Authorization Act.  Thus, the Commemoration operates as part of the Department of Defense (DoD); more specifically, as an organization under Washington Headquarters Services (WHS) within the DoD.

Director of Washington Headquarters Services and the Commemoration Executive Agent – The Honorable Regina F. Meiners; Commemoration Director – U.S. Army Maj. Gen. Edward J. Chrystal, Jr.

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The Commemoration staff has planned and executed eight highly successful national-level tributes in the National Capital Region.  

However, our focus remains on assisting our Commemorative Partners with events they design and host in cities and towns all across America.  Thus far, our Partners have made it possible for communities to individually and publicly recognize their Vietnam veteran friends and neighbors, and their families, in tens of thousands of “hometown-centric” commemorative events where “Thank you” is most meaningful.

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We are measuring success in multiple ways, two of which are:

1) The number of Vietnam veterans individually and publicly thanked and honored, as well as their families, during events hosted by Commemorative Partners are being reported back to the Commemoration.  These numbers are compared against the overall totals, as well as the Vietnam Veteran Lapel Pins being distributed.

2) The resonance and observation of 29 March, National Veteran War Veterans Day, in perpetuity by the American public.

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