National Vietnam Veterans Day is Tuesday, March 29. Due to understandable COVID restrictions at our usual indoor venue for this annual event at the Central Iowa VA in Des Moines, there will be no in-person ceremony there this year. Like last year, they are encouraging Veterans to stay connected through "virtual" events.

The Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund invites you to share how you honor those who served by video or audio any time at https://www.vvmf.org/honor-vietnam-veterans/.

VVMF and Vietnam Veterans of America invite you to join them at Noon CST for the virtual commemoration of National Vietnam War Veterans Day on March 29th. You can join them on their website at: https://www.vvmf.org/ or on their Facebook page at: www.facebook.com/vietnamveteransmemorialfund. You may even see your video or hear your audio during the ceremony!

Of special note, VVMF is also marking the 40th Anniversary of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall in Washington, D.C. For specific information on the anniversary, please visit https://www.vvmf.org/40th/

The Militarybenefits.info and VA’s Vantage Point sites also have several events and activities posted to mark the day. To stay connected and participate, please "click" on the links, and show your appreciation for our Vietnam Veterans and their families.

If you are hosting a local event and would like it publicized, feel free to add it to the Iowa Department of Veterans Affairs Interactive Calendar at https://va.iowa.gov/events. If the calendar won’t allow you to directly publish it, go ahead and submit your event and we’ll add it for you.

In Iowa, we ALSO celebrate Iowa Vietnam Veterans Recognition Day. This year they will conduct their traditional outdoor ceremony Friday May 6th, 2022 at the Iowa Vietnam Memorial Wall on the State Capitol Grounds. Note, this is a day before the traditional date (7th), to keep everyone’s weekend free. This will be the "15th" annual celebration, since the resolution was signed by the Iowa Legislature in 2007. This day is set aside for Iowans to come together to recognize all Iowa Era Vietnam Veterans and their families and the sacrifices they made along with survivors still dealing with issues derived from our service in the Vietnam War. Col. Jim McClung, USMC, (Ret.), 2-Tour, decorated, Vietnam Infantry Combat Officer and native of Casey, Ia., is the scheduled speaker.

This is a DAV-sponsored event with support from our friends at Central Iowa Health Care System.  To learn more contact the Iowa Department of Veterans Affairs, long99john@hotmail.com

More From 103.3 WJOD