Bill Norton, president of Vietnam Veterans of America, Chapter # 203, and Jessica M. Dumitru, Regent of the Chief John Ross Chapter, NSDAR and their organizations have partnered to initiate a new Department of Defense Program designed to recognize the spouses of deceased veterans from the Vietnam Era.
The Deceased Vietnam Veteran’s Surviving Spouse certificate and lapel pin were designed for the surviving spouse at the time of death of a veteran who served on active duty in the U. S Armed Forces at any time during the period from Nov. 1, 1955 to May 15, 1975, regardless of location. As the nation began its commemoration of the 50th anniversary of the Vietnam War in 2015, the U. S. Department of Department of Defense heard from community partners that a significant number of Vietnam veterans had died without a true ‘Welcome Home’ from their nation. The program design team immediately began work on a program that would honor each surviving spouse for her/his love and support of a special Vietnam vet. The lapel pin notes ‘Service, Family and Sacrifice’ and may be worn on any occasion. If the spouse is also deceased, the pin is available to the children of the Vietnam veteran.
Pins will be available at each meeting of VVA, Chapter # 203 and recipients will be pinned by a member of the Chief John Ross Chapter, NSDAR. Meetings occur at 7:00 pm on the Third Monday of each month at the American Legion Post # 95, 3329 Ringgold Road, Chattanooga, Tn. 37412.
The next meeting will be on Monday, Nov. 20. Pins will also be available at all VVA, Chapter # 203 Tennessee Vietnam Wall displays. For individual or group presentations at local civic organizations, business/industrial sites or area churches and synagogues, contact Jessica M. Dumitru at jmdumitru@gmail.com