18 Terrace Review — Wednesday, February 11, 1987 Vietnam tragedy leaves } generation of silent. and alienated veterans | TERRACE — Glory Days are not always remem- bered through: service for one’s country. Pat Hall, 35, a Terrace resident since 1954, knows a number of men who served with the armed forces in the United States and Canada during the Vietnam conflict who still have difficulty justifying their intended or actual activities during that time. Hall became a member of Terrace’s Royal Cana- dian Air Cadet Squadron 747 just after it was formed in 1964. When he was 17 years old he joined the Vietnam War, Hall stated that he felt that it was simply due to the fact that their country asked them to go. There was very little glory in what they were asked to do. The Vietnam War was fought with little or no support from the Ameri- can general public. Riots and campus unrest, at the time, centered around demonstrations protesting American involvement in the war. ce As the American draft system.was in effect at the time, individuals with very strong anti-involvement onoos. <“<7wpesawoe Terrace resident Pat Hall the Royal Canadian Navy and spent 1968 and 1969 jn service. This was at the height of the Vietnam War in Southeast Asia. ‘‘Although Canadian servicemen weren't direct- ly involved in the South- east Asian conflict, everyone knew that they could be, very quickly, if the war escalated and . NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization) call- ed for more commitment. Canadian servicemen were more or less on standby. Psychologically it was a difficult time for all ser- vicemen of NATO coun- tries. Waiting for some- thing unpleasant can often be hazder on an individual than the activity itself. Something like a dental appointment; the waiting often more room is frightening than the den- tist,’” Hall said. After he was released from the Canadian Armed Forces, Hall lived in California for a year while attending an Academy in Oakland. This brought hirh into contact with a great many Vietnam veterans who returned from Southeast Asia who attended the same Acad- emy on the G.I. Bill. COUNTRY ASKED THEM | When asked why so many ‘young American men aiid women served In feelings, and whose draft number was chosen, tend- ed to evade the draft and emigrate to Canada or some other country with no conscription system and thereby avoid in- volvement in the war, Most of the veterans who were drafted came from lower and middle in- come families who were not attending a college or university as this activity qualified for what was known as a ‘‘college defer- ment” exempting them from military service. There were those who did enlist in one of the many branches of the American Armed Forces and volunteered for ser- vice in Vietnam, but these were the minority and they did so mainly from an in- tense love for their coun- try and an answering belief in what their coun- try was doing. THE YOUNG FIGHT The average age of . veterans of the Southeast Asian conflict was 19 as opposed to 26 in World War Two. These people fought, were injured and died all under the gaze of the war correspondent’s television camera, which brought these images into the world’s living rooms. ‘I feel that anyone who — lived with and observed these scenes of carnage can consider themselves a veteran. of the Vietnam aes War whether you were 19 | or 26, eight. or 80,” Hall.| - stated. One of the biggest prob- lems that was observed in Vietnam, logistically, was the fact that servicemen spent a manditory. 365. | : days overseas. After this time was accumulated they could be rotated | home,. Back to ‘‘the world” as they: called it. They could also sign on for another tour of duty if they wished. Needless to say, few took the latter option_so there was a con- stant influx of inex- perienced men and of- ficers and a loss of combat ready troops. A veteran of any war can tell you what this can involve. ‘*T suppose that the only good thing that came out of the Vietnam War was the white Americans’. respect and love for black Americans. They were forced to live, fight, ex- perience mind-numbing pain and: hardships with [a each other. Whites who would never have asso- ciated with blacks and vice-versa back home developed very intense feelings for their friends who shared their fears and complaints in the jungles: and rice paddies of Southeast Asia,’’ Hall noted. NEGATIVE PUBLIC ‘ OPINION He stated that it was very difficult for returning ser- vicemen to deal with the negative public opinion concerning American in- volvement in Vietnam. They. were sometimes abused both verbally and physically and seldom, if ever, received the ‘‘hero’s welcome’’, which would have tended to help justify what they had done during their tour of duty. Cana- dian servicemen were sometimes treated in the same manner simply be- cause they were. in uniform during a very un- popular war which was broadcast into homes all over North America. The first thing that the majority of returning ser- vicemen did was get rid of their uniforms, grow their hair long and drop out, Hall said, Psychological disorders often surfaced with the symptoms of Post Traumatic Stress Syn- drome, If you take a nor- mally healthy individual and teach him to crawl on his belly through a couple of miles of swamp and jungle, then attack and kill another individual, the effect on the human psyche can be devastating, Hall explained. There are approximate- ly 800,000 veterans in North America suffering varying degrees of this disorder. A great number of these. people could have continued on page 19 Representatives for the Terrace Art Association for 1987 from left to right are Diana E:.gilsh, vice president; Vikki MacKay, president; Maureen Worobey, secretary, and Vi Timmerman, treasurer. A recent art show at the gallery, located in the Terrace Public Library basement, featured works by the Family Four. Paintings on display are by Don Thomson, Jean Thomson, Joanne D. Thom: _ Phov. by DanHildert. son and Vikki MacKay. Personal financial plan | can take many forms | TERRACE — With the New Year just beginning, why not start 1987 with the right financial plan- ning? by Daniele Berquist Frank Donahue is an agent with the Mutual Life of Canada in Terrace and a respected member of our community. Donahue has He has served four years Frank Denahue is an agent with Mutual Life of Canada In Ter- lived in Terrace for 16 years with his wife Dodi and their two sons Steve, employed at Canada Safe- way Ltd., and John, who ‘ig 17 and attends Cale- donia Senior Secondary School. Donahue has spent 13 years in mortgage in- vestments and security. race. Donahue has spent 24 years working with mortgage In- vestments and securities prior to Joining Mutual Life a few years ago. Photo by Daniale Berquist. as the northern represen- . tative on the B.C. Board of Parole, Another four years were served as northern representative for B.C. Lions Society for Crippled Children. Donahue is, and has been, involved in many community projects such as Terrace minor hockey which he coached for 11 years. Donahue said he enjoys financial planning with‘ Mutual Life. ‘‘It's a direct, one-to-one plan with a person, ’said Doh- ahue, We start with an in- dividuals net worth of finances, in other words, . where the person is today financially, Donahue ex- plained. Then through computer process he and the interested party deter- mine financial objectives, The person outlines where -he or she wants to be in three, five or 10 years from now financially, Donahue explained. By then several options. can — be determined for the per- son to choose from. Donahue said that the franchise recognizes flex- - ibility in circumstances, because of changes - through life, and allows for those, “Everything is carefully planned,’’ he stated. An initial interview | will take approximately an hour.