"We identify the flag with almost everything we hold dear on earth:
peace, security, liberty, our family, our friends, our home…
But when we look at our flag and behold it, emblazoned with all our
rights, we must remember that it is equally a symbol of our duties.
Every glory that we associate with it is the result of duty done."
~ 30th U.S. President Calvin Coolidge ~
Let freedom ring! Tis the season for liberty jubilations, in the midst of our Juneteenth and Independence Day holidays. President Coolidge’s words above, indeed remind us that freedom bears a high price, one of duty, honor and sacrifice.
On June 14—Flag Day and America’s Senior Service’s Birthday—our Nation thanked and honored more than one thousand Vietnam veterans and their families during a ceremony at the Mall of America, where Minnesota’s Governor Tim J. Walz, and U.S. Senator Amy J. Klobuchar participated alongside other State leaders and our own Director, Maj. Gen. Edward (Ed) J. Chrystal, Jr., U.S. Army. Crowds hovered, as shown at left, as the Minnesota Department of Veterans Affairs co-hosted this ceremony during a three-day event. The ceremony was just one of the 28 thousand events held since our inception, recognizing more than four million Vietnam veterans and their families. In addition, dozens of other activities took place during the weekend event, including Oral History Interviews from our History and Legacy team. The weekend also featured multiple Welcome Home screenings with standing room only. Congratulations on your exemplary efforts over the years, as our country continues to give this generation of heroes the proper thanks they deserve!
Speaking of Welcome Home, we were represented last week during the 66th Capital Emmys, where the broadcast production version was nominated in the Military-Long Form Content category. The awards show was a wonderful evening for recognizing Vietnam veterans and their families, as our film and other entries highlighted the service and sacrifice of this generation. Though we didn't take home the trophy, the nominated concert remains a deeply inspirational and crowd-pleasing tribute. It is still available to view personally, while it also tours the country in a series of live screenings and watch parties. Stream or download it directly, and visit our screening package to learn more. Above all, thank you for your support!