Lead Adventure Forum
Miniatures Adventure => The Conflicts that came in from the Cold => Topic started by: Panzerfaust 150 on May 10, 2022, 10:09:26 PM
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Military Miniature needs a fact-checker/peer reviewer for an upcoming publication, please contact Jason Weiser at jason@militaryminiature.com. Thank you very much for your time in advance.
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I went active shortly after the fall of Saigon so I am not qualified but I am going to request you use a careful approach in what you put before Vietnam veterans. I know some personally who still struggle to 'be whole' after their experiences, especially the Purple Heart veterans, even harder for some of those wounded in battle. Some will not even watch any type of war movie whatsoever for fear of the triggers that cause them so much anxiety.
Hopefully you will find someone who can assist but, again, I'm hoping you don't expose them to 'battle' situations that interrupt their healing. All too easy in a hobby focused on war.
Thank you.
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I would suggest that you may need to cast your net a little wider, depending on the type of fact you are trying to check.
The experience of veterans will depending on their role, branch of service, time of their tour, location of that tour and various other factors. If you are looking at the experience of battle then a marine fighting in Hue might have a very different perspective to someone fighting in the Ivy Division in the Mekong.
The Vietnam War ended almost 50 years ago, memories fade and often aren’t as reliable as we might like to think even days or weeks removed from an event. It’s also not unknown for some soldiers to tell dits or tall tales.
Whilst not wishing to contribute to a well worn trope, as pointed out above there are quite a few damaged individuals came out that war. A degree of sensitivity in approaching them
would be sensible.
Try and get a cross section of views. Unless your questions are of the ‘how many cigarettes in a supplementary pack?’ type you are likely to get an array of answers.
Good luck!
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The two comments above are very much bang on so I will not add anymore.
You may be best asking on a veterans facebook page as there are a few. ;)
There seem to be a lot on here https://www.facebook.com/groups/743956852970405
Just tread very carefully ;)
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I knew quite a few folk who had served in Vietnam. Most were, at least ostensibly, reasonably well adjusted, functional human beings. There was perhaps a minority (but still a statistical over-representation) of vaguely functional dipsomaniacs as well.
We had one ex-Vietnam Warrant Officer, who, when drink had been taken, would invariably resort to his two party pieces. The first was emptying and then eating a 2 pint glass beer jug. The second was flopping his tackle out and placing it on the shoulders of unsuspecting soldiery. Equal opportunity offender our man, happy to play that trick on male and female soldiers. IIRC it was that finally did for him, although that may be be wishful thinking. Whether that was a result of his service in Vietnam or whether he was just an obnoxious ass to start with, it was impossible to say.
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Some clarification: The main thing is we have questions about uniforms and gear as they were worn "in the field." I would not be asking about specific engagements or the like. I suspect that will help. Preferably, if the veteran is a wargamer, that would help a lot.