NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — In the half-century since the fall of Saigon, both the services available to veterans and the perception of those who've served have changed.
"I was there from March of 1967, extended in the country. Left in 1968, went through the Tet Offensive," said Ron Bottomley, a U.S. Navy veteran who served in Vietnam.
"Thank you for your service" is a phrase veterans commonly hear today. However, for Bottomley and many who fought in Vietnam, it's a far cry from the treatment they received coming home from the war.
"I've been spit at — didn't get hit, but been spit at," said Bottomley.
He served in the Navy but worked almost entirely on land.
Thousands of miles and decades away from Vietnam, he said that being exposed to Agent Orange has brought on health problems late in life.
"I've got hyperactive thyroid, they took my thyroid out, recurrent bladder cancer, diabetes, neuropathy in both legs," said Bottomley.
Treatment of those conditions and treatment of those who've served overall has changed in the years following Vietnam.
That's partly due to work through the Department of Veterans Affairs and many veterans-focused organizations like Operation Stand Down, one of the many organizations Bottomley has spent time volunteering for.
Bottomley frequently volunteers with organizations like AMVETS, TNVET, and others.
According to Penny Anderson, Operation Stand Down Tennessee's Chief Development Officer, the stand-down movement started partly because of the hardships many Vietnam vets faced.
"So many of the programs that we offer now with the VA were established in the early to mid-1990s in response to a generation of combat veterans that hadn't been addressed," said Anderson.
Operation Stand Down can help those who've served with crisis services, including housing support, suicide prevention, food assistance, and more. There are also career initiatives and engagement opportunities.
Click here for more information on the services provided by Operation Stand Down.
Anderson said folks who return from serving in combat now come back to a different level of support, both emotionally and medically.
"How we treat our veterans now was informed by how we should have treated veterans when they first came home then," said Anderson.
Organizations like Operation Stand Down, TNVET, AMVETS, and others continue to advocate for veteran services and care, but there have been big developments in just the past few years.
“One of the biggest advancements was in 2022 with the passing of the PACT Act, which started to give benefits and recognition to service-connected injuries, even if they had been denied for years beforehand," Anderson said.
Do you know a Vietnam veteran with a story to share? Have you or a loved one benefited from Operation Stand Down's services? I'd love to hear from you and possibly feature more stories about our local veterans. Email me at robb.coles@newschannel5.com to continue the conversation.
This story was reported by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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