Want to spread some cheer to a fellow Veteran this holiday season? Send a creative note to your Veteran peers!
Created by Veterans, for Veterans, the Challenge America Veteran Arts Community (CAVARTS) is a national hub that brings together Veterans of various backgrounds who support one another as they connect, learn and grow through the Arts.
While the holiday season is meant to be a time for family and friends to gather and remind each other what it means to be loved, it can be an especially lonely time of year for those who feel isolated, made worse by the ongoing pandemic. Far too many Veterans in our community are experiencing this sense of isolation and loneliness right now.
Join us in supporting these Veterans through the power of community. If you are a Veteran or service member, sign up for the Challenge America Holiday Outreach Campaign. It could be a letter, poem, drawing, painting or something else. Create a meaningful connection, show that you care, and maybe even make a friend for life.
To learn more and to register for the Challenge America Holiday Outreach Campaign, go to www.cavarts.org and click “request to join.” Membership is free and exclusive to Veterans and service members.
Once you join the community, you will find more information on how to sign up, as well as a space designed to bring Veterans together around a shared interest in the creative arts and crafts. You do not need to be an artist to join, but you do need to be a Veteran or service member.
Once you’ve registered, a member of the Challenge America team will reach out and pair you with another Veteran for the holidays. You’ll have the opportunity to connect through our private platform, get to know each other, and get to creating something special.
The deadline to register is December 1.
Don’t miss this opportunity to connect with another Veteran during one of the most special times of the year.
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If any of you feel that we lost the war in Vietnam, We didn’t. We being the veterans. After Tet 1968, Ho Chi Minh was considering peace talks with the U. S. since we had destroyed such a huge number of NVA and VC personnel, and even units. But, when he saw the news, all those headline money grubber news people and companies I can’t name specifically, he realized that in fact, he had won. He ‘won’ because all the cowards, draft dodgers and others, protested so strongly, he knew the U. S. would withdraw eventually without winning. We, vets, had annihilated the North and VC. We won. ‘We’, the cowards, lost. If someone says, we lost the Vietnam war, correct them. To all vets, Happy Holidays, and you have my respect. R. Willis, 1966-1986, C/1/5 ’67-’68.
Thank you for your service.
I am also a veteran who served in the Viet Nam conflict from 1965 to 1967. I was a navy dental tech that somehow managed to become a combat medic. I volunteered for the Fleet Marines (FMF) and went to camp Pendleton in California for my training. Once there, I gave up my Navy clothes except for my dress whites and dress blues and got Marine Greens and Marines Browns in return. I was proud to be with the Marines. In bootcamp both corpsmen, dental techs and offices were treated the same as any other Marine boot except, if we so desired, we could leave the base at night. Everyone was so tired at the end of the day that all of us declined the opportunity to do so. Once we graduated from Boot Camp, we were sent over to Okinawa, Japan to the First Marine Division. We were taught about jungle survival, mines, and booby traps and combat medicine. From there we embarked on a Navy Troop Ship and headed over to Vietnam. We were issued live side arms and a M-14 riffle. Once there, we debarked into small landing craft and were told to hit the beach and crawl to cover. We hit the beach and started to crawl, we heard sounds of cat-whistles and laughter from the Second Division Marines who had watched the entire beach landing. They were waiting to leave the country and return home. After a few weeks had gone by, I was assigned to the Eleventh Artillery Group which was in the Iron Triangle outside of Chu Lai. We had the Seventh Marines to our left and Flames and Tanks to our right. The Seventh Marines were attacked constantly, and the Flames and tanks were left alone because the Viet Cong had this fear of dying by fire. We were occasionally attacked. Part of my job, while there, was to accompany Forward Observers to the front lines. The FO’s called in ariel attacks and reported on what they saw. The Marines sure did treat me good. They would get my meals when it was raining out. During the monsoon season, it did rain a lot. The dusty dirt became a mudhole. My combat experiences, well to be honest, I am trying with difficulty to forget. All-in-all, my experiences with the corps were a good one. My only problem, today, is who to stand for when the parade passes by. To remedy this awkward situation, I just stand up for both as they pass by. Again, Thank you for your service. Semper Fie.
I recall reporting for duty at Ft Knox on Nov 1st, 1971 for AOB. Sure enough I was assigned duty officer on Thanksgiving day. But – Nebraska U was playing OU in the game of the century- so at least I had some entertainment! My wife brought me turkey dinner.
Our USA will never be able to do enough for our Veterans. But your faith in God and living a life based upon Faith, Hope, and Charity can satisfy your needs. Believe, Trust, and Obey Him. Thank you fellow Veterans!
What you are doing matters. Thank you for continuing to serve this amazing country and our freedoms.