'This really helps': More than 40 years after the war ended, Vietnam-era veterans are welcomed home

[Omaha Steve]

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CHRIS MACHIAN/THE WORLD-HERALD
People stand at attendance as the Nebraska Military Honor Guard present the colors.

http://www.omaha.com/news/military/this-really-helps-more-than-years-after-the-war-ended/article_064aba06-f5f8-11e5-9d31-c742cb3dbcc6.html

POSTED: TUESDAY, MARCH 29, 2016 4:48 PM | UPDATED: 6:54 PM, TUE MAR 29, 2016.
By Steve Liewer / World-Herald staff writer

Cookies, coffee and a few kind words.

The small peace offering helped — just a little — to soothe decades-old wounds for about 85 Vietnam-era veterans from Nebraska and western Iowa who gathered Tuesday at Bellevue University for an overdue homecoming celebration.

“Forty-three years ago, you were met with indifference at best and contempt at worst,” said John Hilgert, director of the Nebraska Department of Veterans Affairs. “I want to say thank you. And I want to say, ‘Welcome home.’”

Rep. Brad Ashford, D-Neb., joined local officials of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs in shaking hands and handing out lapel pins to the vets on what has been designated Vietnam Veterans Day. It falls on the anniversary of the day in 1973 when the last service members left South Vietnam.

FULL story and more photos at link.