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| Founded | 1978 |
|---|---|
| Founder | Bobby Muller andStuart F. Feldman |
| Type | Congressionally chartered Veterans Service Organization (VSO) |
| Focus | Vietnam War Veterans |
| Location | |
Area served | United States |
| Method | Education, Advocacy |
| Website | Official website |
Vietnam Veterans of America, Inc. (VVA) is a nationalnon-profit corporation founded in 1978 in theUnited States that is committed to serving the needs of all veterans. It is funded without any contribution from any branch of government. VVA is the only such organization chartered by theUnited States Congress and dedicated toVietnam War veterans and their families. The group holds acongressional charter underTitle 36 of the United States Code.
VVA aims to campaign on issues important to Vietnam veterans, to create a new identity for this generation of veterans, and to improve public perception of Vietnam veterans. The organization's main efforts concern:
VVA has organizing councils in 43 states, some 650 local chapters, and more than 85,000 individual members.[1]
In January 1978, a small group of Vietnam veteran activists came toWashington, D.C., searching for allies to support the creation of an advocacy organization devoted exclusively to the needs of Vietnam veterans. VVA, initially known as the Council of Vietnam Veterans, began its work. By the summer of 1979, the Council of Vietnam Veterans had transformed into Vietnam Veterans of America, aveterans service organization made up of, and devoted to, Vietnam veterans.Bobby Muller andStuart F. Feldman were among the organization's co-founders.[2]
Membership grew steadily, and for the first time, VVA secured significant contributions. The combination of the public's willingness to talk about theVietnam War and the basic issues that it raised, as well as the veterans themselves coming forward, was augmented by the nation's dedication of theVietnam Veterans Memorial in November 1982. The week-long activities rekindled a sense of brotherhood among the veterans and a feeling that they shared an experience that was too significant to ignore.
In 1983, VVA took a significant step by foundingVietnam Veterans of America Legal Services (VVALS) to provide assistance to veterans seeking benefits and services from the government.[3] By working under the theory that a veteran representative should be an advocate for the veteran rather than simply a facilitator, VVALS quickly established itself as the most competent and aggressive legal-assistance program available to veterans. VVALS published the most comprehensive manual ever developed for veteran service representatives, and in 1985, VVALS wrote the widely acclaimedViet Vet Survival Guide — over 150,000 copies of which are now in print.
The next several years saw VVA grow in size, stature, and prestige. VVA's professional membership services, veterans service, and advocacy work gained the respect of Congress and the veterans community. In 1986, VVA's exemplary work was formally acknowledged by the granting of a congressional charter.
Today, Vietnam Veterans of America has a national membership of nearly 90,000, with more than 650 chapters throughout the United States, Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, and Guam. VVA state councils coordinate the activities of local chapters. VVA places great emphasis on coordinating its national activities and programs with the work of its local chapters and state councils and is organized to ensure that victories gained at the national level are implemented locally.
VVA helps to provide greater public awareness of the outstanding issues surrounding Vietnam-era veterans by disseminating written information on a continual basis.
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