Sen. Tim Kaine wants Iraq and Afghanistan veterans to have an official welcome home. What do you think? I'd say YES PLEASE!

SSgt Andy Nguyen — Thu, 19 Jun 2014 19:55:15 -0400

On Thursday, Kaine will introduce a resolution to mark this Veterans Day as an formal celebration for the youngest generation of war fighters.

The move doesn’t carry any money or mandates, but Kaine hopes if it passes the Senate it can act as a firing pistol for a host of nationwide celebrations honoring the military sacrifices of the last 13 years.

It’s not the first attempt for some type of post-Sept. 11 V-J Day, the surrender of Japan to end World War II. But it’s the first major push since the White House announced plans to end the combat phase of the war in Afghanistan at the end of this year, and slowly draw the remaining U.S. forces out of that country over the next two years.

Kaine acknowledged with troops still deployed in Afghanistan, critics will call a victory celebration this Nov. 11 premature. But he insists the moment is already overdue for the more than 2.5 million troops who have already come home from both wars.

“We’re already going to have a Veterans Day. This year, let’s make it a special one for those veterans,” he said.

The idea of a “welcome home” celebration for U.S. troops has been controversial in the past, both inside and outside the veterans community.

Some veterans groups pushed for a nationwide day of recognition in 2011, when U.S. forces withdrew completely from Iraq. City officials in St. Louis held the largest such celebration in January 2012, with thousands of spectators cheering on recently-returned veterans in a weekend parade.

In February 2012, the White House hosted a formal state dinner to honor the sacrifice of servicemembers in Iraq. Pentagon officials selected 78 Iraq veterans to attend the event, to act as stand-ins for the more than 1 million servicemembers who deployed to Iraq and the 4,475 killed in fighting there.

But Pentagon officials have resisted larger celebrations while American troops are still deployed in Afghanistan, saying it sends the wrong message to a nation still at war. They haven’t yet weighed in on Kaine’s plan.

Officials from Vietnam Veterans of America, Veterans of Foreign Wars and the American Legion have signed on to Kaine’s idea. Richard Weidman, VVA’s policy director, said he hopes the move starts a national conversation about the wars and their after-effects, one that never really took place after the controversies of Vietnam.

“There’s more to making veterans whole than just government programs,” he said. “This is about really welcoming people back into civil society.”

In 2006 and 2007, Congress set aside $20 million in the annual defense budget bills for a national celebration to honor troops at the conclusion of Iraq and Afghanistan wars. The White House still holds the authority to organize such an event, but the money has long since been redirected to other priorities.

Veterans from the first Gulf War were welcomed home with a march down Broadway in June 1991, paid for through private donations. Weidman said the week surrounding Veterans Day 1979 was designated for marking the work of the Vietnam Veterans, providing an important — if understated — moment of pride for many of those warfighters.

Kaine said the resolution won’t conflict with ongoing work on care delay reforms at the Department of Veterans Affairs, the top priority issue for most veterans organizations at the moment. A national celebration, he argues, will complement those efforts, by raising public awareness of the challenges facing the returning troops.

Through June 18, 6,819 Americans have been killed and 52,037 have been wounded in the Iraq and Afghanistan wars.

Response by MSG Wade Huffman made Jun 19 at 2014 8:43 PM

MSG Wade Huffman — Thu, 19 Jun 2014 20:43:31 -0400

I've been thinking about this one for a while and although I can normally take a side on a topic, I am truly torn on this one. I DO agree that there should be a welcome home for OIF, OEF veterans.. no doubt about that, it's the timing that I am having an issue with. We DO still have troops deployed in Afghanistan and we are sending more troops back to Iraq (ok.. NON COMBAT troops... right.. ) I just don't think it's time yet, I believe there are more to be deployed while we would be officially welcoming everyone home.

Response by SPC Matthew Hawthorne made Jun 20 at 2014 2:03 AM

SPC Matthew Hawthorne — Fri, 20 Jun 2014 02:03:22 -0400

Yes we should all welcome home soldiers coming back from Iraq as a veteran I was there twice and it felt good to be on US soil and to see people welcoming us home it was a good feeling so I would do the same to my fellow soldiers/veterans

Response by MAJ Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 20 at 2014 7:12 AM

MAJ Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 20 Jun 2014 07:12:26 -0400

*edit* I may have misread. I read this as a welcome home (meaning when we arrive), not an official/annual event. I'm fine with something annual.

Response by 1SG Jeffrey Bergeron made Jun 20 at 2014 10:09 AM

1SG Jeffrey Bergeron — Fri, 20 Jun 2014 10:09:06 -0400

I think the Vetiam Vets need their welcome home. We as a country own them all many many welcome homes their never received.

Response by PO1 David Seamans made Jun 20 at 2014 8:08 PM

PO1 David Seamans — Fri, 20 Jun 2014 20:08:38 -0400

As a 20 year Retired Navy Veteran I would agree with you. Our men and women deserve a great Welcome Home. Of course it will not be bitter sweet for our family as our son Pfc. Timothy J. Seamans, US Army was killed in action on August 18, 2005. Please visit my website at http://www.floridafallenheroes.org on what is our mission and how we honor our fallen heroes.

Florida Fallen Heroes Memorial Foundation - Home

Response by CW5 Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 15 at 2014 12:49 PM

CW5 Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 15 Oct 2014 12:49:30 -0400

I vote yes. I think something like an official welcome home is well deserved.

Response by PV2 Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 15 at 2014 12:54 PM

PV2 Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 15 Oct 2014 12:54:45 -0400

Give the Vietnam vets their well-deserved welcome home first. Then work on the VA issues and homeless vets and PTSD. That is a better way to honor those who have sacrificed life, limbs, body parts, peace of mind, etc.

Response by MAJ Jim Woods made Oct 15 at 2014 1:03 PM

MAJ Jim Woods — Wed, 15 Oct 2014 13:03:16 -0400

Where was he when the VN Vets came home. In diapers I'm guessing. As a VN Vet I find it refreshing almost to the point of healing the wound when I see the Iraq and Afghanistan Soldiers get a proper welcome home. Even if it's just from their hometown (OK I cry when I see the Airport Reunions). Not from sadness but from a "Welcome Home - Good Job - Thanks for your sacrifice" .....wish I could have been there stand point. If they want a National Day/Parade I'm all for it.

Response by CW2 Ernest Krutzsch made Oct 15 at 2014 6:42 PM

CW2 Ernest Krutzsch — Wed, 15 Oct 2014 18:42:47 -0400

May sound silly , but I never served to have a parade, as a matter of fact, they asked me to attend a retirement ceremony, I told them, there was no ceremony when I enlisted (parade), nor would I want one when I retired. I did what I was expected to do, and deserve no more recognition than a private who served 3 years

Response by SSG(P) D. Wright Downs made Jun 4 at 2015 9:02 PM

SSG(P) D. Wright Downs — Thu, 04 Jun 2015 21:02:38 -0400

My generation went to VN. I saw them shunned by the VFW. They were called names from baby killers to all kinds of things you would not believe. Because they were dishonored by their fathers and uncles they believed that one generation should not disrespect another generation who serve their country. Hence, when our sons, daughters, nephews, nieces, grandsons and granddaughters signed the dotted line on the checks, we have stood behind them, We have kept behind them although we may have known there were no nuclear weapons, politicians were lying, and the SAME-O-SAME-O that we had seen through Vietnam and the Cold War.

I welcome the veterans home when I see them because many VN vets have never been welcomed home and most Americans never knew shat went on during the Cold War.

Response by MSG Private RallyPoint Member made Sep 2 at 2015 6:31 PM

MSG Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 02 Sep 2015 18:31:19 -0400

That would be nice because I did not get one at all when I return back to the USA in 2011

Response by SFC Maury Gonzalez made Sep 2 at 2015 6:47 PM

SFC Maury Gonzalez — Wed, 02 Sep 2015 18:47:47 -0400

It would be well deserved, unfortunately groups like Code pink, BLM, FYF9/11, and those that didn't get the DADT revocation memo will turn any celebration into a side show