Dear Editor:

I question whether Shippensburg University honors veterans at all.  

I am a Vietnam Veteran and I was unable to attend the Veterans’ Day parade in my hometown of Chambersburg. I was unable to attend any of the free meals at various restaurants during the day or in the evening.

Why? Because Shippensburg University gives lip service to “honoring Veterans,” but remains open during Veterans’ Day, so I had courses during both the day and the evening.

Since attending Veterans’ Day events is not an officially approved reason for absence from class, I did not want to be penalized for non-attendance by attending any of the Veterans’ Days events.  

I am used to such poor treatment as a Vietnam Veteran because when I returned to the U.S. at San Francisco airport, people actually spit on me and my military uniform as I walked through the airport carrying my duffel bag over my shoulder to get to customs (except for a Hare Krishna practitioner, ironically, who gave me a flower and a book written in Sanskrit — which inspired me later to study Sanskrit).  

Perhaps all schools that receive any Federal money should be compelled to close on Veterans Day. After all, mail is not delivered on that day.  

Perhaps my service was not enough: 4 years, 6 months and 34 days during Vietnam, then 47 years in Army Reserves. I was also recently told that I was not a veteran because I did not fight in WWII.

Sincerely,

SFC Reginald L. Hefner (USAR, Ret.) and Shippensburg University student with disabled placard, and Vietnam Veteran treated perhaps 30 years too late for PTSD

Share