A Sociological View of the Vietnam Veterans' Lobby

Abstract

A synopsis of the state of affairs of the Vietnam veterans lobby illustrates that veterans' interest-group activity is filled with conflict. First, we acknowledge the efforts of the veterans' community before Vietnam. Second, we summarize the activism that developed during the Vietnam decade, noting the conflict between the World War II/Korea veterans and the Vietnam “Homecomers.”1 That clash provided the rationale for two bureaucratic “wars” over control of veterans' policy, programs, budgets, and the client base of Vietnam and Vietnam-era veterans: one involving the (then) Veterans Administration (VA) and Health, Education, and Welfare over veterans' educational programs, the other involving the VA and Department of Labor over veteran outreach centers. We summarize two salient issues: Agent Orange and small-business opportunities. Finally, we illustrate that the difficulties confronted by the Vietnam generation also confront the Gulf War/Afghanistan and Iraq veterans. We conclude with comments about the possible future of the veterans as an interest group and the Department of Veterans Affairs.