Veterans' Outreach

veteransoutreach.org Please support a true beacon of hope for our veterans in need. https://lnkd.in/gnC_6ei8

THE VIETNAM VETERANS STORY VET NET Newsletter. March 2025 Serving our veterans in Ohio, Kentucky, Alabama, Florida, West Virginia & New York since 1994 For decades, we have heard the voices of Vietnam Veterans, voices filled with pain, frustration, and memories of a war that never truly ended for them. Their experiences were horrific, making their transition back to civilian life incredibly difficult. Many struggled, and tragically, too many turned to suicide. Millions of Americans answered the call to serve, repeatedly putting themselves in harm’s way. Yet, we can never fully grasp the depth of those sacrifices. The impact of PTSD on these veterans was compounded by the experiments they unknowingly participated in. Our government—our own nation—betrayed them, without thought or regard for their well-being. Agent Orange: A Deadly Legacy My brother, Richard, was one of those casualties. He parachuted into a jungle just after it had been sprayed with Agent Orange. That defoliant—intended to strip leaves from trees—was also poisoning the men on the ground. When the war ended, nearly 58,000 American lives had been lost. But that wasn’t the final death toll. 2.7 million served in Vietnam—how many have died since from exposure to toxins like Agent Orange? A Nation’s Betrayal When our Vietnam Veterans finally came home, they weren’t met with parades or celebrations. Instead, they were met with jeers, disgust, and outright hostility. Many were spat on and called “baby killers.” The way they were treated still infuriates me to this day. My brother Richard carried that burden every single day of his life. No veteran should ever have to endure such disgrace after serving their country. Your Story Deserves to Be Heard If you are a Vietnam Veteran, I want to hear your story—what happened to you and your comrades? This April, Veterans’ Outreach is dedicating the month to honoring Vietnam Veterans. WKBN and its affiliate stations have asked us to participate in two special TV programs, airing on April 21st and May 5th Join Us for a Roundtable Discussion Before these specials air, we will be hosting a Vietnam Veteran Roundtable at Veterans’ Outreach Headquarters in Youngstown, Ohio. Date: April 2, 2025 Location: Veterans’ Outreach Event Center, 17 Colonial Drive, Youngstown, OH Time: 11:00 AM (EST) We are inviting Vietnam Veterans and the public to participate in an open forum, where stories will be shared, questions will be asked, and the truth will be told—raw and unfiltered. This discussion is long overdue. We must ensure that the mistakes and injustices of the past are never repeated. Get Involved If you are interested in being part of this forum or sharing your story, please contact me directly: Email: [email protected] [email protected] Visit our website for more information: VeteransOutreach.org Lest we forget. God bless our veterans! John Ely President Veterans' Outreach ?

The Vietnam Veterans story You know , we have really been listening to the grumblings of some Vietnam Veterans over the decades. Their experiences were really horrific for them and it stymied their transitioning. It generated a lot of suicides as well... A lot of our Americans, that joined the military, were put in harm's way so many times that we will never figure out what they've all gone through. That's where LSD came into the picture for they actually used our vietnam veterans then, as guinea pigs. PTSD was definitely enhanced by a lot of those individuals that went through those experiments. We were the enemy for doing this to our fellow Americans. Without regard. My brother.died from Agent Orange for he parachuted aninto the foliage.That was just sprayed by the defoliant. A defoliant is a chemical that causes leaves to fall off plants . Defoliants are used in agriculture and warfare. If it destroys leaves on plants to make them fall off, what will it do to human flesh? No one thought that out! Then when they come home from that deadly war, almost 58k lives lost... There were 2.7 million that's served. How many died after their exposure...? When those men and women finally arrivedhome... There was no parade, there was no welcoming parties. They were just met with jeers, disgust, spat on, and called baby killers. It's still really pisses me off that our soldiers were treated in such a way. My brother Richard had to recount that almost daily for the rest of his life. If any Vietnam Veterans would like to send me their story of what happened to them and their comrades, I would like to hear. Veterans Outreach this April is dedicating that month to our Vietnam Veterans. We have been asked to host two TV specials through one of our locals stations, WKBN and its affiliate. Those specials are on Easter Monday, the April 26th and Cinco de Mayo, May 5th. Before those specials air we are pulling in from the public, and the very Vietnam Veterans that we've been helping over the years into a forum of questions about their service and their experiences. There will be a couple interviewers and we're going to try to get the flavor of the story that promises to be very very pungent. But the story needs to be looked at and told again and again, so these liberties should never be taken again by our government or their authorities for our military. If you are interested in being part of the forum... It will be at Veterans Outreach...Corporate 17 Colonial Drive Youngstown, Ohio on April 3rd at 11:00, Eastern Standard Time. I will be the host, John Ely, President and founder of Veterans Outreach for 31 years now. My email is [email protected] or [email protected] Yes and please check out our website VeteransOutreach.org Lest we forget! God bless all of our veterans!

https://lnkd.in/gtzDyZ8h

Veterans Outreach TV interview by Executive Director taken on Veterans Day... We are very proud of this compilation that was taken and distributed through the Youngstown region on three or four TV stations. It shows the work the veterans Outreach is done with our amazing team helping so many veterans in so many ways that are in need.. if you have any feedback or questions or you would like to get involved to help grow the mission, please contact us with your feedback. Helping our veterans is number one. President and Founder... John Ely We are proud to "serve and honor"! https://lnkd.in/gtzDyZ8h

My 42nd year with my wife is today... Happy anniversary to my lovely wife of 42 years.Teri has been the best partner that a man could ever want or need. Literally, through thick and thin, she has stayed the course, because of our blessed LOVE for each other. I hope that he can continue to bless our lives together as we enjoy our children and grandchildren. They really make life complete!

Human misery and despair! In these challenging times, the impact of natural disasters like Helena is devastating, with hundreds perishing and towns swept away. Veterans Outreach is providing crucial support to affected veterans in our regions during these difficult times. Amidst the fear of events like World War III and uncertainties surrounding our nation, Americans always rise to the occasion. Despite the chaos, Veterans Outreach has been a beacon of hope for 30 years, offering diverse assistance to veterans in need. Our resilience and unwavering dedication have led to remarkable success in aiding those facing dire circumstances. The perseverance and faith we exhibit as Americans allow us to overcome adversities and honor our warriors. In the face of ongoing challenges and uncertainties, it is essential to seek solace in prayer and trust in divine guidance. As we navigate personal trials, remember to turn to prayer for strength and guidance. Together, we can find a way forward, guided by faith and resilience. God bless America, always!

INDEPENDENCE – WHAT IS IT??Part 1 Freedom from control and influences of others, to make choices for our own destiny. Veterans have paid and continue to pay for our freedoms. Can y'all wrap your head around that?? ? My name is John Ely.?I never served in the military, but now I am proud to say that I have given the last 30 years of my life in helping and honoring our veterans. That is the least that I can do, and that's paying it forward!? ? My father, my brother, my son, and my son-in-law have all served and most all have lived with their carnage, mentally and have been physically compromised.? ? My passion has been the fuel that helped build a foundation for this wonderful charity, that God has directed me to pursue for the rest of my life.? ? There are many millions of citizens that have experienced their loved ones suffering from their service, protecting our nation's borders.? ? We all need to pause and to reflect and find that passion that has been driven forward by our loved ones and friends. When a family member, especially, serves, we all serve! When they hurt, we are hurt or suffer. ? That's why I do what I do, for I witnessed and felt the despair of seeing my loved ones go through their sufferings. They don't even complain, like you would expect. They're just happy to be here and to love what they have left and thankful for it. Wow! ? My father, being a Pearl Harbor Survivor, has an amazing story of how he survived that catastrophic world changing event. What he went through was totally pure adrenaline. ? He was stationed at Hickam Field, Pearl Harbor. Ground zero for that deadly attack. He was on the front porch, as the bombing occurred, right outside of his barracks.? ? He was a medic and so he immediately hopped into his ambulance truck and started driving, not knowing where he was going.? ? His truck was strafed twice by a Zero... Until it crashed into a crater from a previous bomb, where he received burns. The bombing wasn't that long, 75 minutes at 7:55 in the morning! ? While he was getting a sense of what happened, he took care of himself first of his wounds and then he got to his commanding officer, and he told him to leave the dead lie and concern himself with the wounded.? See Next Post Part 2 ?