One Williamsport man thinks it is time for Vietnam veterans to receive recognition and to return to the way it once was.
Ralph Moerschbacher read in the Williamsport Sun-Gazette about Paul J. Herman, a Vietnam veteran, who received his high school diploma from Jersey Shore Area High School in May.
"It's a great thing for him," said Moerschbacher, a fellow Vietnam veteran.
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Ralph Moerschbacher
While that was a high school diploma, many veterans are without jobs and could use additional training.
The Veterans Opportunity to Work (VOW) to Hire Heroes Act, which was signed into law last year, includes the Veterans Retraining Assistance Program. That program offers a year of training assistance to veterans - if they are younger than 60 years old.
That excludes a majority of Vietnam veterans and all Korean War veterans, Moerschbacher said.
"Why put an age?" he asked. "People are living longer and working longer."
He figures that the age restriction is in place because of budget problems.
"Why does someone need retraining money?" he said. "(If they are) unemployed, laid off, why should the government pay for that?"
Before 9/11, people did not enlist for the money, but rather because they wanted to serve, he said.
"I enlisted because we were at war and it was the right thing to do," Moerschbacher said.
His grandfather served in World War I and his father fought on D-Day.
When he enlisted, his mindset was to do what had to be done and then return home, but that is not necessarily the case anymore.
Some soldiers volunteer to go on multiple deployments.
"Don't let them go 14 times," Moerschbacher said. "I don't want to fight with someone who loves war."
Instead, he wants to see the draft return to include both men and women.
"There are too many others who haven't served," he said. "Draft women. Equal opportunity equals equal responsibility."
