A couple of days ago, while talking to Nix and discussing the latest info on SARS (the pneumonia thing that seems as infectious as nothing we've ever seen before), Nix told me that there was an outfit sending Veterans kids and widows to Vietnam to visit the places where their loved ones had been killed. She was concerned that they might have been put in harms way, be it deliberately or not. So we checked into the operation a little.
What we found was disquieting and in some ways outrageuos.
The disquieting part is that there are currently around 80 Veteran's kids out of the country on the latest trip arranged by these people. The travel they have been doing seems to be in areas carrying extreme risk of infection by SARS. And they are expected back (arriving at LAX) today (the 18th).
The outrageous? Well - the operation running these trips seem like something cut straight from the various "peace" movements. The trips are touted as "healing" or "closure". The words "Honor", "Peace" and "Understanding" abound. And at least some of the people involved in the operation are straight out of the Democrat political machine. Here's one:
Our Mission
Frost Media Relations is a quality oriented professional publicity firm specializing in the art of building relationships with clients as well as the journalists we target for media placement. Our reach is nationwide, with strong contacts not only in national and local media circles, but also with key policymakers and corporate leaders. This experience pays off in client counsel that is focused, practical and results oriented. Whether your need is a national rollout, local tour, radio placement, speaking tour or gaining a forum for comment on breaking news issues, Frost Media Relations understands the marketing discipline and how media relations can be used to drive sales, strengthen positioning and make all aspects of the mix work harder. In short, Frost Media Relations develops publicity programs that help ensure the success of our clients' products in the marketplace. We know marketing and we get results. Karen Frost is principal and owner of Frost Media Relations. She is a full-time media relations consultant, entrepreneur and speaker/facilitator for Courage to Give Workshops to corporations, schools and nonprofits around the country. Prior to launching her own agency, Karen was director of publicity for a national publishing company, worked on the political advertising team for Senator Ted Kennedy, Congressman Richard Gephardt, and former Speaker of the House, Tom Foley, freelanced for CBS News and Fox News Service, and managed the pressroom for the Perot '92 Presidential Campaign in Dallas, Texas. Karen also worked in Uganda, East Africa, for Habitat for Humanity.What's more, when you look at that site (Frost Media) it's an empty shell with most of the content default placeholders. Just this blurp. The thing reeks of Clinton and company. And people from Ted Kennedy's and Jimmy Carter's circle of friends making a profit out of this isn't a great thing.
Anyway. Here's a couple of pages about the current trip - first the press release put out by the operators, then the itinerary. If you know anyone on this trip it might be a good idea to check on them to see if everything is ok.
 |
|||||||||
SONS AND DAUGHTERS IN TOUCH
“They Were Our Fathers…”
P.O. Box 1596, Arlington, VA, 800-894-9994, www.sdit.org
MEDIA ALERT
| For Immediate Release What: Press Conference |
Contacts:
United States: Mokie Porter, 800-882-1316, mporter@vva.org Karen Frost, 512-423-2406, kfrost@frostmedia.com Vietnam: Mokie Porter, Rex Hotel, Ho Chi Mihn City Phone: 011-84-8-829-2185 Fax: 011-84-8-829-6536 Cell Phone: 011-84-918-451-886, VN 0918-451-886 Los Angeles: Sons and Daughters In Touch, 310-938-1264 |
| (Los Angeles, CA) Sons and Daughters In Touch, the national support organization representing the grown children of American servicemen lost during the Vietnam War takes 80 of its members to Vietnam to trace the final footsteps their fathers left a generation ago. Vietnam 2003: In Honor, Peace and Understanding As such, SDIT will visit Vietnam to: Honor their fathers and all who served in the war; to seek a measure of inner Peace through better comprehension their life-changing loss; and to gain a better Understanding of the people and country where their fathers fought and died. The fathers of these "sons and daughters" were servicemen from each branch of the US Military who fought in every campaign during the Vietnam War. Today, these "sons and daughters" are in their 30's and 40's, they are fathers and mothers with families of their own. Those leaving for Vietnam come from 24 different states and the District of Columbia. Beginning March 2, the trip will include visits to many of the sites that played significant roles in America's longest war: Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), Hue, Da Nang, China Beach, Khe Sanh, Bien Hoa, the Mekong Delta and Hanoi. While in Vietnam, the delegation will break into nine teams to visit different regions of the country and provide each son and daughter an emotional visit to the location where their fathers died. For ten years, this organization has helped its members confront their loss and realize that they are not alone in that struggle. "Now we have the chance to help them see, touch and experience the land where our fathers died," said SDIT founder Tony Cordero of San Pedro, CA, one of five children of Air Force Major William E. Cordero (KIA 1965). In its efforts to generate the funding necessary to stage this historic trip, SDIT received major support from Vietnam Veterans of America, Associates of Vietnam Veterans of America, VietNow and the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund. An untold number of individuals, many of whom fought alongside these fallen fathers, also contributed to the cause. For 13 years, SDIT has worked to locate, unite and provide support to the now-grown children of US Servicemen lost in the Vietnam War.In that time, more than 3,000 members have been able to contact veterans who served with their fathers, visit the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, share their life experiences with others and take pride in knowing that the loss of their father was not in vain. ### |
This announcement took place on
Saturday, May 26, 2001 on the East Knoll --
adjacent to the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C.
Adrian Cronauer- Vietnam Veteran "Good Morning Vietnam",
along with leaders of the Vietnam Veterans community were
on hand to support the cause.
| For Immediate Release |
For more information:
800-984-9994 |
SONS AND DAUGHTERS IN TOUCH
“They Were Our Fathers…”
|
The largest trip of its kind will give members a chance to WASHINGTON, D.C., May 26, 2001 – Sons and Daughters In Touch, the national organization representing children of American servicemen lost during the Vietnam War, will take its members to Vietnam to retrace the final footsteps their fathers left a generation ago. Scheduled for the spring of 2003, the trip will include visits to many of the sites that played significant roles in the war: Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), Bien Hoa, Hue, Da Nang, China Beach, the DMZ, the central highlands, and Hanoi. “I can’t think of a better time for SDIT and its members to visit Vietnam. For ten years, this organization has helped its members confront their loss and realize that they are not alone in that struggle. Now we have the chance to help them touch, see and feel the land where their fathers died,” said SDIT founder Tony Cordero, son of Air Force Major Bill Cordero (KIA 1965). SDIT anticipates that as many as 200 of its members will make the two-week trip, making it the largest visit of its kind to the country where America fought its longest war. Interested veterans and other family members will only add to the size of the travel group. With so many SDIT members hoping to visit the actual site where their fathers died, travel planners will arrange for smaller groups to make side visits to these remote battlefields and villages. To offset many of the planning costs, and to make the trip affordable for its members, SDIT will launch a fund-raising campaign to generate up to $500,000. The group will look to supportive veterans organizations, corporations, and other individuals for assistance in reaching this goal. “Two years ago, I was able to visit Vietnam and to make personal contact with my dad. I couldn’t have done it without the help of some very supportive Vietnam veterans,” said Michelle Baugh, of Centralia, IL, daughter of Army SP4 Richard Githens (KIA 1968). With the tremendous support of America’s veterans, SDIT has hosted four major Fathers’ Day ceremonies at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, DC. For many of the attendees, those events provided the initial opportunity to see their father’s name inscribed on the memorial and to meet others who lost their father during the Vietnam War. Interested participants and contributors can complete information forms at the SDIT web site: www.sdit.org or can call 800-984-9994. Sons and Daughters In Touch is a fully accredited non-profit 501(c)3 organization that has been meeting the needs of its members since 1990. SDIT members are the children of men who served at nearly every rank -- in every branch -- of the US military. Today, these children are testaments to the sacrifice of their fathers. They have become parents, priests, professional athletes, business-professionals and more. ### |
|
|
CLICK ONE
 |
|
 |
|
 |
 |
 |
 |
Please Come Again Soon
|
|
|||||||
| SDIT MASTER ITINERARY Arrive Los Angeles 3/1/03 and depart for Viet Nam 3/2/03. The group will be broken into teams for touring and visits to the fathers’ areas of operations. Re-group at the Furama resort on China Beach before traveling on to Hanoi and departing Hanoi on 3/16/01. Click Global Spectrum Banner For More Detailed Information |
|
South of Saigon |
Hanoi N. Viet Nam |
Northern I Corps |
Tuy An |
Southern I Corps |
West of Saigon |
Central Highland Plateau |
| March 1-2: Meet in/Depart from Los Angeles March 3-5: Arrive/Tour Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam |
||||||
| March 6: Tour of Nui Ba Den, Cao Dai Temple, Cu Chi Tunnel |
March 6: Mekong Delta tour. |
March 6: Nui Ba Den, Cao Dai Temple, Cu Chi Tunnels |
March 6: Nui Ba Den, Cao Dai Temple, Cu Chi Tunnels |
March 6: Mekong Delta tour |
March 6: Mekong Delta day trip tour to visit Cai Be and Vinh Long |
|
| March 7: Mekong Delta tour, drive to Can Tho. |
March 7: Nui Ba Den, Cao Dai Temple, Cu Chi Tunnels. |
March 7: Mekong Delta Tour. |
March 7: Mekong Delta Tour. |
March 7: Nui Ba Den, Cao Dai Temple, Cu Chi Tunnels. |
March 7: Cu Chi Tunnels, Cao Dai Temple, Dau Tieng/ Dau Tieng Reservoir, Nui Ba Den. |
|
| March 8: Chau Doc, Hung Ngu River, Seven Mountains. |
March 8: Fly to Hanoi begin area tour. |
March 8: Fly to Hue, Camp Eagle, City tour of Hue |
March 8: Fly to Nha Trang, Tuy Hoa.
|
March 8: Fly to Nha Trang, drive to Tuy Hoa, Tuy An, QuiNhon. Overnight: Quang Ngai |
March 8: Ben Suc, Ben Cat, An Loc, Quan Loi, Song Be, Phuoc Binh. |
March 8: Fly to Pleiku, tour sites in the vacinity of Pleiku. Visit a minority village. Overnight: Pleiku |
| March 9: Soc Trang, Cau Ke
|
March 9: Visit site vic Phuong Vang Mountain approx 60 miles NE of Hanoi. Hanoi |
March 9: Visit sites in the Ashau Valley, return to Hue
|
March 9: Tuy An, Qui Nhon (link up with Orange Team)
|
March 9: Chu Lai, Antenna Valley, An Phuoc.
|
March 9: Dong Xoai, Phuoc Vinh, Phu Cuong
|
March 9: An Khe, site on QL19, Bong Son. Overnight: Quang Ngai |
| March 10: Dong Tam site, Ben Luc, |
March 10: Fly to Hue- Phu Bai, leisure time. |
March 10: Khe Sanh, DMZ sites |
March 10: Chu Lai, My Son. |
March 10: Tour sites vic Danang, China Beach. |
March 10: Bien Hoa, Long Binh, Bearcat, Cat Lai. |
March 10: Chu Lai, My Son. Overnight: Hoi An |
| March 11: Fly to Hue, tour Hue |
March 11: Hue city tour with other teams. |
March 11: Visit Sites in Quang Tri and Thua Thien |
March 11: Drive to Hue and city tour. |
March 11: Drive to Hue and city tour. |
March 11: Fly to Hue, tour Hue. |
March 11: Drive to Hue and city tour. Overnight: Hue |
| March 12: Tour Khe Sanh, DMZ |
March 12: Tour Khe Sanh, DMZ. |
March 12: Continue touring in Hue, leisure time |
March 12: Tour Khe Sanh, DMZ. |
March 12: Tour Khe Sanh, DMZ. |
March 12: Tour Khe Sanh, DMZ. |
<--Same |
| March 13: Drive to Danang, visit red Beach, Memorial Ceremony Furama Resort |
<--Same | <--Same | <--Same | <--Same | <--Same | <--Same |
| March 14: Free day, optional tours, beach party |
<--Same | <--Same | <--Same | <--Same | <--Same | <--Same |
| March 15: Charter flight to Hanoi City tour, Joint Task Force-Full Accounting Brief (tentative), water puppet show. |
<--Same | <--Same | <--Same | <--Same | <--Same | <--Same |
| March 16: Hanoi-Tour Hanoi, farewell reception with members of the U.S. Embassy Staff (tentative) |
||||||
| March 17: Begin their departure for USA! Spend the night in Singapore |
March 16: Depart Hanoi Sunday, 11:15 pm. California Time |
|||||
| March 18: Depart Singapore 09:45 a.m. |
March 17: Depart Singapore Monday @ 5:45 pm. California Time |
March 18: Arrive @ LAX at 10:55 a.m. Singapore Airlines @ California Time |
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Page Updated February 2003
|
|
