Click
Here to EMAIL THIS PAGE to a relative, friend,
Veteran's Organization or Veteran's Service Officer
(This Information Site is Continually Updated. )
Click here for the
official Gallantry Cross Issue Regulations
Not true. The VCOG with Palm Device award consists of four variations: 1)
the full-size medal. 2) a miniature version of the full-size medal. 3) the
unit (gold-color framed) ribbon (or "colorbar"). And 4) the
individual frameless ribbon (colorbar). All four variations are authorized
to ALL military persons of any Nation who served under Military Assistance
Command, Vietnam. Additional Note for American recipients: The United States in the
only nation that does not produce a full-size medal associated with its
(ribbon-only) unit awards. This fact confuses some American Vietnam vets who
mistakenly believe or advocate that Americans can only wear/possess/display
the VCOG unit ribbon. However, rather than continue to mistakenly believe or
erroneously advocate that the VCOG is restricted to the framed unit ribbon,
American veterans should lobby their Congress to create/institute full-size
medals associated with American unit awards so that the United States
military medal array catches up to the rest of the world. (See: Operation
RetroActive Recognition.)
Not true. The VCOG was authorized to non-military personnel only on an
individual basis resulting from their individual actions when performing a
military type function or activity.
Not true. The four VCOG medal devices are: Palm Leaf, Bronze Star, Silver
Star and Gold Star. When awarded/authorized on an individual basis the Gold
device applies to individuals assigned to a Corps Level unit. The Bronze
Star device applies to an individual assigned to a Brigade or Regiment Level
unit. The Silver Star device applies to an individual assigned to a Division
Level unit. And the Palm Device applies to individuals assigned to an Army
Level or higher unit.
True.
Not true. The U.S. government does not issue foreign medals. To obtain
the VCOG you must either purchase it or request the new government in Hanoi
send it to you for free (don't hold your breath waiting for it to arrive).
If you insist upon obtaining the VCOG for free, do the following: Not true and quite the contrary. The 'Hanoi' government is not issuing
South Vietnamese medals. In fact, the Hanoi government has formally
requested that all South Vietnamese medals, as well as the South Vietnamese
flag, be officially banned around the world.
Not true. Australians sometimes confuse USARV with MACV. Australians did
not serve under USARV (United States Army, Vietnam) which was created by the
United States to govern US Army personnel which many Australian units
operated alongside. But Australia, and ALL nations with military units
operating in Vietnam, were subordinate to MACV (Military Assistance Command,
Vietnam) which was created by the United Nations. MACV was the highest level
military government in Vietnam. It was under MACV and not USARV that the
Vietnamese Congress issued its VCOG (and
other medals) awarding authorization.
Not true. Like the National Defense Medal, the Appreciation of Service
Certificate and the Cold War Medal, the VCOG is an 'automatic' award that is
fully authorized to ALL veterans who served in Vietnam. If the VCOG is not
listed on your DD-214 (because you discharged prior to 1974 or the clerk who
typed your DD-214 after 1974 was an airhead) it is not necessary to request
a DD-215 as long as your DD-214 displays Vietnam Service. You are
'automatically' fully authorized.
Not true. The Vietnamese Congress made no such distinction between
individual or collective award. All VCOG authorizations are equal.
Not true. The official Government of South Vietnam ceased to exist in
May, 1975. The former president and vice president of Vietnam voluntarily
relinquished their official authority to enact/declare/institute any
post-government mandates, and neither expressed any desire to do so. Both
gentlemen have repeatedly stated that all actions mandated by their former
government are "written in stone, for all time. "
True. However, this 'group' is composed of self-appointed, disgruntled,
self-exiled nuts who are represented by an American Vietnam Veteran who
imagines himself to be a reincarnated version of General Douglas MacArthur.
This delusional American veteran and his 'group' of Vietnamese exiles have
no official standing. They are not recognized by the U. S. State Department.
They have no official authority whatsoever, and no authority to modify any
act, decision or edict established by the legitimate Government of Vietnam,
now deceased (as of 1975). The VCOG with Palm Leaf device remains the
officially authorized award to military personnel of all Nations who served
in Vietnam between 1954 and 1975.
Not true. There is only one official VCOG. There are no official
"commemoratives" of the VCOG. These VCOG commemoratives legally
being sold by commercial medal retailers and made to look similar but not
identical to the official VCOG (identical ribbon coloring, etc) are nothing
more than "Cracker Jack" box toys intended for purchase by Vietnam
War wannabes who can now be punished by law (The Stolen Valor Act of 2007)
for illegally possessing or claiming recipientship of the official VCOG.
Vietnam vets who served in Vietnam can possess the official medal and have
no need, and should have no desire, to possess a toy VCOG
"commemorative". Additional Note to Veterans: All official Vietnamese awards may be
worn on the discharged veterans uniform for Honor Guard of other purposes. Active
Duty (AD) personnel who served in Vietnam are restricted to wearing only
those Vietnamese awards specifically authorized by the Dept of Defense for
wear on the AD uniform. To find out which Vietnamese medals may be worn on
the ACTIVE DUTY uniform, CLICK
HERE. Again, the Vietnamese awards listed on the above referenced link
MAY BE WORN by Honor Guard and military holiday/celebration personnel. (See
the official Order of
Military Precedence for proper wear/display/alignment order.
A VCOG Display Recognition is authorized and many were issued during the
war, however, the military has never been obligated/required by Congress to issue
a display certificate for any award, with one exception, the Medal of Honor.
Certificates issued to active duty personnel occur only when the
local command possesses certificates to issue. (Prior to 1995 the government
was not required to issue even full-sized medals. ) The VA is not authorized
to issue/provide certificates and, in fact, is prohibited from doing so for
budgetary and other reasons. Please do not request your local VA Service
Officer to provide you a medal or certificate for any foreign award you are
authorized. FYI: The only military display certificate required
by Congress for mandatory issue is Medal of Honor. (For info on the
VCOG display recognitions, see this page: http://www.amervets.com/replacement)
True. These lists are either maintained by agencies directly responsible
for providing certain, related services or provided to various veteran
information agencies such as The War Library for general research. With
regard to the VCOG list, a listing of all Vietnam Service personnel (who are
also authorized the VCOG, as well as other Vietnamese awards) is online. CLICK
HERE for database access information.
Not true. Like the U. S. Silver Star medal that, in itself, defines
personal Gallantry, Heroism and Valor, the VCOG award does not have a
"V" device because the medal itself represents personal Valor.
Not true. Lost VCOG medals remain the permanent property of the host
government which now serves as the legal custodian of the VCOG as mandated
by the Vietnam Congress in its final session. The Vietnamese Congress
ordered that all recipients of all Nations who provided military assistance
and personnel to the war effort please defer to the official acknowledgment
assigned to MACV. Found VCOGs should be mailed along with a letter
identifying the finder and the location where the item was found to the
following address: The Secretary of Defense The United States Secretary of Defense will assign the lost VCOG to the
proper government authority (of the recipient's Nation) for proper delivery
to the authorized next of kin.
Not true. Found items should be mailed with a report to the address
above.
No, it would be improper to do so. Military medals hold an exalted place
in all Allied nation societies. The military recipient of that medal gave
part of him or herself. A good citizen should feel patriotic in restoring a
lost item to a recipient. Whenever you see a pre-owned military medal being
sold you should ask the seller to please return the medal to the Secretary
of Defense at the address listed above.
Room 3E880
The Pentagon
Washington DC 20301
Additional topics will be added as they are received.
Contact Person for this posting: Roger Simpson,
PIO
Public Information Office: http://www.13105320634.com
The American War Library: http://www.amervets.com
16907 Brighton Avenue
Gardena CA 90247-5420
Phone and Fax 1-310-532-0634
Email
The American War Library