Congresswoman Lee Honors Local Korean American Veterans with Vietnam Veteran Pins

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Watch video from the ceremony here 

LAS VEGAS – TODAY, ahead of Independence Day, Congresswoman Susie Lee (NV-03) held a ceremony at the Pacific Asian Plaza to recognize the heroic service of local southern Nevada Korean American Vietnam War veterans and honor them with Vietnam Veteran Lapel Pins. Lee also wrote today to the secretaries of the Department of Veterans Affairs and the State Department, calling on the Administration to expedite the delivery of medical benefits to Korean veterans who served side-by-side with U.S. troops during the Vietnam War and have since become naturalized U.S. citizens. The letter can be found here.

Lee helped get the VALOR Act signed into law to give these veterans access to VA benefits. Veterans of Allied Forces from World Wars I and II have been able to enroll in VA health care, but before the VALOR Act, Korean veterans who also became U.S. citizens were denied these same benefits. More than 300,000 Korean soldiers fought alongside Americans throughout the Vietnam War and have since become naturalized U.S. citizens. Since these veterans are now U.S. citizens, they receive very limited help from the South Korean government.  

“There is nothing more important in this job than my responsibility to have the backs of our veterans. These are not Democratic or Republican issues — they are principles of the country we live in,” said Congresswoman Lee. “The Korean American Vietnam veterans we’re honoring today exemplify our nation’s best, and we owe them a great deal of gratitude. It is our duty to ensure that we take care of our veterans when they return home.” 

Lee was joined by President of the Korean American Association Las Vegas Alex Kim, Honorary Consul representing Korea in the State of Nevada Joseph Campos, Robert Davidson with Vietnam Veterans of America, and local Korean American veterans and their families. 

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