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My incredible husband, William S. “Billy” Brown Jr. was honorably discharged from the U.S. Army, as sergeant on March 9, 1968. At that time, we were not dating, and we had no intention to do so. He had graduated high school three years ahead of me and I knew him mostly from church as his daddy was pastor at Manteo Baptist Church where I was a member. But what occurred very soon after his Manteo homecoming changed both of us independently. About two months after he arrived home, on May 11th, a tragedy occurred which brought us together and only 118 days (16 weeks) later, July 5, 1968, God brought us to the alter to become one. In my prayers every morning, I thank God for that miracle … because it was one. I thank Him that out of the blue and with no expectation, He brought two people together “to love, honor and cherish till death us do part.”

Years later in 2012 when the Lord led me to write my initial story about Billy coming home, the purpose was to stand up for him, and all Vietnam veterans and what they had endured not only in the jungles of Southeast Asia but the grief they were subjected to once they survived death and destruction day after day during their assignment there only to come home to relentless ridicule and heartbreak. And what started as a one-time story submission to The Coastland Times newspaper led to a surprising impact. It described that after my being married at only 17, he had taught me the heartfelt significance of patriotism, love of country, our beautiful flag, and the depth of the term “brotherhood.” I so loved my husband, and I wanted to say to the world that he mattered … that all our Vietnam veterans mattered. In fact, that every man and woman who serves our country stateside and especially having been deployed to a war zone mattered.

Thank the good Lord again for Susan Meekins Simpson at the Times Printing Company (The Coastland Times office). Billy had worked there before graduating Manteo High School and after he served in Vietnam, too, before he transitioned into law enforcement with the Dare County Sheriff’s Office. He loved the Meekins family and he enjoyed a great relationship with all of them, so when I called Susan about my desire to write about Billy and she liked my draft, she printed it and that one story has evolved into an almost 14-year weekly column, Gig Line.

Am I writing to pat myself on the back? Heck no! The Lord used me to honor and lift the one true love in my life; and he used Susan to bring it to the surface and on paper and because our communities so love our veterans, it has continued ever since … and I am thankful.

I told you all a few weeks ago that I was seeking an answer (for my own satisfaction) as to why Vietnam veterans who had suffered horribly and died from glioblastoma multiforme IV brain cancer or brain cancer period were denied when they submitted their claims to the V.A. for disability compensation. Since that time, I have reached out to governmental officials and to V.A. (Veterans Administration) to thank them that brain cancer was now on the presumptive list of illnesses following military service for Iraq and Afghanistan veterans (I am so happy for them), while asking why Vietnam veterans were not included in the Pact Act regarding that inclusion. Why?

Research from what I consider reliable sources relate veteran brain cancer to the burn pits, others to Agent Orange or both. Regardless, our men and women service members who have died never feeling that it mattered what they went through and while countless have died and will never know if acknowledgment ever comes to fruition or not … I know. The day Billy received a denial response to his claim, it broke his heart. He felt rejected and unworthy of a recognition or positive nod for his life changing so drastically once we had acquired a definitive diagnosis and that, as my daughter says, is “not acceptable.”

Sometime before his claim that was specific to the brain cancer diagnosis, Billy had been approved for his diabetes II, neuropathy and hypertension and was receiving disability income and for that he was grateful. In fact, he was managing well on his prescribed medications and, though retired, he still worked part time until things escalated where he suddenly could not remember codes to the car, his bank card, etc.

Through my research, I understand the V.A. is still in the process of considering additional illnesses but honestly, I am not very patient with this topic. Burn pits? Agent Orange? Our Vietnam veterans were subject to it all and the war ended when? 1975? Good grief! How long does it take to show consideration and regret that what our service members went through mattered in this regard? It is my understanding that the former U.S. Secretary of Veterans Affairs, who served for eight years collectively under the previous two administrations in one capacity or another was not a veteran and he was the second (only) to have served in that capacity as a non-veteran (per Wikipedia). Please understand, that does not mean he was exempt from doing a respectable job, not having military experience of course and perhaps he accomplished important things of which I am not aware.

However, as of President Trump’s new administration, our U.S. Secretary of Veterans Affairs is Douglas “Doug” Allen Collins of Georgia, a United States Air Force veteran and in the Air Force Reserve as chaplain with the rank of colonel. I like and respect Mr. Collins a lot, having watched him countless times at telecast hearings in Washington, D.C. and while I know he is no doubt a very busy man, I will reach out to him about this matter and perhaps he can enlighten me or explain why the V.A. did not include our Vietnam veterans regarding the topic of brain cancer and the possibility of serious consideration to include them in the presumptive list. I have sincere confidence in Secretary Collins as a good man who will do his best to represent and assist our veterans and their families to the best of his ability. My husband who lighted up the world and I were together without exception 48 years and a week when he was greeted and no doubt escorted to Heaven by an angel. I can only assume that this issue I have questions about was not on the “to do” presumptive list but I hope it will be soon as a priority. Countless veterans have suffered horribly, died and would not be here to see a long overdue acknowledgement, but the remaining spouse, children, great/grandchildren would.

I will pray, pray and pray some more that every veteran who has served our country is shown the love and respect they deserve. I am nobody special; I am just a widow of a Vietnam veteran that I love and miss every day very much, but my husband’s legacy matters – his love for his “brothers and sisters” matter. My belief in our Father Almighty God is real and I have seen prayers answered throughout my life, so I am not giving up on this. I do not know the number of Vietnam veterans still living or how many suffer with brain cancer currently, but they should have the peace to know before the Lord takes them home that when we say, “never to be forgotten” they truly won’t be.

God bless you all and thank you for reading Gig Line! If you are a veteran and need help with  forms, have questions, need a duplicate DD-214 because your original has been misplaced over the years or you wish to discuss the possibility of filing a disability claim, please contact our veteran service officer (V.S.O.) Patty O’Sullivan office: (252) 475-5604; cell/text: (252) 473-7749 and email: patricia.o’sullivan@darenc.gov. Patty is excellent at what she does in serving our veteran community! If you would like to call me, I would like to hear from you, so please do! My cell/text: (252) 202-2058 and email: giglineheroes@aol.com.

Until next time, be healthy, safe, happy and blessed! If you see a veteran, active duty, reserve please thank them, shake their hand, or just tell them how much they mean to all of us. Remember that the Lord loves you and so do I! Stay tuned!

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