AVVBA News

Washington-bound AVVBA team helps commemorate 50 years since the Vietnam War's end

Published On 6/13/2025

AVVBA members, wives and significant others traveled to Washington DC, where they participated in many activities surrounding the commemoration of the end of the Vietnam War 50 years ago.
Attached is Trip Report as a 29-page PDF file that you can open and scan at your leisure.

Published On 4/22/2025

AVVBA Members were honored to able to lay a wreath at the Tomb of the Unkown Soldier in Arlington National Cemetery. This mission was part of their memorial trip to Washington in celebration of National Vietnam War Veterans Day.

Published On 11/11/2024

AVVBA member Dan Holtz presents a chilling picture of Georgia's war veterans homes in 2024. This is an important presentation.

Published On 10/27/2023

AVVBA member Chuck Bayless will give a briefing on the PACT Act (which expands the VA benefits for Veterans who are suffering from the effects of Agent Orange or exposure to other toxic chemicals due to their military service.

Published On 3/12/2023

John Butler give a brief summary of our AVVBA Strategic Plan going forward. Perhaps this is also our Exit Strategy.

Published On 12/4/2022

Local news covered the rededication of Major Joseph A. Bishop's memorial.

Published On 4/13/2022

AVVBA Member Ed Ettel discusses "Mail Call - United Military Care," a program of shipping "we care" packages to the troops overseas. Watch the video to see how this program has grown over the years, as well as learn how you could help.

Published On 12/10/2021

Knights of Columbus Council #10633 presented an $8,000 check to AVVBA during our December member's meeting.

Culture of Giving Enhances Lives

Published On 12/29/2020

Read a recent article in the AJC that mentions our partnership with the Altanta History Museum and the grant we received from the Home Depot foundation for Veterans Park.

Published On 12/4/2025

Atlanta History Center CEO Sheffield Hale was presented with a certificate, name badge, and AVVBA challenge coin making him an Honorary Member of the Atlanta Vietnam Veterans Business Association.

Published On 11/14/2025

AVVBA continues to recognize its own members for significant contributions made within our organization and throughout the veteran community. This is the third year we have presented these awards.

Georgia Military Veterans Hall of Fame

Published On 11/11/2025

The following AVVBA Members have been inducted into or nominated for induction into the Georgia Military Veterans Hall of Fame.

Published On 6/14/2025

AVVBA Associate Member (and USMCR Major General) Larry Taylor has been named a Georgia Institute of Technology Distinguished Alumni! Larry was scheduled to receive the Distinguished Alumni Award at a gala event hosted by the Georgia Tech Ivan Allen College of Liberal Arts on Thursday, 11 June. It is truly an honor for the AVVBA to have Larry Taylor as part of our organization.

Published On 6/13/2025

At a stirring ceremony Friday night at the Coca-Cola Roxy Theater in The Battery Atlanta, our very own AVVBA VP Legal Counsel (and AVVBA Distinguished Service Award recipient) Cary King received the Veteran of the Year award from the Warrior Alliance. To make the event even more meaningful, the presentation was made by AVVBA Secretary (and Warrior Alliance Legal Advisor) Norman Zoller. Cary gave an excellent speech and received a standing ovation from the (very large) crowd in attendance.

Published On 12/7/2024

Alan Gravel has been part of the heart and soul of AVVBA for a long time. This Distinguished Service Award is a small recognition for everything he has done for AVVBA and the military community.

Published On 11/11/2024

AVVBA recognizes its own members for significant contributions made within our organization and throughout the veteran community. This is the second year we have presented these awards.

Published On 4/1/2024

Award Criteria and Format

The AVVBA Distinguished Service Award was established in 2023 to formally recognize Members who have demonstrated exceptional dedication and service to Veterans and to the AVVBA Organizational mission. This award is normally made on an annual basis, or at the call of the Board of Directors.

Any member or honorary member in good standing is eligible to be nominated and to receive the award. Any AVVBA member in good standing may submit nominations to the Board of Directors. Then, the Board of Directors will review each nomination for eligibility and select an awardee or awardees who best meet the award criteria.

Nominees who are not selected will remain on a merit list and will be automatically reconsidered in later reviews. Individual recognition awards and inscription on a Perpetual Plaque will be presented at an appropriate ceremony. Members may only receive a single award and will not be eligible for renomination.

Nomination Format: 2024

Published On 11/6/2023

Our first ever Distinguished Member Awards go to Rick Lester and Don Plunkett. The creation and thought behind this new award was literally years in the making.

Published On 7/22/2023

Sheffield Hale, CEO of the Atlanta History Center, has written a great article on Rick Lester, which you can find in the Summer 2023 issue of the AHC's magazine, "History Matters." a URL link will take you to this issue, then scroll down to Page 8.

Published On 12/26/2022

Jim Chaney, an FAA Representative, joined our December AVVBA meeting to present AVVBA member Clyde Romero with the 50-year Wrights Brothers Master Pilot Award.

Published On 7/25/2022

AVVBA member and photographer Ron Sherman was recognized by the city of Roswell, GA for his many contributions.

Awarded certificate of appreciation

Published On 11/1/2014

AVVBA was awarded a certificate of appreciation from the Georgia Department of Veterans Services for our participation in the 2014 Vietnam Veterans Day.

Published On 9/11/2013

Some of our members (Robert Certain, Lee Ellis) in the Richard Nixon Foundation video (09/11/2013):

Published On 12/4/2025

Enjoy this video of AVVBA leaders presenting Atlanta History Center CEO Sheffield Hale with honorary membership.

Published On 11/8/2024

The Atlanta Vietnam Veterans Business Association (AVVBA) and the Vietnamese American Community of Georgia (VAC-GA) have culminated years of work by dedicating a unique Vietnam memorial in Brook Run Park near the existing DeKalb Veterans Memorial. This new monument features an American Infantry soldier and a soldier from the former republic of South Vietnam standing side by side.

Published On 9/20/2024

8 AVVBA members and 3 spouses went south to Robins AFB to visit the History of Aviation Museum

Published On 8/30/2024

18 intrepid AVVBA members and one wife took a day trip to see the Vogtle Nuclear Power Plant near Augusta, GA.

Published On 8/10/2023

AVVBA members participated in Cobb County's "We Care Vet Fair" on August 4-5, 2023, t the Cobb County Civic Center.

Published On 12/4/2022

This video covers the long-awaited rededication of the AVVBA Major Joseph A. Bishop Memorial at the College Park City Hall on October 25,2022.

Published On 11/10/2017

The Falcons honored the veterans with breakfast, a special pin and they will be recognized at the Falcons game on Sunday.

AVVBA Charleston Trip

Published On 4/21/2016

Enjoy a slide show from our trip to Charleston from 4/21 - 4/24.

The Wall That Heals

Published On 11/5/2015

Vietnam Memorial Wall Replica National Mobile Display "The Wall That Heals" Atlanta, Ga, Nov 5th 2015

2015 POW/MIA Day in Georgia

Published On 9/25/2015

POW/MIA Day in George - A Tribute to the Families of Georgia' Fallen Heroes of the Vietnam War - September 25, 2015 - Georgia Capitol building, Atlanta Georgia

Our members in national USO video

Published On 11/5/2014

Our members in national USO video

Published On 5/25/2014

AVVBA Presents Vietnam Veterans Day in Georgia - A Tribute to Medal of Honor Recipients - North Wing - State Capitol of Georgia

Published On 5/27/2013

Veterans Park at the Atlanta History Center dedication on May 27, 2013, to honor all those who served & continue to serve the United States of America, protecting freedom around the world.

Published On 12/4/2025

Bob Schack who served aboard USS Hancock, a WW II aircraft carrier, will explain the repurposed mission of this ship that was used to evacuate thousands of Vietnamese Refugees from Saigon via helicopter in April, 1975.

Published On 11/14/2025

Patricia Ross updates AVVBA members on how the Georgia Department of Veterans Service helps veterans throughout the state and how their services are expanding.

Published On 10/11/2025

Steve Sherman – President of Vietnam Veterans for Factual History – VVFH.org is our guest speaker. His presentation will be about the history and accomplishments of the VVFH and his recent book entitled “A Factual History of the Vietnam War.”

Published On 8/6/2025

Former US Army Captain Robert Sherry describes his experiences as a young officer in Afghanistan.

Published On 7/7/2025

Georgia State Representative Long Tran visits the AVVBA and gives his unique perspective from the standpoint of an American born Vietnamese.

Published On 6/4/2025

Virginia L. Dornheggen returns to AVVBA with more stories from Vietnam.

Published On 5/9/2025

Our fabulous own Clyde Romero digs into his collection of stories to explain the mission, "Operation Eldorado Canyon."

Published On 3/5/2025

Paul Ebel is a Nuclear Engineer and served on nuclear submarines during his time in the Navy. He is going to speak to us about Nuclear Power and about his time in nuclear submarines. He is the person who organized and led our recent tour of Plant Vogtle. He is an excellent speaker and very knowledgeable.

Published On 2/6/2025

A stirring presentation on the creation of America's first Black US Marine unit at Montfort Point, Camp Lejeune. You will also enjoy meeting Amassador Theodore Britton, a member of this famous unit.

Published On 1/24/2025

Our very own EVP Clyde Romero will provide a briefing on the origins of US CENTCOM, at MacDill AFB in Tampa, FL.

Published On 12/4/2024

COL(R) Bryan Kirk, former Professor of Military Science at the University of North Georgia, talks about the pre-commission training received by today's Army officers. COL Kirk is a Special Forces officer who has served in Special Operations units all over the world.

Published On 11/5/2024

Once a year AVVBA has a Members Business Meeting and this is it. Stay tuned. You won't be disappointed.

Published On 10/1/2024

Our speaker is Mr. Barry Pencek, author of the book, Operation Tailwind, about a covert operation into Laos during the Vietnam War that went bad. Mr. Pencek was a USMC Cobra Pilot whose unit was called in to assist in that operation.

Published On 7/3/2024

AVVBA member Bob Babcock introduces Jason D. Nulton and Eva Nguyen Whitfield as they discuss their book, "Uncommon Cargo," and epic story about Eva's escape from Vietnam as a child.

Published On 4/2/2024

Four of our Vietnamese American Community partners and friends will share their stories about their lives under Communism in Vietnam and their escape to freedom to America.

Published On 2/10/2024

US Army Major General Edward J. Chrystal, Officer in Charge, TF-23, US Vietnam Veteran Commemoration, Office of the Secretary of the Defense, visits AVVBA to present an award and to update us on the Vietnam War Commemoration activities.

Published On 10/27/2023

Dr. Sy Goodman from GA Tech and his topic will be "Tabor Rubin, Holocaust Survivor and Korean War Medal of Honor Recipient." Mr. Rubin was evidently "much man!" He survived Malthausen Concentration Camp, emigrated to America after WWII, joined the Army, fought in Korea with the 1st Cavalry Division, was wounded and captured by the Communist Chinese, and was eventually awarded the Medal of Honor for his actions in combat and as a POW.

Published On 8/6/2023

AVVBA Director Clyde Romero will be giving another of his interesting and informative briefings, this one on "Spies" (about individuals who have spied on the U.S. and gotten caught in the act).

Published On 8/6/2023

AVVBA Member Robert Reese, speaking about "Vietnam Then and Now" (with photographs he took on a recent trip back to Vietnam)

Published On 7/16/2023

Our speaker will be COL(R) Ed DeVos and he will talk about his tour of duty in Vietnam, career as an Army officer, and the leadership lessons espoused in his excellent book, "The Last 100 Yards."

Published On 6/6/2023

Major General Walter Wojdakowski discusses Tactical Leadership philosophy rthat you won't want to miss. There's also an update on the Dunwoody Vietnam War Memorial proposal, and a book review on "Captured by Love," written by a POW.

Published On 5/2/2023

Atlanta Vietnam Veterans Association presents 93-year old Hilbert Margol, WW2 Veteran, Field Artilleryman in the 42nd infantry division in Europe. His unit was the first to discover the Dachau Concentration Camp.

Published On 4/11/2023

AVVBA Director Clyde Romero gives one of his excellent presentations, this one concerning the V-22 Osprey aircraft, as flown by the U.S. Air Force, Navy and Marines.

Published On 3/12/2023

AVVBA member Clyde Romero discusses satellite capabilities from the Eisenhower Administration, going forward, that you may never have known that existed.

The Warrior Alliance

Published On 12/25/2022

Mark Eister briefs the AVVBA membership on The Warrior Alliance

Published On 12/4/2022

Our annual business meeting. But in addition to that we will be discussing the initial impressions from the recent Future of the AVVBA Survey and table discussions we had last meeting. We will also be discussing the AVVBA Foundation and its part in ensuring the legacy of the AVVBA, and there will be a recap of our 2022 activities and a quick historic overview of the organization.

Published On 9/6/2022

Georgia Department of Veterans Service Commissioner Trish Ross will make a presentation on how her Department can -- and does -- help Veterans like us.

Jason Lim, AVVBA scholarship recipient

Published On 9/6/2022

As part of our luncheon presentation, Bryan Tate introduces Jason Lim, one of our scholarship recipients.

Published On 7/14/2022

Tom Burgess Lt. Col., USAF (retired), discusses the Desert Storm Airborne Warning & Control System.

Published On 6/15/2022

Alberto Bolet made a combat parachute jump into Cuba during the Bay of Pigs operation in the early ‘60’s and has written a book about that experience called Dark Nights in the Castle of the Prince. In his presentation he covered his early life in Miami, his recruitment by the CIA to participate in the attempted overthrow of the Communist Castro regime, his training, the operation itself, and the aftermath (including his 20 months in prison and the problems that the Cubans have continued to cause throughout Latin America and Africa).

Published On 5/9/2022

This meeting will be an AVVBA history meeting -- we'll show a video of a couple of our early Memorial Dedication Ceremonies, and we'll show the video that we ran during the 40th Anniversary Celebration (with the 'then-now' pictures of some of our members and photographs of Memorial Ceremonies and other AVVBA activities over the years.

Burial in a National Military Cemetery

Published On 4/13/2022

Our speakers will include our own AVVBA Member Tony Hilliard along with Johan Flores from the GA National Cemetery in Canton, GA. The subject will be "Burial in a National Cemetery."
Even though this is not a subject that most of us want to think about, it is an important benefit we have earned by virtue of our military service to our Nation.
Whether or not you plan to be buried in a National Cemetery, the subject matter that will be discussed is something that should be of interest to all of us, as well as our spouses and significant others, as it will include other death benefits available to your family besides burial in a National Cemetery.

Published On 3/8/2022

Our speaker is Ms. Kim Scofi, founder of United Military Care. This very special organization is out there every day caring for Veterans who need assistance, and one that we need to know about. Ms. Scofi is an excellent speaker and her organization does literally life-saving work for the Veteran community.

Published On 2/4/2022

AVVBA presents Arthur Sullivan, MOA Curator, and Darlene McLendon, MOAF President & CEO Museum of Aviation at Robins AFB, GA, who will give a virtual tour of this top-rated aviation museum, to include history and future plans.

Published On 12/8/2021

EVP Art Katz will talk about the U.S. Coast Guard in Vietnam. Art commanded a Coast Guard vessel during his Vietnam tour and can speak from personal experience.

Published On 12/7/2021

Our guest speaker will be Steve Snyder, author of the best-selling book, "Shot Down: The True Story of Pilot Howard Snyder and the Crew of the B-17 Susan Ruth." A graduate of UCLA, Steve Snyder began his quest to learn more about the World War II experiences of his father, pilot Howard Snyder, and the crew of the B-17 Susan Ruth. It became his passion, and after 4 ½ years of dedicated research, resulted in his book, SHOT DOWN, which has received 25 book awards. A member of numerous World War II organizations, Steve is past president of the 306th Bomb Group Historical Association.

Published On 9/7/2021

Our September speaker, Dr. Richard McCormick is an Afghan War Veteran, a former USMC Aviator, a former US Navy medical doctor, and a former American Gladiator competitor. His presentation promises to be very interesting.

Published On 8/3/2021

Our speaker, Ms. Lynn Gendusa, is the author of the "Salute to Vietnam Warriors" article that appeared in numerous local and National newspapers several weeks ago. She will give us the back story on why she wrote this article.

Published On 7/6/2021

Tommy Clack is a disabled Vietnam Vet who has spent his life after his Vietnam service helping other Veterans. He is a truly inspirational human being. Tommy has been the driving force behind the "Walk of Heroes" Veterans Memorial Park in Rockdale County and was a major force behind our memorial to PFC Ted Britt at this fine facility.

Published On 6/1/2021

MG Pat Brady

Published On 5/4/2021

MG James Livingston, long a friend to AVVBA, will be on our Zoom call to discuss military issues and answer questions.

Published On 4/6/2021

Ramona Roper is an Army Airborne veteran and now the Director of Training, Georgia Department of Veterans Service. She will discuss a Veteran's Guide for Applying for VA Benefits.

Published On 3/29/2021

This month's guest speaker is Army COL(R) John Thompson, who will discuss the part that the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment played in the raid that resulted in the killing of Osama Bin Ladin. COL Thompson was the Regimental Commander when that raid took place.

Published On 2/2/2021

This month's speaker, COL Desmond Bailey, began his military career as a Marine. After serving with the Marines, he went to college, took ROTC, and went into the Army after he graduated. He was an Infantryman (Paratrooper and Ranger Qualified). Now retired, he is a military consultant for Mitre Corporation and a part-time Police Officer in the town of Eclectic, Alabama. His talk about the capture of Saddam Hussein is guaranteed to be electric!

Published On 1/5/2021

This month's speaker is Mark Treanor, the author of the book “A Quiet Cadence,” a fact-based novel about his Vietnam war experience and its aftermath. A Naval Academy graduate, Mark was a Marine rifle platoon leader in Vietnam, an artillery battery commander, and leadership instructor and later served on the boards of the National Defense University and the Naval Academy. Also a lawyer, corporate executive, and leadership coach, he has participated in national security fact-finding missions in Iraq, Yemen, Africa, and the Caucasus. He lives in Maryland and Vermont.

The longest held enlisted POW

Published On 10/6/2020

Vietnam POW William Robinson is our guest for this month's virtual meeting. He holds the record as the longest-held enlisted POW in American history. Bill's book, "The Longest Rescue: The Life and Legacy of Vietnam POW William A. Robinson" tells about his experience of being shot down while on a rescue mission over North Vietnam, then finally being released in 1973 with the POWs his crew was sent to rescue nearly 8 years earlier.

Successful Aging

Published On 8/2/2020

A panel of senior care professionals give us their secrets to aging successfully.

Voting During COVID-19

Published On 7/7/2020

Enjoy Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger's presentation about voting during COVID-19.

Published On 6/2/2020

WW II Veteran Hilbert Margol who served with his twin brother in the U.S. Army's 42nd Infantry "Rainbow" Division. On April 29, 1945, toward the end of the war in Europe, Hilbert and his brother Howard were the first two Allied soldiers to discover Dachau, the first of the Nazi's horrific concentration camps established and operated in Germany.

Published On 5/5/2020

Our special guest via our first Zoom meeting is Ginny Dornheggen who served in Vietnam as an Army Nurse from 1970 to 1971.

Published On 2/4/2020

Larry Nelson, a 29-time winner on the PGA Tour & Champions Tour combined, including three majors is February's guest speaker. Larry served in an Army Infantry unit in Vietnam. He took up golf for first time after returning from Vietnam, carefully studying Ben Hogan’s book “The Five Fundamentals of Golf” while he learned to play the game.

The Honorable Theodore Britton, Jr.

Published On 1/7/2020

The Honorable Theodore Britton, Jr., who served as Marine in the Pacific during WW II in 1944, then again in Korea in 1951. Following his military service, Britton served under President Gerald Ford as U.S. Ambassador to Barbados and Grenada.

Published On 12/3/2019

A very special guest Anh Nguyen, of the Vietnamese American Community, will talk about his memories as a child of the 1968 Tet Offensive at the battle for Hue.

AVVBA Annual Meeting

Published On 11/5/2019

Did you really miss our annual meeting? Well, if you want to know what happened, you can watch this jaw-dropping video recorded by George Pearl

Debbie McKinley: "We Will Not Fail"

Published On 10/1/2019

Debbie McKinley, Annapolis graduate, retired Marine (20 years) and HR Executive at The Home Depot, shares her inspiring story of her journey from western Virginia farm girl to servant leader as the Board Chair of the Veterans Empowerment Organization (www.VEOHero.org).

Published On 9/3/2019

Grant McCarry (retired US Army Ranger), speaks on "A Night in the Pech Valley." Watch his first-hand account of a fire fight with enemy forces.

Rich Hoffman, talking UFOs

Published On 8/30/2019

Rich Hoffman, UFO speaker from the AVVBA Rocket City Tavern dinner, provides an interesting accent to the AVVBA trip to the Huntsville Space and Rocket Center.

Published On 7/2/2019

Billy McDonald, the son of William "Mac" McDonald, who was wing man for Claire Chennualt, founder of the Flying Tigers, is our guest speaker for July. The stories we'll hear will include the power struggles between China and Japan before and during WW II.

Published On 6/11/2019

Norman Black served as a U.S. Navy Journalist in the Western Pacific; reported for United Press International and edited copy for Associated Press in New York City. He will be speaking about the "civilian contractors" (can you say CIA?) in Vietnam who ended up MIA.

Published On 5/7/2019

Rear Admiral Wendi Carpenter (USN Ret), the first female Navy pilot to be selected for Flag rank, is our guest speaker for this month. She completed a distinguished 34-year Navy career in 2011. In her final 3-year assignment, she served as the Commander of the Navy Warfare Development Command (NWDC) and was highly involved in the development of unmanned systems from seabed to space.

Published On 4/2/2019

Gerald Gillis, BBA & MBA, served as an artillery officer with the US Marines and in various leadership roles with Coca Cola, Genuine Parts and GE. He is an award-winning author and well-known keynote speaker.

Published On 3/5/2019

Our speaker will be Nicholas Warr, a combat Marine who fought in the battle of Hue City as a platoon leader. Warr is the author of the book "Phase Line Green: The Battle for Hue, 1968," and the book, "Charlie One Five: A Marine Company's Vietnam War." Warr will discuss the importance of Hue City in 1968, provide a riveting account of urban combat, including the conflicting rules of engagement, which is a challenge to current United States military leaders of today.

Published On 2/5/2019

Guest speaker John W. Phillips (LTC, US Army-retired), is the Executive Director of Boots to Loafers, LLC, an organization focused on helping military personnel successfully transition to civilian life. John is also the author of Boots to Loafers: Finding Your New True North, a new field manual for those making the transition, transformation, and integration back into civilian life.

Published On 1/8/2019

Guest speaker Maureen Smith Keillor, archivist at the Atlanta History Center, and author of "Naval Air Station Pensacola" and "The Blue Angels," both published by Arcadia Publishing, will discuss the history of NAS Pensacola.

Published On 11/6/2018

Guest speaker Command Sergeant Major Bennie G Adkins received the Medal of Honor in 2014 for actions in the A Shau Valley, Vietnam, in 1966. Wounded 18 times during 36 hours of battle, CSM Adkins then spent another 48 hours in the jungle, protecting other wounded soldiers and evading both NVA troops and a tiger before they were finally rescued by helicopter.

Published On 10/2/2018

AVVBA Membership Vice-President Mike Hamer will present a first-hand report, "Forces Command's Role in Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm" discussing how we deployed the active forces and mobilized and deployed the Army Reserve and Army National Guard units to Saudi Arabia.

Published On 9/4/2018

AVVBA Executive Vice-President John Butler, discusses a timely topic for all members, "Aging: the Future is Here." Then AVVBA member Skip Bell provides the membership with an update on AVVBA's "Vietnam War Documentary Project."

Published On 8/7/2018

Jim Carmichael, PhD, is the author of "A Long Healing Come Slowly," a novel about PTSD and its effects on suffering individuals and their family.

Jack Barsky: KGB Spy In America

Published On 7/10/2018

Jack Philip Barsky, former KGB spy and author of the book, "Deep Undercover: My secret life and tangled alliances as a KJB spy in America," shares his intimate story that sheds light on the true personal consequences of a life in espionage.

Published On 5/1/2018

Spouses of deceased AVVBA members are presented Certificates and Pins from the Department of Defense, as well as from the AVVBA, during this very special meeting.

Published On 4/3/2018

Mike Scruggs, author of the book "Lessons From Vietnam War: Truths The Media Never Told You," is our guest speaker for April. He will be speaking on the topic "The Ongoing Battle for Historical Truth: Vietnam and Beyond." As an Air Force flying officer, Mike lived through the hellish anti-aircraft environment of low-level armed reconnaissance and attack missions over the Ho Chi Minh Trail.

Published On 3/6/2018

Medal of Honor recipient Patrick Henry Brady, Major General, USA, Retired. Gen. Brady served two tours in Vietnam as a Dust Off pilot for the U.S. Army Medical Service Corps. During his tours, he flew over 3,000 combat missions and evacuated more than 5,000 wounded. Gen. Brady will discuss Medevac operations during and following Vietnam, his book entitled "Dead Men Flying: Victory in Viet Nam The Legend of Dust off: America's Battlefield Angels," and his perspective of the recent Ken Burns/ Lynn Novick film about the Vietnam War shown on PBS.

Published On 2/6/2018

R.J. Del Vecchio, the Executive Secretary of Vietnam Veterans for Factual History www.VVFH.org speaks about this organization of knowledgeable historians, authors and veterans who have worked to correct the historical record of the Vietnam War. Del served as a combat photographer with the U.S. Marines in Vietnam during 1968, and is the author of "Whitewash/Backwash: Myths of the Vietnam War."

Published On 12/5/2017

Our December guest speaker is Colonel Michael Boyce, USMC (Ret.), who is still serving his country as the chairman of the Cobb County Board of Commissioners. Check out his insights into county government activities related to managing the affairs of one of the largest counties in Georgia.

Published On 10/3/2017

Atlanta Public Broadcasting [PBA-30] joins us and gives our members the opportunity to provide comments about the Ken Burns film on the Vietnam War. PBA-30 is not part of the Georgia Public Broadcasting/Television system, but it will be airing the documentary in November 2017. They plan to present Vietnam War veterans reactions to the video in conjunction with their presentation of it. So they have asked AVVBA to participate and we in turn have asked seven of our members to provide their remarks about their reactions to the Ken Burns film effort.

Published On 9/5/2017

Pete Mecca, AVVBA member, avid historian and purveyor of all sorts of stories about average men and women who fought for their country at various times in our history and have become "heroes" in some fashion or form. Pete has been working with PBA-30 on a special project related to a critical perspective to Ken Burns soon to be released documentary on the War in Vietnam.

Published On 8/1/2017

Col. Edward DeVos, USA (RET) and AVVBA member, discusses his latest book, "The Family of Warriors."

Published On 7/12/2017

Mr. Kenneth A. Griffiths, author of "Seven Days in July," an historic account of the battle for Atlanta, will discuss his finely written book.

Published On 5/2/2017

CSM/USMC (RET) Bryan Battaglia, former Senior Enlisted to the Chairman of the JCS, served with the current and immediate past CJCS' and the last three Secretaries of Defense, along with Brett Simon, on a variety of topics, including K9s for Warriors. Also, Jamie Popwell gives a short talk about "Flags for Vets."

Mel Pender, Athlete & Warrior

Published On 4/4/2017

Mel Pender, athlete, warrior and an AVVBA member with an exceptional career in the military and in life speaks to us about his new book. Also, M. Stan Maudlin, updates us on Ride for America.

Published On 3/7/2017

The Veterans Empowerment Organization of Georgia makes a short but meaningful presentation on their programs to help veterans in need.

Published On 2/7/2017

Georgia state senators Edward Harbison and Hunter Hill discuss veterans' concerns and open up the floor for questions from the audience.

Published On 1/3/2017

U.S. Army Colonel John W. Thompson, a North Georgia College graduate and a combat veteran of operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm plus multiple deployments in support of Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom, is today's guest speaker. He discusses his experiences with Army and Special Operations aviation. If time permits, he may discuss his current role as head of FEMA, Southeast.

Pearl Harbor attack's 7th anniversary

Published On 12/6/2016

COL Brent Cummings speaks on the topic of "A Better Understanding of the Middle East." He is uniquely qualified to discuss this topic, because he served two tours in Israel working with the Palestinian Authority Defense Forces. Due to the sensitive nature of this presentation, it will not be recorded. But with the 75th anniversary of the Pearl Harbor attack this week, the Atlanta History Center is presenting a short video honoring those who lost their lives that day, including eyewitness testimony of Pearl Harbor survivors who were interviewed as part of the Atlanta History Center’s Veterans History Project.

Published On 10/4/2016

Historian J. L. Bud Alley brings his book, "The Ghosts of the Green Grass," to life, as he presents a haunting first-hand account on the Seventh Cavalry, Second Battalion's role during the Battles of the Ia Drang Valley. In addition to this excellent presentation, Sue VerHoef, director of Oral History & Genealogy for the Veterans History Project, gives an update on this project.

Published On 9/6/2016

LTC David Bores (Ret.), speaks on The Current Threat of Islamism in the World.

Published On 8/2/2016

Susan Clotfelter Jimison, author of "Through The Eyes of a Tiger - The John Donovan Story," describes her personal journey in creating this great read.

Published On 7/12/2016

Louise (Lou) Graul Eisenbrand, is the author of "Vietnam Nurse, Mending and Remembering." Due to technical issues, you cannot view the video of this event, but you can read a great story on Lou, written by our own AVVBA member, Pete Mecca.

Published On 6/14/2016

COL Ed DeVos, a highly decorated military officer, is an experienced writer of thought-provoking historical fiction, including Revenge at Kings Mountain, The Stain and The Chaplain’s Cross. Ed discusses the history behind Revenge at Kings Mountain.

Published On 5/3/2016

COL Ben Malcom, the author of "White Tiger," discusses this book and related topics, all based on the time he spent behind the enemy lines in Korea.

Published On 4/5/2016

The AVVBA video discussing Alan Armstrong's book, "Preemptive Strike: The Secret Plan That May Have Prevented the Attack on Pearl Harbor," has been removed by request, due to pending movie production plans. We apologize for the inconvenience.

Published On 2/2/2016

Ric Hunter, retired Air Force pilot, Top Gun in F4's & F15's and author of the book, "Firehammer."

Published On 1/5/2016

Senator Johnny Isakson, the senior U.S. Senator from Georgia and Chairman of the Senate Committee on Veterans Affairs.

Published On 10/5/2015

Henry I. Bishop and Wayne Elliott of the Kentucky Rifle Foundation Association share their knowledge on the heritage of the Kentucky Rifle and will have on display for your viewing some very rare rifles.

Published On 9/1/2015

Cliff Stern, a retired Lt. Col., US Army and helicopter pilot, speaks on the role of Hueys and other helicopters in Vietnam.

Published On 8/4/2015

Joe Galloway, author of “We were Soldiers Once and Young.” Joe assisted with the Georgia Department of Veterans Services' Certificates of Honor presentation, as he presented a Vietnam 50th Commemoration Lapel Pen to those receiving the Certificate of Honor.

Published On 6/16/2015

Jedwin Smith, a Pulitzer Prize-nominated print journalist. His brother was a Marine that was killed in Vietnam in March 1968. Jed has an exciting story of meeting the only 8 survivors of the Battle of Dai Do.

Published On 5/5/2015

AVVBA member Bob Babcock, who is also president and historian of the National 4th Infantry Division Association, speaks on one division’s fight across Europe from D-Day to V-E Day. Landing on Utah Beach at H-Hour on 6 June 1944, the 4th Infantry Division fought for 337 days until the Germans surrendered.

After the fall: Vietnam 1975 - present.

Published On 3/3/2015

Tom McIntosh, USNR and USAFR, "After the fall: Vietnam 1975 - present."

Published On 2/3/2015

Terri Badow Duckett, CEO of both of The American Red Cross of Georgia and Red Cross of Metropolitan Atlanta, "How the American Red Cross services the military and local communities."

Published On 1/6/2015

Kevin Keaveney, LTC, USA (Ret.) - presentation on air-cushioned vehicle operations in Vietnam, "Cavalry Afloat: The 39th Cavalry Platoon in the Mekong Delta."

Published On 12/2/2014

James E. Livingston, MG, USMC (Ret.), Medal of Honor recipient - presentation on proposed Medal of Honor Museum at Patriots Point, Charleston, S.C.

Published On 10/7/2014

D. Walter Waddell, Major, USAF (Ret.), Vietnam Prisoner of War "Hanoi Hilton" (July 5, 1967 - March 4, 1973)

Published On 9/14/2014

VA Benefits, Victoria L. Collier, Esquire - Elder & Disability Law

Published On 8/5/2014

Timothy L. Metheny, Command SGT Major, Commandant, Non Commissioned Officer Academy - The Army adding “Rigor and Resilience in Retention in the NCO Corps”

Published On 7/8/2014

Judge Todd Markle & Cary King, Esq. discuss the intricacies of the Veterans Court.

Published On 6/3/2014

AVVBA - Medal of Honor Recipients Panel - June 3, 2014

Published On 5/13/2014

Author of "Defiant" - The Pows Who Endured Vietnam's Most Infamous prison - The Women Who Fought For Them, & The one Who Never Returned

Published On 4/1/2014

"MacArthur & the Fall of the Philippines" - Presentation by John Tobin, Ret. Col. U.S. Army - Special Forces

Published On 3/4/2014

Atlanta Vietnam Veterans Association presents Sue VerHoef, Staff Geneologist at Kenan Research Center & Atanta History Center

Published On 2/4/2014

Lt. General Glenn Spears, USAF Retired - Experience on 9/11 as Commander 89th Air Lift Wing, Andrews AFB

Published On 1/7/2014

Secretary of State Brian Kemp discusses Veteran's issues in Georgia

Published On 12/3/2013

Advisor Adventures - Mekong Delta - Speech by Sabin Gianelloni, 111 - Major - US Cavalry

Published On 11/5/2013

Jim Lawrence, Lt.Ret. - 7th Cavalry, Vietnam - Author of "Reflections on LZ Albany - The Agony of Vietnam"

Published On 10/1/2013

Angel Pilato, Lt. Col. USAF, Ret - Author of "Angel's Truck Stop" How Being Part of History Turned into a Memoir.

Published On 8/6/2013

Yung Nguyen tells the story of his dangerous escape from Vietnam and how as a young man he arrived in the United States with nothing and how he became a success.

Published On 7/9/2013

Atlanta Vietnam Veterans Association Speaker - Phillip Jennings - Former Captain Air America, Inc. - Former Marine Captain, Pilot/FAC/ALO - July 9, 2013

Published On 6/4/2013

Atlanta Vietnam Veterans Business Association (AVVBA) on June 4, 2013 Presents Brigadier General Robert Stephens, Jr. - U.S. Army Retired

Published On 5/7/2013

Colonel Paul Longgrear, US Army Retired - Georgia Military Veterans Hall of Fame

Published On 4/2/2013

Atlanta Vietnam Veterans Association Presents: Col. Robert G. Certain - The Final Air Battle of the War in Vietnam

Published On 3/5/2013

Atlanta Vietnam Business Association Presents: Larry Berman - A Vietnam Veteran and Author of "The Life and Times of Admiral Elmo Russell "Bud" Zumwalt, Jr."

Published On 6/12/2012

Atlanta Vietnam Veterans Association Present: Leonard M. Scruggs - Decorated Vietnam War Veteran (USAF) and author of "The Vietnam War: Truths The Media Never Told You."

Published On 6/5/2012

Atlanta Vietnam Veterans Business Association Presents - Mark Shaughnessy on June 5, 2012, Co-Author of "Vietnam Remembered Today - A Tale of Two Brothers"

Published On 5/1/2012

Atlanta Vietnam Veterans Business Association Presents on May 1, 2012 - Benjamin Patton "Growing up Patton" Grandson of WW 2 General George S. Patton

Published On 4/3/2012

Atlanta Vietnam Business Association Presents Mrs. Helen K. Denton - Secretary who typed the Top Secret WW II D-Day Battle Plans for General Dwight D. Eisenhower

2015 Golf Tournament

Published On 9/21/2015

Atlanta Vietnam Veterans Business Association Annual Golf Tournament Hosted by Horseshoe Bend Country Club Community Benefiting Birdies for the Brave - UPS Medal of Honor Sponsor

2014 Annual Golf Tournament

Published On 9/14/2014

Annual Golf Tournament Hosted by: Horseshoe Bend Country Club and Community Benefiting "Birdie for Brave"

AVVBA Golf Tournament 2013

Published On 9/30/2013

"Birdies for the Brave" is a PGA Tour Charity. The Atlanta Vietnam Veterans Business Association annually runs this special golf tournament hosted by the Horseshoe Bend Country Club in Roswell, GA. The tournament chaired by AVVBA member Frank Murphy earns thousands of dollars each year to help needy veterans.

Published On 12/26/2022

AVVBA members Skip Bell, Art Katz, John Butler, Cary King & Clyde Romero share their life stories at our monthly luncheon.

Published On 9/23/2024

This September 2024 dedication of an AVVBA memorial to Lt. Travis B. Lee, Jr. is a story 55 years in the making. If you didn't attend this stirring ceremony, make sure you watch this entire event honoring this local hero. This is one of the most important memorials AVVBA has done. Check it out.

Past Memorials

Published On 12/22/2014

For years AVVBA would install a memorial to honor a local veteran and their families. Here is a list of the annual memorials going back to 1987.

Published On 5/22/2014

Memorial Service for Corporal Harry Vaughan - United States Army - Killed in Action - 7 March 1968 - Bien Hoa Province, Republic of Vietnam - Service held at Milton High School, Milton Georgia

Published On 5/23/2013

Memorial Dedication by Atlanta Vietnam Veterans Business Association on behalf of all who served their country - May 23, 2013 - Major John L. Carrol, United States Air Force, Killed in Action - November 1972 - Kingdom of Laos.

Warrant Officer 1 Francis McDowall, Jr

Published On 11/8/2012

November 8, 2012 at Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport - The Distinguished Flying Cross was Posthumously Awarded to Warrant Officer 1 Francis McDowall, Jr. - Battery C, 2nd Battalion (Airmobile), 20th Artillery 1st Cavalry Division (Airmobile).Memorial Rededication in Honor of Warrant Officer 1 Francis McDowall, Jr. - Killed in Action August 12 1969 - Republic of Vietnam

Vietnam War Symposium

Published On 11/2/2019

Watch a great gathering of Vietnam Veterans discussing their experiences during the war and beyond.

Published On 11/16/2024

Please click on the provided Link in this very short story to see over 400 photos of the Atlanta History center's Veterans Day 2024 celebration and those who attended.

2024 Veterans Day Parade on Film!

Published On 11/11/2024

If you liked the still photo, you will love this video. show by AVVBA member George Pearl.

Published On 11/9/2024

Some 15 AVVBA members marched in the 2024 Veterans Day Parade in Atlanta on Saturday, 9 November, so you can't call them the Dirty Dozen. But our marching numbers are shrinking.

Published On 11/29/2021

This year's Veterans Day Parade took place at the Truist Stadium, Battery Park on 11/06/2021. Here is George Pearl's video of this event.

Published On 11/11/2020

Our AVVBA group marching past The Wall that Heals in Johns Creek for the Atlanta’s 2020 Virtual Veterans Day parade.

Brief introduction of the AVVBA

Published On 11/11/2020

As part of the 2020 virtual Veterans Day Parade, Bryan Tate provides a brief introduction of the AVVBA.

I'm Ready To Talk

Published On 11/11/2020

Bob Babcock provides a brief introduction of the book “I’m Ready to Talk” as part of the Virtual Veterans Day Parade.

2019 Veterans Day Parade

Published On 11/11/2019

Atlanta Vietnam Veterans Business Association marching in the Veterans Day Parade in Downtown Atlanta, GA. This is a 360 Degree Video by George S. Pearl. You can look all around by dragging it with your mouse.

2018 Veterans Day Parade

Published On 11/11/2018

Atlanta Vietnam Veterans Parade - November 11, 2018 - Atlanta Georgia - 50th Anniversary of the Vietnam War

Published On 11/11/2015

VVBA Presents: Veterans Day At Atlanta History Center
Featuring Keynote Speaker Command Sergeant Major Bennie G. Adkins - November 11, 2015

Published On 11/11/2014

Veterans Day Celebration at The Atlanta History Center - November 11, 2014 - Atlanta Vietnam Veterans Association - AVVBA

Published On 11/8/2014

November 8, 2014 - AVVBA - Marching in the Veterans Day Parade in Atlanta, Georgia

Atlanta Veterans Day Parade 2013

Published On 11/9/2013

Atlanta Vietnam Veterans Association Marching in the 2013 Atlanta Veterans Day Parade

Our AVVBA Presidents, Past and Present

Published On 10/6/2025

Since 1985, dedicated AVVBA members have stepped up to lead the Atlanta Vietnam Veterans Business Association through many challenges and even more successes.

News

Awards & Accomplishments

Community & Events

Monthly Meeting Videos

Fundraisers

Member Life Stories

Memorial Dedications

Symposiums

Veterans Day

AVVBA Presidents, Past & Present