In March of 1965, President Lyndon Johnson committed the first combat troops to Vietnam. American military personnel had been fighting and dying in Vietnam for many years, but officially they were only there as “advisers.” Consequently, the accepted beginning of America’s involvement in the Vietnam War is 1965.

Last year Congress authorized the issuance of a 50th anniversary pin for all Vietnam era veterans. For those of us who served during that time, it is hard to believe that 50 years have passed since the war’s beginning.

On Thursday, June 2, Congressman Ryan Zinke will personally issue these pins to Vietnam veterans (or their surviving next of kin) in a ceremony at 9 a.m. at the Flathead Valley Community College Arts and Technology Building.

If there are any Vietnam veterans that have not yet signed up and would like to attend, please visit Rep Zinke’s website (zinke.house.gov/Vietnam) and sign up. If unable to do that, call one of his offices and one of his staff will walk you through it.

—Tim Grattan, Whitefish