Wkly Zoom Mtg-John C. Lancaster Vietnam Vet

June 2021 Rotary Theme is Rotary Fellowships Month

11-12 June — Rotaract Preconvention, Taipei, Taiwan
11-12 June — Youth Exchange Officers Preconvention, Taipei, Taiwan
12-16 June — Rotary International Convention, Taipei, Taiwan
30 June — Rotary Citation for Rotary Clubs Award nominations are due

Our guest speaker will be John C. Lancaster. He will be speaking about his service to our country during the Vietnam War.

JOHN C LANCASTER 

After leaving Temple University in 1968 following my Sophomore year, I enlisted in the Army. Due to my injuries (loss of right hand) encountered while serving in Vietnam, I was retired from the U.S. Army in April 1970. I wanted to make the Army my career, but instead, I was given a four year scholarship from the Veterans Administration to complete my education, and then had a 32-year career with the U.S. Treasury Department, retiring in 2004.

I got married in 1970 and have three beautiful daughters. Our youngest was born in 1979 with special needs, most likely caused by Agent Orange, the chemical defoliant used in Vietnam to uncover the jungle to expose the enemy. We have been blessed with four wonderful grand children, two boys and two girls, ages 20 months, to 16 years. 

I have been in a support group with other Vietnam Veterans, including three nurses who served, for the past four years. All of us have various degrees of PTSD due to our service that we encountered over 50 years ago. These centers were created by Vietnam vets, and now they are finally supported and financed by the Department of Veterans Affairs Administration. These sessions have saved our LIVES.