Board Defines Ribbons Displayed On New TLC Logo  

   Some time ago a new TLC official logo was designed with the service medals of the Vietnam era included on the logo. Members who did not serve during the actual period of war designated by the US government, or in the SEA theater itself have expressed the ribbons do not reflect their service or apply to them, so therefore, they cannot wear the logo. In the last board meeting the board defined what the ribbons on the logo mean to the TLC and how the new logo applies to all of our members, not just those who served during the government defined “war” designated years. The opinion of the new TLC logo as interpreted by the TLC Board of Directors is as follows: 

   It is the position of the Board of Directors that the ribbons on the logo are signification that the TLC is about something that happened in the Vietnam War era.  Nothing more, nothing less. You can buy the same generic identification ribbon hats for the Korean War and WWII. A perfect example of the same would be U.S. Navy ships which served in the waters off south or north Vietnam during the war. All ships who were in the war zone received the same awards and they were forever after stenciled on their sides under the bridge. Anyone who served on the ship afterward sailed with the award on the ship. It doesn’t mean they were entitled to wear the award on their uniform; the ship earned the award, not them. The TLC is about something that happened in the Vietnam War era and the awards on our logo signify awards issued in the Vietnam War era, not specific individual awards issued to you or me personally. The National Defense Service Medal was issued to all US Military personnel, period, in the Vietnam era. The Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal is the award of foreign government no longer in existence. The only award of question is the Vietnam Service Medal and for the medal on our logo to be personal it would have to be embossed with bronze or silver campaign stars indicating the service of the individual in the war zone, which it is not. These are generic awards of an ERA and that was the original intent of the BOD when we put them there. The idea was the give the TLC a recognizable logo immediately identifiable with the Vietnam War Era. 

Membership in the TLC is open to anyone. It says nothing about being a veteran or having served in the actual Vietnam War Theater: 

1.  To provide a benevolent, non-partisan association primarily for veterans, both military and civilian, of the ERA of United States involvement in the armed conflicts in Southeast Asia, with a primary interest in service outside the Republic of Vietnam, and open to all who contribute dues, if any, and agree to support these objectives. 

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