Vietnam Veterans Build - background

Habitat for Humanity International and Vietnam Veterans of America joined forces to create a historic event:  the Vietnam Veterans Build.   Habitat invites veterans of all eras to join with US Vietnam veterans and their families to make homeownership a reality for people in Vietnam.   This is the first time a Global Village trip has been organized with a focus on veterans. 

Ken Bensen, President, Habitat for Humanity State Support Alliance, became involved with Habitat in 1985.  His career with Habitat for Humanity has taken him across the globe.  Jack G. Devine is the former national Vice President of Vietnam Veterans of America.  Jack has made several humanitarian trips to Vietnam in an effort to help find missing Vietnamese by using information from Americans who served there during the war.  Jack's first return trip in 1993 was to attend an international symposium on Agent Orange:  The Effects on Man & Nature.  Together Ken and Jack are the founders of the Vietnam Veteran Build.  They challenge all veterans to serve with fellow veterans and to help heal the wounds of war.

From March 30 – April 14, 2012, volunteers will travel to Tien Giang province to build homes for Vietnamese families in need.  In addition to construction, the Vietnam Veteran Build trip will integrate advocacy and educational sessions into the two-week itinerary.  Participants will be given resources that will help them continue advocacy efforts when they return home.  This build promises to be both challenging and rewarding for volunteers. 

 “This is a tremendous opportunity to expand VVA’s — and individual veterans’ — range of in­volvement with Vietnam. More importantly, it is an excellent way to help heal the wounds of war.”  — Jack G. Devine, Vietnam Veterans of America National Vice President (2005–2011)

For more information about this trip, please e-mail Ken Bensen kbensen@habitat.org. http://www.habitat.org/gv/pdf/VietnamVetBuild_FLYR.pdf