WASHINGTON, Sept. 8, 2023 – The International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM) will hold a Vietnam Memorial Recognition Ceremony on Friday, Sept. 15, 2023, in honor of IAM members who served during the Vietnam era. The ceremony will take place at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C.
The ceremony will begin at 11 a.m. with a welcome from IAM Resident General Vice President Brian Bryant. IAM Vietnam Veterans will be recognized and honored during the ceremony. Wreaths will be laid at the Wall and the Vietnam Women’s Memorial.
The ceremony will conclude at 1:00 p.m., and IAM participants will return to IAM headquarters.
Former U.S. military service men and women are a significant membership base of the IAM, and their union has assisted them by expanding the IAM Veteran Services Program in recent years. The endeavor has helped hundreds of Machinists deal with everything from PTSD to filing complicated claims with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA).
“We are proud to honor our IAM members who served during the Vietnam era,” said Bryant. “These men and women answered the call to duty and served their country with honor and distinction. We are grateful for their service and sacrifice. The IAM has a special place in its heart for our military veterans. Our union is proud to build, maintain, and service the products that keep our service men and women safe, and we count thousands of military veterans among our ranks.”
11 a.m. – Ceremony begins
11:30 a.m. – IAM Vietnam Veterans recognized
12 p.m. – Wreath Laying
12:30 p.m. – Participants lay flowers
About the Vietnam Veterans Memorial
The Vietnam Veterans Memorial is a national memorial in Washington, D.C., dedicated to the men and women who served in the Vietnam War. The memorial consists of the Wall, the Three Servicemen sculpture, and the Vietnam Women’s Memorial. The Wall is a black granite wall inscribed with the names of over 58,000 Americans who died or are missing in action in the Vietnam War.
The International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM) is one of North America’s largest and most diverse industrial trade unions, representing approximately 600,000 active and retired members in the aerospace, defense, airlines, railroad, transit, healthcare, automotive, and other industries.