Chager Xiong, Laos, Hmong Veteran Addresses Wreath-Laying Ceremonies at Arlington National Cemetery

WASHINGTON - May 18, 2018 - PRLog -- Lao and Hmong veterans of the Vietnam War in Laos are being honored at national ceremonies and policy events according to the Center for Public Policy Analysis (CPPA), and Members of Congress, in Washington, D.C.

"Lao and Hmong veterans are being honored at national veterans ceremonies and events at Arlington National Cemetery, the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, the White House, the U.S. Congress and the Department of Veterans Affairs," said Philip Smith, Director of the CPPA and National Liaison of the Lao Veterans of America (LVA).

Smith continued: "At Arlington National Cemetery (ANC), the speakers and participants include: Katharine Kelley, Superintendent, ANC; U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D- Rhode Island); Senator Jack Reed (D-Rhode Island); the U.S. Department of Defense and Army 'Old Guard' Honor Guard, Wreath Bearer and Bugler; U.S. Army, Green Beret, Major General Victor Hugo, U.S. Special Forces Association (U.S.-SFA), and The OSS Society; U.S. Army, Green Beret, Colonel James Bruton, (U.S.-SFA); Roger Whitfield, National Association of Black Veterans and disabled Vietnam Veteran; Micheal Migliara, Director of Events and Ceremonies, ANC; Major Cheurchai Vang, National President, LVA; Peter Vang, Executive Director, LVA; Captain Toua Kue, LVA, Rhode Island; Nao Vang Moua, Rhode Island, LVA; Pang Mang Thao, President, Minnesota LVA; Chager Xiong, Vice President, Minnesota LVA; Wang Lee Vang, President Emeritus, Minnesota LVA; Sarah Vang, California; Mao Yang and Caroline Baltazar, Maryland Lao Hmong Community; Mai Moua, Kia Natalie Yang and Chia Kue Smith, Virginia and Rhode Island Lao Hmong Community; and, others."

The following is the text of the speech and statement given by Chager Xiong at Arlington National Cemetery, and the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, and at ceremonies and events on May 14-15, 2018, in Washngton, D.C.:


Lao Veterans of America, Inc., Minnesota Chapter

Remarks at Arlington National Cemetery
Lao Veterans of America Monument
The "Laos Memorial"
by
Chager Xiong, Vice President of LVA-MN

May 15, 2018

Senator Sheldon Whitehouse, Senator Lisa Murkowski, Senator Jack Reed, Congressman Paul Cook, Congressman Jim Costa, Congressman Devin Nunes, Members of Congress; officials of the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD); Superintendent Katharine Kelley of Arlington National Cemetery,  our Hmong, Lao, and American Veterans of the Vietnam War; Ladies and Gentlemen:

I would like to welcome each one of you to this Lao-Hmong Veterans' Memorial and Wreath-Laying Ceremony. It marks the 43^rd anniversary of the end of the U.S. Secret War in the Kingdom of Laos during the Vietnam War as well as the 21st Anniversary of our dedication of the Lao Veterans America monument in Arlington National Cemetery to the Lao and Hmong veterans and their U.S. Special Forces, Air America and U.S. DoD and CIA military and clandestine advisors.

My name is Chager Xiong.  I am the Vice-President of the Lao Veterans of America, Inc. —Minnesota Chapter.

On behalf of the Hmong-Lao veterans, I would like to express my deepest appreciation to Mr. Philip Smith, the Executive Director of the Center for Public Policy Analysis (CPPA), for his leadership, guidance, and serving as the National Liaison, and Washington,D.C. Director, for the Lao Veterans of America, Inc. (LVA) and Lao Veterans of America Institute for many years.

Without the leadership and support of the following Senators and Members of Congress, this commemoration will not be possible, so I would like to acknowledge the leadership and support of:

Senators Jack Reed, Sheldon Whitehouse, Lisa Murkowski, Amy Klobuchar, John Boozman, Tammy Baldwin, Dan Sullivan, Bernard Sanders, Richard Burr, and Dianne Feinstein; Congressmen Jim Costa, Paul Cook, Jim Langevin, Devin Nunes, and other Members of Congress.

First and foremost, I am here today to pay tribute to our Lao and Hmong veterans, who sacrificed their lives in defense of freedom, democracy, and equality for all in the Secret War in Laos during the Vietnam War. I also want to pay tribute to our U.S. CIA and Department of Defense officials who died in Laos during the war.

During the war, I was glad that the U.S. government was our ally in the fight against the communists, and I want to thank the U.S. government for bringing us America as refugees after the war.

Because of the U.S. government sponsorship, our Hmong and Lao have been in the U.S. since the mid-1970s. Today, as citizens of this land of liberty and equality, we have doctors, lawyers, entrepreneurs, state and local elected officials, and army officers. As such, I want to thank the United State of America.

God Bless America.

Thank you.

--ends--


Contact:

Jade Herr / Philip Smith
Center for Public Policy Analysis (CPPA)
Washington, D.C.
Tele. (202)543-1444
info@centerforpublicpolicyanalysis.org
http://www.cppa-dc.org