Veteran Clothing Stirs Up Trouble With Actual Veterans

By Guest Writer | Tuesday, August 28, 2012 | 5 Comments

Thanks for visiting 8Asians, a blog about Asian American issues. If you find this interesting, subscribe to the RSS feed, visit our Facebook Page or add us on Twitter!

veteran Veteran Clothing Stirs Up Trouble With Actual Veterans

By Bill

I recently discovered an apparel company called Veteran Clothing through a Stolen Valor website. Anyone would assume that this company would be run by veterans, for veterans, but that’s far from the truth. Veteran Clothing is actually run by CEO Billy Troung, a 19 year old entrepreneur whose company mission statement is,

VETERAN is about experience and being original. Your Own Boss. You’ve been in the game for infinite years. Everyone Respects You. No more fancy handshakes, stay Saluting. Remember, you can be a Veteran in anything.

Of course, this has caused uproar within the military veteran community, and many military veterans feel that this diminishes the value of the word veteran and the sacrifices they have made. I am personally angry at what Billy is doing, his practices within the company I view as deplorable and outrageous.

As an Asian American who enlisted in the military, I am saddened by the fact that he would allow to diminish the word sacred to me and to what my fellow brothers in arms hold dear. When people see me in my uniform or when I am asked the question, “Are you a veteran?” In my head I say no, simply because I am not a veteran of any war. I have not been deployed, I have gone to war, I have not left my family to do what is needed of me from my country. But to them, I say yes, because to them, a veteran is anyone who is serving or served in the armed military. That is the general public’s definition of a veteran.

However much I hate saying yes to them because I have not veteran from any war, the thanks I receive from people always makes me feel better. So you can understand when someone like Billy Troung takes a word that has so much meaning to me and my fellow comrades, and twist it to make a profit off of misunderstanding of what the company is about and diminishes the value of the word veteran.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Bill Huynh is a 20 year old Vietnamese American living in Texas, currently working part time at a chocolate store, going to college, and enlisted as a Private First Class in the U.S Army National Guard.

Categories:

Current EventsFashionLifestyles

NOTE: 8Asians.com is a community, and we thank you for being a part of it. While we welcome and appreciate differences in opinion, if you're rude or you're promoting spam, we have a right to edit or delete your comment. Read our comment policy for more information.

If you see a comment that violates the 8Asians.com comment policy, you may flag the comment by mousing over the comment and clicking "FLAG."

Facebook Comments (Beta)

Pingback: New Clothing Line “Veteran Clothing” Using the term “Veteran” for Personal Profit? | Guardian Of Valor
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=6311591 Johnny Yang

The problem that many of us have with the company is not the name, but rather their flippant disrespect for the purple heart. They have no clue why this is an outrage and frankly they don’t give a shit because we’re all haters.

The response to them by some have been racist and deplorable and it brings me to a second way i can be offended by these kids– As an Asian-American soldier, you understand the uphill battle we face in proving ourselves and earning respect from our peers. I feel like these kids have done their part in chipping away at the progress made by us and those who came before us and had it much worse. The name is not a problem to me; I don’t care if they call themselves the creators of life and people can call themselves whatever ridiculous thing they want. They can also demand respect all they want and not get any (see ‘Salute Me’ and, ‘Demanding over Asking’ slogans) but they don’t get to do all that AND wear the purple heart around and expect people to not want to strangle them.
LTE2

“In my head I say no, simply because I am not a veteran of any war. I have not been deployed, I have gone to war,”
.
You have put on the uniform. The time may come when you may have to prove yourself under fire, but even if you do not face that proving, you have made a strong, positive statement about your feelings for the United States.
.
Veteran Clothing is run by a young kid that grew with heady idealism not tempered by real experience in what is true sacrifice and what is just life’s hurts and inconveniences.
moye

Seeing their Purple Heart t-shirt design was a little shocking. How did they ever think that was okay?
http://www.facebook.com/people/Ahmed-Sanchez-De-La-Cruz-Kim/58700922 Ahmed Sanchez De La Cruz Kim

It’s no good.

8 Asians