Korean American Vietnam vets may soon get VA benefits

(The Center Square) – Recognition for Vietnam veterans was long overdue. However, for their Korean American counterparts, the wait has been even longer – a wrong that Pennsylvania lawmakers want to right.

The effort made progress on Tuesday after the House passed the PA Korean VALOR Act, or House Bill 304, by a nearly unanimous vote of 201-1. The one dissenting vote was cast by Rep. Eric Nelson, R-Greensburg.

Delivering remarks ahead of the vote, the bill’s sponsor, Rep. Melissa Cerrato, D-Horsham, urged her colleagues to support the legislation.

She explained that of the estimated 3,000 Korean American veterans who fought alongside U.S. forces in the Vietnam War – and later became naturalized U.S. citizens – hundreds of these brave individuals now reside in Pennsylvania.

“Yet,” she stated, “they have not received the same rights, recognition, or benefits as their U.S. counterparts. This injustice is not just a matter of oversight; it’s a matter of fairness and honor.”

Continuing, she said these veterans answered the call to serve during one of the most challenging conflicts of our history, and her proposed legislation aims to ensure they are granted the same benefits, recognition, and privileges under Pennsylvania law as other veterans.

Under the bill, Korean American veterans who served in the Vietnam War between Jan. 9, 1962 and May 7, 1975, and are eligible for U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs benefits, will finally be entitled to the same state benefits as their fellow Pennsylvania veterans, Cerrato stated.

Additionally, state agencies will be able to request supporting documentation, such as discharge papers or other proof of service, to verify eligibility and maintain the integrity of the program.

Cerrato’s legislation mirrors the federal Korean American Vietnam Allies Long Overdue for Relief Act (VALOR), signed into law in November 2023. The law expands Department of Veterans Affairs, or VA, benefits to veterans of the armed forces of South Korea who served in Vietnam during the same period outlined in Pennsylvania’s bill.

The federal government establishes the primary framework for veterans’ benefits like the GI Bill, disability compensation, and healthcare through the VA, but each state also has its own programs and benefits.

From 1964 to 1973, South Korea deployed approximately 320,000 troops to Vietnam, making them the largest foreign military force in the war after the United States. More than 5,000 were killed in action and over 10,000 were wounded.

Since January, the bill has been unanimously approved by both the House Veterans Affairs and Emergency Preparedness and Appropriations Committees. It now heads to the Senate for consideration, where it passed last session but failed to complete the legislative process before the session ended.

In a statement to The Center Square following the vote, Cerrato said, “Today, the House took a vital step toward justice by passing HB304 with a tremendous bipartisan vote of 201 to 1.”

“For far too long, the extraordinary courage and service of approximately 3,000 Korean American veterans of the Vietnam War – many of whom now call Pennsylvania home – have gone unrecognized.”

“With this legislation,” she added, “we seek to correct this inequity and ensure these brave individuals receive the same rights, recognition, and benefits as their fellow veterans. Their sacrifices will no longer be overlooked, and I’m committed to seeing this bill through the Senate to honor their service as it deserves.”