Return to Vietnam is intended for eligible Vietnam War veterans whose service and circumstances meet the requirements of the particular program for which they are applying.

Participation is selective. Eligibility, physical readiness, service history, program compatibility, available capacity, and the ability to participate safely and responsibly are considered during the selection process.

Unit-based journeys are generally structured around approximately twenty eligible veterans.

Each participating unit designates a primary liaison to coordinate with Vietnam Inc. regarding participant information, service history, documentation, readiness, and program logistics.

Veterans who are no longer connected with their former units may also be considered through the Individual Veteran Journey program and are not required to independently assemble a twenty-person group.

Return journeys are generally planned for approximately twelve days, allowing sufficient time for historical visits, remembrance, reflection, community engagement, and travel between significant locations.

Each itinerary is built around the history and circumstances of the participating veterans rather than a conventional tourism schedule.

The experience is designed to support healing, strengthen camaraderie, and promote personal resolution. By maintaining a respectful and supportive environment, the program helps veterans process the past, reconnect with fellow participants, and pursue a renewed sense of peace throughout the journey.

Every itinerary is different.

Programs are developed around the locations associated with the participating veterans and their units. Depending upon service history and access, these may include former bases, battlefields, landing zones, villages, rivers, hospitals, memorial sites, and other historically significant locations.

The objective is not simply to visit historic ground, but to reconnect veterans with the geography of their own service and preserve the human history connected to it.

Yes.

Each journey is supported by an experienced team responsible for program coordination, logistics, participant welfare, historical documentation, and in-country operations.

Through Connecting Generations, selected veterans of later conflicts may also participate alongside Vietnam veterans, contributing intergenerational understanding while ensuring that the Vietnam veteran and their testimony remain at the center of the mission.

Each return journey is supported by a dedicated team focused on participant safety, coordination, comfort, and the integrity of the program.

Depending upon the mission, this may include medical, logistical, historical, documentation, and in-country support personnel.

Their role is to create a professional and respectful environment in which veterans can concentrate on remembrance, reflection, and the purpose of their return.

Return to Vietnam journeys are specifically structured around participating veterans and the shared experience of military service.

For that reason, family members and other guests generally do not accompany veterans on these missions.

This policy protects the character of the program and allows veterans to experience the return among those who share an understanding of military service, sacrifice, and the history being revisited.

Separate opportunities for families may be developed through other Vietnam Inc. initiatives where appropriate.

Eligible participants selected for a fully funded Return to Vietnam mission participate without program cost through philanthropic and organizational support.

Covered expenses may include international transportation, accommodations, meals, ground transportation, and approved program-related activities.

Removing the financial barrier allows participating veterans to concentrate upon the purpose of their return: remembering those who did not come home, preserving their history, reconnecting with fellow veterans, and contributing to a broader mission of remembrance and reconciliation.