New Jersey Vietnam Veterans’ Memorial & Vietnam Era Educational Center seek Vietnam veterans to be tour guides

The New Jersey Vietnam Veterans’ Memorial and Vietnam Era Educational Center are looking for volunteers tour guides.

They are asking for Vietnam Veterans for help in educating the students of New Jersey. The volunteer tour guides are crucial participants in the tours. The tours are given to New Jersey school students in grades seven to 12 (around 12 to 18 years old.)

The factual information provided to the students during their visit is enhanced by the veteran's personal story. The students want to hear personal experiences to make the history come alive.

Typical questions from students include: "How old were you when you went to Vietnam?" "Did you want to go?" "What did you do in Vietnam?" "What do you remember most?" These questions often take a conversation into a dozen different directions.

When asked what they remember most about their tour, 99 percent of the students say it was the Vietnam Veteran who took the time to share his/her story. Tours are scheduled Monday through Friday. There are two time slots, 9:30 -11:00 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. The ed center schedules 30-minute breaks between tours.

Arrangements will be made for volunteers to tag along with a seasoned tour guide first to see what a school tour is all about.

Vietnam veterans interested in volunteering should call 732- 335-0033.