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By Chuck N. Baker
(Las Vegas) — Several months ago documentary filmmakers Ken Burns and Lynn Novic premiered their epic “The Vietnam War” on PBS. Over 10 nights, the multi-part series reached more than 33.8 million viewers, according to Nielsen ratings. Those numbers included thousands of Nevada veterans. As you might expect, opinions about the documentary and the war featured varied greatly. The sometimes controversial comments featured in the film also spawned a unique opportunity for individuals to share their memories and opinions and recall their images of the war in a common setting at the Las Vegas PBS station.

Since the documentary was telecast several months ago, the Vegas PBS office has hosted “Veterans Coffee & Conversations” each month. Veterans Services Coordinator Juan Rangel said the gatherings were initially a direct result of the Vietnam production. Anyone is welcome to join the group and listen or express an opinion. Participants include Vietnam veterans, and Vietnam-era veterans, as well as military widows and veterans of other conflicts. “We provide a non-biased platform. We’re a facilitator to keep the conversation going,” Rangel said. He noted that some Vietnam veterans disagree with parts of the Burns-Novick production and are pleased to have a chance to express their feelings.

Rangel said that a local Starbucks community partner sponsors the coffee and pastries each month. “You can’t have coffee conversations without the coffee,” he explained with a smile. Initially some 25 individuals participated, but the most recent group numbered about 40. Several elected officials have sent representatives, and PBS has reached out to veterans through its distribution list and word of mouth. The topics do not always center on Vietnam. Benefits offered by the Department of Veterans Affairs are often discussed, and Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom vets also participate. “The themes depend on the era of those participating,” Rangel said. And final answers to topics are not expected. “Sometimes the answers aren’t out there. But at least the questions are being heard,” he said of the discussions.

In an earlier related event, Burns held a seminar in Los Angeles prior to the national showing of his documentary. His personal comments were very telling, and are often reflected in the film. For example, he said that the war was “both a civil war and a continuation of the war of liberation” in that Vietnam had been colonized and ruled by others for decades, most recently by France. U.S. veterans of the war were affected by that stance and at the PBS meetings it’s often noted that the war “officially” began in 1965 and lasted until 1973. But Hanoi approached the U.S. presence as yet another invader moving in to take control. “Some South Vietnamese felt they didn’t care who won, they just wanted the war to be over,” Burns said. “(They) felt the Americans were there to replace the French.” Recalling and describing all viewpoints can be helpful when it comes to making sense of the war, and Rangel said many of the participants in the PBS conversations have come to view the various discussions as therapeutic.

Rangel, born and raised in Las Vegas, recently joined PBS. He is a 30-year veteran of the U.S. Army. In the Middle East he served as a First Sergeant for a transportation company that provided combat escorts, and retired as a Brigade Command Sergeant Major. Now a part of local PBS, he said the conversations are held the third Fridays of each month from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at the PBS building, 3050 East Flamingo Road. As long as all of the some 33 million who watched the film don’t show up at once, he otherwise encourages all interested parties to attend.