MILWAUKEE — Every Friday morning at 6 a.m., Vietnam veterans can be found hanging out at Solly's Grille for their weekly meet-up.
Glenn Fieber, the owner of Solly's, was drafted at 18 years old. He recalls being dropped off in a Vietnam village with three other soldiers.
"They helicopter me into a place called Thanh Linh, Vietnam that was deep inside the jungle villages. And we would go out on ambushes anywhere from one to three times a week, two of us with the Vietnamese soldiers."
Fieber, like many of the 2.7 million veterans who served in Vietnam, may have been exposed to the toxic chemical Agent Orange.
"Agent Orange was very prolific [in Thanh Linh]. They never told us it was out there until we got back here," said Fieber.
Fast forward, President Biden recently signed the 'PACT ACT' into law.
The bill expands medical coverage for veterans who have been exposed to toxic chemicals like Agent Orange.
Friday afternoon the Veterans Administration held an informational session for veterans to learn more about the expanded benefits that also include those who were exposed to burn pits while serving in Afghanistan and Iraq.
"This is huge," said Duane Honeycutt, director of the Milwaukee regional office for VA benefits. "It's not just the veterans; it is going to impact the survivors, spouses, children, home loans, education - there is a mirid of things they will be able to take advantage .... which is heartwarming."
For more information on who is eligible for benefits, head to their website.
