Haverhill

Haverhill Vietnam War Veterans Day: Mistreated for Years, Veterans Now Have Access to Array of Services

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(Additional photograph and listing of Haverhill’s Fallen 13 below.)

Veterans returning home from Vietnam 50 years ago didn’t always find much support, but their sacrifices were honored during a Haverhill ceremony Friday, where officials emphasized today’s vast array of help and services. Observing National Vietnam War Veterans Day under a tent in the rain at Haverhill’s Vietnam Veterans Memorial at Mill Brook Park, Veterans Northeast Outreach Center Executive Director William Kelly discussed how times have changed. “To our national shame, they were ignored when they came home and, for the longest time, wished away by society. It is only with the emergence of more recent conflicts that Vietnam residents are now recognized and revered,” he said. Kelly noted, however, “Ironically, right now, there have never been more benefits and services available to all veterans, but the Vietnam veterans I know find services hard to access, computer portals frustrating to use and they retain such a poor perception of the VA for the way they were treated back then that they no longer even try to apply for the very benefits that they earned.”

Kelly pointed to curb-to-curb transportation, twice-a-week by MeVa Transit to the Bedford Veterans Administration medical building, Massachusetts’ unique veterans’ services officers—such as Haverhill Veterans Services Director Jeffrey C. Hollett—located in every community, home care services, Veterans Crisis Hotline available to friends and families of veterans and the service center of Veterans Northeast Outreach Center.

Election Central

2023 Election Central: Haverhill Mayor, City Council and School Committee

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Haverhill voters see major changes in 2023 in how they elect the City Council and School Committee and a reduced length of School Committee terms.

The City Council expands to 11 members with seven city councilors elected by ward with four others elected at-large. The school Committee will have seven ward members, three citywide representatives and the mayor as tiebreaker. It also reduces School Committee terms from four to two years. There will be no election of at-large School Committee members this year as those elected to four-year terms in 2021— Paul A. Magliocchetti, Maura L. Ryan-Ciardiello and Richard J. Rosa—are permitted to complete their terms of office at large. Haverhill’s final election is Tuesday, Nov.