Fifty years after the end of U.S involvement in the Vietnam War, Special Guerrilla Unit veterans and elders in the Minnesota Hmong community are finally being recognized by the state.
Speaking to veterans watching in the balcony in House chambers, DFL State Representative Ethan Cha (Woodbury) spoke of their service during the Vietnam War in Laos, a secret war where U.S. forces were forbidden from engaging.
"For 50 years they have been invisible," said Chad. "Living in the shadows in the country they bled for."
Cha says the bill will not only give them the honor they deserve but also access to benefits, as well.
The Minnesota House passed the bill recognizing veterans and honoring the sacrifices made by elders of Minnesota’s Hmong community. Cha says the veterans of the "secret war" have been forgotten until now.
"It gives them hope and peace to finally be closer to having their spirit restored to be whole again, to be seen," he says. "They will no longer be invisible because of this bill."
The bill calls for veteran status under state law for certain people who served with secret units or other irregular forces. From a monetary standpoint, the bill calls for $319.72 million in 2026-27 biennial spending, a $5 million increase over the February base, and 10 percent of the increases the Military Affairs and Veterans Affairs departments sought.
Millions of U.S. troops fought in Vietnam. For some Americans, the war that effectively ended with the fall of Saigon 50 years ago Wednesday on April 30, 1975, continues to shape their lives.
“Our veterans deserve more than symbolic gestures; they deserve real and lasting change. This bill should not leave any veteran behind, not on a battlefield and certainly not in the systems that should support them when they return home,” Rep. Jay Xiong (DFL-St. Paul) said.
As amended, the bill now returns to the Senate — which passed its version 65-0 April 23.
Among other policy provisions, the bill would:
Increase the maximum bonded indebtedness allowed for the State Armory Building Commission from $15 million to $45 million
Add 5% of servicemember base pay as a pension offset for those activated for state active duty.
Align state law with federal laws governing eligibility and fees for burial in veteran’s cemeteries.
Let surviving spouses of servicemembers who died because of their military service to remain eligible to use the servicemember’s education benefits even if the surviving spouse remarries.
Require the Department of Veterans Affairs to develop a comprehensive plan to prevent Minnesota veterans from dying by suicide and report to the Legislature by Feb. 15, 2026.
Extend the Department of Veterans Affairs’ read-only access to MAXIS, a computer system used to determine eligibility for public assistance.
Require placement of a memorial plaque in the Court of Honor to recognize the service and sacrifices of Minnesota’s Gold Star and Blue Star families. An adopted amendment would ensure the Capitol Area Architectural and Planning Board selects a submitted design to use as a basis for final production and the board must include the veterans affairs commissioner on the design review committee.