Please, no “registration fee” for Branson’s Vietnam Veterans Operation Homecoming!

Recently the Ole Seagull received an email from a veteran, Ronald, of Sand Springs, OK. It succinctly stated what a number of people have been wondering about “Branson’s Welcome Home…Americas’s Tribute to Vietnam Veterans.” Ronald said, “In reference to this summer’s Vietnam Vet Reunion, Operation Homecoming. Why are all the other [Branson] reunions free to the groups that had homecomings but, ‘the homecoming we never had’ costs us $79.95. Proof of military service should be the ONLY requirement.” To that an Ole Seagull would humbly add, “Amen.”

Why a community that has successfully run “A Veterans Homecoming,” an event honoring all our nation’s veterans, for years without charging “registration fees” would suddenly change that proven model boggles an Ole Seagull’s mind. What a curious way to give someone the homecoming they never received?

“But Seagull, once you pay it everything else is free?”

“Not really. According to the Schedule of Events there is a $50 fee for the Fishing Tournament and a $50 fee for the Golf Tournament. Besides, if a person pays $79.95 how ‘free’ is any of it?”

It seems that the major item included “free” with the $79.95 “Registration Fee” is color coded dog tags that serve as the admission to Saturdays Grand Finale Concert. According to the web site, the Grand Finale Tribute, “Starts at 11:00 am and goes until after dark at an outdoor venue at Saddlebrooke” and is for “registered attendees only.”

To some it will be a grand show but in a town full of great entertainment, that has honored veterans of all wars, including Vietnam, for decades it is but another show or is it? What if it rains? The website states that, “No rain date or refunds given due to weather or acts of God.”

The T.V. ads, promotional pieces, and web site all stress that “registration” for the event is $79.95 per person. As but one example, if one clicked on the “Registration and Reservations” link off of the main page of the event site, http://www.operationhomecomingusa.com/index2.html, they would be told, under a caption entitled “Registration Fee” that the “Cost of registration for Welcome Home is $79.95 for each adult; $39.95 each for children 13 – 17; children 12 and under free.”

“Whoa now Seagull, aren’t the vast majority of the activities during the week free like they are for the “A Veterans Homecoming” event that has been run in Branson for years?”

“Yes, there are basically only three activities that have a charge, the golf tournament, the fishing tournament, and the “registration” for $79.95.”

And that’s the sad part, the impression that a lot of Vietnam Veterans like Ronald get about the registration fee, that they are being charged a fee for an event that is supposed to honor them. An impression that is in large part caused and reinforced by, the very advertising used to promote the event.

One can only wonder how many Vietnam veterans have been turned off to the event and possibly even Branson because of the registration fee. How many paid it thinking it was a requirement to attend the event? What reactions will they have when they discover that there was no requirement to pay a registration fee unless they wanted to go to the Grand Finale Concert, the cost of which, unlike the golf and fishing tournaments, was buried in the “registration fee package?”

From an Ole Seagull’s perspective, the good news is that Branson, as a community, and the vast majority those that are involved with the management and sponsorship of “Branson’s Welcome Home…America’s Tribute to Vietnam Veterans” are, in fact, truly dedicated to honoring the Vietnam veteran. Too, there is still time to correct the erroneous impressions and misunderstandings that have been created.

In an Ole Seagull’s opinion, a major promotional effort should be immediately initiated to publicize that, as is the case with “Branson’s A Veterans Homecoming,” there is no registration fee required to attend “Branson’s Welcome Home…America’s Tribute to Vietnam Veterans.” Further, every veteran that has “registered” should be notified that if they not want to attend the Grand Finale Concert that they can get their money back with no deduction of a $20 processing fee.