Iraq and Vietnam veterans find common ground

By Claudia Parsons

WATERTOWN, New York (Reuters) - In the Vietnam War, some in the U.S. military who opposed the war wore a paper clip on their uniform as a sign of dissent -- an underground tradition some who fought in Iraq want to revive.

Sgt. Eli Wright, a medic who served in Iraq and is awaiting a medical discharge for post traumatic stress disorder and a shoulder injury, has a gallery of tattoos on his arms and legs. He recently added a black paper clip on his right hand.

"During Vietnam, guys that were against the war would wear a paper clip on their uniform somewhere, it was a little way for them to identify themselves," Wright said in an interview at the Different Drummer Cafe in Watertown, near Fort Drum.

"It stands for People Against People Ever Re-enlisting -- Civilian Life is Preferred," he said.

"We decided instead of just wearing paper clips, we would actually tattoo them, a permanent reminder of our dedication to getting out," he said, adding that he's hoping other soldiers who oppose the war in Iraq will follow suit.

"It's my salute hand. I broke the regulations to get it," he added. "That's why I keep it covered with a band aid."

"On my last day I'm just going to take it out, salute the commander and show him how I feel."

Wright was a battlefield medic in Iraq and then worked at Walter Reed Army Medical Center when he came back in 2004.