INTERIM REPORT - ADMINISTRATIVE CONFIDENTIAL

[DECLASSIFIED FOR GENERAL DISTRIBUTION: 1425/25MAY97]

Vietnam Combat Veterans, Ltd.

P.O. Box 1032, Pilot Point, Texas 76258-1032

22nd June, 1996/0645 hrs.

TO: Distribution List: ALPHA-6

SUBJ: Report of Coors Brewing Company's Activities at

Display of The Moving Wall

REF: Golden, Colorado

FILEREF: WALL0622.C96

1. Attached is an Interim Report of activities conducted and/or performed by Coors Brewing Company personnel at the display of The Moving Wall and its Opening Ceremonies at Parfet Park, Washington & 10th, Golden, Colorado, June 21-27, 1996, sponsored by: Vietnam Vets Motorcycle Club USA, Colorado "Chapter C".

 2. The Interim nature of this report is the sole rationale for its classification as Administrative Confidential.

 3. As an Interim Report, this is not intended to be, nor is it to be considered as, a definitive work but is merely offered as one element of ongoing research.

 4. Continuing input of participating Network Sources is acknowledged, with appreciation.

 5. Additional assistance with this research, from any available resources, is requested. Reports may be forwarded to the above address.

 Thanking you for your continued assistance and anticipating your responses with interest, I remain

Sincerely,

[ATTACHMENT FOLLOWS:]

Some years ago, word got out that Coors Brewing Company had contracted with (name listed in Classified Annex: WALL0602.AS1 <LINEREF: 206>; as some sort of an advisor and/or consultant) and were making their own "1/2 scale replica" (photo mural) of The Vietnam Veterans Memorial, I and a number of other concerned Vietnam Vets wrote to Peter Coors. We each, in our own way, advised Mr. Coors that we thought that his Marketing Department was making a serious mistake by attempting to capitalize on the sacrifice of our fallen Comrades-in-Arms, in a way that (although perhaps technically legal) could only defile their sacrifice, the Memorial and the company. I told Mr. Coors that I believed (and, incidentally, I do still believe) that seeking to profit from that sacrifice, in ANY manner or for ANY purpose whatsoever, can be nothing other than a sacrilege. Coors chose not to heed our admonitions and proceeded to produce and display their "replica", complete with signs and press releases which (sometimes subtly - sometimes blatantly) promoted the Coors Marketing Department's agenda. Coors' principal response to our efforts was to file suit against John Devitt, the Creator of The Moving Wall. After causing Devitt to incur inordinate expenses related to the lawsuit, Coors `dropped the charges' immediately prior to Devitt's opportunity to testify in court (which would have placed the sordid details, about Coors' piracy of the concept of The Moving Wall, in the Public Record). When Coors finally got the message that they were actually loosing more customers than they were gaining (because many Vietnam Vets saw for themselves that Coors was promoting their Marketing agenda), Coors apparently decided to `distance themselves' from the project by turning it over to someone who would display it and promote their agenda in their behalf. I was advised by the then President of the Gold Star Mothers that Coors had offered their "replica" to the Gold Star Mothers who, seeing the realities of Coors' motivations, declined to accept it. Coors eventually turned their project over to the American GI Forum who displayed it and who regularly included the Coors name in press releases and other `promotional materials' related to display of the "replica". Use of the name "The Moving Wall" in conjunction with the Coors "replica" caused frequent confusion within the Vietnam Vet community.

The `Contact List' provided to the Escorts of the "B" Schedule of The Moving Wall indicated that the Vietnam Vets Motorcycle Club (VNV M/C, Contact Person: "Stash") was to be the sponsor of the Golden display. There was no indication that the VNV M/C was to be the `sole and/or singular' sponsor nor was there any indication to the contrary.

 Upon the establishment of initial contact, the VNV M/C member, "Stash", advised that there were `multiple sponsors' of the display, including:

• Vietnam Vets M/C USA, Colorado "Chapter C";
• American Legion Post 21;
• Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 4171, and;
• Coors Veterans Group.

 Although I experienced a sense of apprehension over learning that the Coors name was to be associated with the display of The Moving Wall, I attempted to maintain the hope that I might, through this experience, find a way to deal with (and, hopefully, lay to rest at least a portion of) the animosity I still felt over the Coors `replica' fiasco of years gone by. "Stash" told me that the Co-Sponsor was the Coors Veterans Group - NOT Coors "Corporate" - and that "Corporate" would have NO participation or influence on the display, whatsoever.

 Additionally, "Stash" advised that Bill Castleberry, the `Guest Speaker', had suddenly (about a week prior) been `called out of town' and that an `alternate speaker' had been arranged.

 During set-up of the Memorial, I noticed several red water coolers with the name COORS stenciled on their fronts in big, white block letters (the back sides said VETS). There was also a stack of plain red plastic cups. Assuming that the corporation had loaned the coolers for use at the function and with the hope that they would wish to display sufficient corporate integrity as to refrain from direct advertising or `Brand Name Recognition' activities at the Memorial site, I took it upon myself to tape over the brand names. As soon thereafter as was possible, I advised "Stash" and a tall Coors employee and Coors Veterans Group member named Mike (who seemed to hold a position of some authority) of what I had done and why I thought the `Brewery' would have wanted it done. Mike stated that he agreed with me, wholeheartedly, that The Moving Wall was NOT a place for ANY Commercial Displays or Corporate Name Recognition efforts of any kind. I began to feel like, "This is going to work out OK. They learned something from the past." I actually noticed that the tension I always felt, when thinking of `The Brewery', had begun to relax.

 Set-up went quite well. The `Assembly Crew' maintained a respectful and consistent `Let's be careful, take our time and do it right' kind of attitude which facilitated the overcoming of the few minor difficulties of uneven terrain, sprinkler pipes to be avoided, etc. More feelings of, "Yeah, this is really going to be a good `last set-up of the season' for me."

 Arriving at the Memorial early, prior to the Opening Ceremonies which were to commence at Noon, Gary Ryther and I began a `Pre-Opening Inspection'. Prior to completing the inspection, I noticed lots of people walking around the display area with "Coors Light - Silver Bullet" cups in their hands and one guy with the name COORS on the back of his T-shirt in letters about 10-12 inches high. [Knots in my gut! But, I try to tell myself, "It's probably just coincidence - try to relax."] Then, over at the `Information Tent' I see several stacks of "Coors Light - Silver Bullet" cups on the table next to another red cooler with COORS on the front. I brought this to "Stash's" attention, who told me that the previous day, when Coors personnel had told him that they had plenty of cups and would provide same for use at the display, he had assumed that they were referring to more of the plain red cups as had already been provided and that the "Coors Light - Silver Bullet" cups had apparently `just shown up at the last minute, before anyone could do anything about it'. [That `Little Voice' starts reverberating old, almost forgotten echoes, alerting me to, "Watch out, here it comes again." But, I talk back, "No, it's just an oversight on someone's part. Not intentional."]

 During the Opening Ceremonies, the `Replacement' Guest Speaker, who was dressed in U.S. Army Class A Uniform (Greens), was introduced, essentially as follows:

"LTC Rich Little, Coors National Sales Manager for Military Retail Trade Development, Coors Brewing Company, has come full circle in the U.S. Military. He was drafted in 1967 and served on active duty from `67 to `69. He served in Korea following the Pueblo incident. When off active duty, he enlisted in the Army National Guard and received a Direct Commission as a Captain. He is currently a member of the U.S. Army Reserve in the Selective Service System."

That `Little Voice' says, "A Coors Man! Watch out!" The `Let's Try to be Rational Me' says, "Yes, but he's in uniform. He CAN'T disgrace, debase or defile his uniform OR the Memorial OR desecrate the sacrifices of those brave Americans whose names are inscribed thereon. He CAN'T do THAT! -- RIGHT?"

 WRONG! LTC Little proceeded, with no less than ten (10) Corporate references in his first ten (10) sentences, to speak in a manner which appeared to have been written and spoken with the singular intent to aggrandize Coors and to enhance the `Coors Corporate Image'. [That `Little Voice' screams, "Marketing Department Alert! Public Relations Department Alert! AssHole Alert!" and the `Let's Try to be Rational Me' replies with, "Yeah, OK, I should have known better. You're RIGHT!"]

 At about LTC Little's third or fourth reference to the glories of Coors Brewing Company, as if in response to some ungiven signal, Gary Ryther and I, virtually simultaneously, turned our backs on LTC Little and worked our way to the back of the crowd (leaving our backs turned to him) until his speech was finished.

  Following LTC Little's speech; there was a series of Wreath Laying Ceremonies. One wreath was laid by none other than the guy I had seen earlier with the LARGE COORS LOGO emblazoned on the back of his T-shirt. Throughout the process of laying the wreath, his back (and the For-Profit Corporate Logo) was presented to the entire crowd of ceremony attendees. I learned, when he turned to return to his starting place, that this guy was the same `Mike' who had, just the day before, so volubly agreed that it was inappropriate to present any image of `Name Brand Recognition' in the vicinity of the Memorial display.

 In that research is ongoing in this matter, I refrain from making any definitive conclusions at this time. I do, however, propose the following observations and/or speculations as points which may warrant additional research:

• It appears that Coors Brewing Company and/or a number of its employees lack the desire and/or ability to place anything in a position of importance higher than their interest in showing a profit;
• It appears that LTC Rich Little disregarded all standards of military decorum, as well as any semblance of personal honor and/or integrity and acted, under the direction and/or guidance of his employer, in a manner which did, at very a minimum, disgrace the uniform of the United States Army, did defile The Vietnam Veterans Memorial, The Moving Wall and the sacrifices of all those brave Americans whose names are inscribed thereon and did abuse and insult every ceremony attendee by forcing them to endure commercial promotions during an otherwise reverent Memorial Service;

• It appears that LTC Rich Little may have acted in discord with various provisions of the Uniform Code of Military Justice and that, should such possible discord be established, may be subject to Non-Judicial Punishment and/or Court Martial;
• It appears that `Mike' (the Coors employee and Coors Veterans Group member) is either a VERY accomplished liar or lacks the perception, integrity and/or fortitude as would be required to resist corporate pressures on him to promote a Corporate Marketing Agenda at an inappropriate venue;
• It appears that Coors (collectively, through their Corporate effort, and individually, through their employees) did, intentionally and through both subtle and blatant means, grossly abuse their access to participation in this display of The Moving Wall for the sole purpose of promoting their marketing agenda.

CLASSIFIED ANNEX EXCERPT:

 NOTE: The following excerpt has been declassified and cleared for inclusion herein. The remainder of the referenced Classified Annex remains classified and available only to those with appropriate clearance.

 Classified Annex: WALL0602.AS1 <LINEREF: 206>: Jerry Littlejohn.