Rhonda

Rere brought up a very good subject that I responded to on her PDA. I would like to expand on this theme a bit more.

She mentioned that there are a lot of surviving veterans that go through a hell every day of their lives and there is no day for remembering them and all they gave for their country.

Her husband is one of those survivors and so is my husband Glen. They go through life with the action they saw very real to them even 30 some years later. It affects every day of their lives.

Noone ever says much about them because for a long time the survivors were considered to be a candidate for crazy behavior. TV portrayed Viet Nam vets as crazy people who might flip out and kill people because they were lost in their memory.

Glen was in Viet Nam for 2 years and he came home in a full body cast after being in a deusenhalf (1 1/2 ton truck) that was blown up. When he could he went right back again.
He was on guard duty at the White House at one point and his own brother was a protester on the other side of the line that day! He was put through alot with cleaning up orphanages that were bombed and he was a door gunner on a helicopter who went in and rescued the soldiers who got cut off. He saw many friends fall in battle.

Glen was on airstrips and other areas when they sprayed the Agent orange. His diabetes was attributed to Agent Orange. It also causes skin cancer and alot of nasty things.

He has told me alot but I know there are things he will never tell anyone. He lives in fear that someone will attack his family. Every time there is news on about a new war or military action he is on alert. He questions every movement around our home.-PTSD post tramatic stress disorder.

These guys and gals live with this every day. It isn't something they choose to do but it affects their life every day. They deserve some recognition too.

I know there are so many who live with not just bad memories but live with the reality everyday in a way we can't even begin to understand. It is a day to day thing not a once a year thing.

So if you know a veteran stop and say hi or call and ask how it's going. Just a contact of any kind not necessarily a Thank you as that is superficial. But just give them a minute of your time to visit or to listen throughout the year. That is so much more of a comfort than just someone saying thank you. Not that a thank you is not welcome but Glen brushes those off. I think it embarrasses him.

A veteran needs friends who will accept him as he is with all the problems that goes with being a veteran. They have stories to tell and enjoy sharing. It helps them to deal with everything to know someone cares enough to listen.

redquilter

Well said and something for us all to think about. I know your husband doesn't want thanks, but thanks just the same. On this day I think of ALL who served or are serving our country. Brave men and women giving their all so the rest of us can live free. May God bless them and thier loved ones.

JJs

tell your husband "welcome home" from us....
DH in ICorps '63/64 (Danang, China Beach, up by the DMZ)

Jim's Gem

Thank you for sharing with us!!!
My DH and daughter are both Veterans, fortunately they were not in the middle of a lot of horrible action.
I do know some folks who are suffering from PTSD and the things they say or did. War is H&**, They need our love and support even more than those who have served but did not see combat.

mrsdralshhadeh

I want to say thank you, for your part in your husband time coming home. As an Iraq war vetern, there are things I saw and heard,, that will stay with me forver. I am fortunate to not have to bad of memories,, however, I am being treated for PTSD,,, a battle that will continue everyday,,

I do not ask for sympathy,,,, and I do not expect it,, I signed on that dotted line to join. I just want to bring exposure to the general population to the overall changes that a soldier will have after a deployment.
I hope that he and all our veterns will lead a long and happy life.

Rhonda

Thank you for your service and for your thoughts. I do appreciate all that the service men and women do for us.

For along time Glen couldn't watch any tv shows that had anything in it that would bring back memories or he would have flashbacks. One flashback had him kicking the wall in his sleep and he broke 3 toes on a half remembered enemy in his dream. He has had many flashbacks as some more acted out than others.
So I spend alot of time trying to keep the military influence in our daily lives to a minimum.

I sympathize with anyone living with PTSD. It took a long time to get that diagnosis in Glen's records. But there is no doubt he has it. He reacts to any noise and he has high frequency hearing so he hears every little sound.

I too hope all the surviving veterans have a decent and fulfilling life. We see alot of them at the Veteran's Medical Center and alot of them have fascinating stories to tell.

craftybear

thanks for sharing

mrspete

Thank you for sharing about your husband. My dad suffered from the post tramatic stress disorder before it was diagnosed as such. Back in 1945 they called it being yellow. For 57 years he had his demons from being captured and doing what he had to do to survive and complete missions. Main mission was to duty and home. Wonderful man with soft attitude and kept a low profile. I gave him a hat once that had WWII Vet. He got questioned about his service and a magazine out of it. He enjoyed that little bit of recognition before his death. Yep, I always tell anyone who has served, Thanks for keeping me safe. I love you. God Bless You.

Blessings,
Ruth