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In the autumn of 1965 I was in the 2nd grade at Page Manor Elementary School, Wright Patterson Air Force Base in Dayton, Ohio. Although I knew there was a war going on in another part of the world, it didn't mean much to me. My father was on his way to that war and I didn't understand where he was going or why. In the fall of 1966 a man came back from that war. He looked like my dad, but it wasn't him. He was changed in ways I would not understand for a long time.
We have the right to protest things that we don't agree with and we have the means to make changes in our government because there are men and women that are willing to put their lives on the line to protect those rights and freedoms. So, disagree with a war if you want to. Protest it if you must. But NEVER disrespect a veteran because you think that his or her service was in contrast with your beliefs.
The day that my father returned home form Viet Nam people at the airport spit on him and called him names. They had no idea of what he had been through or what he had done. They simply labeled him “Baby Killer”. We should never let that happen again. My father was a medic. Although he and others like him couldn't bring everybody home in one piece, they made it possible for a lot of them to come home from a place they never asked to be sent to in the first place.
As long as governments disagree there will be wars and our troops will be sent into harms way. Sometimes deployed on multiple tours of duty. In all conflicts, those that are lucky enough to return home without physical scars, will forever suffer with mental scars that will never heal.
On this Veteran's Day, I want to express my most sincere thanks to all of the men and women of the U.S. Armed forces for their commitment to the protection of the freedoms that I enjoy.
“To those who've served, Thank You! To those who haven't, You're welcome.”
Robert R. HT 1 US Navy 1976 – 1984
-------------------- It's a sick world, and I'm a happy guy! Posts: 762 | Registered: Jan 2005
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Thanks Man. I didn't understand the mental scaring of vets completely until I had to do some of those things they had to do myself. I was young and dumb and said "they are the bad guys so why should I care if I kill him". But the 1st time you take another persons life and you get to look in their eyes and see the pain and fear before their death, you realize that they are somewhat like me, I'm the bad guy to him. They say it gets easier after the 1st kill, and that has "some" truth to it ,but the mental scaring and bad dreams will last a lifetime. Now I know 1st hand what they are going through. Happy Veterans day to all Vets past and present and I pray for the mental healing from our past deeds.
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