The hurt which will not go away...

"For those around my age, this story needs no prelude. We all lived it."

I am going to take a break from politics this afternoon. And talk about something which is near and dear to my heart. I want to talk about our veterans. Even though I think ALL our country's veteran are special and in need of special care or attention, I would like to focus in on the Viet Nam Era veterans. In particular, the war fighters from that era.

For those around my age, this story needs no prelude. We all lived it. Back then, we had things to deal with things such as the Selective Service, the draft, 2S deferments, 1A - (ready to go status), Viet Nam, Cambodia, Laos, the Cold War and so on. And how returning veterans were treated back then defies description. It was beyond horrible. It was shameful and disgusting.

Back then, I was not a war fighter. Not that I objected, the Navy wanted me to do something different. They wanted me as a "spook" (Intel) instead. While stationed in the WestPac (Western Pacific), my mission was tactical (support the war fighters in Viet Nam), and well as strategic, keeping an eye on the awakening Dragon. From there, I went to the most northeastern part of CONUS. At that site, I was to keep an eye on the Bear (be a part of the Cold War) for the rest of my time. And that was a very busy two years!

My youngest daughter works with some of the war fighters, as well as the support folks from that era, who are not doing so well. Some might say damaged. Damaged due in part (this is my opinion) by the lethargy of our population and government to welcome these people home. Mostly however, many of these brave folks were damaged by the silent disease nobody acknowledged back then - PTSD. 

The war fighters from that era have been treated just as bad as the support people, and then some. All that crap they faced when coming home after facing what they did while serving overseas. Plus (and this is a big one), the war planners back then were all politicians. People who could not fight a war if it bit them in the butt. 

Viet Nam could have been a war we could have easily won. Instead we came home with our tails between our legs. If our war fighters could have just been war fighters, they could have saved Viet Nam from the carnage they had to suffer through after we left.

Most of us know this. When you see a vet, thank that person. Regardless of what he or she did in the service of our country, they deserve it. If you see a vet from the Viet Nam era, welcome that person home - even if it is 45 or 50 years late. Then if you come across a war fighter from the Viet Nam era, ask permission, and then please hug that person. That person deserves that and so much more.

Folks, Viet Nam was our first "sixties war" fought by brave men and women - and directed by the politically elite. Thank God our current conflicts are different. People, both men and women, are welcomed home with open arms (by the majority of us).

We need to do more. This is the hurt which will not go away. And that hurt should be shared by all of us. Let us not let the forgotten stay forgotten.