[river rat]

More than 40 years.....

For old warriors, there is a place somewhere between sanity and insanity - there is another region of the mind most folks don't know of or have to hide from...

Sane enough to celebrate survival, having children and grandchildren........and far enough from insanity to avoid detention...

There is that place, where remembered faces or events bring on quiet uncontrollable tears and shortness of breath..
There are those times - when the sight of a flag or tombstone or wispy cloud will bring a paralyzed state of deep freezing sadness. A warm windblown rain, can transport one 10,000 miles in an instant -- and out of that quiet forest walk and into a crashingly loud smoky state of utter confusion and fear.

On the one hand --- you realize you were never more alive than when facing death.....and never hating death more than when holding a beloved brother in your arms while he took his last pain racked breaths...

I hope the writer of this article doesn't carry his ghosts for 40 years..... He has to close that book..

His next challenge will be to overcome the anger and deep hatred when he sees those who live in freedom purchased at the cost of GOOD Men's lives --- many of whom are such wasted pieces of shit.

Too many Americans were and are not worth the cost of their misspent freedom.
That is one of the saddest aspects of America having lost so many who were worth so much -- for so many who are worthless.

Semper Fi

[rlmorel]

"...Too many Americans were and are not worth the cost of their misspent freedom..."

You mean like THESE...river rat?

Take heart my friend. There are many who are worth it. And we outnumbered the scum on Saturday.

Welcome Home.

[JDoutrider]

His next challenge will be to overcome the anger and deep hatred when he sees those who live in freedom purchased at the cost of GOOD Men's lives --- many of whom are such wasted pieces of shit. Too many Americans were and are not worth the cost of their misspent freedom. That is one of the saddest aspects of America having lost so many who were worth so much -- for so many who are worthless.

Indeed!

Which is the very reason I force myself to stay away from the War protests... I know damn well I would make front page national news if I went Asiatic on that crowd! It would be too easy...

[Number57]

I can't tell you how much that moved me. Great post, man.

I feel a powerful connection to all our fighting men, though I never served (I committed a felony in 1981 at age 17 and was therefor turned away from every service I attempted to enlist with. My personal shame & regret).

My son is 15 and eager to join the Army... happily, he is much smarter and level-headed than I was at his age.

From my heart, I thank all of you who have kept my freedom alive.

[AFPhys]

For old warriors, there is a place somewhere between sanity and insanity - there is another region of the mind most folks don't know of or have to hide from...

...Too many Americans were and are not worth the cost of their misspent freedom. That is one of the saddest aspects of America having lost so many who were worth so much -- for so many who are worthless.
---<>---<>---<>---<>---<>---

Thanks for writing this. God keep you safe. Thank you for your service for me, my family, and our country.

[Diana in Wisconsin]

"That is one of the saddest aspects of America having lost so many who were worth so much -- for so many who are worthless."

Amen to that.

[Iris7]

His next challenge will be to overcome the anger and deep hatred when he sees those who live in freedom purchased at the cost of GOOD Men's lives --- many of whom are such wasted pieces of shit.

Don't know about "overcoming" that stuff. Get used to it, maybe. Maybe not.