War Memories Renewed

It has been a week of sad stories from the wars in Afganistan and Iraq including stories of veterans who served and died for this Country. For me, this week has brought back many sad memories. I try to be what I perceive as my usual self, joking, telling stories for laughs, etc. Inside my heart is breaking.

First it is from all the E-mails I am receiving regarding sad stories of our veterans that break my heart. But when I investigate further, many of the stories in the E-mails are not true and I'm not sure where they are coming from. Is it from someone who believes they are being patiotic? Do they feel they are supporting our troops? Do these people, many who have not served our country, realize what this does when sending these types of stories to veterans, especially those who served or were involved in a war zone? I find myself crying more and more and trying to hold back my emotions. And as the week is progressing I find myself becoming more emotional for the simplest of reasons.

And then there has been the sad stories of Pat Tillman and his journal, letters and how he felt about the war, his fellow soldiers in boot camp, etc. And of the father who finished the book for his dead son and his traveling to Iraq. There was also a family that received word their son had died only to find he had not.

I read today how many soldiers are going to experience PTSD from their experience in Afganistan and Iraq. But I think of those who served our country in Vietnam and the huge impact these wars are having on us. Our war didn't really end in our mind and life (does any war) nor did we have the support of the country. For many of us, we hid our emotions and tried to be the best we could. Now many of us find that we can no longer hold in those feelings that we have felt for so long.

I yearn for the day when I'll no longer be on this earth and reunited with all my brothers and sisters from Vietnam. What is heaven to me? It is being with those wonderful veterans sharing stories our lives and service. It will be reuniting with all of those who died, especially those who I was personally involved with. Those who I was with when they died or stripped off their clothing secured their valuables and put them in that awful bag. I want to know their families and tell them that I and others were there with them, that weI cried for them and they were not alone.

Why does one wish they were still back there, reunited with people who you really didn't know but had this incredible trust and affection for? There is never a day that goes by that I have not remembered and nor will I ever forget. My thoughts go out to all our veterans past, present and future. I think of you daily and you are always in my prayers and thoughts. No matter what war you were from, branch you served, you were the best of this Country which would be nothing without you and your service.