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Aug 08, 2010, 03:51 PM
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Member Since: Jun 2007
Location: Chicago, Illinois
Posts: 5,518
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Quote:
Originally Posted by TheByzantine
No one who has been in a war zone will ever be the same. The lives of the soldier's family and friends will be changed too.
When I see the feelings of those who mourn the loss of a mother or father, sister or brother or close friend described as self-pity, I am deeply saddened by the callousness that seems all too pervasive.
How did that old saw go? Out of sight; out of mind.
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I agree Byzantine.
My son served four years in the Navy and hazardous duty in Iraq as Auxiliary Special Forces. He's home now and considered a civilian, but his buddies are still over there, now in Afghanistan. I can see how the war has changed him, and I know he worries about his friends still in the military.
It's very troubling to see so many civilians oblivious to the war and the sacrifices our soldiers and their families are making. Regardless of political beliefs, they are heading into dangerous territory and sacrificing themselves for US. I find it callous not to mourn along with the family when a soldier comes home in a coffin. As exhausted as our troops are with their extended tours, I suspect society would step up and take notice if we held a draft in this country.
I was deeply troubled by the Vietnam War, even though I was a kid. I wore a POW bracelet of a soldier named Dan, whose plane was shot down. He was from our area, but I didn't know him. It didn't matter because I considered him an adopted brother (always wanted a brother). I prayed my heart out for him night and day. When the war was over and the POWs released, I watched the celebration on TV and saw Dan step off the plane onto U.S. territory. He looked good - he looked whole - it was one of the happiest days of my life. I named my son after him.
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