Quote:
Originally Posted by LauraBeth
My husband is a Vietnam vet, my BIL is a Vietnam vet, and I know loads of Vietnam vets. I cannot think of a single exception to V-vets having major issues with authority figures, including doctors. As a group, it seems to me that, to a dangerous degree, V-vets resist getting healthcare.
Also, I've noticed that most V-vets have a built-in belief about 'manning up' to excess...for example, my husband will be thirsty on a hot day, but will flatly refuse to drink water because 'in Vietnam we had to ration water'. Well, Vietnam, for my husband, was 47 years ago. But he still carries the brainwashing he received with him- in full force.
From your description, I'm pretty sure your neighbor has PTSD, just as most Vietnam vets do. Their minds were insidiously bent during that war. It's easy to judge, but let me tell you...those guys' heads were seriously messed with.
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I thought the same thing about it possibly having something to do with PTSD, myself , when I read the OP. I have a few friends & family that are V-vets. One of them has pretty severe flashbacks and I'm short with black hair. Anyway, one night, he had a flashback and thought I was Vietkong (sp?) He used to be Delta Force so he's dangerous when in the midst of a flashback. He had me tied up in a chair with a gun to my head before I could get him to snap out of it with help.
Basically, I screamed my head off that I was a friendly until another friend , who heard me, and is also a V-vet, talked him down. Very scary stuff... and it took A LOT of coaxing to get him professional help for his PTSD. He's doing much better now, but my heart really goes out to these vets. Our vets coming back from the Iraq/ Afghanistan areas are also dealing with some major PTSD issues. They are dealing with some seriously ****ed up stuff!! They also, though not to the same degree, are dealing with a public that doesn't appreciate them at all when they come back home. And they're just kids, most of them!!
Wow, I kinda jumped on my soapbox there. Sorry for that.