OH Cap .. You are a hero ! Thank you and your courageous family for all your service over the years. A family of warriors!

Over the years I've thought about your job along with all of those in the medical arena. I don't know how you survived the tour, much less the aftermath.

Maybe you'll private message me and let me know where you were stationed in Vietnam, and when. For years I've wanted to find a way to find those medics, nurses, surgeons and chopper pilots who saved my life, just to let them know they are appreciated. *tears

In the field, we were exposed to a lot of death and mayhem, but your jobs put you in touch with it 24/7 ... and there was no way for you to fight the enemy who was destroying the teens that you saw. *more tears

One time I proposed that they let the medical staff at least visit the artillery batteries and pull the lanyard. Sending artillery against the enemy would at least have given some way to fight the destroyers. But ... as usual, my ideas were considered extreme and not approved.

At my lowest time during recovery (and during the greatest pain), I suggested that all physicians have as part of their training to be shot at least once to see how it feels to have the bandages ripped off and how it feels to cut off the pain meds. Well, it was a stupid idea, but it shows how those physical wounds start to modify logical thinking.

Like you, I open the window and my fingers take over, typing thoughts and stories that were not part of my memory at all. It's like my body is revealing to my mind what the brain should have known.

Re. your brothers death from cancer ... a note of appreciation, in memoriam, for his service. I've known several soldiers who died of cancer, some soon after the war and others much later. Maybe it was agent orange, maybe it was burning the crappers, who knows. I don't think the gov'mt intentionally exposed anyone to the cancer causer, nor do I think that the govm't intentionally kept anyone from treatment or benefits. But I do think there was something in combat that gave a lot of ppl cancer. Just like is going on today in Iraq something.

The point is, we have great medical ppl like you who have served in combat and given their life's work to help others survive and thrive.

Thank you (and same to you, apologies for the rambling) ...

Keep your back againt the wall ! (I still react to loud noises like that)