[NuckingFutz]

I am staying at a temporary place for veterans until my new apartment is finished. Under the same roof, many recovering addicts and alcoholics are receiving a second chance at life. We share this facility.

I overheard a conversation where a girl was saying that veterans were rude and cause trouble and therefore she didn't like them. As a veteran, I'd have to disagree with her...some of the nicest people I know are veterans. I also heard some resentment about how "veterans didn't have to do anything while staying here". I've offered to help with the chores many a tiime and haven't had anyone take me up on the offer. Have also heard that there was some resentment about veterans being able to drink coffee and smoke cigarettes (outside of course) and the people in recovery cannot. I didn't make the rules, but I do live by them while I am here. I've been nice, helpful, quiet, a good listener at times. Perhaps they resent their own rules or something? I'm perplexed by this.

I realize that everyone is entitled to their own opinion and sometimes an opinion is a generalization and not a reflection of any one person. But you know, I just got this feeling of shock when I experienced these things. I like myself and my fellow veterans, not everyone does, I understand that. I also understand that this is not about me...but to hear about it really hurts.

I just wanted to share how I felt today.

Thank you for reading this.

[layla11]

Some people are just plain ignorant and cant keep thier mouths shut about how ignorant they are. I know its hard to shrug stuff like that off, I would just stay as far away from them as you can untill you get your apartment.

[lizardlady]

I'm sorry you and other veterans are subjected to these comments. Thank you for you service!

[Open Eyes]

(((NuckingFutz))),

I am very sorry you are around people that don't "respect" you. But, consider the source and the fact that these people are no longer able to run to their vices. They are probably "angry" and need "more time in an AA program to help them with that".

These people do "not" represent the average citicizen.

[roads]

I'm really sorry, NuckingFutz, for any lousy attitudes you & your fellow vets are catching because you're veterans. I echo lizardlady, Thanks for you service.
I'm an alcoholic and I've been in rehab, where coffee & cigarettes were allowed. Being without alcohol or other drugs was hard enough on our sweet natures, but had smokes and coffee also been cut off ...
I'm not making excuses ... all of our country's veterans deserve respect & gratitude ... but they were perhaps taking out a resentment against their program's management unthinkingly against you folks.
Like the drying-out druggies they were, they made the stupid mistake of being mad at the wrong people. They're sorta my brothers & sisters ... I understand them, am embarrassed for them, and apologize for them. You & the veterans with you deserve so much better treatment.

Roadie

[NuckingFutz]

Thank you all for your support. I feel a lot better with the responses and really hadn't looked at it from the recovery side. Don't think I could do without my cigs. Yeah, there are a lot of youngsters here too.

Roadie, I also like the pic in your sig line, as you can tell by my avitar, I am a cat person.

[DeMing]

Shucks, that must be upsetting. But let's not blame ourselves. Sometimes, when a person is in difficulty, she cannot bear to focus inward. Rather she finds fault outwards. I think if you listen carefully, you'll hear her complain about her mom, her boyfriend, the weather, the government. Some people are just complain-ers. Be grateful you're not stuck in her mind. Pity her. She must be unhappy..

[splitimage]

Nuckingfutz,

I'm sorry that you have to hear that. You don't deserve it. I only have the outmost respect for people who have served. Please try not to take it personally, I'm currently living in a shared facility for women with MH issues who are recovering from addictions. It's a really nice place to live, but the amount of complaining that goes on is ridiculous - mostly it's just people don't like the rules, so they complain about everything.

And remember, people who are in early recovery from drug and alcohol abuse, myslef included are not the emotionally healthiest campers on the planet. I'm not saying that excuses bad behaviour, it doesn't, but it may help explain it.

Look after yourself.

splitimage

[Leed]

First of all THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE TO OUR COUNTRY!! You have NO idea how much it is appreciated in this time of hostilities, or in the past, when your service was in the jungles -- not something that anyone would want to do, but YOU did it for our country!

People can be incredibly ignorant and cruel. In making these statements, they show their ignorance. But I suspect they were alcoholics/addicts and the reason they weren't allowed to smoke is because it is another addiction that the shelter (or whatever) did NOT want to feed. Sometimes when an alcoholic smokes he also wants to drink. And sometimes when an addict smokes he also wants a hit. So it's just feeding their craving. I can see not allowing them to smoke, but they don't understand this.

To voice any resentment against anyone is just plain cruel and ignorant. It shows a lack of upbringing and education in my book. I would hope that you would be able to just ignore this and remember your friends HERE who are behind you!!!

God bless you my friend. And thank you AGAIN for your service. You are a HERO in my book!!! Hugs, Lee

[NuckingFutz]

You all are so great. I am learning about these women who are also brave. I guess what we have in common is that we both volunteered to do something dangerous... join the military which is an honorable thing, or pick up that first drink or drug or whatever. Those choices are a lot like a box of chocolates as Forrest Gump would say..."you never know what you're going to get.

Decided to do some journaling last night and what I discovered was...

most of these women here are really young. Most of these women have babies. If you count in years on the mother's age and their children's age, well, let's just say technically these poor babies were not planned. In some instances, could could actually say these babies are r*pe babies as the mother's were not 18 yet. Also, a lot of them were conceived when the mother was under the influence of drink/substance. Glad these women got off the streets and are now in a safe place with their children.

P.S. It was my pleasure serving our country to keep us free! I actually had the time of my life and it's the best decision I ever made to date!

Hugs to all my fellow Americans as well as all the other people that come on here that can't enjoy the freedoms that us Americans can. May you too one day be free!

[Hellion]

Sounds like an ignorant thing for her to have said...but yeah unfortunately a lot of people like to make negative generalizations about people it seems. I know it can be much, much easier said than done but try not to let it bring you down too much...because when people do that they are the one with the issue not the people they are generalizing.