On the news this morning they reported that we lose more active combat troops to suicide than combat.
Also the Veteran unimployment rate is two to three times the national average.
This really bothers me and always has. I myself lost two Veteran friends to suicide after they returned from Nam. I don't know why, they just could not make the adjustment back to civilian life.
I didn't have a problem with that but my wife tells me that I also have some PTSD. I never realized it and I am glad she told me but I always thought I came back from Nam better than when I went.
I don't understand PTSD (post tramatic stress disorder) very well but I can understand easily how you can be affected by it.
We back home only see tiny snippets of actual combat. Almost nothing, and while we are seeing it, we are safe in our homes.
Nothing will scare you as much as actual combat where your friends are dying or you are getting wounded or worse. It happens very fast and furious and even if you are not seriously hurt, the pain of the tiny pieces of schrapnel digging into you from near by explosions or the sound of a bullet, or many bullets speeding past your ears much faster than the speed of sound will scare you like you will never be scared again for the rest of your life. You never forget it.
War, at least the war I was in was a combination of severe boredom and severe combat, there was not much in between.
I don't know the answer to all the problems Veterans have but I think more should be done to try to aclimate Veterans back into relatively peaceful society.
PTSD is many times a silent condition hardly noticed by even close friends.
To this day, loud noises drive me crazy and for many years I hated the Fourth of July. I am over it and don't have any problems that I can tell, but if you go to a Veterans hospital, many of these brave men and women can not ever again merge back into society.
Sorry, just ranting a little about something that bothers me.

thank you for your service.

__________________
"just do it"

+1

And understand plus I share your feelings.


One thing that is happening here is that there are so few combat related deaths. But that doesn't change the other deaths or sense of loss.


my .02