All Veterans ARE NOT Bums

[mhall]

Watched Saving Private Ryan again last night for the umpteenth time. I still can not watch that movie at the end with a dry eye. They aught to make every High School in America show that to the kids as a requirement before they graduate. Freedom isn't free it came at one hell of a price and me and mine are eternally gratful.

[shawnrd81]

I completely agree with you Grumpy. What I do not agree with is after my 2nd deployment to Iraq when I got home I was getting off the highway in Wa. and at the stop light there was a man with a sign that read " I served you now it is time you serve me I am homeless give me some money I have PTSD". I wanted to run him over. I have been told that I have PTSD both times I returned but do not feel any different. I respect and salute all veterans except that one I will never forget him or his sign. I do not know if he even served because he sure did not look like it, long hair, full beard, and pretty hefty. I think he was a bum trying to do anything to get money and to disrespect the military like that disgusts me. To ALL fellow veterans HAPPY VETERANS DAY!!!

[Tyme2fish]

Tyme2fish: U.S. Army 1970 to 1972

[Grumpy]

FOR SHAWRD81: I know what you mean and how you feel. If you haven't already, you should read STOLEN VALOR by B.G Burkett and Glenna Whitley, which tells "How the Vietnam generation was robbed of its heroes and its history." Burkett spent over ten years researching the subject and showed that most of the supposed Vietnam Vets portrayed in the media as homeless bums, addicts and jailbirds actually were never even in any military service. He proved that many "veterans" being treated for PTSD WERE NEVER IN THE MILITARY. I don't remember the exact percentage but showed that most of the scraggly bums you see at and near the Viet Nam Wall, with thier partial uniforms, boony hats, medals , etc ARE PHONIES who have never been in the service. Like the guy you saw, they are just trying to get handouts by claiming to be Veterals. He goes into detail about how these phonies have fooled the VA, the govenment, the media and the American people and by doing so denegrated the service, patroitism, and gallantry of our real Veterans.

Burkett shows that there are really many thousands of Vietnam Vets who really are homeless bums, addicts and jailbirds, many of whom suffer from very real PTSD, but most of the REAL ONES are not the ones you will see around the Wall and in the media. From my experience, I agree with him.

The news programs I saw last night just keep the myth going and it makes me sick to my stomach.

Grumpy

[kyfanatic]

You want to know what really pisses me off? My Father is a WWII vet,fought in Germany,after the war he worked for the US Postal Service and retired from there,although he draws a decent pension,he has had some financial problems after my mother's death and bailing out my youngest sister.Over the years he never used the VA hospital or services once,but because of recent health issues at age 82 he went to the VA in Cincinnati to have tests run,they sent him a co-pay bill of over $1000 that he can't pay at this time,but if he was an illegal immigrant,drunk,drug addict,or career welfare person he wouldn't be harassed about his debt.Sad day in this country when sorry parasites get better treatment than those that layed their life on the line,same can be said about our Presidential Election.