The Cost Of War

[fotografr]

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Marine Corps, Vietnam, leg amputee, now mostly homeless and mostly unseen.

 

MM/35

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[Shlomo]

 . . . . the disgraceful face of war: not looking after the veterans, they deserve much more respect and better care. Very sad, especially for a proud and great nation like the US.

[Gobert]

Marine Corps, Vietnam, leg amputee, now mostly homeless and mostly unseen.

 

MM/35

May be you can explain why American autorities are are treating its veterans with so much disrespect.

[fotografr]

May be you can explain why American autorities are are treating its veterans with so much disrespect.

Why would you ask me to explain that? I'm a veteran myself (Army Airborne,1966-68), not an American authority. Maybe you should put that question to Mr. Trump, who has already publicly insulted a gold star family and denounced John McCain for being shot down and captured.

Edited June 2, 2018 by fotografr

[Gobert]

Why would you ask me to explain that? I'm a veteran myself (Army Airborne,1966-68), not an American authority. Maybe you should put that question to Mr. Trump, who has already publicly insulted a gold star family and denounced John McCain for being shot down and captured.

May be you can explain, as veteran

[erl]

May be you can explain, as veteran

I would suspect that the veterans would be those most in search of an answer to your question, not having answers.

[fotografr]

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May be you can explain, as veteran

There is no explanation that makes any sense.

[fotografr]

I would suspect that the veterans would be those most in search of an answer to your question, not having answers.

That's exactly right, Erl. I was lucky enough to return with an intact body and relatively intact mind. I can't even imagine the difficult life that veterans like the guy in my photo have had.

[pico]

May be you can explain, as veteran

 

It helps to understand if you live in the USA and know some dispossessed veterans. I do.

First, there are so many of them, and resources for those in distress are being diminished.

There are few facilities to help and getting to facilities is sometimes very difficult and waiit

times for appointments are insane, discouraging. If that is not enough of an explanation

given in simple and adequate terms, I submit my bit below.

 

Who are our needy US veterans? Well, speaking from my own age group, Vietnam era

vets, a lot have already died from Agent Orange poisoning, my best friend included. Sure,

nobody can treat the dead but the fact is a demoralizing truth so that some of the ill

today have given up in dispair. Don't worry. Most are dead already.

 

Another factor is the disregard and disrespect US culture has for the needy. It embarrasses

the ordinary, stressed citizen trying to make it in this messed up culture. Some coped by

learning to hate war vets.

 

One another thing (more will follow) the Vietnam War's soldier requirement was fulfilled

by involuntary draftees dragged off the streets as young, unformed men who had not

yet had an opportunity to integrate into ordinary life. As a result their most significant

development and vulnerable period in life was replaced with the needs of the

military - their horizon of opportunity was eliminated. All they could look forward to

was likely living another day only to face more of the same mind-numbing experience.

 

Finally, for the moment, very many of these unformed young men melted into the regime

of the military which dictated their every move, created a reality for better or

worse, a secure daily reality which did not exist outside the military. When they were

drafted they were hapless and when they were discharged as older immature men with a

lot of their development years wasted, they were still hapless with no resources that

might re-orient them to freedom. Freedom was erased from their mind in-service.

 

I could go on and on, but I doubt you are still reading.

 

JJS -SSgt, 1964-1970

 

"The war is over, and over, and over..."

Edited June 3, 2018 by pico

[abrewer]

Thank you, Pico, for one of the most frank and truthful discourses on the plight of the veteran, especially those who served in the Vietnam War era.

 

It is the appalling, public shame of this country, the world's most prosperous, that not only disabled veterans but helpless children, and the mentally ill, and the homeless and poor, and the elderly are the victims of neglect while the wealthiest one percent are awarded an obscene tax break in the midst of a booming economy and flourishing investment environment. 

[Bill W]

It starts at the top and so many in congress never served. And yes I did serve.

[Gobert]

 

I could go on and on, but I doubt you are still reading.

 

JJS -SSgt, 1964-1970

 

"The war is over, and over, and over..."

I’ve read it all, Pico.

[pico]

I’ve read it all, Pico.

 

Thank you. There is a book worth reading, "Waiting for an Army to Die". There might be two with the same title.

Be well, use peace time restore strength. It is never over.

[stuny]

Sad and excellent.

[GLOBETROTTER]

Good documentary shot.

 

Congrats.