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Heroes
Heroes
Courtesy of Bruce Krasting
I know a man. Call him Eddie. He’s African American, going on about 63. When he was a boy he had no real home or much education, so when he was eighteen he took the only option available to him. He joined the military. That was 1967.
He must have been a hell of a soldier. He ended up in the Army’s 1st Cavalry Division. (One of the toughest outfits around.)
In February of 1968 he fought in the battle of Hue during the Tet offensive. He was in non-stop firefights for three weeks. He said half his platoon were killed or wounded. He told me about the time he held onto a fellow soldier, while he bled to death from a sniper round through the throat.
After the Tet Offensive his tour was up, but for some stupid reason (probably a few thousand dollars) he did a second tour. In April of 1968 he went back “up country” with the 1st Cav. This time he fought in the A Shau Valley. (This was referred to at the “Valley of Death". The fighting was as bad as any combat in history). He once talked of the time that he spent a night in a bomb crater with two dead comrades while the Viet Cong were shooting AK47s with green tracers over his head. He also talked about killing his enemy in hand-to-hand combat. His buddies did the same. For some reason, Eddie walked away from it.
But he was a broken man. He has Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). He has never been able to function properly. He is afraid of everything. On the Fourth of July he has to be sedated. He’s terrified by the noise of the fireworks.
The Army never questioned that he was damaged goods, and that it was his time in battle that was responsible. They gave him antidepressants; after a while he got a half disability pension. Life was just a struggle. Eight years ago I banged on a bunch of doors and helped him get a full disability pension. He’s okay these days, sort of.
I bring up Eddie’s story in connection with a new report from the Congressional Budget Office (CBO).
The wars we fight today are no different than those of 1968, or any other war. Almost one in four (21%) of our soldiers are coming home with PTSD.
The CBO attempts to come up with a price on this. By its calculation, it costs an average of $10,000 per year for each soldier with PTSD. Given that 2.3mm troops have cycled through our wars the past ten years we can expect a bill for at least $5 billion a year for just those with PTSD. For how long? The CBO reports that 80+% of those with PTSD were still in need of treatment after four years. For Eddie, it’s been forty plus years now.
Of course the CBO numbers don’t measure the real cost. What is the cost of a busted life? You can’t put a number on it.
We have some very big debts to pay to the soldiers that have come home recently. (Don’t blame them for wars – they just fight them.) I’m concerned that we will renege on those promises. I think the CBO is too, that’s probably why it wrote the report.
I’m writing about this because the CBO report reminded me of Eddie. And that got me to thinking how fucking stupid these wars have been.
Note: PTSD is just a fraction of the total costs of taking care of our Vets.
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Thanks for that Bruce, and thanks for the help you make sure "Eddie" receives. Viet Nam and the Middle Eastern conflicts are not wars. War contains front lines, rear areas, defined rules of combat. What we see now is combat or the chance of combat, twenty-four hours a day -- that's 24 hours of stress a day for long periods. That and not knowing who's a potential enemy can easily cause PTSD. The Service does a lot of things to a lot of people, and some of it is good. After being out fifty years I can still spot a vet after just a few words.
Bruce, thanks again. I noticed you jumped in a couple times to defend Eddie and VietNam vets in particular - hell, we are used to it by now - we've been trashed for many years - the old 'baby killer' stuff - and to the one guy that asked - yes, I have seen the injured children, and did a little about it:
http://www.vvrp.org/
I was involved very heavily with the first two projects at start-up.
Interestingly enough, since Iraq, there has been a real shift in (especially) young civilians' attitudes to vets, even the older Vietnam vets - a recognition that it was the leaders and not the boots on the ground that mucked stuff up.
There is also the always present irony of vet-bashers mouthing away, as they have every right to do on a public forum like this one. To them I say: You're welcome.
How did going to Vietnam protect anyone's right to free speech?
I recall reading a Charleston War College study stating that postwar costs, all told, have historically averaged 3x the cost of the war itself. I guess this means we're going to wind up having spent about $6 trillion to accomplish squat-all in Asia.
And now these assholes are doing their damnedest to roll us right into another one in Iran.
only war i would have been willing to fight in was Grenada.......think i could have handled that one
Panama for me. I could have gone to the Vatican embassy to listen to some ACDC.
I know a lot of Eddies. They break my heart every time because I lived thru that mess and didn't have to live thru what they did. There was nothing fair about Nam.
Things are no different for the vets today than they were/are for all the other vets who served Empire. See the movie "Restrepo" if you want to know what the vets these days have gone thru. Until the people of the US put the brakes on the politicians who so easily abuse and mis-use the blood and treasure of this country for their psychotic war games, we will see Eddie in our world forever.
WAR! What is it good for? Absolutely NOTHING!!
War is the best business of all time since the time fractional reserve banking by private entities filled the role of global liquidity provider for commerce. War eliminates business competition, shores up control supplies over resources and concentrates wealth in the hands of those connected to the fractional reserve banking scheme moreso than any other endeavor.
The Money Masters
Yeah, that's why war has also been called The Great Whore.
'Twas and will always be the biggest fear of Chickenhawks everywhere that a combat grizzled, Major General in the Marine Corps essentially exposed that he fought for corporations and that people will actually listen to his credible message and truths he laid bare:
War is a Racket by Smedley ButlerHate to break the news to you Bruce, but it's the nature and history of our nation. The soldiers and the natives. Funny how we never seem to break the "promises" made to the layabouts, do-nothings, and gimme-something-for-nothings. But, the two groups who are willing to fight and die for the nation, ...
It will be a cold day in hell when the ghetto rat who by virtue of being unable to keep her legs closed, is denied her (and her children's) right to a kept life, free of labor. Free housing. Free food, Free education. Free medical care. Free money. Free time. But the sailor, soldier, airman, marine, and native ...
how many raises in pay did the Soldiers get in the last 10 years?
how about Congress?
Bring Home and keep'em home. RP2012
The word Hero is often used but seldom is it defined.
How would you define "A Hero".
Does it apply only to "the good guys"?
Can your enemy be a "Hero"?
It's a slippery slope, for when strictly defined, one of two things will happen: Either many more are considered "A Hero"...Or far fewer than originally thought.
When I was growing up, I remember once watching an ABC "after school special" (if you're in my age range you'll know what that means, for the rest of you, it's now known as a Made for TV Movie). The tone of the program was decidedly anti-war, which made sense since this was the early-mid seventies. The title always stuck in my mind: "A Hero Ain't Nothing But a Sandwich".
We seem to only apply the term "Hero" to people who fight wars. Perhaps if we made not fighting wars heroic, we'd have less heros? Would that be a bad thing?
http://www.history.army.mil/html/moh/afghanistan.html
http://www.history.army.mil/html/moh/iraq.html
http://www.nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/peace/laureates/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_peace_activists
http://www.jsc.nasa.gov/Bios/astrobio.html
thats a start
That's not an answer. That's an obfuscation. An evasion at best.
In your words, What's a hero? That's the challenge.
Don't just thow out a buch of links to lists of medal recipients. That's a cop out.
According to the lists you provided, Barack Obama, Shimon Peres and Henry Kissinger are "heros". I think many here would dare dispute that.
Someone who does good for others at great personal risk for themself, or uses their extrordinary talent for the good of humanity instead of personal gain.
and another thing...... no way my 21 year old son is going to Iran.
If they draft him, where can you send him? Canada is out of the question now. Can He speak Mexican or only American?
All he needs is a doctor that knows the answers to the questions on the government's forms. Or he could become a Quaker.
A conscientious objector can still drive an ambulance. The Quaker can wash dishes and peel potatoes.
Senior year in High School we all wanted to go to Vietnam - talked about it in health class. Two years later, home from our sophmore year in college, nobody wanted to go. I was lucky, my draft number was 365.
military recruiters hang out in places where uneducated young males hang out....churches, shitty high schools, bars, walmart, etc.
they are the prime target who would kill for other's benefit for mere $30k/year...
if serving in the war is so good how come all the elites avoid it like the plague?
The military was a conduit to middle class. Anybody with a high school diploma can get money for college plus training.
For poor kids is very appealing to get out of the shit hole many of them live in. Now with so many going homeless where else are they going to go?
Ah, and let's not forget the jails. Traditionally, a source of soldiers. 20 years for armed robbery or Iran. Hum, tough choice. Even Columbus got his crew from jail. Die or sail over the edge of the world.
It wasn't always the case that "all the elites avoid it". Think about the Kennedy brothers, Joe and Jack. Think about George H. W. Bush. John McCain, perhaps not one of the elite, did have an admiral for a father, so he might qualify as one.
It wasn't until the pampered boomer generation, of which I am a member, came along that serving in the military started to get a bad name amongst the elite. Probably that was the result of too many professors at elite colleges telling the students that America was a bad, bad country. It was, after all, one Yalie, William Jefferson Clinton, who said he loathed the military. Curiously, one boomer elitist named George W. Bush went so far as to fly a fairly dangerous jet interceptor in the Air National Guard to stay out of Viet Nam.
Perhaps we should reinstitute a draft and make more of the elites serve. I think there is a correlation between the end of the draft and the rise of military adventurism. Just my opinion.
eh. America after Vietnam really was a golden age for Americans. Reagan had Grenada. Bush Sr added Panama and then Gulf War I. When Bill Clinton botched Mogadishu it was "the economy stupid" going on decade number three. That's pretty darn good considering. Now it's overwhelming--and i don't mean in the military sense but in our ability to sustain any military effort. The Brits merely had "the Foreign Office" for centuries (and still do i might add.) We have so many departments is a miracle the folks doing the empire's bidding can even play a baseball game! my view is "we don't have a song." i know, i know--sounds weird--but great conquerer people "have a ditty." something that says..."yeah, let's go conquer!" and i'm really starting to think stand up comedy is a poor substitute i might add! "We took Libya for the laughs!" probably doesn't cut it by today's "i'm a conquerer hear me roar" standards. In any case i did just get video clip in of what's planned for Syria. Why don't you all give it a look and tell me "can they do it with this equipment":
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=JhpS69eAXrU
apparently "to keep it all on the QT they've been practicing in the Arctic." Don't tell anyone!
Geezer, in Boston, there is "Marine Park" in South Boston. There was a time (1917) when "half of the Marine Corps comes from south of the Mason-Dixon Line, the other half comes from South Boston (and Havhad classes enlisted en-masse).
Nyet on the draft, Tovarish, too much trouble. Besides, enough of the social experiments (babes on subs?) to re-create '68 with "Project 100,000".
Powell in his arrogance thought that he could keep the US out of external conflicts by putting most of the Combat Service Support into the Guard and Reserves.
Guard and Reserves are right now better than the RA in Germany in the veet'nam era. Bunch of playaz.
- Ned
Bruce;
As a combat medic circa 68 tet, (25th ID) your words are most appreciated
What happens when you don't fight a war to win. It drags on and and on and on. Ten yrs in Afghanistan is inexcusable. One yr. at the most should have been it and move on. If you have to go back in 10 yrs. fine but staying in any place for 10 yrs is flat out stupid. All my humble opinion.
Bruce, bring back the draft. Wars would end in a day.
War is woven into the very fabric of the nation. From the start with the War of Independence, all the way to present the day. Hardly one decade has past without being involved in some armed conflict, some where. This conflict is woven into the very Constitution, in the right to own and bear arms. So, stop all the sob stories! Suck it up! The present situation is nothing more than a contiuation of the nations bloody past. Change? Hope? Don't look to the present political system that is in place. As a founding father said, it tkes a little blood to be spilled now and again for freedom to flourish. Only this time, make sure its the blood of the elites! A change is not only needed, but required.
What's the cost of a human life? Ask a conservative who believes in "personal responsibility". This guy's just looking for a government handout. Sink or swin baby. The cost is zero.
depends on the person.
idiots on welfare have negative lifetime value....that's why military take them to unnecessary wars so that they get killed off before they can procreate.
Worse than the economic cost is the moral cost of inflicting this torture on its young population. The Ottomons were ruthless Empire builders, they kidnapped the young christian sons of conquered regions and made them into fighting men conditoned to fight all their lives for the Sublime gate; just like this Afro-american surrogate sub-category of local US citizens covenient servants of empire construct.
Havng janissarys in modern USA is a tragedy, and using them as canon fodder is the cynical consequence of empire play with expendable "janisarry". It always comes back to bite you, both loss of janissary and loss of empire.
The current moral cost on citizen's adhesion to country is as potentially important as its economic component. We always underestimate the human cost of people, until its too late, and values dissolve like excess grease from an Ottoman fat cat.
The motherfuckers in government treat war like a fucking board game...name one president who has NOT been to war?....its mandatory on the job description....there is nothing else to say! God bless the men and women who put their lives on the line, they are Heroes!
presidents go to war, but they themselves do not GO TO war. they let suckers do the killing. same in the mafia.
That reminds me of GHW Bush needing to go to war in Panama to prove to everyone that he wasn't a wimp.
Yeah there's a vietnam vet that lives a few miles down the road. He likes to go to auctions and set stuff out in his yard to resell it. He told me he can only sleep 2 hours a night. I feel sorry for any crooks that show up trying to steal something lmfao. Also........his property literally looks like a jungle--big leafy trees and vegetation etc. Pretty cool guy overall.
I can kinda relate, granted was never in combat but I did get blown up in an explosion that landed me in a burn ward for 6 months. 3 years later I still can't get a job and diability keeps denying me. Don't bother asking me why I keep getting denied I don't want to talk about it.
And everyone wonders why I drink so much now lol. As far as flashbacks I accidentally caught me shirt sleeve on fire jacking with the woodstove last night I kinda freaked out. Kinda weird, my whole right arm is skin grafted. A small area about the size of a walnut just peeled off. No blister, it's not even sore today. Of course I burnt most of my nerves away the first time. Yep, i'm a real prize.
So much hypocrisy, what is the difference between forced conscription and economic conscription? None to a boy so poor that he has no choice to starvation but to enlist. Females too these days. I was a smart (144 IQ) good looking teenager of 17 facing graduation in a county at a time of more than 30% unemployment, my family was broken and poor, I was forced to sacrifice scholarship level grades in order to work part time because of lack of support during high school, college was out of the question. I did enlist, I was also damaged, and it took from my honorable discharge in 1979 until mid 2004 to get the VA to recognize my service connected disability and even now they rate it only at 70% but pay at 100% because of unemployability.
And every single time I have ever mentioned it I have been red arrowed, called names, and generally abused by most of the posters here at ZH. And to you that have done this, and we both know who you are, I want to say thanks you, it is your heaping of abuse that makes accepting government assistance possible. I may or may not have made it on my own, chances less than 50-50 I think, but having someone call you a leech because you get a veterans disability somehow just makes cashing that check a whole lot easier.
No matter what your position is on war in general or any war in particular, every thing you now have you have because America made it possible, and without the soldiers that served, many dead or broken, it was they that you owe for all you have. If you don't like it you are perfectly free to reject it, there are 200 other countries you can live in, just check your American generated assets at the door on your way out because if you do not then that would make you a bit of a hypocrite wouldn't it?
The soldiers who are either dead or broken, contributed to the rise and riches of the likes of Haliburton, who did, in fact, leave the country and set up their main operations overseas. Your emotions are a bit misguided, in my opinion. I fail to see how any of the wars America fought in the last 100+ years made my life better. The land of opportunity is, unfortunately, being boiled down to the chouce between being X-rayed or groped when I get on the plane.
Bro, the government OWES you and don't you ever forget it!
As for the smarmy fux who never did diddly for anyone but themselves and then criticize you, fukem.
maybe the .gov owes, and Shali is doing a great job at the VA. However, no extra democrat votes coming from that source, so it is a dry hole for the budgeting. But, more importantly, we, all of us, personally owe the vets.
- Ned
This is a tradition in the Untied states. The US military has been abused since the Revolutionary War. We have a history of discarding our vets once the war is over. Why would the current wars be any different.
+1 Bruce. Thanks.
This poem was read aloud at a funeral I went to a while back. The deceased was a decorated WWII vet.
It was so moving I requested a copy and it should be shared. It was written during the war and contains hand-written notes.
A Soldier, His Prayer
I've got my own "Eddie" to remember. Mike Smo. Brown water sailor up and down the Mekong. Slight of build, cool, calm, collected. Nothing ever got to him until he ate a ruger blackhawk one night in 1981. I never forgot you bud.
Your friend, a true hero, but broken. Most are broken, but this thought is what angers me the most. Our Heroes have given and given only to see some slime ball remove the treasure. If you let your mind wander back thru the history of our country, "How many Eddie's are there?" My question to you, I was curious about your thoughts on the latest mortgage stuff. You called something like this some months ago. Is this what you envisioned?
Heroes? These are Yankee terrorists. Have you seen the millions of third-generation Vietnamese still suffering from the grotesque and debilitating effects of Agent Orange?
Stop your navel-gazing and look up to the devastating effects on millions of people due to your terrorist wars in Vietnam, Afghanistan, Yugloslavia, Iraq, Libya, etc.
You are one gutless ignorant idiot!! You are the first person to call draftee's terrorists I felt bad for Vietnamese civilians since they were victims of circumstance. Let me be clear - when I got called up I served, when I received orders for Vietnam I went. Those were the rules and I followed them. I now know the war should have never happened but that does not change anything for me nor does it bring back any of my comrades. Everyone was exposed to Agent Orange in the areas it was used, not just the Vietnamese. Why don't you do a little more research you blooming idiot, similar products have been used in the US. I read articles people write about how bad things can get if SHTF - they can only guess since they haven't lived it. I have lived it and will not hesitate to fend for myself and those that are close to me. How about you - being the outspoken one that you are no terrorist will save your ass. Can you save your own? I have a feeling you are nothing but one more blowhard that will be easy prey for any person that chooses to survive if SHTF.
If you're referring to guys like Eddie, or to any, and all, of the others that fought over the years, you're dead fucking wrong in my book. They're heroes.
This most certainly includes the vast-vast majority of the 2.3mm in combat zones the past ten years.
Pick on the Brass or the Commander-in-Chief all you like.
A suggestion? I wouldn't raise your "flag" in too many places, if I were were you. At least not in the US. Fellow could get hurt that way.
I said these wars were fucking stupid. But I also said that the blame was not on those who fought them.
The point of this article was simple and narrow. I wanted to throw my two cents in that we "owe" the folks that did the heavy lifting. Period.
bk
Bravo Bruce.
At the very end of the HBO series Band of Brothers, the Veterns were all chatting and Private Babe Heffron said "the real heroes are the men that died over their or came home and died". The last line was by Major Dick Winters and he was reading aloud another letter "grandpa were you a hero in the war and grandpa said: No but i servered in the company of heroes."
The men and women who do the heavy lifting "over anywhere" are at minimum "owed" our respect. The always get my gratitiude.
+1 Rock on, Bruce!
Anyone who lays it on the line for me and my country is a hero