Today we mention the Army, the Navy, the Marines and the Air Forces and we say thank you and that we are grateful. But then we turn in this blog and we look at the flip side and see the suffering of the broken veterans who did not come home whole or well. Home can this country dare to house, fed and care for the illegal while the veteran dies on the streets? These men and women fought for this nation, stood for this nation and what is this nation’s response, there is not one, to many are left to suffer with help.
Simply A Veteran, On the Streets
Hey, it’s me again, Howard, I am sitting here with a friend who is frightened, but he really wants to throw something at y’all that you need to hear. So please listen up, especially those of you who think homelessness is a free will choice. This subject has been around since the “Police Action” in Vietnam and has only gotten more extensive coming forward.
Hey folks, I do not like being out here, in the open, it bothers, me, I prefer being in the shadows, it allows me to see what is coming and who is moving, but Howard told me I could tell you my story, so here it goes. I served this nation in the military faithfully for 12 long, hard years.
I am a very well trained and obedient soldier all that they required of me and even got medal and awards for what I did. I was never physically wounded, but by the time I was discharged the things I has seen, had been required to do and watch, dealt me a tough blow. Y’all those war movies you watch are child’s play when stack against the real thing, bombs, guns, grenades and all that, you are not even able to imagine, let alone deal with that.
At the time of discharge whether it be from the Marines, Air Force, Nary or Army, they are well equipped for the soldiers who come home physically wounded and damaged. And sadly even equipped to rendered honors to those who come home through Dover, those who gave the final full measure of the best for this country and now must be laid to rest. But, those who come home looking perfectly fine, but the mental health is damaged, they are poorly prepared for, and that was my problem. Homeless veterans are on the street’s todays because of this.
Now, stop that garbage that is running through your mind right now, this is not pity party request, I could tell you stories that would you cry until you were 100 years old. However I will not, if you do not want to hear from me, that is fine I will just fade back into the safety of the shadows. Why are we, the faithful soldier allowed to live and die in the streets as dogs are not even allowed to do?
The war lasted over a decade they should have been prepared for us and yet they were not and still are not and that means there are more and more of us, faithful soldiers out on the streets hiding, living, dying because we invisibly broken and unable to function. It is rumored that the highest level leaders have said that they did not expect so many of us to come home, meaning expect so many of us to survive. What a wicked statement to be spoken by our leaders.
Some of us have been leaders of hundreds, some have command staff, some in specialty units, bomb techs, tank drivers, dog handlers, all these special skills and this nation is willing to let that skill just waste away on the streets, because of the scars of battle hidden between our ears.
You are willing to see the addictions, panhandling, and the ugly side of the broken human, but you will not see the battle scars that we carry after we have fought to preserve the independence of this nation on foreign soil, how is this? You yell at us, throw stuff at us give us tainted food, call us horrible names and leave us shivering or sweating unprotected and we fought and bled for nation…
We are taught no man left behind….
Why am I hungry every night, we are taught to feed all
Why leave me out here instead of capitalizing on my experience
Y’all don’t even let dogs suffer like y’all let us veterans
Well, I guess I suffer now and then my coffin will be my rest and I will then receive my honors due…
Will You to Continue to Have My Coffin, Grave, as my only Comforts
OR
Will My Country Simply Step Up & Help Me
