Comments on: How Many Tours For Our Soldiers? http://askcherlock.com/2009/05/how-many-tours-for-our-soldiers/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=rss Politics-Opinions-Life Issues-Impact! Wed, 08 Feb 2012 13:32:26 -0500 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: admin http://askcherlock.com/2009/05/how-many-tours-for-our-soldiers/comment-page-1/#comment-22543 admin Wed, 13 May 2009 23:17:43 +0000 http://www.askcherlock.com/?p=549#comment-22543 D, You expressed righteous indignation and I applaud you. This does go way beyond politics, doesn't it? I have a friend who suffers to this day from PTSD after being in Viet Nam. His wife and now adult children have been victims, not of him but of the system which has failed in every way to help this family. What people fail to realize is that often our Veterans lose their families, which is usually the only support system they can claim. It is so difficult to deal with nightmares that surface during the day and linger through the night. Medicate them? Oh sure, just pump them full of meds that leave them in zombie states for a few hours and it starts all over again. Our PTSD Vets become the homeless and forgotten. Many take their own lives. Some take the lives of others because they are not lucid. They are still in battle. Someone needs to be held accountable for this tragedy. And you are absolutely right. We have funding for everything except, it seems, those who have defended our country. The shame is on any one of us who turns their head away from this. It is a sorrowful issue. D,
You expressed righteous indignation and I applaud you. This does go way beyond politics, doesn’t it? I have a friend who suffers to this day from PTSD after being in Viet Nam. His wife and now adult children have been victims, not of him but of the system which has failed in every way to help this family. What people fail to realize is that often our Veterans lose their families, which is usually the only support system they can claim.

It is so difficult to deal with nightmares that surface during the day and linger through the night. Medicate them? Oh sure, just pump them full of meds that leave them in zombie states for a few hours and it starts all over again. Our PTSD Vets become the homeless and forgotten. Many take their own lives. Some take the lives of others because they are not lucid. They are still in battle.

Someone needs to be held accountable for this tragedy. And you are absolutely right. We have funding for everything except, it seems, those who have defended our country. The shame is on any one of us who turns their head away from this. It is a sorrowful issue.

]]> By: Dorothy L http://askcherlock.com/2009/05/how-many-tours-for-our-soldiers/comment-page-1/#comment-22533 Dorothy L Wed, 13 May 2009 22:54:33 +0000 http://www.askcherlock.com/?p=549#comment-22533 Some things just make me wonder what the heck certain people are thinking. The Vietnam war took place in basically a jungle with villages...the geographical area in that war had triggers from an area which was typically not as civilized and modern as our cities are today. Those veternas had their triggers such as helicopters and jungle type atmospheres. Those veterans barely had any real in-depth concentrated therapy when they returned home. Heavy medication and support groups was all they could lean on for help in integrating back to a somewhat normal life. The Iraq war is taking place in a city environment much like what our vets are returning to as home. Imagine the triggers they are having to deal with. Everyday life...everyday streets...everyday people. More men are returning from 2, 3 and even 4 tours of duty. They do not have to this day, with all of the knowledge of what levels of PTSD the Iraq war is causing these men...any proper transition therapy available. These men are in desperate need of severe in-depth therapy and for at least a 6 month period. Then only then should they be allowed to spend time in a home environment. I just do not get it. They have funding for all sorts of nonsensical projects...but for the men that put their lives and families on the line for us...what are we doing for them? Oh sure we feel bad every time we read the news and we are horrified when we hear of a soldier who just shot and killed his wife because something in his home triggered off his PTSD...but what are we doing about it? When I say we...I am referring to the people that gladly take the prestige and paychecks not to mention the perks of being Government officials. I am not picking on any political party....as far as I am concerned none so far have done anything to help the soldiers that stand up and take a bullet for us. I am ranting on this issue because it is so frustrating when simple people as myself can see things so clearly...yet still nothing is being done! Forgive my haste. I just become very angry when lives are being wasted! ~D~ Some things just make me wonder what the heck certain people are thinking.
The Vietnam war took place in basically a jungle with villages…the geographical area in that war had triggers from an area which was typically not as civilized and modern as our cities are today. Those veternas had their triggers such as helicopters and jungle type atmospheres.
Those veterans barely had any real in-depth concentrated therapy when they returned home.
Heavy medication and support groups was all they could lean on for help in integrating back to a somewhat normal life.

The Iraq war is taking place in a city environment much like what our vets are returning to as home. Imagine the triggers they are having to deal with. Everyday life…everyday streets…everyday people.
More men are returning from 2, 3 and even 4 tours of duty. They do not have to this day, with all of the knowledge of what levels of PTSD the Iraq war is causing these men…any proper transition therapy available.

These men are in desperate need of severe in-depth therapy and for at least a 6 month period. Then only then should they be allowed to spend time in a home environment.

I just do not get it. They have funding for all sorts of nonsensical projects…but for the men that put their lives and families on the line for us…what are we doing for them? Oh sure we feel bad every time we read the news and we are horrified when we hear of a soldier who just shot and killed his wife because something in his home triggered off his PTSD…but what are we doing about it?

When I say we…I am referring to the people that gladly take the prestige and paychecks not to mention the perks of being Government officials.

I am not picking on any political party….as far as I am concerned none so far have done anything to help the soldiers that stand up and take a bullet for us.

I am ranting on this issue because it is so frustrating when simple people as myself can see things so clearly…yet still nothing is being done!

Forgive my haste. I just become very angry when lives are being wasted!

~D~

]]> By: admin http://askcherlock.com/2009/05/how-many-tours-for-our-soldiers/comment-page-1/#comment-22419 admin Wed, 13 May 2009 00:51:43 +0000 http://www.askcherlock.com/?p=549#comment-22419 Re, Amen and Amen. Listen up America. These are your sons, brothers, husbands, daughters, sisters and wives. These people are in our American family. They are suffering and in need. Heed the call and rise up to awaken your souls. Listen to Re. These are "the voices of your babies." Do you hear them? Re,
Amen and Amen. Listen up America. These are your sons, brothers, husbands, daughters, sisters and wives. These people are in our American family. They are suffering and in need. Heed the call and rise up to awaken your souls. Listen to Re. These are “the voices of your babies.” Do you hear them?

]]> By: admin http://askcherlock.com/2009/05/how-many-tours-for-our-soldiers/comment-page-1/#comment-22414 admin Wed, 13 May 2009 00:43:41 +0000 http://www.askcherlock.com/?p=549#comment-22414 Windroot, Well, at least Mary Jane took the edge off and for that I am grateful. You were in a frightening situation which you described, though I would bet there were other times when the sigh of relief did not come so fast. And you are right about knowing that you would leave and that date, barring anything horrendous, was set in stone. I didn't like the draft but I don't like our troops going over there time and time again. What that does to the psyche must be wrenching. Nothing about war is easy, is it? The aftermath, unfortunately for many, is often just an extension of the plight. Those of us not in the Service are insulated and only see TV clips. In this time of war games on XBoxes and violence in theaters, I wonder if we have become immune. I strongly believe we have a responsibility to insist on proper care for our Vets and for those who are still serving, as well as developing support systems for their families. Windroot,
Well, at least Mary Jane took the edge off and for that I am grateful. You were in a frightening situation which you described, though I would bet there were other times when the sigh of relief did not come so fast.

And you are right about knowing that you would leave and that date, barring anything horrendous, was set in stone. I didn’t like the draft but I don’t like our troops going over there time and time again. What that does to the psyche must be wrenching.

Nothing about war is easy, is it? The aftermath, unfortunately for many, is often just an extension of the plight. Those of us not in the Service are insulated and only see TV clips. In this time of war games on XBoxes and violence in theaters, I wonder if we have become immune. I strongly believe we have a responsibility to insist on proper care for our Vets and for those who are still serving, as well as developing support systems for their families.

]]> By: RE Ausetkmt http://askcherlock.com/2009/05/how-many-tours-for-our-soldiers/comment-page-1/#comment-22412 RE Ausetkmt Wed, 13 May 2009 00:38:36 +0000 http://www.askcherlock.com/?p=549#comment-22412 America - when will you hear the voices of your babies ? damn.. America – when will you hear the voices of your babies ?
damn..

]]> By: admin http://askcherlock.com/2009/05/how-many-tours-for-our-soldiers/comment-page-1/#comment-22408 admin Wed, 13 May 2009 00:28:04 +0000 http://www.askcherlock.com/?p=549#comment-22408 Mel, How very profound your thoughts are. Who will save our troops from America's "self-inflicted wounds?" I fear for them. If you have ever known anyone who suffers from PTSD, then you know the horrific scars and nightmares they face. The pain increases exponentially as their families are left to cope with these problems and have little, if any, support system. They too become caught in the web of war and lost reasoning and hurt that knows no end. America must somehow reach out to these brave men and women and wrap them in warm blankets of the solace that we do care. God bless you, Mel and our troops.... Mel,
How very profound your thoughts are. Who will save our troops from America’s “self-inflicted wounds?” I fear for them. If you have ever known anyone who suffers from PTSD, then you know the horrific scars and nightmares they face. The pain increases exponentially as their families are left to cope with these problems and have little, if any, support system. They too become caught in the web of war and lost reasoning and hurt that knows no end. America must somehow reach out to these brave men and women and wrap them in warm blankets of the solace that we do care. God bless you, Mel and our troops….

]]> By: Windroot http://askcherlock.com/2009/05/how-many-tours-for-our-soldiers/comment-page-1/#comment-22386 Windroot Tue, 12 May 2009 22:42:47 +0000 http://www.askcherlock.com/?p=549#comment-22386 Luckily for us, we were swimming in Mary Jane, which definitely helped to deal with the stress, although not the day I walked out of the EM Club (huh! that's a joke) and stared straight down the barrel of a chrome plated .45 pistol aimed at the guy standing with his back to me about 5 feet away. Needless to say I beat a hasty retreat. Turned out to be a dispute over a stereo. Luckily, the Main Pothead ambled by and calmed things down. The one thing we had going for us was the sanctity of our DEROS date. We knew we were going home and that we wouldn't be going back unless we chose to. Of course, we did get drafted, which WAS a bummer. Nothing's easy, then or now. Luckily for us, we were swimming in Mary Jane, which definitely helped to deal with the stress, although not the day I walked out of the EM Club (huh! that’s a joke) and stared straight down the barrel of a chrome plated .45 pistol aimed at the guy standing with his back to me about 5 feet away. Needless to say I beat a hasty retreat. Turned out to be a dispute over a stereo. Luckily, the Main Pothead ambled by and calmed things down.

The one thing we had going for us was the sanctity of our DEROS date. We knew we were going home and that we wouldn’t be going back unless we chose to. Of course, we did get drafted, which WAS a bummer. Nothing’s easy, then or now.

]]> By: Mel Avila Alarilla http://askcherlock.com/2009/05/how-many-tours-for-our-soldiers/comment-page-1/#comment-22374 Mel Avila Alarilla Tue, 12 May 2009 22:27:35 +0000 http://www.askcherlock.com/?p=549#comment-22374 These soldiers are symptomatic of the bewilderment of the people of America as to the direction their country are taking. Trillions of dollars and precious human lives were lost because of nebulous causes which are sometimes harmful to the supposed to be beneficiary countries. Iraq and Afghanistan are examples of countries which the powers that be have emasculated with their petty and decadent idealism. Now the great America is herself on her knees. Who will save her from her own self inflicted wounds? Thanks for the post. God bless you always. These soldiers are symptomatic of the bewilderment of the people of America as to the direction their country are taking. Trillions of dollars and precious human lives were lost because of nebulous causes which are sometimes harmful to the supposed to be beneficiary countries. Iraq and Afghanistan are examples of countries which the powers that be have emasculated with their petty and decadent idealism. Now the great America is herself on her knees. Who will save her from her own self inflicted wounds? Thanks for the post. God bless you always.

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