Secured by American Soldiers
"All of these things about America - the independent spirit, freedom and liberty to think, express, and act; the promise for the potential of prosperity - have all been delivered to our American citizens by our Founders and Framers, and secured by American soldiers, sailors, and airmen." ~ Daniel Rundquist
At the beginning of this post, I want to say a couple of things. I have always had a heart for veterans and have read about the hurdles veterans must overcome to live a normal life. I often said that our veterans were not treated well when they came home and that our system needed to change. But I didn't know what to do about it (still don't, but I have some ideas) and didn't have a solid knowledge of the issues they face.
Then I married a veteran. He is a marine combat veteran. And I began to understand the issues they face in a whole new light. And I also began to understand the issues a veteran's family has as well. Because if a family is functioning as a family the issues one member faces become the issues the whole family faces. Around the same time I began to volunteer at a community outreach, and I came to know some other veterans and heard about and saw the issues they faced. In looking for more understanding I began a hunt for resources and found some wonderful ones. I will list some of these in another post. I found a fantastic Facebook group (Loving My Veteran) where issues are discussed openly, honestly, and with dignity and honor. I read and listened to some amazing books that told the experiences of veterans with great clarity. I have watched some videos and a documentary. The things I will write about are a composite of the things I have learned, the stories I have heard, and my personal experience as the wife of a combat veteran.
For Combat Veterans the Cost is Real
"We are part of what society can't bear to remember. Because if they really think about it, if they really look at us and realize the cost we've paid to keep them safe, they can't live with the guilt." ~ Barbara Nickless
That cost is so real! I've come to understand that my freedom and the freedom of everyone around me has been and is being carried on the backs of all the individuals within our military, and I hope to share that awareness with others. It is important to look squarely at the cost of our freedom and security as a nation. That cost is carried primarily by the veterans who took the actions and took the risks necessary to carry out their missions. But it is also carried by their families, by the people who do their best to love them well and support them daily.
We Were Soldiers Once, And Young
"We who have seen war, will never stop seeing it. In the silence of the night, We will always hear the screams. So this is our story, for we were soldiers once, and young." ~ Joseph L. Galloway
For many of us, war is an abstract concept. We know about it, we see pictures or videos showing us scenes from war, but we do not have direct experience of it. We know that war is awful. We understand that war involves pain and death. But we do not have to hear the screams, hold pressure on the wounds on the battlefield, or smell the stench of blood and death, sometimes for days in oppressive heat. We do not have to make the split-second decisions that haunt us for the rest of our lives. Our veterans do that for us.
No Unwounded Soldiers
In war, there are no unwounded soldiers. ~ Jose Narosky
And then they come home, and we expect them to somehow put all that behind them and seamlessly and comfortably readjust to daily life off the battlefield and out of the military structure. We wonder why they frequently isolate themselves, why there is such a high rate of alcohol or chemical dependency, why it is difficult to keep a job, and why marriages fall apart.
What we don't see are nightly nightmares as they relive in their sleep the difficult decisions, we don't hear them call out the names of their fallen comrades as they try desperately, night after night, to save them this time. We don't feel the total physical and mental exhaustion that comes from these nightmares and loss of sleep. We don't see how they sometimes simply try not to sleep so they don't have to revisit these horrors in their dreams.
Along with lack of sleep at night, comes the fatigue that results from constant hypervigilance. This hypervigilance was entrenched in their minds as 18–22-year-olds, at a time in their lives when experts say the brain is still developing. These patterns are set and hard to change. And the brains also become addicted to the adrenaline and dopamine highs that come along with the fast-paced, high-stress situations they are routinely exposed to on the battlefield.  Along with this, many were given drugs, often in the form of shots that literally changed the way their brains worked - making them temporarily more willing to follow commands and taking away sexual desire. We are still learning what the long-term side effects of these drugs may be, although we do know that at least one of them causes symptoms very similar to PTSD. Then add in moral injury and survivor's guilt, memories on the anniversaries of traumatic events - the list could go on. And I haven't started on the physical injuries.
Wounded Warrior Project - 31 Mile Outdoor Challenge
I could go on and on, and I will in future posts. But this gives a brief overview of some of the issues combat veterans face as they move on with life.
This month I am participating in the Wounded Warrior Project 31 Mile Outdoor Challenge. My goal is to walk 31 miles by the 31st of July. If you would like to donate to this worthy organization the link is here - 31 Mile Outdoor Challenge for Wounded Warrior Project
To learn more about why I write, and why I share my life here, please read this post - Uniquely You, For a Purpose.
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