Why do the Vets suffer?

[sthrnstrong]

My childhood friend served with the Army. While in Iraq he was hit by a IED. Now he suffers from mild TBI. The army wont have him, and now having to move from GA to WV for a job as a landscaper. WTH is wrong when no one will even hire a Vet anymore. I see my friend suffering and it breaks my heart to see Vets treated this way. In my own town I have tried to get him a job and everyone says No. It is mild TBI and he got hurt defending these ppls freedoms. All this sterotype #$%^ and about how he is not safe is BS. It really breaks my heart to see him go through this and not be able to do anything to help. I know there are other Vets out there in the same situation or worse. My heart goes out to all of you. My true HEROs are the men and woman who have served this country. I am really disappointed when we won't even take care of our own.

To all of the Veterans on the forum and the rest around the country my family and I say "Thank you for all that you have done, and all that you have sacrificed, This country is forever and always in your debt."
I am very proud of all of you. Thank you from the bottom of my heart. You will never be forgotten!

To all those who do not support our troops...nevermind you not worth it, I like this forum and don't want to be booted for what I really think of you and what you are

Semper Fidelis

[Sourdough]

To all of the Veterans on the forum and the rest around the country my family and I say "Thank you for all that you have done, and all that you have sacrificed, This country is forever and always in your debt."
I am very proud of all of you. Thank you from the bottom of my heart. You will never be forgotten! Semper Fidelis

Amen to that. Sorry about your friend.

[Rick]

I agree with your sentiments. You need to remember that your view of your friend may be much different than a stranger's view. What you see as mild symptoms may be too much for a prospective employer that is probably struggling with a company in a bad economy with an endless pool of job applicants. That doesn't make the situation any better. I'm just trying to point out the other side of it.

There are also EEOC considerations for the employer that need to be taken into consideration. The law states that an employer must provide reasonable work place accommodations that your friend would need because of his disability. He may not need any. However, laws enacted to prevent discrimination and uniform treatment of everyone sometimes backfires because employers don't want get involved in the potential legal problems.

The days of giving Johny a shot and see how he works out are sadly behind us.

[hybrid]

I think first n foremost what needs to be addressed, western world wide, is this belief by the average civvie (like me, never enlisted, stuffed if I'm killing anyone because my wages tell me to ) that veteran means old grey man, and never 30 year old person.

It's a small world. I have a close relative spending most of his time in the stan, my mum is remarried to a US army colonel slash DEA contractor and yknow what...both of em get a raw deal. (actually she is ex navy as well, secure comms, and he still gets grief in process because his mum is japanese...yknow, cos pearl harbour happened yesterday in comparison to the 7 day war, bolivia, or panama)

my dad is a viet vet, navy. All the mixing AgO with his hands, nothing. half my cousins are born with heart chamber malformities, half his brothers have anger issues, and all of flare up skin wise at the drop of a hat. Most of us, the next gen, have serious fatigue and immunity issues. But yeah, the stuff is harmless. he was also on the aussie ship that cut the USS frankie evans in half one day... most of the blokes on board were pretty fudged up but yknow what... 40 odd years later he still gets the nightmares and noone has gotten proper recognition.

I know a girl who's grandparents were vanished in Georgia (the russian one, not the US one).. once again... no mention, no compensation. Another, from the serbo-croat era... nothing. War is the business of rich, fat, ugly, evil old men and the rest is smoke and mirrors to get brave young things to waste their lives serving the corporate interest. hasnt been a genuinely clean war since queen vic waged war on most of her cousins in ww1.

I admire deeply those who are willing to lay down their all for our everything... but it ****s me no end to realise that most have no idea of the organisations they are joining up with, let alone just how badly they treat people when push comes to shove.

latest aussie debacle is wage stealing based on active v non active roles in the 'arq. Total BS.

the issue I believe is not that civilian employers should grant carte blanche to vets, rather than the modern world with all its wasteful spending could afford to finance a modest existance for every one of the people who are fighting for it for the rest of their lives without being significantly out of pocket. Most vets or even long term actives report feelings of abandonment, being let down and being exploited once the initial spit-shine wears off.

[hybrid]

And yes, the HMAS Melbourne did have a habit of cutting other ships in half...testimony to engineering, I guess

[Pal334]

If you have any influence on him, make sure he is being treated by the Veterans Administration for the TBI (I know I have spoken poorlly about the VA). It is the only way to keep him in a supporting environment. Also he will be able to develope local Veterans Group contacts and that will be invaluable to him when looking for a job, or starting or continuing his education. Wish him luck for me, and tell him there is no shame in getting help

[sthrnstrong]

Thank you all for the support. To my family and I there are no greater people than Vets. There is not a time when I have seen a Vet that I don't shake his/her hand and say Thank You. It only takes a few seconds and makes their day. I said thank you to a old Marine once, he was with the 1/9 or The Walking Dead. Told him I was proud of everything he did and what his brothers did for me. Then he started crying and about broke my back in a bear hug. He said that he didnt even think someone my age knew what his unit was. I also might have shed a tear with him and a beer. Later my wife asked what the Walking Dead where, when I showed her in some info from books and the net she was honored that she got to meet one.

If you are able,
save them a place
inside of you
and save one backward glance
when you are leaving
for the places they can
no longer go.
Be not ashamed to say
you loved them,
though you may
or may not have always.
Take what they have left
and what they have taught you
with their dying
and keep it with your own.
And in that time
when men decide and feel safe
to call the war insane,
take one moment to embrace
those gentle heroes
you left behind.

Major Michael Davis O'Donnell
1 January 1970
Dak To, Vietnam

Hybrid if you don't live in the USA or have never served YOURSELF, then you will never know American Pride.

PS: Please leave all your posts or comments out of my threads. I already don't enjoy your company....(is there a ignore button)