Iraqi Vets Describe Life After War (From the "Today" show)

[CoffeeCat]

I just watched a segment on the "Today" show about our soldiers and how they are treated post Iraq. Clearly, the heartbreaking segment demonstrates that we are failing our soldiers, and also begs the question, "Was it worth it?"

Five Iraqi veterans were featured: A homeless single mother with PTSD, a soldier who committed suicide after returning home, a double amputee, and two soldiers with amputations and other serious injuries.

From the segment:
"Nearly two years into the Iraq war, more than 1,000 U.S. service men and women have been killed and more than 10,000 wounded. Those with no physical wounds often come home bearing other scars of war. Is America doing enough for its troops after they return? In the first part of a three-day series, "Today" spoke with veterans and their families about the frustration of getting benefits, the medical care they received and their readjustment to life after the war.

Pfc. Nicole Goodwin, unit supply specialist and single mother with post-traumatic stress disorder:
The insanity of the war haunts you for the rest of your life, and the living sometimes aren’t the lucky ones. They are the ones that are dying slower than others.

I am still going through the process of filing claims. There are a lot of procedures and red tape — the biggest thing we don't have is time to hear "six weeks," or "six months" or even "six minutes."

You have to wonder what I was fighting for, if this came down to freedom. My personal freedom or my child's? I would have just left the military, got a job, got an apartment and been happy."

-----
Link to "Today" segment: Iraqi Vets Describe Life After the Conflict
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/6860510/

[Divernan]

1. Did pert Katie Couric comment "hoo-ah"?

nt

[CoffeeCat]

3. No Couric...

...although I did see her thumbing through a multi-page contract that was spilling out $1,000 bills all over the couch.

Matt Lauer did the segment.

The piece was very sobering and upsetting.

It's nice when the media does it's job every once in a while--and actually tells the truth and engages in legitimate journalism.

[Sticky]

2. I was just reading an opinion piece from my local paper

....it states there have been over 20,000 American soldiers evacuated from Iraq due to injuries.

UNBELIEVABLE!


http://www.herald.ns.ca/stories/2005/01/24/fOpinion178.raw.html

[Rush1184]

4. Anyone have a video clip of this?

on edit: Found it on the MSN page. Should have looked better.

[Beaverhausen]

5. go here

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/6860510/