Some Delayed Casualties of Vietnam War

[maddezmom]

Some Delayed Casualties of Vietnam War
Families Gather To Honor Victims Of Subtler Wounds
By Monte Reel
Washington Post Staff Writer
Tuesday, April 20, 2004; Page B03


Hundreds of family members gathered at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial yesterday to read aloud the names of relatives who died of the lingering effects of the war, including illness linked to the toxic defoliant Agent Orange and suicides attributed to post-traumatic stress disorder.

The tribute included the unveiling of an "In Memory" plaque, which sponsors hope will be added to the memorial grounds next month to honor those who died as a result of the war but do not meet the criteria for inclusion on the memorial wall.

For a name to be included on the wall, the Department of Defense must rule that the military service member died of injuries received in a Vietnam combat zone.

The 191 names read aloud yesterday are among almost 1,400 that have been identified by family members as victims of indirect physical or emotional wounds suffered during the war.

~snip~
more: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A25870-2004Apr19.html

:(

[stellanoir]

1. I heard a radio report about a year ago. . .

about how 8000 veterens of the Gulf War died in the decade after the war. The report cited Gulf Was Syndrome, suicide, and possible depleted uranium exposure as causes of death. If the report was accurate, then consider how disproportionate the numbers cited in the article above are given the total number of casualties and duration of the Vietnam conflict. If memory serves, I think casualties from Desert Storm were under 200.

This descrepancy doesn't bode well at all.

Has anyone else heard of this?

[no_hypocrisy]

2. Because of PTS, a Vietnam Vet passes out on a cot, in a shed in the

backyard of the home in which he grew up. He drinks 2 cases of beer and smokes 2-3 packs of cigarettes a day. His family has locked him out of the house because when he enters, he steals items to sell and has nearly set the house on fire several times. He can't hold a job. His brother takes him along as a landscaper but he has no energy to push a lawnmower. Yet he expects $20 an hour for sitting in the truck. When he is paid, the lump sum is gone within hours. When he speaks, he shouts, he rants. He is easily provoked to rage.

This is a man who rose to the rank of Captain before his honorable discharge in 1975. He was an insurance executive who sold more policies than any other member of his section.

Even though passed out, this vet is haunted in his dreams by sniper fire, his brothers in arms dying in his arms, the explosions, the boobey-traps.

The VFW has visited him, begged him to leave his shed to live for free at a Vet's Home, to get free medical care, a hot meal. He has refused, preferring to live outside like a dog. It's amazing he's survived two winters so far.

So if you want to talk about casualties whose names aren't on a wall, this is one of the Walking Wounded.

[no_hypocrisy]

3. Because of PTS, a Vietnam Vet passes out on a cot, in a shed in the

backyard of the home in which he grew up. He drinks 2 cases of beer and smokes 2-3 packs of cigarettes a day. His family has locked him out of the house because when he enters, he steals items to sell and has nearly set the house on fire several times. He can't hold a job. His brother takes him along as a landscaper but he has no energy to push a lawnmower. Yet he expects $20 an hour for sitting in the truck. When he is paid, the lump sum is gone within hours. When he speaks, he shouts, he rants. He is easily provoked to rage.

This is a man who rose to the rank of Captain before his honorable discharge in 1975. He was an insurance executive who sold more policies than any other member of his section.

Even though passed out, this vet is haunted in his dreams by sniper fire, his brothers in arms dying in his arms, the explosions, the boobey-traps.

The VFW has visited him, begged him to leave his shed to live for free at a Vet's Home, to get free medical care, a hot meal. He has refused, preferring to live outside like a dog. It's amazing he's survived two winters so far.

So if you want to talk about casualties whose names aren't on a wall, this is one of the Walking Wounded.