Among you are probably ex-soldiers, sailors, airmen & marines that served in Iraq & Afghanistan

[MrScorpio]

If you ever get a chance, please sit down with them, talk to them and listen to what they have to say.

Ask them what it was like to over there and try to do your best to see their perspective non-attributively. Don't judge them, please don't judge them.

Each of them has a story to tell.

It's their own story. A story not managed for popular consumption or crafted to cover anything up.

Regardless how you feel about these wars, you may find out that some, if not many, of these men and women may have a lot in common with you.

[cliffordu]

1. Yep. K&R.

[Swamp Rat]

2. Thank you

:thumbsup:

:kick:

[denbot]

3. K&R

Amen

[Cid_B]

4. Just a note...

Some of us are still serving and see it every day...

It's what most people (well maybe not most people here would expect)...

Some amazing stuff.. some heart breaking stuff and everything in between.

BTW.. we aren't maniacs on the lookout for a good reuters reporter to opress or blast into goo. There are a ton of servicemembers and contractors over here doing what we can with what we got to unf@#$ this country. (That last bit is to everyone and not you specifically Scorpio)

[wtmusic]

8. No one here thinks all servicemenbers are maniacs

but the people I hear talking in that video are reprehensible scum of the earth, who deserve to rot in hell. I am perfectly comfortable with judging them.

And what are we supposed to think when the military tacitly defends these actions? They happen again, and again, and again - and with so little accountability it's clear that this type of attitude is not only tolerated, but cultivated. I find that sickening.

I can't help but think the heroes of D-Day are turning over in their graves. They were on the good side, the side that wasn't blowing away 90 prisoners in cold blood at Malmedy.

[CaliforniaPeggy]

5. Well said, my dear MrScorpio...

K&R

:patriot:

[Truth2Tell]

6. K&R nt

[proteus_lives]

7. Amen.

I have several Vets in my immediate family and circle of friends. This is good advice.

[Rex]

9. +1

k&r

[protest_dude]

10. I did - Story

I was in a pizza shop one night. An Iraq War vet came in at like 2 am. He was drunk. He sat at my table, and just unloaded on me. He talked about how he saw a little kid get shot. He also talked about how he admired Timothy Mcveigh because he "committed an act against the government." Whenever my eyes wandered he shouted "LISTEN!"

After he was done talking he started stumbling home. A cop car went by and he flipped them off, and they arrested him.

Another time, when I was in college two years ago, I was in my dorm room. There was a knock on the door. I opened it up, and there was a guy with a crewcut. He said "you got any drugs?"

I said "No."

He said "Shit, I wanna get high. I just got out of the army!"

Turned out he finally got his honorable discharge, and was ready to get stoned out of his mind to forget it all. He was in Iraq, but didn't want to talk about, just get high. (Probably so he didn't have to think about it.)

[MrScorpio]

11. The reactions of those men are going through are not uncommon occurrences

There's only so much horror a person can take.

Unfortunately, self medication is their only recourse.

[kas125]

12. I know many of them and I've listened, believe me. I know

and care a great deal about one of the people named in the following article and I've met most of the others. Their stories are heartbreaking. And you're right, everyone who has a chance to do so, should take the time to talk to the veterans.

http://www.truthout.org/iraq-war-vet-we-were-told-just-shoot-people-and-officers-would-take-care-us58378