To ALL Vietnam Veterans

[SergeantJay]

I have a message for ALL Vietnam Veterans.

I respect veterans of any war. I respect veterans in general. Hell, I respect people in general. (Of course, as long as they respect me in return) I'm a Gulf War vet. OK, I know.. no big deal. I served my country in a time of war and got "lucky". It turned out to be a quick one. When I returned home, we got a police escort and parades. A HEROS welcome! Well what burns my ass is how you veterans of Vietnam were cheated. The treatment you received was inexcusable. Anytime I meet a Vietnam veteran I go out of my way to shake their hand and give a heart felt thank you. I've been driving down the road and have seen a VN license plate and given them a salute at 80 miles an hour! They probably thought I was crazy but I think they know exactly why I saluted them deep down in their heart.

Anyway, the long and short of my message is this:

I salute you and you are my hero.

Remember that and please accept it. (I've had vets down play and act as if they don't care but I think it's just an emotional wall)

[Robert Ryan]

What do you mean "No big deal". Thank you for your service and what you did during Desert Storm. It doesn't matter if a war is 1 day long or 20 years long. You did your duty and did it with honor. It's like when I have met some Iraqi freedom vets or vets from Afgnaistan say they we didn't have it as rough as you guys in Nam. HUH? Man combat is combat the locations might be different but the results are the same. Fear and death, and survivor guilt that you need to help to get over. I no longer give my generation the power I did when I got back from Vietnam. I have made my peace with the way we were received and don't let that anger control me anymore. I know that my brother and sister Vietnam vets did our duty, dispite the result of the war. Vietnam was honorable effort by the men and women who served. Just like this war, the politicans who sent us off to war now want to do a cut and run. The Wall in D.C. was not just a memorial to our fallen brothers and sisters, it was suppose to a reminder that "IF YOU ARE NOT GOING FINISH WHAT YOU STARTED THEN DON"T COMMIT OUR TROOPS". I'm afraid I see another wall with 4,000+ names that will serve the same purpose. Once again SGT Jay thank you for your service in Desert Storm. It sure didn't take you guys long to kick Sadams ass and establish our armed froces as force to be reckoned with.

[DMZ-LT]

Thank you for your service and welcome home , brother.

[b3196]

Thanks Jay and what you did was a big deal.....You made us proud. Welcome home brother

[SergeantJay]

Thanks for the acknowledgement in return guys. It really means a lot to me coming from veterans of your stature.

[catman]

I am right there with you bro. I too am a Desert Vet and have been talking to these guys for 6 or 7 years now. They have helped me in ways I could not begin to measure. But then they also might have wrecked my caring and kind ways! Making me just as "Psyco" as they are!

There is a special place in North Georgia that we all gather in April, called "Psyco Mountain". It is a kind of "Fountain of Youth". Happens the third week of April each yaer. Check out the thread over on the General post. Plenty of room all you need to bring is you.

Hey brother, thanks for your service and welcome home!


Trav

[splummer]

Thanks for your service and the 2 wars in the gulf are a big deal and more important than ours was. No Vietnamise ever attacked our country like on 9/11.

Travis,
I know what you mean by these guys turning you psyco. Five years ago the VA said I was perfectly normal but now they think I'm nuttier than a fruit cake. I'm going to see Doctor Feel Good, later today.

[Packo]

You are very welcome! Think about Psyco Mountain in April.

While running my group at the Vet Center during your War, one of my vets, who was a great guy, he's now dead, and suffering terribly from PTSD stated that he didn't buy this "hero" stuff for guys who only fought for 100 hours. As the therapist and leader I jumped dead in his shit explaining that he was acting just like the WWII and Korean Vets who said WE didn't fight in any war. I told him and the group that it is our LEGACY to make sure this never happened to any Vet of any future war. He got it and apologized to the group. During your war, my patients and I raised money and sent tons of bottled water, (Thanks to Food Lion), and Texas Pete, (Thanks to the Garner Family, we didn't know you guys had hot sauce in your MRE's), to you guys overseas. We were at Bragg to welcome the 82nd back when they Jumped in rather than run through the back door like we were. I believe if it wasn't for the Vietnam Vets in this country, America's attitude toward it's Vets would not have changed.

So, Welcome Home and thank you so much for your service. Also, welcome aboard and hopfully you'll be just as Psyco as the rest of us before long!

Airborne!

Pack

[Gimpy]

Thank you for your kind words.

And, the words of my dear Southern brother Packo are right on target.

He has an exceptional ability to put into words the feelings of an individual who has not only the personal experiences of "our war", but the professional training and counseling abilities of one who can not only share these experiences but help others with the difficulty of addressing their own traumatic events in their lives.

You are among some of the finest men (and women) I have ever had the opportunity to know and call my friends and brothers (and sisters).

Please try and make it to the "psyco" mountain top in "Jawga" this April, we would love to have the chance to thank you in person.


The Gimpster

[Boats]

Sgt. Jay - thanks and welcome aboard.