It is Veterans Day; a day we set aside to collectively honor those who have served this country in the armed forces. It is also a day in which most PBS stations around the country will broadcast at least one program dedicated to those who have served so admirably.
“Iwo Jima: Black Sand, Red Blood” was tonight's heart wrenching documentary done in a mix of black and white and color films, in addition to many emotional interviews of the men who lived through the battle. I listened intently to their stories, sitting on the edge of my chair as if they were right across the kitchen table from me. If someone recalls Iwo Jima, the lasting image in their mind is that of the Marines raising the flag – it meant more to that generation than our generation could possibly understand or appreciate.
Tears flowed down my face as these men shared their stories of the battle. One man had the chin strap shot off his helmet while he was wearing it. Several recounted standing or laying on the ground next to someone who was shot in the head. One man recalled a buddy telling him how he had been “splattered with someone's guts”. The man who touched me the most recounted a story of being cold and soaking wet, and finding a fellow Marine dead, but dry. He stripped off the dry clothing and switched with his wet uniform. His eyes went dead and his voice trembled as if God was patiently waiting to sentence him to hell for it. You could see the regret clearly all over his weary, flushed face.
As a viewer trying to describe the emotions running high, I find myself getting choked up.
They described looking around for war trophies. A small sack of gold teeth from Japanese men they didn't consider human beings. One who opened a wallet to be confronted with portraits of the dead Japanese solider with his wife and child as well as his parents (he put the wallet back). Another man described a friend who started the practice of cutting off and collecting ears when he was on Guam. Many years have passed, but the memories are unfortunately still vivid for the men who returned home. Several men admitted they had never told their families of their time on Iwo Jima as much as they had confessed to the interviewer. It felt like something between unburdening one's soul in confession, and the desire to tell the awful truth in the hopes the next war would make people stop and think.
Now our boys are in another war, and God only knows what war trophies they might have brought home. Originally the Pentagon frowned on such things, but based on the fact so many other atrocities have been committed by U.S. troops, I suspect the Pentagon wasn't monitoring this very well. It's one thing to come home with something tangible you can pass around for your friends to see, but the emotional trophies aren't something you parade around. Actually, if your desire is to make the military your career, you shut your mouth and never admit to the devils in of the mind.
We've all heard at least one story about Gulf War veterans who has been deployed too long and it stressed his marriage, caused incredible financial strain, became a domestic abuser, or has committed suicide. How awful is it when a man who performs his duty is left to deal with the demons of war alone upon return!
According to a Raw Story feature article , here are some interesting details exposing how the military is not adequately caring for our veterans even though a 1997 law requires a pre and post evaluation.
In fact, a 2003 GAO report specifically found that "the percentage of Army and Air Force servicemembers missing one or both of their pre- and post deployment health assessments ranged from 38 to 98 percent of our samples."
"The post-deployment process was absolutely terrible and totally inadequate," recalls Paul Reickhoff , Executive Director of Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA) . "Physicals were not mandatory as part of our post-deployment. There were no mental health screenings, unless you self-diagnosed by checking certain boxes on the 2796" (the post-deployment health assessment form).
There are mountains of paperwork after long, uncomfortable flights. There are memories and thoughts sometime a man needs to grapple with first before he talks to someone, but those who admit to having nightmares and flashbacks, they are often not referred for specialized care. Well, what's the point of admitting it when some government pencil pusher won't let you have access to it, and it delays your return home for several weeks for nothing? You would think there would be a better system in place, but red tape is a spirit killer.
Next time you see a veteran, remember it's not the wounds outside; it's the devils of the mind after discharge that needs addressing. Our boys in Afghanistan and Iraq deserve much better care with no red tape. After all, they have answered the call for three years in what the public now knows is an illegal war.
I humbly challenge those who honestly believe this is a just war to enlist and put your morals where your mouths are. Take a turn and get shot at, or dodge a few improvised rockets, or maybe roll the dice with a roadside bomb. It's easy for you to say it's just while you're in one functioning piece, sleeping in a warm bed, and possibly next to a mate. Bleeding and dying are strangely, much harder than flag waving and screaming for Osama's head on a platter.
My thanks and my gratitude is with every single person who serves. It takes a special kind of person to stand on the wall and guard freedom. I sleep at night because you are awake. I appreciate how hard it is for you to be away from your lovers, missing births, birthdays, and holidays. May God bless you and keep you always in the palm of His hands.
Other quazen.com articles by this writer can be found here , relijournal.com articles here , and picable.com images here . If you enjoyed this article, consider digging it with others.
