Veteran recounts experience disobeying direct order during Vietnam war

[Attilatheblond]

23. Thinking about all the very young men, kids I went to school with, who followed orders & got fucked up for life

How many had to convince themselves that it was OK to follow illegal orders just to get thru every day for the rest of their lives? How many had to grow so very hard over the wounds in their souls just to pretend they were still alive and that it was OK? It was 'duty'?

How much damage did it do to our beloved nation, our beloved neighbors, our brothers, our fathers, when those very young men had to change from sweet boys with promise into hard men with hate?

There are so many reasons I never attended a school reunion. I knew the empty chairs would eat me alive. But I think deep inside, I knew seeing faces of the ones who came home with destroyed minds and empty hearts would be even more painful.

Where did you serve?
Thank you for your service.
Glad you made it home.
Let me buy you a beer.
Lets go vote for the pols who feed at the corporate trough and show those libs how tough we are.


Alcohol, drugs, hate, bad choices, denial just to survive to see the next sunrise. Loneliness that just makes hearts even harder.

It didn't have to happen. But profits for the MIC! Money for the stockholders! Rah rah, let's trick the next generation into feeding the MIC with their souls and lives.

It did not have to fucking happen.