Price of Service

Posted on November 7, 2007 
Filed Under Life, Marriage, Physical Health, Spiritual Life

Like you, I know many family members, neighbors and friends who have served in the U.S. military. Most of them have survived relatively unscathed by the years aboard ships, in the trenches, in the air. Some did not.

Recently, a friend’s son experienced a close call with an IED. A Marine serving in the middle east, he was usually the machine gunner on a Humvee. That’s a pretty dangerous place. One day, though, he was on a foot patrol when an explosion knocked him out and did some damage. He wasn’t as badly wounded by the bomb as one of his buddies, but this soldier did take acquire some shrapnel that will remain embedded in his legs for the rest of his days, and his hearing was affected. Still, despite such an attack, he is back on duty and serving courageously. Read about him here.

Others are not so fortunate. Many, of course, do not come back home alive. Some are severely maimed by combat. There are those, too, who don’t have visible scars from the fighting, but are nonetheless wounded. They have been emotionally scarred, and the impact of the stresses and memories they carry are real and lasting.

It was an honor to be in the presence of some soldiers who shared candidly about their difficulties in coping with their military tours. Our guests for three days told of the pressures, the dangers, the effects of being in the line of fire.

We owe it to the brave men and women who loyally serve in our military to become educated about post traumatic stress disorder, because every one of them will come home with scenes, sounds and experiences burned into their being. Many will return with injuries that are apparent. Some will be scarred in ways we can’t see. They all need our support, understanding and love.

Comments

One Response to “Price of Service”

  1. Glenn Jakniunas on November 12th, 2007 5:55 am

    I try and update my web page regularly with comments related to today’s situation.
    I hope that all Veterans get relief from the war and the effects it has on home life.

    replies are welcomed.
    glenn

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