Originally Posted By CrouchingTigger WilliamK99: in your "Hi again" thread, you described yourself as "Still bitter, still disgruntled". When asked why, you replied that it's best asked in WE. Interestingly, no one took you up on it. So I'm asking. We can guess at some of the general stuff (2nd deployment to Iraq is pretty solid). Anything you'd like to add?
Originally Posted By mele Is there anything he *can* add? I was under the impression that the military in general was told not to make any negative statements on the internet.
Originally Posted By CrouchingTigger He suggested it be asked here, so I'm asking. If there's nothing he's allowed to add, then I guess that's it. But I figured it was also possible that what's got him down isn't necessarily against his CO's or the military. (Maybe his wife downgraded their internet connection from DSL to dial-up.)
Originally Posted By mele LOL, that would definitely make *me* bitter and possibly would drive me insane.
Originally Posted By WilliamK99 I think its a combination of things, before deployment I was told that it would effect me,and I would be a changed man. I blew it off and figured that was BS, but deployment does change you. For the past 6 months I have been battling depression and most things that once interested me , like my love of Disney, are just not there anymore. The "Dont say anything about the military unless it is nice rule" irritates the hell out of me, but I cant complain too much, I reenlisted mainly because the retirement plan is so good, at age 42, I get 50% retirement. I cant pinpoint exactly why I am so bitter and angry with the world but I am 100% sure it evolved in Iraq. That is why these mutiple deployments by individuals scare me. Eventually people are going to snap. Some of it you have already seen. OK, my post is rambling and doesnt make much sense but hopefully it clears things up a bit. Me
Originally Posted By SingleParkPassholder I'm going to lift my own post from another thread here because after reading this one thus far, it bears repeating. All of you who think that our continued involvement is worth it, the lives lost either by death or in the manner described therein, should sack it up, go find yourselves some survivors, and explain it to them. In person. FWIW, I thanked the young man I dealt with for going to Iraq and all he did was smile weakly. His wife said she's like to ask Bush for her husband back. ---------------------------------- Nothing from nothing here..... Early last week I dealt with a couple in court. The father had been in the California National Guard, and was sent to Iraq a couple of years ago. The mother had two small kids. Between what our government was paying the father and when the mother could work, the mother had to collect welfare for the two kids. So we've got a father sent off to war and the kids have to go on welfare. Because of the way the welfare rules are set up, a support judgment was obtained against the father for the welfare paid to his kids. Had the mother filled out the forms correctly, the referral to our department to obtain the judgment would never have been done. Fast forwward to last week. The father's back, after two tours, and he has filed a motion to set aside the judgment obtained against him. He is also a wreck of a human being at this point. He has post traumatic stress disorder. He cannot speak above a whisper, and was leery of everything around him. The slightest noises made him jumpy and nervous, and he frequently started to tear up. Rather than send him to court, I stipulated to set aside the judgment, had the parties waive time for a new motion, and agreed to set current support at zero along with back support at zero. Previously, the debt was around $12,000.00. They thanked me profusely, and both of them started crying. They had no idea what to expect at court, and thought they would be on the hook for some money. It was truly nothing on my part, as what I did falls within the discretion of my job. It was the least I could do. The overall point here is what has happened to this young man. The mother, his wife, said he should never have been sent the second time as he was already showing signs of PTSD. But since the government is making it hard for soldiers to leave, off he went. I don't know how to excuse what happened in this Iraq village, but if this father is any indication of what happens to our soldiers, and what happens to Guard members who really didn't sign up for duty like this in the first place, the blame does not lie with the soldiers alone.
Originally Posted By gadzuux >> For the past 6 months I have been battling depression and most things that once interested me , like my love of Disney, are just not there anymore. << I just wrote you a big long maudlin "buck up" post, and then the link crashed before I was able to submit it. So I'll give you the short version ... Resilient - a: capable of withstanding shock without permanent deformation or rupture b: tending to recover from or adjust easily to misfortune or change Be resilient. Whatever it is that's bogging you down right now, this too shall pass. Don't get so caught up in the short-term that you lose sight of who you are and where you come from. Push through it, be patient, and soon enough you'll be free and clear. Don't make any big decisions right now, just bide your time. If you were a well-balanced reasonably happy person before all of this, then that's your natural countenance, and you'll find it again once you're back in more normal circumstances. Till then be strong, soldier.
Originally Posted By Mort2 William – I don’t know what to say. . . My dad served in WWII. In the 42 years that I was blessed to know him, he never once shared what he saw or did during his time in the service. All he said was basically the same thing you’ve mentioned above – war changes those who fight it. I can only imagine how bitter and angry you truly and justifiably feel. Don’t be consumed by this. My dad enjoyed life to the fullest when he returned home. And I’m certain the same will be true for you too. My thoughts and prayers are with you. Thank you for serving our country
Originally Posted By JazzCat William, I am so very sorry that you and your family are going through this. After I saw the movie "Saving Private Ryan", I realized why my dad was the way he was. As Mort2's father did, my father NEVER spoke of WWII. Please don't be afraid to speak to a counselor, pastor or priest about what is happening. You're in my prayers.
Originally Posted By Kar2oonMan William, thank you for the update. There isn't much I can add that hasn't already been said better by others here, just know that people on this site care about you and have been praying for your safe return. I'm not sure if you're seeing a therapist regarding the depression, but it can really, really help. You don't have to try to sort it all out on your own.
Originally Posted By SuperDry <<< His wife said she's like to ask Bush for her husband back. >>> I'd like to ask Bush for my country and my party back, but I fear that he thinks both are going in exactly the right direction.
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Originally Posted By Mort2 >>At lease the left dosn't spit on the military as much as they used to. At least now they put a good act on that they care.<< How dare you.
Originally Posted By SingleParkPassholder "Are we not supposed to fight wars now?" Sigghhhhhh... I don't think you'll find too many people who will take isue with us going into Afghanistan, considering that country had direct, proven links to Al Qaeda. However, as you know and should realize through your hysteria, going into Iraq, with no links to 9/11, as Bush has said, and having turn into the quagmire that it has become..... Most people would also agree that we caused a major disruption in Al Qaeda's operations by going into Afghanistan. Lives lost there are not lives lost in vain. At the core of the problem with Iraq is that same sentiment cannot be repeated. What do we have to show for the Iraq invasion? Saddam deposed, but as we have discovered, he was all style and no substance. But we have helped create Al-Zarqawi, fostered more sectarian violence there, given a wider base for new terrorists, made more enemies around the world than we've ever had, and most importantly, we took our eye off the ball in Afghanistan. No capture of bin Laden, Al-Zawahiri, Mullah Omar or Al-Zarqawi for that matter. If there had been some continued, tangible progress on all fronts since we invaded Iraq, then we wouldn't be seeing all this divisiveness we have now. But there hasn't been much progress for some time now, and those of us old enough to remember Viet Nam, not those who have merely read about it, draw the inevitable, valid comparisons. What are we doing there? Why are so many people dying? Stories of "atrocities" are bound to surface, because that's what a long, drawn out war eventually fosters. I'm surprised no one's mentioned My Lai yet. Trotting out the now tired line about how being in Iraq makes Joe in Denver safer doesn't work anymore. Are we not supposed to fight wars now? It's our slef-inflated ego, the belief that we think we're still this invincible military super power whom no one can beat that keeps us there now. No one should bother trying to deny that. But even the best teams can get beat if they don't have a good leader or a solid plan, and events have proven we have neither. The extremists on the right try and denigrate it by calling it "cut and run", but when they do this, it's an indirect acknowledge that yes, in three years time, we still haven't made enough progress to call this "successful". It's an admission of their own failings. These same extremists still have their boys in charge, but now there's a clock ticking over their heads. If they don't pull a miracle out of their collective backsides very soon, the first alarm goes off this November. The next one goes off two years later. Think they don't know that? You can gauge their awareness by the amount of hysteria used to reply to sentiments such as those expressed here.
Originally Posted By DyGDisney ^^If you do say so yourself, RoadTrip. WilliamK99 -- I'm so sorry that you and all the other soldiers have to go through this. I can't even imagine. It's not in our general nature to fight war (for most people), so I'm sure even with all the training it's extremely emotionally upsetting. Like others said, seeking counseling may help.
Originally Posted By Dabob2 You're in my prayers too, William, and I'll reiterate the counseling suggestion, if you haven't already. My cousin's husband was in Iraq, and he sort of thought something must be wrong with him, or he was "weak" or something if he needed to seek counselling. Finally my cousin persuaded him to go, and he found it made a BIG difference in his outlook.
Originally Posted By cmpaley William, my prayers are with you and all your brothers and sisters in the military. During Mass, we frequently pray for all our fighting men and women during the intercessions.
Originally Posted By Ursula William, thank you for letting us know how you are doing. Please let us know if we can do anything to help you or if you just need to talk, Disney or no Disney. I am so sorry you are going through this now.
