I honor all veteran from all wars who have served honorably. This year to honor veterans is so very special to me. I have seen some real frustrations and real advances for many vets. Some combat vets right here on Daily Kos have been affected by the great work of this administration with the homeless programs and some
getting long overdue awards. Many veterans are still waiting and it is with great hopes the making of new veterans ends very soon.
The thing that is special for me this year would be the close calls, one after another it seems to one special veteran. My husband. Two heart attacks, some deep PTSD episodes, missing over the 4th and his absolute terror regarding the possibility of a presidency that would cut benefits knowing so many, himself included, unable to continue to work anymore. There are many who have more opportunity thanks to the jobs recovery for veterans under the Rehabilitation act. A wonderful program.
I want to tell you how this Veterans Day makes me feel. I always feel grateful and humbled and always like I could say more or do more. This year I have had the privilege of working with some Kossack combat vets helping other vets. We worked from one end of the country to the other. I truly watched Vet helping Vet like no other time in my advocacy. I needed advocacy at least three times this year. I was hit head on with the trauma of war in my own home and the combat vets who stood in the trenches of wars far away and long ago were there for their brother, their selflessness to serve and their never ending sacrafice for a former soldier.
I read Grizzard diary and could relate to so much I have witnessed with veterans over the years and the pain of my own husband who served with the 101st 2nd of the 501st in Vietnam at the ripe old age of 19 and in some very horrific battles. There is such a story I am going to share on here and then tell you a little about some of the great vets who are always a phone call away and so many if not most are Kossacks.
This picture is my husband two buddies in Vietnam in 1970. I found the picture reminiscent of the one overlooking the wall in DC.
From last Veterans Day to this has been a rollercoaster ride. I have felt the hurt and pain of Testvet's wife as she has nearly lost him on numerous occasions. The war or trauma never goes away completely for most of these guys.
My husband has memory loss but did find comfort and pain in hooking up with some vets from his unit. There was a battle he was in that explains the horror of his sleepless nights. He was in many battles but this one tore his soul apart. It was called. Operation Ripcord.
DaNang 65 and llbear have been constant companions via phone through many hard days and nights. How do you thank a combat vet dealing with their own pain while rescuing you and yours? Just Bob...my goodness.. thank you my friend....low profiler that you are. Thank you for your selfless rescue.
The vet going through so much helps another wounded warrior. That is what they do.
This is how so many survive, Many self medicate. Many end the horror the final way and that is the part that hurts so badly for military families. It is all hard. There is a hard road to go picking up pieces of your loved one's life and no one can even get close to imagining what they went through except another combat vet. The bond between veterans is so strong, that in itself is to be honored.
This battle called Operation Ripcord ....hit my husband hard !
From Wikipedia, Battle of Fire Support Base Ripcord
Part of the Vietnam War
Date July 1–23, 1970
After action report: Firebase Ripcord, 23 July 1970
Fire Support Base Ripcord
The Battle of Fire Support Base Ripcord was a 23 day battle between the U.S. Army 101st Airborne Division and the North Vietnamese Army from July 1, 1970 until July 23, 1970. It was the last major confrontation between United States ground forces and North Vietnam of the Vietnam War. Little was known about the battle until 1985, when the FSB Ripcord Association was founded. Three Medals of Honor and six Distinguished Service Crosses were awarded to participants for actions during the operations.
President Nixon secretly began the withdrawal of troops from Vietnam early in 1969. As the only full-strength division remaining in Vietnam in early 1970, the 101st Airborne Division was ordered to conduct the planned offensive Operation Texas Star near the A Shau Valley.
On March 12, 1970, the 3rd Brigade, 101st began rebuilding abandoned Fire Support Base Ripcord which relied, as with most remote bases at the time, on a helicopter lifeline to get supplies in and the personnel out. The firebase was to be used for a planned offensive by the 101st to destroy NVA supply bases in the mountains overlooking the valley. Located on the eastern edge of the valley, and taking place at the same time as the Cambodian Incursion, the operation was considered covert.
I read today where Wayward Wind said that he sat down and enjoyed a cup of coffee with some NVA soldiers and I am very honored to interact with Wayward Wind who has played a tremedous role in normalizing relations with the Vietnam people, once considred enemies. His humanitarian work is service in the highest degree in my opinion. Many veterans suffering from war wounds make the pilgramage back to Vietnam.
The rest of the story but not all by a long shot I am quite certain goes something like this.
As the 101st Airborne Division planned the attack on enemy supply bases, the North Vietnamese Army (NVA) was secretly observing their activities. From March 12 until June 30, the NVA was sporadically attacking the firebase. After weeks of reconnaissance by the NVA, on the morning of July 1, 1970 the North Vietnamese Army launched a mortar attack on the firebase. During the 23-day siege, 75 US servicemen were killed, including Colonel Andre Lucas, who was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor; and First Lt. Bob Kalsu, the only contemporaneously active pro athlete to be killed during the war.
Fighting from four hilltops, surrounded, and outnumbered nearly ten to one, U.S. forces caused heavy losses on eight enemy battalions, before an aerial withdrawal under heavy mortar, anti-aircraft, and small arms fire. After the U.S. Army withdrew from the firebase, USAF B-52 heavy bombers were sent in to carpet bomb the area Major General (ret) Ben Harrison, then the commander of the 3rd Brigade of the 101st Airborne at FSB Ripcord, is of the opinion that perhaps the NVA losses at Ripcord, just as their losses of their major offensives of the Ia Drang in 1965 and Tet in 1968, dulled the offensive capability of NVA for two full years, resulting in the delaying of their Easter Offensive from 1971 to 1972
The battle was fought but this year the memories came flooding back. My husband, who was just 19 at the time, as he joined when he was 18 had sacraficed his mental health. Just like most of the soldiers of the Vietnam War, came back, a jumled mess.
He sacrificed his physical health. He like all who were near the deadly toxin known as Agent Orange suffer diabetes and heart disease. They all have their trauma from loss.
They came back and could not hold jobs, relationships, and barely if at all their sanity.
No one knows exactly the triggers for PTSD. We know some things but sense just a smell can trigger a flashback, one may find themselves instantly back in the middle of a war far away and long ago. This is not even counting the hollow emptiness of not being clear of why they were even there. I was so proud of President Obama thanking the Viet Nam Veteran and giving them a Welcome Home salute after a long overdue Thank you for serving and your sacrafice. He made a wrong, right on the 50th anniversary,
I have witnessed loss of life from older vets this year, and major illness, worried family members, loss of everything from mobility to bowel movements in some cases. I have witnessed the far away looks in the retunring Iraqi and Afghan vets. I have seen apathy with some of the VA facilities. On the other hand I have received emails and good news that a claim was settled. I have seen DaNang work with people using the Mental Health PTSD program that is part of a natural relaxation of the mind.
I have seen llbear tenaciously reach out to veterans knowing he had house problems on his own. I have seen Vet helping Vet almost everywhere. I watched the names and sentiment here at IGTNT. I watched so many veterans and some high in rank write on behalf of hurting veterans. Angelajean went to bat for the sexually abused women veterans. Her husband is active Military. There are too many names to name but people like Winkk get on the air and works his heart out for veterans. Jimstaro has constantly updated folks from his blog to here about legislation. Rebel Ga has provided links to emergency help.
I want to say my faith in America was restored Tuesday night. First Lady Michelle Obama makes every military family proud. Dr, Biden is a great advocate for our military and veterans.
It is one thing to wear a flag pin and sing America and quite another to reach out and say thank you and let's try and make things better from a grateful nation because that soldier was willing to sacrafice and some paid the ultimate sacrafice.
Never think that a thank you or Welcome home does not mean anything. It does. We know we will never make the horror of war go away but we can make things easier on a military family or soldier returning home to take off the uniform and forever remember.
We can be an ear for the families of veterans and we can encourage hope that someone cares, so many find it hard to believe.
I want to thank everyone who has supported my endeavors this year and a special thank you to evey veteran who was willing to die if nothing else, for our right to elect a president. God Bless you all and never forget because those vets never will. My husband's mobility is improving. It comes and goes but without other vets being there for him, I have no idea where this vet's family would be tonight. As we approach another rememberance that is hard on vets and their families., please keep this family in your thoughts. I am privilged to do some of the things I do and am grateful for the opportunity. I apologize if I overlooked anyone by name but you are all my heros, named or not.