I am so strong trying to help veterans with PTSD. As many of you know my older brother was a Vietnam veteran and suffered from PTSD. It killed him leaving an only daughter and three grandchildren trying to understand why. I would hope that time would explain how horrible this is but unfortunately we have a government who thinks veterans should just get over it.
My brother received the Bronze Star when during a Vietcong attack he carried two comrades to safety. Mike was a chaplain’s assistant. He was injured during the attack but refused the Purple Heart.
The stress of the time in Vietnam destroyed him. People don’t realize that the pain never goes away and telling a veteran to get over it doesn’t work. It is so obvious now with the high number of veterans committing suicide that we still can’t comprehend the pain our veterans are in. Those of us who have buried love ones understand.
We must let politicians who have never served understand what the reality is. It can’t bring my brother back but maybe his story will help save other veterans.