Having just been through a war about this time last year, my respect for veterans is even greater than it already was. I read the accounts of the other veterans listed before my post here and my eyes welled up because it brings back the feelings I felt through my own experiences. All I can say is, "War is not pretty" and shake my head at the memory of it. One thing I've learned since coming back from Iraq last year is that I now understand why so many veterans get together for events like they do. No one else who's never seen war first hand understands the experiences that we've been through. When I first got back the nightmares were almost nightly - the daylight hours were ok as long as I wasn't by myself too much where I had time to think about "it". I trucked North to Baghdad just behind 3rd I.D. and we were in the thick of it. I don't claim to have PTSD or anything of the sorts... it just took a few months to get reacclimated to things once coming home... But when I feel the need to "talk" every now and then, I talk to one of my war buddies. There is a silent understanding between us that heals. We don't even have to talk about the war itself... but if we do, it's just even better. It gets better every day. Each of us have our own experiences and our own ways of coping once home, but rest assured we're all doing fine. My helmet goes off to all the other veterans out there who have helped keep our country the greatest nation in the world and fought to keep it "free" from oppressive regimes. We really do live in a great country - and I certainly don't take that for granted anymore!
Ken
MSgt, USAF
