Should I feel sorry for this crying Marine in our town?

Question

He walks the streets in Mt Clemens in his old worn out Marine Uniform. Drunk of course. No job. No future. We tried to put him in a homeless shelter but he must be "Free of beer and wine" in order to enter the shelter. So this is how our Marines end up after serving in a war zone. Just like the Vietnam Vets.

Answer 1

Give him no pity. He's a Marine and he volunteered. If he didn't want to see war, he shouldn't have signed up. PTSD or not, he needs to act like a Marine, PERIOD.

Answer 2

First off I think that shelter should take him in anyways, help ween him off the alcohol, second, maybe if there was housings, for those who came back and had no where to go and needed somewhere to get back on their feet after fighting. For you just, that is if you aren't incredibly young, like under 17 or something, go up to him, being careful, because unfortunately you always have to be careful, but talk to him. That may be something he really needs right now. A friend who won't shut him out, and maybe if you are an adult take him to get a coke or something. Sometimes people just need that little showing of love. Something to know that they matter and of course say thank you, so he knows he wasn't fighting for nothing. I do hope though that the Vets of this war don't become like a lot of the Vietnam Vets, especially since they weren't treated the best either. I hope you figure out what to do. God Bless you and that man!

Answer 3

Why do you insist on making stories up? Is it because you can't back your ignorant statements and views about the Military with the truth? How come you're the only person who ever sees Iraqi vets crying in restaurants, walking the streets drunk and depressed from their time in Iraq, telling you they got their limbs blown off while fighting in the war...Etc...
I think you underestimate many of us on here. You think that we're stupid enough to believe these outrageous stories you come with, and not to mention the news articles on the war that you post on here, only after you change the wording in it to fit your way of thinking. You have no idea how Military life is today. Believe it not, the Military has changed a lot since you served in it thirty plus years ago.
As a Military wife, I guarantee I'm around far more active duty Military, and that includes our returning vets from the war in Iraq, then you are, and I never see this unstable behavior you're always talking about with our soldiers. Yeah, I'm sure some of them come home with issues, but you try so desperately to make it sound like if they fight in the war in Iraq, they have no future when they come back home.
We all know how many Vietnam Vets were forgotten. We all know that many Americans turned their backs on the Vietnam Vets, but this is a new generation and we're not going to let that happen. That's why you don't see us spitting on our troops and mistreating them when they come home. We're not like the people who did that in the 60's and 70's to our troops.
Every person that I know that has returned from Iraq has been offered immediate mental health treatment, their families have been offered it, and they have all been given a ton of support.
You make yourself look very foolish when you come up with these lies. Give it rest and stop talking about our returning soldiers and their mental health, when you are clearly the one that has issues.

Answer 4

I would recommend the local VA Hosp. Also they run a place for mental health. Here in NH it's called The Vet Center. Most states also have a Veterans Council. As for blaming bush, not the right answer. This man served his country because he was asked to. If you have iceui2, I thank you. If not remember this "Veterans have a taste for freedom the protected will never know"-Unknown. He served his time to protect the right for which you are using right now. Thank him for his service. Blaming the person that sent him doesn't help the vet in the least. If you don't like what's going on VOTE! It's your RIGHT!

Answer 5

Good point Erudite. This is exactly what will happen to the soldiers when they come back.. The majority of them anyways- the ones that have seen death. I used to volunteer at an old folks home and the one man was so depressed all he did was have cigarettes to look forward to. I took him to a hockey game to cheer him up and he disappeared to the bar at the end of the first intermission. He got so drunk and I got in **** for letting him drink from the nurse. I didn't know though. But the man needed a night to party because of all the demons that were going on in his mind from War. Afterwards, he said "Thanks alot, I needed that." Made us both feel good!

Answer 6

first let me just say this - the point of this post is to give advice on how to help out with a guy suffering from the war. now, you may have your own political opinions as to who is responsible, and they may be right or wrong, but this is not the time or place - there are other forums for that. so if you don't have something to say about this man's personal situation, shut the f**k up.

now as far as this guy goes - i'm assuming that he was in the Iraq war? if not, please add more details. does he have any family? is there a VA that can help him out? and how well do you know him? maybe if you knew him before the war or if you knew you could trust him, put him up in a spare bedroom until he can get on his feet? none of these solutions are perfect, and some may not even be viable options, but here's one thing that i would suggest - don't "feel sorry" for him.

now, i don't mean don't sympathize with him, don't feel bad that he suffered so much, but have you ever noticed that when someone says "i feel sorry for that guy" they do it with a sense of finality? as in, "i feel sorry that he has no future, that he's gonna be a messed up bum for all of his life"? don't do that. i know, i've never been in a war, i don't know what it's like, but people have gone through wars and other horrible things, but have gotten through it and lived out their lives. you need to encourage this guy to do the same. he doesn't have to be a bum forever, and while i'm sure he'll always carry the pain, he doesn't have to let it run his life - something that everybody needs to realize. nobody on this earth is a forgone conclusion, nobody's fate is sealed until their coffin is. nobody in the world is unable to grow, heal, and change

so don't say "i'm sorry that he has no future." say "i'm sorry he's hurt so much. how can i help?"

Answer 7

If it was me that came across this soldier. I would do everything in my power to help him. I have PTSD and didnt know what was wrong with me for years. I hated being around people, and in large crowds. I pretty much wento to work and came home and I bet i didnt say 10 words to other people all day long. It SUCKS!! This soldier needs help and ASAP. Get with the VA and see what they can do. If he was in my town, id give him the shirt off my back to help him out.

Answer 8

From my experience the majority of these situations are not actually prior military. The military teaches that you should not be a burden and always take responsibility for yourself. Even as a vet the VA has a bunch of programs for them. In the city I live in they were trying to have passed a ordinance against people(homeless) wearing military uniforms. There is lots of help for people who want it, but addications can be the worst God to worship.

Answer 9

I would try to talk to him and find out why he is drinking and his living arrangements. then I would probably try to keep an eye on him to make sure that he has no beer or anything. enter him into the 12 step program and send him to the shelter.

Answer 10

Unfortunately, your Marine may eventually need to be institutionalized for his own good. Should you have pity on him? Sure. Seeing someone whose life has unraveled is never a pleasant thing. But ultimately, his life is his own responsibility, unless he is hopelessly mentally ill, in which case, he may require outside help. He probably could also benefit from a good detox program.

Answer 11

Yes being in a war zone is not easy , it is living in hell , it is hard to see a soldier which survived a war still sane and completely normal because wars kill and handicap and render a lot of people impaired for life,,, we should feel sorry of course but we should stop wars to stop humans suffering ...