They trained me, turned me into a man, showed me the world, payed for my 1st, 2nd and 3rd college degree. I would not change any of my military experiences. In fact my only regret is that I left the military.. But then I look at my wife (who i would not have met had I stayed) and I am OK with my choice... In fact I never met a Veteran who had a horrible experience... Someone I know will reference the current news paper saying that 250000 vets were homeless, but I have NEVE met a VET who was desparately needy...
By the way, I was in juvenile detention custody for 3 years prior to entering the service... My family was destitute... I had to get 5 waivers to get in.... THANKS USN FOR TAKING A CHANCE WITH ME... YOU GUIDED ME... I moved from e-1 through e-5 in 2 years..... I busted my but... I only had a 9th grade education when I joined...
As far as I know, ANYONE WHO puts effort in will be rewarded with a great life...
2007-11-09 04:29:22 · 14 answers · asked by Anonymous in Politics & Government ➔ Military
if you feel the need to take pot shots (and i guarentee some will) please have the guts to e-mail me so I can respond..
For some reason, LIBS hate happy vets
2007-11-09 04:30:39 · update #1
SOMEONE ALWAYS KNOWS SOMEONE WHO KNOWS SOMEONW WHO WAS TREATED BADLY.....
2007-11-09 04:37:40 · update #2
It is amazing how the number of people wo DID NOT serve JUST KNOW we Vets have not been taken care of!
2007-11-09 04:46:04 · update #3
I grew up as an Air Force brat traveling the world. This gave me the tools to suceed in the Army. I got out for a time but what I learned in the Army gave me the tools to succeed. I went back in, retired out and THEN went back in.
All I have stems from what I learned and earned in the military.
Homeless vets? Sure there are areas where the government could do a little better. But except for a small percentage those who are homeless are so because they just don't get the whole life thing anyway. Most are not messed up because of direct combat...... most did whatever and use it as an excuse.
I know current military, ex-military from past wars, ex-military from the current one, those such as myself who were fighting in "peacetime", people who now do government jobs, work for government contractors, those who went on to civilian jobs doing whatever......... etc. They have no issues. The only issue seems to be having somebody that you can talk to freely..... and not some putz.
Another mentioned DC. If you go around the Vietnam memorial there are guys selling stuff and pandering playing on the vet thing. It has been 30+ years. I have many family members who fought in that war and are successful. I fought in you name it for 20 years and now I teach. Point is..... those who quote the homeless thing or take advantage of it disgust me.
2007-11-09 05:51:13 · answer #1 · answered by jackson 7 · 2⤊ 1⤋
The Navy was good to me too. I retired after 25 years about 20 years ago. Admittedly, it wasn't always peaches and cream, but what job is? Right?
However, I do know of Vietnam Veterans who have not fared well after leaving the service. It seems that some "Americans" don't consider Vietnam a war. If somebody says they served in Vietnam, people look at them as if to say, "Oh. Sorry. I thought you said you were a Veteran." There are a quite a few homeless Vietnam Veterans. I can't believe that they ALL put forth the effort to succeed.
I have a buddy who wrote a song, part of which goes...
It wasn't the bullets...
It wasn't the blood
Watching our comrades fall in the mud...
When I came home on crutches
And looked for my place...
It was the pretty young girl who spit in my face.
"Hate war" "Hate military" "Hate country" "Hate administration" are popular today -- and seem pretty much interchangeable. And, because some people have never grown up to show respect... even for those with whom they might disagree... the sentiments manifests themselves in diatribe and demonstration.
2007-11-09 05:06:07 · answer #2 · answered by gugliamo00 7 · 3⤊ 0⤋
Only so far as the GI Bill went - managed to get my undergrad degree in 18 months and MBA in 24 months through the GI Bill back when it paid only $175 and then $275 a month - my undergrad expenses totaled $275 a month - grad expenses were about the same.
The VA offices on the various campuses treated me better than the military ever did but that's was to be expected. I also enjoyed my time in the Navy (both good and bad - what don't kill me just makes me stronger) and recommend it to everyone.
Everyone would benefit from at least a couple years of "having to put up with" the contradictory and oftentimes insane and highly political rules and procedures in the military - better preparation for the real world. ;)
2007-11-09 04:45:22 · answer #3 · answered by Ben 5 · 5⤊ 1⤋
My son, father, 2 uncles and several cousins have all served at some time of conflict, and all are very successful. And had no complaints.
I'm not really answering your question- but letting you and all vets know how much you are treasured and appreciated by the majority of the nation. Thank you for our freedom, even if a few will use it to criticize you. You are an American hero. Have a wonderful Veterans Day!!!!!
God Bless you!!!
2007-11-11 08:58:10 · answer #4 · answered by Sparxfly 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I agree! And you have a great story. There are people who chose to go through life as victims. Some of them end up in the military.
I was at Walter Reed from January of 92 to September of that same year. I'll never forget a fella who I met who had been in a tank hit by friendly fire during Desert Storm. He had uranium in both knees and he was getting ready to be sent out west to a facility that would do experimental treatment on him. Now I am 19 at the time and I had suffered an eye injury but I wasnt feeling bad for myself and I had met to many people like this guy with much more severe situations. I asked him a question people kept asking me "are you angry that this happened to you?" He looked at me and smiled and said it was the best thing that ever happened to him. He said if it hadnt happened he didnt think he would have ever found Christ and so he was greatful. I get choked up everytime I think of that story. At Walter Reed I met a lot of guys with various degrees of life altering injuries. A lot of really great guys. We would go around DC and inevitably encounter the "homeless vet" with the sign begging. I am all for helping those willing to help themselves. But there is no way in hell I would ever sit on the side of the road begging. And I don't know of any of those guys at Walter Reed that would have either.
2007-11-09 04:50:52 · answer #5 · answered by One eyed pirate 3 · 4⤊ 1⤋
Y E S and I got a very good job with the US Postal Service and have some very good VA benefits as far as my 30% disability goes and no regrets!!
2007-11-09 13:36:45 · answer #6 · answered by Vagabond5879 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Unless you where hurt while in the military, you do not have to seek any treatment from the VA. A good military life has nothing to do with how you are treated as a veteran. If you do not know any homeless Veterans, try opening your eyes and leaving your house.
If you are using a VA facility and can still say the same; then you are one of the veterans who fell through the crack, A veterans who actually got proper medical treatment is hard to find. Until very recently, being a doctor at a VA only meant; "never having to say your sorry".
2007-11-09 04:43:21 · answer #7 · answered by pacer 5 · 4⤊ 4⤋
The Air Force has been great for me so far (17 years!) I think I'd still be in a redneck trailer park otherwise.
2007-11-09 16:35:44 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
I imagine that the vets who weren't actually in a war, but just served, are doing quite fine. It's the people that are actually fight that tend to have a lot more trouble once they get out of the service.
2007-11-09 04:40:13 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 4⤋
we all admire and respect our veteran's like you it is due to people like you we are free today, i hope you are always looked after by your govt all of your days
thank you and god bless
2007-11-09 04:59:44 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋