Their Past Is Also My Past

Going through close to 100 letters to a Congressmen from his constituents didn’t seem that appealing to me, I admit. However, as I read through letter after angry letter from Americans who REALLY wanted the Vietnam war to end and send soldiers home, I found myself really relating to them, especially an attached newspaper article. It’s an “obituary” for the U.S. Army. It talked about the large amount of soldiers dying in Vietnam, leading toward the “death” of the entire branch. It goes on to say that positive attributes of the country had died, including obedience, pride, honor, sacrifice, and patriotism and that negative attributes, such as anarchy, civil disobedience, shame, defeat, selfishness, and apathy, has taken the Army’s place. That hit a nerve for me, because it hits close to home.

My dad was in the Navy for 20 years, my whole life and then some. He spent a little over a year of those 20 in Afghanistan as a hospital corpsmen, which basically means he helped those you fought for our country and our freedom but got hurt. He enjoyed his service. But while he was there, serving the country he loves so much, I was at home, in San Diego with my mom, just waiting for him to come home. I wanted him home, as well as all the brave men and women who were away from their families. It isn’t easy being apart for so long or any amount of time. You spend the whole day just hoping and praying that they’ll return home safe and sound. I can’t help but understand these people’s want to bring the troops home.