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Attilatheblond

(7,045 posts)
23. Thinking about all the very young men, kids I went to school with, who followed orders & got fucked up for life
Wed Aug 20, 2025, 07:57 PM
Aug 20

How many had to convince themselves that it was OK to follow illegal orders just to get thru every day for the rest of their lives? How many had to grow so very hard over the wounds in their souls just to pretend they were still alive and that it was OK? It was 'duty'?

How much damage did it do to our beloved nation, our beloved neighbors, our brothers, our fathers, when those very young men had to change from sweet boys with promise into hard men with hate?

There are so many reasons I never attended a school reunion. I knew the empty chairs would eat me alive. But I think deep inside, I knew seeing faces of the ones who came home with destroyed minds and empty hearts would be even more painful.

Where did you serve?
Thank you for your service.
Glad you made it home.
Let me buy you a beer.
Lets go vote for the pols who feed at the corporate trough and show those libs how tough we are.


Alcohol, drugs, hate, bad choices, denial just to survive to see the next sunrise. Loneliness that just makes hearts even harder.

It didn't have to happen. But profits for the MIC! Money for the stockholders! Rah rah, let's trick the next generation into feeding the MIC with their souls and lives.

It did not have to fucking happen.


Recommendations

2 members have recommended this reply (displayed in chronological order):

Powerful. cachukis Aug 20 #1
Thought so too orangecrush Aug 20 #3
A good and decent man who is a real hero. It's people like hm that are the ones who should get the Nobel Peace Prize. Ping Tung Aug 20 #2
A decent man orangecrush Aug 20 #5
Cannot get the Medal of Honor by definition TnDem Aug 20 #22
I agree. Ping Tung Aug 21 #28
Powerful DiverDave Aug 20 #4
Thanks orangecrush Aug 20 #6
Same InstantGratification Aug 20 #7
Same here. Aristus Aug 20 #11
Very powerful. I hope our military see this or something similar. erronis Aug 20 #8
So what happened after the MP's took him???? Grins Aug 20 #9
He had 17 years in orangecrush Aug 20 #13
A good friend who was in the Corps (ROTC) at Texas A & M and then a Lieutenant in the US Army in Vietnam surfered Aug 20 #10
Thank you orangecrush Aug 20 #14
WOW! That's what being an American patriot is all about. 70sEraVet Aug 20 #12
Kudos to Mr. Avery Uncle Joe Aug 20 #15
Most welcome, Uncle Joe! orangecrush Aug 20 #18
I salute his years of service flying a helicopter to SAVE LIVES. The UCMJ allows a military member to refuse to follow.. usaf-vet Aug 20 #16
I remember this orangecrush Aug 20 #19
"Hugh Thompson The pilot who ended the My Lai Massacre KUSI News San Diego, CA" Uncle Joe Aug 20 #17
Another decent human orangecrush Aug 20 #20
I was lucky with both my Vietnam tours, MarineCombatEngineer Aug 20 #21
Thinking about all the very young men, kids I went to school with, who followed orders & got fucked up for life Attilatheblond Aug 20 #23
Great post orangecrush Aug 20 #24
Bookmarking Bayard Aug 21 #25
Thanks orangecrush Aug 21 #26
Wow pattyloutwo Aug 21 #27
Agree orangecrush Aug 21 #29
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