The Song Each Bullet Sings

He's a poster on here!

 

Holy shirt. Doug. Thanks man real cool of you. I feel the need to talk about your last wave that day. It was motivating. If anyone questions your ability on this forum I can tell them about the steep barrel you dropped into and rode in on. It was sick. Thanks so much for spreading the message.

 

I remember that guy

 

I plan on picking the book up at Barnes and Noble tomorrow, reading it and passing to my younger son. He's almost 19 and has been wanting to join the Marines since his junior year of high school. He had asthma when he was younger and the recruiter required him to complete some lengthy pulmonary tests that he ended up not doing well on. He's been really down in the dumps about that. I hate to see him depressed over the matter, but to be honest, as his dad, I wasn't enthusiastic bout him joining the Marines or the Army to begin with. I haven't encouraged him nor have I tried to discourage him. I was in the Navy, have a lot of respect for the Marines, and know quite a few. But when it comes to my own sons, I tell them to check out the other services before deciding. Of course, if does get into the Marines, I'll certainly support him.

 

Sounds like a great book. Semper fi brother

 

Dosxx, its only available online order right now but you can order it from barnesandnoble.com, and pick it up at the nearest store. I really appreciate the support. I understand your concern for your son, the Marine Corps saved my life, but there was a hefty price tag attached. I just tried to show America what being a Devil Dog during the war on terror is like. I tried to get people to understand a little bit more about why so many vets are messed up, long after returning from the fight. It's about my combat experience in Iraq but the message applies to veterans of all wars. Thanks for your navy service and good luck in whatever the future holds for you and your son. Stun 36- thanks man please spread the word, errah.

 

My mom's older brother went into the Marines in early 1942, right after Pearl Harbor. Had to get my grandmother to sign her approval, since he was just 17. Went to boot camp instead of graduating from high school. That's how many guys did it back then under the circumstances.
He was in some of the worse amphib invasions and battles of he Pacific: beginning with Guadalcanal I think (although that seems very early in the war), Tarawa, Iwo Jima, and Okinawa, but very miraculously survived the war. Some really horrifying experiences and extremely close calls that he rarely talked about.
He came home deeply affected. Couldn't sit still, pacing, jittery, chain smoking, very heavy drinking. My mom said that he was a very smart and talented man, but the drinking and effects from the war really hurt him throughout his entire life and later affected his family, including his children, as well.

 

Not to digress.... but its funny how there's such an emphasis on ptsd on the returning vets nowadays and for the guys in WW1 and WW2 and Vietnam, Korea, etc... there was no such thing. Those guys were just expected to keep it under their hat and deal with it. Those that had it the worst were just diagnosed with having "flash backs".

I love watching the military channel and seeing footage and hearing stories about the past wars. Those guys back then were real men! The hardest of the hardcore! Unreal!!!!


Back to the OP.... thankx for sharing man, I love reading stuff like that and am going to pick up a copy.

 

Recruiters were calling my house right after my son graduated. Told them to never call back and put them on the do not call list.

 

wave hog, you'll find the wars and conflicts prior to our invasion of a sovereign nation, had put a toll on our fellow 'Merkins. Our guys today are put in a different circumstance, with multiple tours and not being able to go home after their time was up.

http://www.ptsdmanual.com/chap1.htm

 

I'm not making light at all of todays troops..... was pointing out that it seems like the Vets from past wars and conflicts had no help at all with their issues unless it was physical once they got back home. It was if they were expected to just carry on like nothing happened and that they really had no problems in their heads.

Hope you didn't take that the wrong way...

 

Read the book after reading a post on swell info. Great read and good on ya Matty B. thx for sharing and your service. Anybody who has any interest on the subject should pick up a copy.

 

That is awesome Kma. Thank you. When I finished my complete enlistment (4 years active, 4 reserves) in 2009 I was a real problem. Angry as fack, drinking, popping my tbi meds like crazy, fighting, and just plain hurting, i got good advice from Vietnam vets and ww2 vets; those dudes are the hardest of badasses. They came from a tougher time, when you went to war, came home and swallowed that pain back down. Our society is much softer, our time is much more emotionally aware, sensitive, anti-bullying, pro crying, and in many ways: whussies. So these older vets took me under their wing and said "let it out, as much as you can, or you will end up a bitter, abusive, and broken old man." Writing about it hurts like all hell, but makes me deal with stuff i never want to even think of. But its made me more normal, and even though it doesn't feel like it at the time (or when i do readings) i am a much more sane and positive person today. Surfing is a huge part of that process. I have the utmost respect for all veterans of foreign wars, especially the Vietnam, ww2 and Asian conflict dudes. My story is just my experience, but the emotions it triggers apply to all vets. I was stationed in Okinawa after Iraq and got to see the caves where Japanese soldiers took their own lives because the rumors were that the Marines were so badass, you would rather go out by your own weapon. The ww2 Marines invented the term devil dog because the German soldiers said they fought like tuefel hunden (dogs from hell). I am lucky. I was taught how to navigate life by some of those older veterans. But many aren't lucky. That's one reason why i have to share my story, for the ones that aren't able to or simply came from a tougher time when you didn't talk about your pain. Real hero stuff. Anyway, thanks so much for all your support. Real cool of all you dudes.

 

No I didn't. sorry if I sounded scoldish. Being an Army brat, I was around grunts all the time. At 15, we were interacting with some because they weren't that much older. We heard some horrid crap about what they had to endure. I wasn't looking forward to when I turned 18. I'd not adjust well.
I figgered that if I had to go, I'd blast anything and everything I saw just as soon as I stepped foot on the ground. yoo essay! you assay!

 

It's a small world out there huh Doug / Mattyb? Pretty cool you two met up and didn't realize you're both fellow SI members. I've seen Mattyb's posts before talking about this book, I'm intrigued enough to want to pick up a copy now. Thanks for your service Matt, I know what you endured and continue to deal with is a hefty price tag, good on you for finding a way to deal with all that comes with that commitment you made.

 

yuuuuutttt

 

http://thoughtcatalog.com/raul-felix/2013/10/the-division-of-generation-y/

read this. as a Marine i think this puts how most (combat) veterans feel. one frustrating thing many veterans feel is that civilians think all veterans are the same whether one was pushing pencils in afghanistan while another guy was pushing forward to clear an ambush. there is a difference between veterans. while some of us endured months on a tiny combat outpost in the heart of taliban country, other guys sat on camp cupcake and sat on facebook for there deployment eating hot chow. fobbits.