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View Full Version : How to Help those who are returning Home



olevetonahill
7/15/2008, 11:14 AM
Heres another Helpful Link.
http://www.businesswire.com/portal/site/google/?ndmViewId=news_view&newsId=20080701005243&newsLang=en

pergdaddy
7/15/2008, 12:11 PM
We had a local charity drive here where I live. It was a branch of Boatsie's Boxes. They were gathering up things like suntan lotion, body wash, anything for summer time as it gets up to, I think they said, like 140 in the daytime during the summer in Iraq.

To facilitate the drive, they brought in the local reserve base vehicles. Bulldozer, boat (not sure what kind), couple of hummers, jeep, crane and they had a Blackhawk. My kids are fascinated with military vehicles (thank you Michael Bay and Transformers, hell, who am I kidding I loved it too).

Not to take away from olevetonahill's topic, if you ever get the chance, go to Wright-Patterson Air Force Museum. Wonderful, educational and great trip for kids. Mine were maybe a little too young to truly understand what they were looking at. We'll be back.

Jimminy Crimson
7/15/2008, 03:04 PM
http://mlb.imageg.net/graphics/product_images/pMLB2-4836942dt.jpg

Buy one of these hats for your favorite MLB team. They are donating (most of?) the proceeds to the Welcome Back Veterans Fund.

olevetonahill
7/15/2008, 07:21 PM
I didnt Know that, Guess Il be buying me one :D

Rogue
7/15/2008, 07:32 PM
Amazing that in 2008 I still hear so many stories of vets who open up, even a little bit, and get ridicule or rejection from loved ones. Families really think they want to know "details," and keep pressuring vets to share some with them while ignoring the vet's self-preservation (and sometimes protection of others) instincts to not talk about **** with just anyone. And rarely respond in a supportive way.

Free advice - leave the therapy to the professionals and don't play at knowing WTF you are doing unless you do. It can do more harm than good.

A note about stigma - it's alive and well despite the official stance of the military branches that getting help is acceptable. The notion of going to "sick call" being a negative is still too prevalent and works against the idea of getting into treatment sooner rather than later. That said, we've come a long way.

Speaking of coming a long way. Despite the seemingly increasing unpopularity of the war, particularly the war in Iraq, I'm encouraged that our response to the combatants as citizens and neighbors is much better than it was in the past. For this, thanks belong especially to the Korean War and Vietnam vets who taught us, as a country, what not to do and what didn't work.

Finally, it never hurts to say "thank you for your service and welcome home."

olevetonahill
7/15/2008, 07:38 PM
Rogue , Flag and I have nevar met But weve talked on the phone for several years, He has heard More from Me than any of My Family or so called friends.
I uased to say I was hard headed . It took me 2 weeks after coming Home to learn to STFU about where I had been .

pergdaddy
7/16/2008, 08:47 AM
My wife's uncle landed on Utah at Normandy. He was a battery technician responsible for running the 'puter getting coordinates and stuff correct. I did a paper in college (I went back to school) and he talked about alot of stuff. I think he would be, what, about 90 now. He's not doing as well. He's married to my mother-in-law's sister. My mother in law told me when he got back, he wouldn't talk about it. It wasn't until he was roughly 50 or so and working in a bank before he had a nervous breakdown and had to talk about it. I'm glad he was able to talk about it, I love anything I can learn about WWII and hearing it from somebody who experienced it is fantastic.

My uncle was in Vietnam. I believe he was a medic or had something to do with the medic stations. My mom (his sister) told me he has only opened up maybe 1 time about it and he's in his 60's. She said he still has trouble with it because he watched alot of friends die.

My grandfather was an Army Air Corp mechanic during WWII. My father in law was in the air force, my dad was in the army reserves. Sometimes I wonder if I made a mistake by not enrolling and serving. I feel I haven't done anything to help keep freedom alive in this country while other young men and women are sacrificing their time with their loved ones and time to enjoy life to make sure that under their watch the world is safe.


I don't think you should push soldiers to talk about their time. Just let them know that when they are ready, you'll always be ready to listen. They've seen things we who have never served never will see. That's a hard bridge to gap. I still believe that they do not teach enough military education and war history both on and off the battlefield to our schools.

My many thank you's to those who served.

StoopTroup
7/16/2008, 09:23 AM
STFUing seem to be the real trick for almost all of us.

I always remember folks saying you need to vent or talk about your problems...

Sometimes I think they are full of poop.

I have found wrinting about them much better and when your done...you can either put it in a file or shred it or even burn it.

I guess some folks might do better talking about it...but I tend to dwell on stuff way to long sometimes.

Is there a link for those hats?

I want to see the Cards Hats.

GO CARDS! :D

Jimminy Crimson
7/16/2008, 01:49 PM
Is there a link for those hats?

I want to see the Cards Hats.

shop.mlb.com and click on your team and authentic hats

http://mlb.imageg.net/graphics/product_images/pMLB2-4837192dt.jpg

Champs @ Penn Sq has a couple Yankees and Sox versions, I saw the other day.

sooner_born_1960
7/16/2008, 01:54 PM
I can't say that I have a favorite baseball team any more. Sad, kinda.

Jimminy Crimson
7/16/2008, 02:15 PM
I can't say that I have a favorite baseball team any more. Sad, kinda.

That is pretty sad.

You could get the umps/MLB version! :texan:

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3001/2645971022_a46c45a4f2_o.png