QUESTION

Question

“My nephew has been home for six months and won’t come out of his bedroom. He served 2 1/2 tours but we can’t reach him.” This is part of one story that was shared with me at the US Social Forum in Detroit last week. This story was told by an uncle of an Iraqi vet from San Diego. His other nephew is on his second tour in Afghanistan. His comment about his cousin is that he is “weak.”

Another story from another family member of an Iraqi vet said that although he has been home for several months, “he still sleeps outside with his rifle.”

These are many heartbreaking stories about our young men who are returning from their service in Iraq and Afghanistan. One Iraqi vet said, “In Viet Nam, they served 12 months. We serve 15 and then they send us back and back and back. We are still citizens of the U.S. We still have rights.” With raised voice as if no one was listening or cared he said, “We can’t do it over and over. We can’t.”

My question is, if this war is so vital to our national security, why are we leaving that defense to less than 1% of the American people?

Courage and a Letter from Senator Sherrod Brown

A few weeks ago, Senator Sherrod Brown met with my son, Mike, and a few veterans at Ohio University. Mike has formed a Combat Veterans Club on campus to help veterans with issues that they face regarding their education, financial aid etc. Mike initiated this since there was no official recognition of veterans on campus. Now, veterans are recognized and they are part of a recognized campus organization.

Sherrod Brown serves on the Veterans Affairs Committee. He wanted to hear what Mike and other veterans were needing and how he could help them. Mike said they had a good visit and veterans appreciated Senator Brown's attention.

Mike gave Senator Brown a copy of my book, Skin in the Game: Journey of a Mother and Her Marine Son. Today, I recieved a hand written letter from the Senator.

" Ms. Logue, Your book about Mike and war and peace and his courage is inspiring. Thank you. He obviously learned about courage from his mother. Thank you. Sherrod."

I am delighted to recieve this letter. I believe Senator Brown read my book. I am more pleased that he took time to meet with my son and the other veterans at Ohio University who are expected to be normal students even though some of them had to descend into the depths of all that is most ugly about humanity. How do you go from being a combat soldier or Marine seeing the worst of humanities crimes against each other to being a college student only concerned with how cool you are and what parties you are going to? So, you have been to war and they want to ask you "Did you shoot anyone?" Like they think that might be cool or interesting. How do combat veterans shed what they have seen and experienced and become "normal" students? How long until they feel normal? Do they? What is normal anyway? How do they adjust to this "normal" life without any help or support from their peer community? Or the larger community? As though there is nothing different about them or their experinece?
Did I teach Mike courage? Mike knows more about courage than I do.