Been A While Since I've Been On.

[jacob hamilton]

just laying out a thought. and what of the military and the help many need after service? they get a generic pony show. when 20-22 veterans kill themselves every single day, when nobody but walmart and McDonald's gives a shit if you served, you wont be able to support yourself without working 60+ hours a week. what existence is that? illegal immigrants and forced assimilated refugees go to the head of the cue. affirmative action will even make sure they get a job. i always wondered why whites commit suicide in America so frequently. now I know. its because their country doesn't give a shit about them. whites are considered privileged, so all decent jobs go to minorities. even if you're a combat veteran, you get shafted in the very country you defended overseas. even if you come out with a good amount of money, it will twinkle. im running very low on cash. been out 2 years. worked many shit jobs. jobs you can't support yourself with. been homeless once and on the verge of becoming homeless again. im not looking for sympathy, im angry that our government gives so much to those that have done nothing, illegal immigrants and refugees, while I'm working shit job to shit job. fired from Walmart, got fired from ups, i f*cked up at my last job and I was forced to quit because I wasn't making ends meet. i cant focus on how to do anything right. my diet is garbage, my living situation is unstable sometimes sleeping in my car when it's too expensive to stay at a motel.

spent 5 years in navy, 4 deployments, 2 of which to afghanistan doing convoys as a 240 gunner. come home to even more death, family is scattered across the u.s. and I decided to move from West coast to east coast to find work. hire and fire cycle continues. i think I'll have myself a beer.

 

[BaMuoiBa]

Welcome back JH, I kinda understand your situation and on a good day it SUCKS!

Listen I did the same shit you are describing but it was 50 years ago. You see, they shit on this old sailor as well. I had a huge chip on my shoulder and was pissed off at the world. Hippies, draft dodgers, sit-ins and the like - they all drove me into the dark place that seemed to have no way out.

When I finally determined that all my whining, bitching and moaning still was not helping my situation - I had better help myself. I'm a combat vet as you are - 16 months in VN and I was lucky I was able to walk away WHOLE!

Once I realized that if I don't change - nothing in my world would either. What I had to do is become my own advocate to initiate change. Become willing to take the shit jobs and remember it's simply a means to an end and no more. I worked as a 'go-for' in a craft in order to afford the bare necessities and used the GI Bill to go on the attain a degree. It took 7 years working nights and going to school when I could but I made it happen.

All that time I was dealing with the "Beast" and not even knowing what the hell it was. Keep doing, keep moving, it can't hit a moving target was my creed. When I tired the beast jumped right in my shit - then the booze and the family, and the boss and the cops and the judges and the lawyers.

After 20+ years of this BS another Vet clued me in about PTSD and a VA shrink confirmed it. Once I knew what it was and could do something to change it. Your a warrior sailor, you've seen stuff that your peers will only see in a video game - and that is the problem. No one goes to war and returns unscathed. You can't put the genie (PTSD) back in the bottle - It's time to change!

Don't wait till you're too old and life has passed you by. Find a Vet Center and hook up with a readjustment councilor and find out what is available. All you fellas from OIF/OEF have resources today that us old 'Nam Shit's' could only dream about. You can do it!

Good Luck!

Ba

 

[OldDoorGunner]

Very well said Ba..........Back in the day we had shit, The name PTSD came out in 1983. The VA has been coming out with a fix for it about every year or two. lol 46 years for me this month and still no fix.......But they do have some things that help and with hard work,you can get to a place where you can live with it.....Never stop trying, what worked for me may not work for you, try the next one........