Some things really reset your perspective

[Jennifer (Tink)]

This is a somewhat ironic story that I just had.

So I came back from the football game and was starting some of the suggestions Ativan had told me to try. Bubble bath, try out clothes, spend me time in my room.

But I needed a vape and of course I had to outside. So I decided to put my work clothes back on and add in my sweater and jewelry.

I came outside and met a random guy who was the nicest person. Turns out he's a veteran giving a speech Tuesday outside the capital on VA benefits and how difficult veterans have it.

In addition he runs the PTSD task force in Virginia and is an advocate for PTSD victims.

I sat with home for almost an hour sharing stories and even trans rights and trans youth. Fascinating discussion.

It's funny the random people you meet when you just take a step in the right place at the right time.

If I have time I am going to head over and hear his speech. If you are in the DC area and want to learn more about these subjects, swing by the Capital building at 11am to hear some startling information and what we can do to help out Veterans.

:hugs:

-- Jenn (Tink)

[Luyas]

Sept 13, 2016 12:35:41 GMT 8 Jennifer (Tink) said:

This is a somewhat ironic story that I just had.

So I came back from the football game and was starting some of the suggestions Ativan had told me to try. Bubble bath, try out clothes, spend me time in my room.

But I needed a vape and of course I had to outside. So I decided to put my work clothes back on and add in my sweater and jewelry.

I came outside and met a random guy who was the nicest person. Turns out he's a veteran giving a speech Tuesday outside the capital on VA benefits and how difficult veterans have it.

In addition he runs the PTSD task force in Virginia and is an advocate for PTSD victims.

I sat with home for almost an hour sharing stories and even trans rights and trans youth. Fascinating discussion.

It's funny the random people you meet when you just take a step in the right place at the right time.

If I have time I am going to head over and hear his speech. If you are in the DC area and want to learn more about these subjects, swing by the Capital building at 11am to hear some startling information and what we can do to help out Veterans.

:hugs:

-- Jenn (Tink)

i am curious why do vetrans have it hard? is it the ptsd side of things or something else? is it harder for them to get jobs? i am very intrigued

[EchelonHunt]

Mar 7, 2017 9:05:15 GMT 8 Luyas said:

i am curious why do vetrans have it hard? is it the ptsd side of things or something else? is it harder for them to get jobs? i am very intrigued

I'm sure Jenn will clarify but in the meantime, I will input what I've recently found out. Just a few days ago on Reddit, there was a question posed to US Veterans about life after serving. A huge amount of them commented that the skills they learned during their time serving is practically useless in the civilian world, they are told to go back to school to study for 5+ years in order to meet employer satisfaction on the resume. I imagine this would be extremely disheartening.

[Luyas]

Mar 7, 2017 13:14:38 GMT 8 EchelonHunt said:

Mar 7, 2017 9:05:15 GMT 8 Luyas said:

i am curious why do vetrans have it hard? is it the ptsd side of things or something else? is it harder for them to get jobs? i am very intrigued

I'm sure Jenn will clarify but in the meantime, I will input what I've recently found out. Just a few days ago on Reddit, there was a question posed to US Veterans about life after serving. A huge amount of them commented that the skills they learned during their time serving is practically useless in the civilian world, they are told to go back to school to study for 5+ years in order to meet employer satisfaction on the resume. I imagine this would be extremely disheartening.

yea that must be very difficult for them to handle

[Jennifer (Tink)]

It's a combination of things.

Yes most of the front liners have difficulty adjusting to civilian life mainly due to what they have gone through. It's literally hell and I respect every single one of them for putting all of their souls out there to protect our freedom as well as others.

Also, the public in general doesn't have a full grasp on the sacrifices that they have made to serve. We may say we respect and honor them, but truth be told, without experiencing it first hand it really is hard to comprehend that hell. It really messes with your head.

In addition, they come back to a government that also, in many respects, doesn't honor them for their sacrifices. If it were up to me, each and every member of the services would receive platinum level of health care for life. Many need it for the physical and mental scars that they return with.

I work with it everyday. I always describe my job in building the software / hardware for the services as trying to protect our protectors. And I take an enormous amount of pride in it. I strive everyday to make sure we are putting out the absolute best frontline capabilities that we can in order to try and make our soldiers as safe as possible given the circumstances they are in. It breaks my heart to see and hear everytime a service member gets hurt or gives the ultimate sacrifice of their life. I try and honor those by doing what I can to help them when they get home.

My best friend in the world was a tank captain. He has adjusted very well since coming back from Iraq. But even then, he has days that haunt him. It's those days that he needs as much help as possible and that is where we fail him as a country.

So yes I am VERY passionate about our military personal and I get very defensive when I hear about things that will affect them. Most things seem innocuous at their surface level. But when you delve deeper and see where the specifics lie, you will realize how much the proposals can screw our service members.

:hugs:

-- Jenn

[Deleted]

It is all about what you see, hear and smell. What you do too. That enemy soldier has a family and possibly a wife and children and one round triggered by your finger may take that soldier away from his family. There is a lot of responsibility aiming center mass. If they are close enough you can watch them die. That could have easily have been you. Not necessarily the enemy combatant but that fighter has a family, wife and possibly kids and when you pull the trigger you are taking that person away from multiple lives.

Also watching friends die around you. Smelling death and seeing pieces of a person you talked to a few hours ago. In a situation the adrenaline floods your body, your life is in jeopardy. Staying alive is on the top or your mind then your family. Then desperation and the actual thought of dying yourself. Driving to work is dangerous. You could die at anytime but most people don't even consider it until it is too late. Well when you carry a weapon for a living and are willing to run toward instead of away from then it gives you a lot of time to think about it. Most people don't think that death may visit next week or month or anything else. But when you sign up to do a job that you may very well be killed doing then... They live with it. It takes a toll. Never knowing when your unit may be deployed and so on. Who you may have to kill or get killed. I was in Somalia I was in the Army. I have been other places too as a contractor and it isn't pretty. Hangings and beheadings sometimes just left because they didn't have the consideration for life to at least bury them. So we did. Contractors and military escorts alike. I will never forget the smell. I will never forget the carnage. But I am sort of lucky because realized death is a part of life. It ain't pretty but it is a part of life.