For some serendipitous reason, the subject of the Vietnam War has appeared on my mind’s radar a lot in the past few weeks.  It started with reading Rock ‘n’ Roll Soldier and carried over into discussions with friends about scenes from movies and TV shows about the war. 

All of this caused me to reflect on when the war was first brought home to me.  I was at the former 23^rd Avenue Church of God in Phoenix.  It was a dinky little church and no one came in or left without being noticed. 

One Sunday night, one of the men came into church a tad late and, when he did, everyone turned around to see who it was.  This man came in carrying one of his cousins in his arms.  Why? The cousin was without any legs.

Long story short, this cousin had just been released from the hospital after spending time healing from having both legs blown off in ‘Nam. In the years following, I watched this man overcome this imposed disability and do things most men with both legs would do.  He hunted in the rugged Arizona desert, bounce off his butt on a diving board into a swimming, laughing all the way.  He went on to marry the pastors daughter and entered into the ministry.

The reason I mention this is that, over the years, Hollywood has often painted the Vietnam veteran as mental cases from an asylum, to quote Billy Joel.

I beg to differ.                                                     

I have had the privilege to meet many of these brave men and women and have read about many, many more.  I can honestly say that not once have a met one that was psycho.  Affected by the war?  Of course!  Wouldn’t anybody?  But “affect” doesn’t mean that someone is a nut case. 

With the soldiers I’ve met, they have a better perspective of the value of life while fully aware of man’s inhumanity to man.  They feel lucky to be alive, amazed that they made it through some deadly battles.  As the man I referred to earlier, he survived a mine designed to kill but “only” maimed.  Yet, as I mentioned, he continued to live life to the fullest.

These brave men and women live with the memories of, and lessons from, war and have gone on to live positive, productive lives. They are an inspiration to us all and can’t be thanked enough for their service to our country.