NationStates Jolt Archive

Since this seems to be a popular type of thread just now, I thought some of you might like to ask a retired/disabled Vietnam veteran a few questions. Flames will be ignored! I promise you on my honor as a veteran to respond with ONLY the truth!

Combat has to suck. I missed it in 1990.

if they were real would you eat a crabby patty?

I talked to two Korean Conflict veterens and got two different versions of history.

One said that Truman refused to reequip MacArthur as he and his men marched into North Korea, thus costing us many lives and reuinification of the Koreas under non-Communism.

The other one said that MacArthur disobeyed orders and was marching straight for the chinese border, which would probably have started WWIII.

Well since you are a "retired/disabled Vietnam veteran" how about this for a question ... What is your opinion on the current state of the VA health/hospital system. Do you take advantage of this system and if so (or if not) why? I think I've noticed a slight difference between Vietnam vets and WWII vets, for example. My father, a WWII ExPOW,DAV, doesn't use the system because he is still covered under his former work's plan and he wants those who are more disabled than him to get the full benefits of the system.

Combat has to suck. I missed it in 1990.

I'm glad I had the chance to experience it first-hand, but would probably not want to do it again! Being in a combat zone is mostly long periods of boredom interspersed with short periods of sheer terror, frantic activity, and a bit of exhiliration mixed in. It made me an adrenalin junkie. :)

Are you, or have you ever been a member of the communist party?

Are you, or have you ever been a member of the communist party?

:confused: No why :confused:

if they were real would you eat a crabby patty?

ROFLMAO!!! There was one period during the second Tet Offensive when I would have eaten virtually anything remotely edible!

I talked to two Korean Conflict veterens and got two different versions of history.

One said that Truman refused to reequip MacArthur as he and his men marched into North Korea, thus costing us many lives and reuinification of the Koreas under non-Communism.

The other one said that MacArthur disobeyed orders and was marching straight for the chinese border, which would probably have started WWIII.

The only thing I know about all this is that McArthur and Truman got into a contest of wills and Truman, being the Commander In Chief, won.

Are you, or have you ever been a member of the communist party?

Since I'm not applying for anything requiring a security clearance, this question is irrelevant.

Would you compare Iraq to Vietnam in the way the resistance to US occupation is being run?

Well since you are a "retired/disabled Vietnam veteran" how about this for a question ... What is your opinion on the current state of the VA health/hospital system. Do you take advantage of this system and if so (or if not) why? I think I've noticed a slight difference between Vietnam vets and WWII vets, for example. My father, a WWII ExPOW,DAV, doesn't use the system because he is still covered under his former work's plan and he wants those who are more disabled than him to get the full benefits of the system.

That is very noble of your father. I salute him!

So far ( crossing my fingers ) I have not had to make use of my VA health benefits. So my knowledge of how the system works is minimal. As far as I know, the current state of the VA healthcare system is improving. That's about all I know about it.

what service were you in

Where where you wounded? (i mean, arms, legs, balls?).

So how much was it for 'short time'? Was $15 really too much to ask?

Would you compare Iraq to Vietnam in the way the resistance to US occupation is being run?

Iraq is nothing like Vietnam. The quality and expertise of the American armed forces in Iraq is nothing short of amazing! If I had doubts about this generation of young men and women before, I no longer do.

I have talked with a great number of soldiers who have either been in Iraq or who are there now. Almost without exception, they are upset that the media seem to cover only the negative aspects of the war and ignore all of the hard work these men and women do. I tell them that it's in the nature of news media to cover primarily the negative aspects because those garner more readers than do the positive aspects.

When they and I discuss the so-called "resistance" in Iraq, almost all of them tell me that these people are compsed almost exclusively of combatants from countries other than Iraq, and a few local Islamic extremists. In Vietnam, almost without exception, we were up against the local Viet Cong cadre, sometimes North Vietnamese Army regulars, and a very, very few others.

Some of the tactics the opposing forces in Iraq utilize are similar in a few aspects to those used in Vietnam. Suicide attacks were virtually unheard of in Vietnam, but are a standard tactic in most of the Islamic world including Iraq.

Does that answer your question, or would you like more information?

what service were you in

The Army.

Where where you wounded? (i mean, arms, legs, balls?).

I was wounded twice in Vietnam, very minor wounds on each arm. Since the only award men who lost an arm or a leg received was a Purple Heart, I did not put myself in for one.

The injury which disabled me was from a military parachute jump gone bad in November of 1996 when I was 53 years old. My mind was writing checks my body was no longer able to cash! I shattered my right femur and broke my right foot. I was in a military hospital for three months the first time and three weeks the second time, and was in a wheelchair for about six months after the second operaion.

I now walk with a slight limp and have about 2 pounds of metal holding my right femur together. I still ride my mountain bike, although I had to have the right pedal modified slightly.

So how much was it for 'short time'? Was $15 really too much to ask?

ROFLMAO!!! NO COMMENT! :D