In 1969, Edwin Starr wrote and produced a song about war.
The refrain went:
War, huh, yeah
What is it good for
Absolutely nothing
If this is the case, then why does every generation have its war. For my grandparents, it was World War I, for my parents World War II, for my generation Viet Nam and for my children the Gulf War.
War is often a solution to economic issues back home or a religious / philosophical issue. No matter what the reasons, war is never pretty and it leaves a trail of grief where ever it roams.
When I entered the US Army, Vietnam was in full swing. By the time I graduated from college and my basic course, women could no longer volunteer to be deployed. However, this war affected me personally.
I had known and loved a man from elementary school through high school. He was my best friend and boyfriend for all of those years. He did not go to college and joined the Army right out o f high school. He was deployed to Vietnam on a helicopter squad. He did not make it through his first tour. He is on The Wall-USA in Washington, D.C.
Here is what it says about this amazing man: WO – W1 – Army – Reserve 1st AVN BDE His tour began on Dec 8, 1969 Casualty was on Feb 23, 1970 In KHANH HOA, SOUTH VIETNAM HOSTILE, HELICOPTER – CREW AIR LOSS, CRASH ON LAND Body was recovered Panel 13W – Line 48
This is the testament to his life. Where do we rem ember his life? Where do we remember his laughter and smile? Where do we remember his love of dance?
Vietnam is the war no one wants to remember. So many war protests were conducted that is was difficult to speak for the living much less for the dead. We, as a nation, did a better job of welcoming home the veterans of World War I and II and even Korea, but Vietnam was the war no one wanted to recognize and the veterans have been forgotten as well.
My daughters visited the Vietnam memorial and saw Paul ’s name on the wall. It so impacted my eldest that when in 8th grade a documentary on the Wall was shown and Paul ’s name was highlighted, she shouted out, “That’s my mom’s boyfriend.” She told her class the story of this man and his sacrifice for his country.
Let’s not forget the fallen, the damaged, and the healthy veterans who return from this generation’s war. Let’s examine why we go to war and why the US needs to be the world’s police force before we get into another battle.
Say “Thank you” to all individuals who have served our country. They often did not volunteer for the battle. This was not their DREAM .
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Linda Patten, MBA, BSN, RN has over 30 years of experience leading women to success in building and achieving their dreams. She turns networking marketing women from product sellers to leaders of highly functioning teams. To learn more about her innovative programs, click on Contact Us .