Yesterday at the White River Junction, Vermont VA

[japple]

5. Thank you so much for your post. Both of my parents were WWII veterans and Dad served in Korea.

Dad was in very intense combat in Northern Italy & Southern France in WWII (w/First Special Service Force). In later years, he talked about those days, especially after he started attending reunions and reconnected with others from the Force. He never, ever talked about Korea, though he was deployed for 2 years. I know that he had some terrible memories, including the capture and execution of one of his hometown buddies (also with the Force) by the Germans, and the carnage on beaches at Anzio, freezing in the foxholes, etc., but Dad never lost his sweet, kind, compassionate nature. He was revered by his family, friends and community.

All of my uncles served in WWII and one in Viet Nam. All are now gone. My favorite cousin served in Viet Nam and has severe hearing loss, also PSTD.

I am so grateful to know that there are people like you who listen to and share the stories of those veterans who are still going through the VA every single day. I took Dad to many appointments at VA in Atlanta, GA, and the waiting rooms were always full. Audiology was cramped, but I am happy to note that the staff were ALWAYS caring, compassionate, and very competent.

Our country will never reach its full potential until it learns how to deal peacefully with other nations. We should never send our young, strong capable men and women into situations where they will be used for cannon fodder and, especially, as is our current policy, neglect them when they return our shores wounded, maimed, and without hope.