Memorial Day 2017
* This is an older, pre-Jesus post about Memorial day. This is still something a struggle quite a bit with. The commercialization of this holiday is not easy for me to handle at times. Anyways I thought this was a pretty low profanity post so I thought I would repost. Enjoy!*
I made it thru at least half the month before I saw the first commercial. Big huge letters and bright patriotic backgrounds telling me what a bundle I can save on Memorial Day weekend. But let me start from the beginning.
I dislike May. Maybe one of the few nice things my Iraqi vacation did for me was mash the most shittiest of my experiences into to one approximate 40 day period, starting in May and ending after the first 10 days of June. I don't know if giving pauses in between each thing would have helped or not, so I will choose to look on the positive side and say at least it all kind of happened at once.
For one, the riots were unending, the detainees knew that soon it would be too hot for them to riot so they made sure to do it almost daily. If it wasn't riot, it was escapes, or windstorm/sandstorm patrols; either way nobody got down time from work or even sleep really. Once we did get back to our living areas, hopefully the A/C worked well because the tents and especially the metal pods would bake you will you slept.
Then I found a childhood friend had been killed up north, less than a week later a sergeant from my home base was killed too also deployed up north. In between those two dates, Mother's day came and went and I am positive I did not get to call my mom. It was probably a good thing too, I was pretty full of rage by that point. And work went on, more detainees, riots, and escape attempts; most people now slept an average of 2-3 hours, it was too hot even with the A/C.
The final fun filled day literally exploded into the hottest day I have ever been in. Thankfully no Americans were killed but watching a good friend start exhibiting classic TBI signs is a little scary. The later part of the day was 135 degrees, I gave up worrying about rockets and thought I was dead and living in hell.
I'm not whining and I know many other vets have much more difficult experiences. I'm just explaining why I'm not a fan of May. Even now, most of the month I'm more agitated, angry, and my dreams are filled with Bucca. According to my doctor even my blood pressure spikes during this time. Weird. Compounded with my difficulties for this time period is the fact that Memorial Day is right at the end of the month.
Memorial Day is the day where we honor those who have died in service to our country. It is a day set aside to remember those who gave everything, their lives, their futures, and their safety, to ensure ours. How many children never knew their dad, mom, aunt, uncle, grandmother, or grandfather because they fought in France, Holland, Vietnam, or Korea? How many miss brothers, sisters, cousins, daughters, and sons, who left to fight in Afghanistan and Iraq? And so often this solemn day is smashed into a great day to get 25% off a new Ford or Chevy with a special 2.77% APR; or a 5 for $5 t-shirt deal at any store! Is that showing respect for the price that was paid for our freedom?!
I am sure that those who are gone would want us to live, that is what they fought for. But we can live and still remember and honor them. Have a family bbq, hang out with friends, live and laugh. But don't forget, please don't ever forget that those names on gravestones and memorials all over the world, were people who lived and who died to keep us safe and free.
I made it thru at least half the month before I saw the first commercial. Big huge letters and bright patriotic backgrounds telling me what a bundle I can save on Memorial Day weekend. But let me start from the beginning.
I dislike May. Maybe one of the few nice things my Iraqi vacation did for me was mash the most shittiest of my experiences into to one approximate 40 day period, starting in May and ending after the first 10 days of June. I don't know if giving pauses in between each thing would have helped or not, so I will choose to look on the positive side and say at least it all kind of happened at once.
For one, the riots were unending, the detainees knew that soon it would be too hot for them to riot so they made sure to do it almost daily. If it wasn't riot, it was escapes, or windstorm/sandstorm patrols; either way nobody got down time from work or even sleep really. Once we did get back to our living areas, hopefully the A/C worked well because the tents and especially the metal pods would bake you will you slept.
Then I found a childhood friend had been killed up north, less than a week later a sergeant from my home base was killed too also deployed up north. In between those two dates, Mother's day came and went and I am positive I did not get to call my mom. It was probably a good thing too, I was pretty full of rage by that point. And work went on, more detainees, riots, and escape attempts; most people now slept an average of 2-3 hours, it was too hot even with the A/C.
The final fun filled day literally exploded into the hottest day I have ever been in. Thankfully no Americans were killed but watching a good friend start exhibiting classic TBI signs is a little scary. The later part of the day was 135 degrees, I gave up worrying about rockets and thought I was dead and living in hell.
I'm not whining and I know many other vets have much more difficult experiences. I'm just explaining why I'm not a fan of May. Even now, most of the month I'm more agitated, angry, and my dreams are filled with Bucca. According to my doctor even my blood pressure spikes during this time. Weird. Compounded with my difficulties for this time period is the fact that Memorial Day is right at the end of the month.
Memorial Day is the day where we honor those who have died in service to our country. It is a day set aside to remember those who gave everything, their lives, their futures, and their safety, to ensure ours. How many children never knew their dad, mom, aunt, uncle, grandmother, or grandfather because they fought in France, Holland, Vietnam, or Korea? How many miss brothers, sisters, cousins, daughters, and sons, who left to fight in Afghanistan and Iraq? And so often this solemn day is smashed into a great day to get 25% off a new Ford or Chevy with a special 2.77% APR; or a 5 for $5 t-shirt deal at any store! Is that showing respect for the price that was paid for our freedom?!
I am sure that those who are gone would want us to live, that is what they fought for. But we can live and still remember and honor them. Have a family bbq, hang out with friends, live and laugh. But don't forget, please don't ever forget that those names on gravestones and memorials all over the world, were people who lived and who died to keep us safe and free.
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