On Veterans Day

On Veterans Day I will go to a body of water and take most of the morning thinking about my brothers and sisters in arms. I will stare out at the lake, or river, or pond and reflect on those with whom I served, those I never met, and of those who, either by conflict, accident or their own hand, never made it to the honor of being called "Veteran."

Whether combat or not, PTSD is common among all who wore our country's uniform. It is caused by many situations, from the horrors of war to survivor's guilt to having our individuality broken, breaking each down from the "I/Me" to the "Us/We" --- none escape military service without some form of damage. As I wrote in "War Springs Eternal,"

"The touched and untouched will carry scars; some on the outside --- all on the inside."

There are many who scream about freedoms, rights, and democracy, however there are few of us who were actually willing to sacrifice for those freedoms and rights and democracy!

Happy Veterans Day to all my fellow veterans, although we may have never met, we share a bond only few understand.