Veterans Day

On Veterans Day I go to a body of water, this year I will be going to either the Atlantic Ocean or perhaps the small pond outside of where I am living and take some time thinking about my brothers and sisters in arms. I will stare out at the water 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.

Joe Leonardi

US Navy 1982-1987

About the AuthorLeonardi identifies primarily as a storyteller rather than a formal academic, emphasizing raw, narrative-driven impact over rigid grammatical structures. His personal website and bibliography can be explored via his Amazon Author Profile.

Doc Joe is an author who frequently writes about heavy psychological, emotional, and health-related themes.