Thankyou Letter from Iraq..

[Sluggo / NY]

My brother.. a Nam Vet like myself.. just forwarded this to me. In light of the anniversary of the Tet offensive.. I thought it appropriate to post it...

A Thankyou to all Vietnam Vets from a Marine in Iraq

A guy gets time to think over here and I was thinking about all the support we

get from home. Sometimes it's overwhelming. We get care packages at times

faster than we can use them. There are boxes and boxes of toiletries and

snacks lining the center of every tent; the generosity has been amazing. So, I

was pondering the question: "Why do we have so much support?"

In my opinion, it all came down to one thing: Vietnam Veterans.

I think we learned a lesson, as a nation, that no matter what, you have to

support the troops who are on the line, who are risking everything. We treated

them so poorly back then. When they returned was even worse. The stories are

nightmarish of what our returning warriors were subjected to. It is a national

scar, a blemish on our country, an embarrassment to all of us.

After Vietnam , it had time to sink in. The guilt in our collective

consciousness grew. It shamed us. However, we learned from our mistake.

Somewhere during the late 1970's and on into the 80's, we realized that we can't

treat our warriors that way. So ... starting during the Gulf War, when the

first real opportunity arose to stand up and support the troops, we did. We did

it to support our friends and family going off to war. But we also did it to

right the wrongs from the Vietnam era. We treat our troops of today like the

heroes they were, and are, acknowledge and celebrate their sacrifice, and

rejoice at their homecoming ... instead of spitting on them.

And that support continues today for those of us in Iraq . Our country knows

that it must support us and it does. The lesson was learned in Vietnam and we

are all better because of it.

Everyone who has gone before is a hero. They are celebrated in my heart. I

think admirably of all those who have gone before me. From those who fought to

establish this country in the late 1770's to those I serve

with here in Iraq.They have all sacrificed to ensure our freedom. But when I

get back home, I'm going to make it a personal mission to specifically thank

every Vietnam Vet I encounter for THEIR sacrifice. Because if

nothing else good came from that terrible war, one thing did. It was the lesson

learned on how we treat our warriors. We as a country learned from our mistake

and now we treat our warriors as heroes, as we should have all along. I am the

beneficiary of their sacrifice. Not only for the freedom they, like veterans

from other wars, ensured, but for how well our country now treats my fellow

Marines and I. We are the beneficiaries of their sacrifice.

Semper Fidelis,

Major Brian P. Bresnahan

United States Marine Corps

[Capt Vince Pierleoni]

Sluggo, Thank you for serving our Country and for sharing that letter. Because of people like you we can enjoy freedoms like fishing.

[FISHINMAN]

Ditto what capt. Vince said. The people that risk their lives defending this country so that we can enjoy are freedom are the GREATEST ever as far as I am concerned

[jason]

thank you very much.

[Dance the Tides]

Wow. Brings back memories. I was not in the Marines nor was I involved in Tet. But I know why Brian and his men are getting packages. I spent 18 months in combat zones in the early 1970’s, most of it outside the wire, walking. I got exactly one Care package of chocolate chip cookies and Tabasco sauce - from my sister. When I came back, the only greeters were demonstrators. I decided right then that I would do what I could to keep that from happening to anyone following. I wasn’t in position to do anything until 1991 after the first Gulf War, and it didn’t work.

Since 2001 I have done what I can, sometimes getting school kids to send things, sometimes giving rides from the airport, sometimes sending things myself. I get info from the VFW, the Red Cross, other veterans groups, local press and word of mouth.

Lip service is BS. Keep an ear out for the kid down the street who joined and do something. Send him or her a note, a package, anything. Just make sure it has chocolate chip cookies and hot sauce.

Paul

[fishfearme]

Semper Fi Major Bresnahan

Unfortunatly I also served but will be able to receive any veterens benifits. I served in what is known as the "forgotten era" between the end of vietnam era GI bill and the reinstament of the modern era GI bill. I don't rate gi hospital or a gi loan or any other benifit affored to all other veterens. Here is a direcet quote that I will never forget after I was refused a VA loan for my first house "You never served in a time of conflict so you don't deserve any benifits". Direct quote from the VA in 1984. I truely appreciate all who have served, I just hope we all can be treated as equals someday.

[sfarm]

Thanks to ALL that served. And Major, I also server in the time of the cold war, USAF 82-86 and Bought my first house in 1990 on a VA loan. You do deserve the benefits, I think they were pulling a fast one on you. Some benefits are restricted to veterans of conflict but not a VA Loan. Our country does not need a conflict/war to honor its vets.