Who wants to help?

Well, since I have been there and done that (VietNam) I wish all the best for Sean and his family. I truly hope he gets all the help he is entitled to and then some. His sacrifices for our country should be awarded far more now than ever before. Sean is a great candidate for the reason we are still supposed to be a democratic country. However, not to bring you down more, but I notice at the VA hospital that a lot of our boys and girls who are coming home injured and missing parts, are still being treated as second class citizens and if I had my way, I would impeach every politician in the country who comes up with the idea that more discussion is needed and lets put more money in our own pockets before we are called to our accountability for denying these, our sons, daughters and friends what is truly do them. Just my opinion.

Please pass this along to Sean.

In 2004 a company contacted me to work in southern Minnesota to substitute for a mechanical engineer being sent over to Iraq. He was, and still is a volunteer in the National Guard.

My role was to do his job while he was away. He came back early, injured and after his health got better he went back to work.

For a while the company kept me on... So for several months I was able to work side-by-side with him as he (and the entire company) went through another hit.

The lead engineer, and his wife, were both killed in a snowmobile accident.

The place never could truly rejoice after the soldier returned since his long-time friend and co-worker, was killed.

Me? Well, I learned more about this man and the small town he came from as well as how treasured he was within the community. The company felt the same way and each month care packages were sent on his behalf. Prior to his coming home.

He was deployed for over a year and my job was to fill his shoes.

I'm sorry, but you can't fill the shoes of someone coming from a town of less than 1200 people who already deem the guy a hero before he even hit the trail to Iraq.

So each week I loaded up my vehicle and traveled over 200 miles to life in a tiny apartment - only to return each week to my home.

Since I'm considered an oldster by most, militarily speaking of course, I couldn't go abroad to fight.

My role was that of one by being distanced while this gentleman was in Iraq. You see, I wasn't him, but I replaced him temporarily and since it was a small town I really wasn't received very well. I wasn't him.

I mildly got to know his wife as she also was a co-worker, whom the company hired after he left. My words to her were nothing new. I told her how admired everyone there is of her husband and if she needed anything to please feel free to ask.

In my off hours I helped a couple replace the roof on their garage... Something they normally would have asked this guy to do (for an extra hand.) Since I knew how to go about doing it, I did it for little or nothing.

So explain to your friend that words will not help him, only actions from others, along with his own, will help him. The information others gave you will also help him out.

Welcome home soldier.

Thank you.

edit:

By the way, it would be nice if the political garbage being spewed by too many in this post... Would shut the F- up and show some decency and compassion. A soldier returning home injured has no place for having to read through the lurid, foolish or abusive comments by anyone chirping in the choir.

I have family members who have served or are currently serving, as well. Welcome home, indeed, Sean. I wish your friend and his family well.

Regarding "who will help" --Services are available for Sean and his family, but they will have to learn to advocate for themselves. Disabled Vets programs will help if he contacts them, but they probably will not contact him. They are often underfunded and even the government's own programs were unprepared for the numbers and severity of injuries. How many years into the war, and the DOD is playing catch-up still. That said, he should be able to get services through his unit until he is discharged from the military. ASK for help. Primary searches on line using key words like "Disability" and "Disabled Veterans" would be a place to start. WHO will help them? Well, you can be the start of the process. Do a bit of research, get active, and be aggressive in as positive a way as you can on his behalf, if that is an appropriate role for you. Good luck to you as well as to him.

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My condolences to your friend's brother, Hon. The situation you described brings me great sadness. I hope that the VA contributes to his financial, medical and psychological support, but the VA is only as good as the government who funds it, and we know how that's going.

My first husband was caused disability in Vietnam. The returning veterans from that war were treated with disdain by the very people who sent them there. It was very difficult for me to understand those who supported yet another unnecessary war when the "screwed-up Vietnam veteran" was so commonplace as to become almost a cliche. I'm afraid we're going to be experiencing the same thing with another generation of returning veterans.

Bless your friend's brother, and bless you for caring about him.

I do not support this war at all, but I support the troops. I would love to help out, and I am very handy, but I doubt that you live in my area. Tell your friend thanks for his efforts in this unwarranted war. How long has he been in the service?

I am so sorry to hear about your friend's brother. Please let him know that there are people who are really grateful for the sacrifice he's made, and that there is nothing more honorable than to serve his country and that we commend him for that. Here's some sites that might be able to help.

www.uswoundedsoldiers.com

www.diability.gov

www.operationhomefront.com

www.military.com/benefits/resources/support-our-troops

Well, I'm not republican but I'd be happy to help.

Guess you'll need to find a way to communicate off line with those of us who have offered some.

As a vet from another war I want to express my sincerest appreciation for your friends brother's service to our country. Please let him know there are true Americans who support the troops. In my war the draft left little choice. In his war, he volunteered. There are veterans services who can help. Please have him contact the DAV and Veterans Administration. He is a true hero.

I will help any way I can. I don't support this war, but I fully back the brave troops who fight.

Hopefully his local community will pitch in to make the modifications to his house. I can also only hope that they won't make a political circus out of doing so.

It is so sad that soldiers die and soldiers get injured and people cheapen their sacrifice by using it to make a lame political troll.