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111 Comments
- inactive, on 07/08/2008, -4/+162I realize people are trying to honor this man, but it's a shame more attention wasn't given to him while he was alive. Such a sad story that affects a larger amount of society than I believe it realizes.
- Lucas123, on 07/08/2008, -3/+91You must volunteer to join the Marines, and can't be drafted into the Corps. This guy served his country and, while I don't know his circumstances, I'm sad to hear he lived homeless after Vietnam. I wish this country would do more for its veterans, particularly those who've suffered the horrors of war.
- WantToPlay, on 07/08/2008, -3/+70It is such a shame how America treated the Military men when they returned from the Vietnam War. My Uncle David was one of those men. He returned home to a thankless country. The rest of his life, he was haunted by the memories of the horrible situations his was in over there. He saw his friends be killed and he needed to kill to survive. Upon his return, he much needed mental help, he was having nightmares all the time. He would wake up believing he was still at war and would act out those situations at home. His marriage suffered and eventually ended. Unfortunately, my Uncle David killed himself last year. He never did get the help he so desperately needed. He just couldn't handle it anymore. It's been a very hard year for my mother and our family. We lost a son, brother, father, uncle, and a friend.
In his honor, we did contact the local Military department for his funeral. He was honored with a full Military funeral and laid to rest in the Military cemetery in Michigan. It was a beautiful ceremony.
To my Uncle David,You will always and forever be my hero. We miss you oh so very much. R.I.P my dear...... - inactive, on 07/08/2008, -0/+59A very sad issue, but very Honorable deed from fellow Marines.
- inactive, on 07/08/2008, -2/+55Its a shame that he was only remembered in his death and not his life
- louiebaur, on 07/08/2008, -2/+51Yea this country needs to do alot more for its vets I am one of them!
- ColonelTribune, on 07/08/2008, -0/+37Agreed. But I wouldn't want to take away from the fact that his fellow Marines performed a good, honorable deed.
- roastedbagel, on 07/08/2008, -4/+40Semper Fi
/never served, but utmost respect for those who have - inactive, on 07/08/2008, -0/+28At least some people were kind enough to give him a military burial. That is better treatment than many vets get. I agree that they deserve much much more.
- AmyVernon, on 07/08/2008, -0/+25You both make excellent points. Part of the problem is that he'd kind of fallen away from his family and the county veterans service folks (who are very involved) didn't even know about him. Which is, indeed, a damn shame.
- PHiZ187, on 07/09/2008, -3/+28Cheaper to honor him in death than in life, apparently.
- Nosty, on 07/08/2008, -0/+23The percentage of homeless people that are veterans is pretty absurd. I don't have any actual numbers, and I don't recall what I read the last time I looked into it. Only my reaction being "Jesus christ, that's terrible."
- madwaxer, on 07/08/2008, -2/+25hope they also take the time to find ways to help re-integrate current army men.
- CalgaryFreedom, on 07/08/2008, -0/+20There seems to be another issue here that I see - why was this vet living in the woods for 15 years? Was this his choice? Or the choice of society?
- davidwasman, on 07/09/2008, -0/+20My Father, a Vietnam Veteran himself, is also a Marine and has taken part in many funerals like this, in the past.
I may not always agree with Politicians and war, but I stand by every single member of the armed services. I am proud of them and weep for the sacrifices they have made.
Just because I am a 'bleeding heart liberal' doesn't mean I forgot where some of our freedoms came from.
OOOOOrraahh and Sempre Fi, Marines. Job well done. - ericjohnson0, on 07/09/2008, -1/+19Thanks, Hewett. Thanks for your service to our country and to the cause of honorable peace. I'm sorry things didn't go so well for you after you retired.
The following is for you and all those like you who served with Honor.
"It is foolish and wrong to mourn the men who died. Rather we should thank God that such men lived." George S. Patton
http://thesaloon.net/blog/_archives/2008/7/1/37719 ... - luke374, on 07/09/2008, -4/+18But Bill O'Reilly said that homeless vets are a myth?!
- AmyVernon, on 07/08/2008, -2/+15my condolences. thank you for sharing your story...
- Johnagain, on 07/09/2008, -1/+13I live in the Great State of Washington. The Washington State Department of Veterans Affairs will provide assistance to any Veteran, all he has to do is ask. They also provide a counselor to help them navigate the government paperwork and such. No Veteran need ever sleep outside in my state unless he wants to. Please contact the department of veterans affairs in your state and find out if they have a similar program. If you find a homeless veteran, you can give him bus fare and directions to the Department of veterans, or give him a ride there if you feel comfortable doing so. Introduce them to a veterans counselor, and they will take it from there. Many older veterans don't know that this sort of service is available to them. This is a small thing to do, but it can be huge for the hero that stood up to defend our country.
God Bless America, and all who defend her. - KW223, on 07/09/2008, -1/+14This country needs to do much more for its veterans while they are still alive. It is touching that his Marine brothers have come together to give him a proper and dignified burial. May he rest in peace.
- JerichoSam, on 07/08/2008, -1/+14This is a sad story, indeed.
- JoeVet, on 07/09/2008, -3/+13Your uncle deserved better. He gave way more then he was given by his country.
- WantToPlay, on 07/08/2008, -0/+11Very true, my friend.
- AmyVernon, on 07/09/2008, -0/+10a little of both, I suppose. He never really got the help he needed to reintegrate with society, and made the decision to live in the woods. One could argue whether he *really* made the decision or not, but I don't suppose we'll ever truly know the answer to that.
- lhbaker, on 07/09/2008, -0/+10Buried for use of the word 'buried' in this particular context.
- JoeVet, on 07/09/2008, -1/+11Vietnam......what a waste of life that was and continues to be. God bless those that served and came home to to an unforgiving country. Thank goodnes we now know it is our executive branch who is to blame for pointless war and not those who fight. Come home safe guys and girls.
- auntvonna, on 07/09/2008, -0/+10I lived in South Florida and there was a HUGE population of homeless Vets living in Pompano Beach (mostly Vietnam vets), I'm talking 100's. It was eye opening and mortifying! How sad that our country could let this happen to our service men and women.
That being said, I do offer my heartfelt thanks for the Marine Corps for giving this man an honorable burial. He deserves it. - securitymonkey, on 07/09/2008, -0/+10Time to guard heaven's gates, Marine.
Semper Fi. - Akaricloud, on 07/09/2008, -0/+9Way to bring politics into something which was about an honorable deed.
You honestly disgust me bacchante. When the time comes, and sure it might not be today, or tomorrow or even for another 100 years. But when the time DOES come that you need an armed soldier to protect you and your freedoms or liberties, I hope you trail off that crap in their face. - WantToPlay, on 07/09/2008, -2/+9Thank you... That means alot to me.
- lhbaker, on 07/09/2008, -1/+9Veterans make up almost a quarter of the homeless population in the United States. There are going to have to be a LOT more of these kinds of funerals before we deserve to feel better about ourselves as a country.
- jaydoj, on 07/09/2008, -2/+8I've got tears in my eyes. I'm really sorry. Thanks to your Uncle David for serving. I don't support our war, but I support our boys (and girls) over there fighting.
- Aeroboy, on 07/09/2008, -0/+7Once a Marine, always a Marine.
- fox1324, on 07/09/2008, -1/+8thats good of them to give him a funeral.. but wouldnt putting a roof over his head have been more helpful?? you know, while he was alive...
- danibobanny, on 07/09/2008, -1/+7You could always take the comment as it was meant and NEVER EVER get your panties in a twist again.
- jboitnott, on 07/09/2008, -0/+6It all comes back to what LewP said at the start. We need to take actual care of people who need it while they are alive. (not shun them because they are homeless.)
- JGUSMC7, on 07/09/2008, -0/+6"...If the Army and the Navy
Ever look on Heaven's scenes;
They will find the streets are guarded
By United States Marines."
Marine Corps Hymn. - WantToPlay, on 07/09/2008, -1/+6NOW, why would you ask a question like that? How insensitive can 1 person be. Does it really make a difference what he had to do to stay alive during a thankless war? Didn't you even read my comment?
But you know what, I'm not going to waste my precious time on you. It's people like you that.............. NEVER MIND............... - lcarsdeveloper, on 07/09/2008, -0/+6Proof that unlike what certain politicians and the media say, you CAN be against the war and still support the troops. To me, the best way to support the troops in Iraq is to bring them home and look after them for the rest of their lives, it's what they deserve.
- PhilLesh69, on 07/09/2008, -1/+6You are wrong. Once you are selected for the draft, you can either be selected or can volunteer to join the marine corps. That's not to say that they don't pick the best inductees, but to say that you cannot be drafted and end up in the marines is just wrong.
From http://www.historicalsociety.com/vietnam.html :
Joseph John Meyer, Jr.
The son of Joseph J. and Jean V. Meyer, he was born in Somerset, Pennsylvania but grew up in Mechanicsburg. Drafted into the Marine Corps on 7 December 1968, he took his recruit training at Parris Island South Carolina and began his tour in Vietnam 11 June 1969. Part of the Battalion Landing Team, 1st Battalion, 26th Marine Regiment, he was killed in action on 4 July 1969 during his first military operation. He was 20.
As far as this country doing more for its veterans, nobody should argue against anything but the most funding and the best programs for anyone who has been on a battlefield. Makes me wonder why a former POW voted against such legislation. We can spend a trillion dollars going to war (which is not just burned money, it goes into the pockets of campaign contributing arms producers) yet we cannot spend a billion or two putting anyone who's been shot at for this country through a decent college, or ensuring they get the best treatment for any problems that result from their time on the battlefield. But hey, that's just me, I figure if people can profit from war, then why should the people who conduct that war suffer, and not get at least some of the crumbs. - SQLDigger, on 07/08/2008, -1/+6A more telling statistic would be what pct. of veterans are homeless people versus the general populace. I'd be curious to find out.
- mrfunktastic, on 07/09/2008, -2/+7I dug you up, but it's not the fault of the victims of a system run by tycoons to keep a huge part of the populace deliberately undereducated so they have a serving force of shooters to protect their empire.
{Edit - perhaps it is not a deliberate conspiracy to do this, but it sure works out conveniently, and when the people who hold the purse strings can all afford private school, why not let the masses be dumb and patriotic and want to get blown up for their "Commander in Chief".}
Our service people do what they are told. It's the people at the top who use that for good or evil.
Bush = extreme traitor to this country, he threw our kids at a situation that was only ever designed for profits and control of oil. May he burn in hell. - Ubergoober3, on 07/09/2008, -1/+6He was a marine, different from army
- PhilLesh69, on 07/09/2008, -0/+5They probably only found out about his plight because he died.
There are thousands of homeless veterans in Washington DC. They are either too mentally screwed up, or too proud, to ask for help.
When they die, if someone finds out about their service, people try to get them burials with military honors.
And, there are groups that try to locate these guys while they are alive to get them help. Sometimes they succeed, other times the veterans refuse for whatever reason (again, they may have mental problems or addictions, or they might just be too proud to ask for or accept help.) - tburke261, on 07/09/2008, -2/+6My condolences as well.
- WantToPlay, on 07/09/2008, -1/+5Thank you. Yes, he did deserve more. But so did many of our Vietnam Vets. It's really sad that our country had to learn how to support our Military Troops from our past mistakes. The good thing is that their learning, but the pain and suffering still remains there for those Vets. There are so many of them out there that have just giving up. And unless they tell us their stories, we'll never know. Thank you for your support.
- betweenthebars, on 07/09/2008, -1/+5dick 2x.
- soinie, on 07/09/2008, -1/+6Our country is run like any other money grubbing corporation without heart or compassion; if it doesn't work with the bottom line, get rid of it despite the years of service and dedication.
- Pittance, on 07/09/2008, -1/+5At least in this series of war, the country is recognizing that we should respect the soldiers who fight regardless of opinion, and hate the politicians or decisions if we hate the war.
- ChinezePanda, on 07/09/2008, -2/+6Thats *****.
While he's alive everyone and his government practically told him to go ***** himself.
But when he is dead... a full militar funeral? Is that supposed to make 35 years of neglect ok?
This man died pissed, alone, and abandoned...
Rest in peace whoever you were. -
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