ApoyaaTuVeterano.org

It has been many years since the Vietnam War ended, but the residual effects are still haunting my husband, a 12 year USMC Gunnery Sgt. combat veteran. The other night, we watched a movie called, "The Green Dragon." I had never seen it before. It was a story of the thousands of refugees we (USA) took into tent cities at our Marine Corps bases, after America pulled out, which meant to Warriors, refugees and our citizens, that we had "lost."

The movie portrayed a USMC Gunnery Sgt., played by Patrick Swayze, and his role in helping to rehome many Vietnamese who were fortunate enough to escape the horrors. Many of the transplanted Vietnamese were checking lists of names all the time, to see if their loved ones had made it to America.

In one scene, a Vietnamese actress becomes horrified when she hears that the U.S. pulled out and lost, thereby abandoning the people who were still trapped in her homeland. She began screaming and hitting Patrick Swayze, saying, "It's YOUR FAULT, it's YOUR FAULT!" My husband, remembering the shock and sickening nausea he felt when he heard that same news, had tears in his eyes as he stated, "It's not his fault."

All these years, he (and many others like him,) have been carrying that around inside....the guilt of abandoning those who could not defend themselves.

I would like to donate my time to have some PTSD "Equine Healing" sessions at our home in Lake Stevens, WA. I had been in contact with the Wounded Warriors, and had even spoken to a liason of theirs, who was excited to get a program started. We also want to offer free sightseeing flights in small planes. We live in an "airpark." Many of our residents are pilots, and a couple of our neighbors have expressed interest to donate flights to Wounded Warriors who are in need of some PTSD healing time.

Some of my neighbor ladies want to help with feeding war-wounded vets and their immediate families. Another wants to help with Equine Healing sessions. She also has horses, and loves working with people.

I am an inhome caregiver for Catholic Communtiy Services. I am a Nursing Assistant, and will test for my certification in June. I am no expert, but I have a warm spot in my heart for veterans who have knowingly risked their lives for us Americans, without ever having met us. I honor that in my husband, and I would like to give back to those who have served and protected us. It is a small way to give thanks. The smallest things matter the most. I want to help soothe their pain. My husband is also interested in helping those who suffer from combat.

If anyone out there knows who I can get in touch with to organize transportation and scheduling of some trips to our home for war-weary, soul-weary active, retired or honorably discharged vets, please spread the word and put them in touch with me and my husband. We would love to get a volunteer program going, with regular weekend visits, including meals.

Thanks,

NJLWNGS.

D_n_GunnieStro@yahoo.com