by Quiana Kyles

Created on: November 18, 2008

TALES OF A VET BRAT

As, we journey through this horrible time of war where love ones are loosing lost doves to the drama through out the land there is one population of people who are ignored within this equation. There are civilian deaths, innocent blood shed, and soldiers who return home shattered due to their ordeal. Yet, the children of these soldiers are the ones that suffer the most. See, beyond the flags that are extended at grave sights, to dog tags that are placed within the hands of wives and mothers there is a population of people who some how get ignored.

I, can remember times when many addictive stories of war ring in my ear at the tender age of 13, or dreams that still haunt the minds and bodies of all the soldiers who went in as children yet who return to civilian life as strangers. See, It doesn't matter what stage of the war you may find yourself in there is a child right today that has to remove the tears of a soldier whom can't fend for himself because he saw too much and heard too little about change. Many, are dealing with parents right now who can't keep up with the cost of living or health care expenses all because they don't qualify. The children, of these vets have to sit and watch in agony as they watch their parents bodies waste away from years of abusing alcohol and having addictive episodes with that purple haze just to erase the memories of blood shed and the smell of death through out the air. To, fight in the name of obtaining an education only to discover that holding a gun at the age of 17 was their reality.

The aftermath of wars, have shattered dreams of a oneness with self and family as names of "BABY KILLERS" still ring out in the minds of these young doves fit for battle. These, casualties of war yearn for better days ahead. We, are the children of heroes societies rejected. Yet, as we stand for them who will stand for us? We, presidents prepare speeches that are pleasing to the ear who will fight in Washington for us? These men and women of war should be secured in their government in knowing that if they do risk their lives they would have access to proper housing, health care, and financial compensation for all that they gave up just so all of us could be free. For all of the young doves out there that find themselves holding on to the idea of true freedom through out the land listen to those stories, lift up their spirits and encourage a forgotten nation to hang on to the freedom that they worked so hard to protect. For in the lives of the men and the women who serve our country should be submereged within the goal of equality, liberty, and justice. They should have the true freedom to live and rest in knowing that what they endured wasn't in vein.

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