My Views: by Tom Peck

Veterans Have Earned Respect

I look at some of the comments that are posted in the vets group and I wonder why some would feel the slightest pity about how our enemy is interrogated, considering the treatment of our wounded and dead by our enemies who are supposed to abide by the Geneva Convention.

Yes, there are questionable interrogation methods, but water boarding is not as inhumane as what terrorists are doing worldwide, using their religion to justify it. 

We're not the ones who are deliberately killing innocent men, women, babies, children, and families on planes, buses, cars, in hotels, restaurants, office buildings and on the streets. 

When our enemies use the population to cover their activities, it's the innocent who always pay the price. The enemy knowingly set it up this way in every war and without a conscience as to loss of life -- as long as it's not theirs.

Why do those among us feel sympathy for heartless, unconscionable murderers, whether it be here, or anywhere else, worldwide?  Shouldn't we have sympathy for the victims?  To me, the methods we use to obtain information are far more humane than the acts of terrorists. 

The public doesn't have any idea about what the combatant goes through, the sacrifices made by our military once they are voted into harm's way. Their families are burdened with not knowing about their loved ones between letters, or locked in secrecy without knowing anything at all.

Waiting, always waiting, for a phone call from a loved one, or waiting and hoping not to get a knock on the door.  "We Were Solders" brought this home tragically and impersonally. Now, at least uniformed soldiers come to your door.  But the ignorant in our society disrespect the funerals of those who have paid the ultimate price. The misuse of our constitution allows this, but why?  Because those that sacrifice nothing expect everything at our expense.

Freedom Isn't Free

Freedom comes at a high price, but the malcontents of society aren't willing to pay, but again live off those that have. The wives and families of vets are the forgotten equation of the support system and they are not able to recover.

Understanding comes from being open-minded and compassionate. Lack of knowledge and reality closes a lot of doors to communication. Listening to the wrong people helps no one, especially you. A closed mind is a mind that lacks knowledge and compassion.

If the public isn't given all the the facts, it will repeat Vietnam all over again at our expense. Edited media is shameful and so is anti-military media. It goes against every sacrifice the combatants risk for their country to find out their country couldn't care less.

We of the past are still paying for those judgments, even now.  Every veteran suffers from misinformation, bureaucratic bungling, political trickery, wasteful foreign policy, budget cuts, fraudulent bailouts, fraudulent government contracts, and a government that just doesn't care.

So what do you think of my views? We sacrifice, the wives sacrifice, the families sacrifice, and for what?  An anti-patriotic, anti-military government?

Tom Peck
USMC Vietnam
January-August '69
WIA 28 July "69



“I am only one, but I am one. I can't do everything, but I can do something. The something I ought to do, I can do, and by the grace of God, I will.” ~Everett Hale

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