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Subscribe to RSSIraq war veteran Jeff Barillaro is using his hip hop music to help fellow soldiers returning from war to cope with post-traumatic stress disorder. NBCNews.com's Alex Witt reports.
Sleep-starved from a repeating nightmare and weary from wondering when all that therapy would reignite his fading hope, former Army tank gunner Jeff Barillaro took aim at his stubborn target with an attack as brilliant as it was simple.
He decided to break up with PTSD.
And he would do it in his increasingly famous style — studio-recorded hip-hop, under his stage name, Soldier Hard.
“I thought: If I could write a letter to PTSD, what would I say to PTSD? Then I thought: Oh, wow, this is going to be powerful,” said Barillaro, an Iraq War veteran, out of the service since 2010, who has steadily gained fame among active-duty troops, young veterans and their families for his bare, often-bleak music about the daily demons of living with severe Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.
Last May, “Dear PTSD,” streamed from his busy mind to his scribbling fingers and, ultimately into a microphone: “Did you listen good when I said, Leave me be? PTSD, get the hell away from me. Cuz you held me down, didn’t even let me sleep, didn’t even let me breathe, didn’t let me live in peace.”
Courtesy of Omar Diaz Photography
Jeff Barillaro, a.k.a. Soldier Hard.
Within the genre of modern military music, Barillaro has ventured a bit further from the mainstream with his growing stockpile of PTSD songs — lyrics and beats tapped from his anger, isolation, divorce, and what he calls “my dark world,” all byproducts, he believes, of extended combat tension and witnessed war horrors.
He has recorded 14 albums, laying down his first tracks on “a minimum setup” at Camp Taji, Iraq, where he discovered that “between missions I could create music as my escape.” He has launched a nonprofit record label, Redcon-1 Music Group, that already boasts a roster containing an Air Force staff sergeant, a Navy sailor, Marine Staff Sgt. Jerry Lozano, and two Army soldiers, including Fort-Hood-based Spc. Stephen Hobbs.
'Music has saved my life'
“I wanted to give other military artists and veterans a chance to tell their stories,” Barillaro said. “Because I know how much music has saved my life. Maybe it can save their life, too.
“I want them to know that same feeling I get when it comes to music, when I’m writing it, and when I’m done and I’m listening to it. I forget where I’m at, any problems I’m having, any bills I can’t pay. It keeps my mind clear. It keeps me sane. That’s why I believe music can really heal people.”
Some of the fans Barillaro has attracted say they are alive only because of the ex-gunner’s lyrical lash outs at anxieties affecting an estimated 20 percent of the men and women who served in Iraq and Afghanistan.
One night in 2007, former Army Corp. and Iraq veteran Keith Briggs said he “was sitting at the computer with a bottle in one hand and a gun in the other,” contemplating shooting himself. He had been diagnosed with PTSD in 2005 just after returning from his second deployment.
Courtesy of Jeff Barillaro
Jeff Barillaro looks at old records of former Iraqi prisoners at Camp Taji, Iraq, after U.S. forces took control of the base.
“For some reason I decided to get on Youtube and I found his song ‘Support Us.’ It changed my outlook on PTSD,” said Briggs, 30, who lives in Shelbyville, Ky. “I knew I was not alone. Soldier Hard's music has saved my life. It has stopped me from suicide. PTSD is a real threat to veterans. Soldier Hard’s music is the tool to fight this."
PTSD expert Dr. Sydney Savion, a retired military officer who has heard Barillaro’s songs, said many of the artist’s themes — particularly when he confronts PTSD — could evoke positive emotions in listeners with post-combat stress. They feel, she said, that he is speaking directly to them, forging a vital bond across the Internet and reinforcing the notion that they are not alone as they all strive to recover.
“Research does suggest that certain music can regulate negative emotions,” said Savion, a Texas-based applied behavior scientist. “But conversely, some therapists have found some music with spoken words or lyrics could cause and has caused agitation when its played for those diagnosed with PTSD. So there is a duality between whether the music will evoke a positive feeling or whether it will conjure up those memories that can cause negative feelings. Not everyone’s going to respond to the music in the same way.
“But there is no definitive line that a rapper should or shouldn’t cross,” she added, “because each individual will respond to it differently.”
'Telling horror stories'
Of course, the quiet irony underscoring Barillaro’s art: PTSD has typically — and purposely — remained a private struggle for many young war veterans. Within the military, the unofficial mantra has been: “Take care of your own business,” or worse: “Getting help is for the weak.” That has affixed PTSD with a social stain common to other mental health issues.
Barillaro, however, has literally shouted out almost every step of his path away from PTSD, stigma and all.
At first, he admits, he was tentative about revealing too much.
“I didn’t want to be looked at as a weak person, and I didn’t want people to be scared (of me). But I was just going to say it because it’s how I feel,” Barillaro said. “And I know there’s a lot of people out there who feel the same way I did. So I decided: I’m going to write it and I’m going to start telling horror stories.
“And then it became not about myself anymore. Because I started seeing how much the music would help other people. Then I was like: Alright, I’m just going to let loose now and let everything out because these people out there are going through same thing I was going through and this gives them some hope.”
The music has helped him. It hasn’t cured him completely. The old nightmare still haunts his sleep: He’s with his buddies in a “Middle Eastern setting,” he said. They begin to take fire from the enemy. His friends are shooting back. But in the dream, Barillaro tosses away his weapon, hides his head and begins sobbing.
“That same dream always, always. But that’s not how I reacted while I was in combat. I was on it," he said. "I don’t even sleep anymore when I wake up from one.”
Courtesy of Jeff Barillaro
Jeff Barillaro, a.k.a. Soldier Hard, crouches in an abandoned building at Camp Taji, Iraq, in 2005
Which — to no one’s surprise — inspired a song released last July: “Intro-Therapy Session.” He takes listeners inside a conversation with a psychologist during which he is asked about any nightmares he’s been experiencing.
“I’m scared, crying and I’m frightened. Then I wake up hella sweaty," he raps. "Tell me why this be. I just wanna die, please tell me: Why me?”
The song’s final verse — accompanied by an ominous, sharp pop and a woman's scream — is not pretty. But, as Barillaro has been preaching all these years, neither is living each day with PTSD.
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The shirt he is wearing says it all. It's a loyalty thing..........some have it some don't.
"It keeps my mind clear. It keeps me sane."
That's called a job - you find your place and apply yourself then the thump/whistle dreams go away.
PTSD isn't dismissed that easily, cheetah-822547. Finding a job isn't easy in this economy and finding and keeping one when you're suffering from any form of mental illness or trauma is damned near impossible.
Let go and let GOD help my friend
Roger that!
Soldier Hard aka Jeff Barillaro
I can only commend Jeff Barillaro, a.k.a. Soldier Hard for bringing PTSD out into the open in a way that people can relate.
So often is the case that people over generalize PTSD and don't think of it as being real for our men & women in uniform, as well as those in our society that suffer from this.
Don't be so quick to judge or easily dismiss someone that has PTSD.... It could be anyone....Even someone you love. The biggest problem is recognizing the symptoms & getting treatment.
Great idea.
Let's take it one step further: If music is this powerful let's use it to eliminate war in the first place. That'd be a LOT cheaper than picking up the broken pieces of children exposed to mass murder and having to kill other people's kids.
We are getting sick of aggression, whether military or economic. Play some music instead.
I think it's a wonderful thing this veteran is doing. I myself had a hard time sleeping when I retired from the military in 2004. My family used to think I slept too much as I'd be in bed till noon, but just because you're in bed, doesn't mean you are asleep, the late getting up was because I couldn't sleep and I would get up more tired than when I went to bed. I only had one good night's sleep, where I actually fell asleep and stayed asleep all night long until morning in the first seven years of me leaving the service. A person needs to find something else in their life to help get over their trauma, something they enjoy doing to help heal their mind. For me, it was cooking. At first I started cooking for myself, then for my family. It really meant a lot to me when I'd watch them eat what I prepared, seeing the smiles of enjoyment on their faces and then have them tell me how much they liked what I made for them. Now, I am considering going to culinary school, then opening up my own restaurant.
This is nothing more than horse manure. Cut the bullcrap and go to work. Yes some suffer. But, for many its just an excuse.
tactical45
This is nothing more than horse manure. Cut the bullcrap and go to work. Yes some suffer. But, for many its just an excuse.
Great advice from an X-Box warrior! What do you think most veterans have been doing after their service? Very few people have the enthusiasm and drive of a military veteran and even fewer can keep up with them in the workplace.
I am sure there are legitimate cases of PTSD but I know several vets that are collecting extra and there is nothing wrong...you never saw this in the guys (or I should say men) that came back from WII...well said Tactical
tactical45
This is nothing more than horse manure. Cut the bullcrap and go to work. Yes some suffer. But, for many its just an excuse.
2little....
Do some research on WWII combat soldiers and their challenges and you'll have to change your statement....
The syndrome that we know today as Post Traumatic Stress Disorder was first recorded during protracted artillery barrages in ‘The Great War’ and was labeled ‘shell shock’. The experience of World War I showed that over 97,000 men were admitted to hospitals with neuropsychiatric disorders resulting in considerable cost to the government through the payment of Veteran Administration benefits. During the early years of World War II psychiatric casualties increased some three hundred percent over those of World War I. (Goodwin, Continuing Readjustment Problems Among Vietnam Veterans, Disabled American Veterans, Cincinnati, Ohio; 1980)
Lee Burkins, retired Army, 5th Special Forces, author of 'Soldier's Heart: An Inquiry of War'
Heartfelt thanks to SoldierHard.
I hope this helps him and others heal.It may be hard using such a sh** 'artform'
it does help actually! Thanks
- Soldier Hard
We all deal with our own demons in our own ways. As far as I'm concerned, anything that helps is a good thing, regardless of whether or not you happen to consider it art. Forge on, Soldier Hard.
Art is a matter of opinion, and if it's healing him then it's gotta be one hell of an artform that's for sure.
Keep your head up Soldier Hard, whole world out there you still haven't seen, and it ain't all bad :)
Trent-3873964 roger that brother!!! thanks!!!!
Right on Soldier Hard---I salute you. It is well and good that you are self-healing PTSD because you will receive very little help from the VA, (unless you just want to be a pill head). Thus it was for Nam vets, and so it is now. Music of a different genre surely saved my life, and sanity (for the most part).
Independent thinker,
I believe as mental health issues have become more acceptable to discuss, more people with PTSD (as well as other mental/emotional problems) are coming forward. It is not necessarily an indication of more incidents of PTSD than in past military conflicts, just more people will admit they are having problems. Same with mental problems on campuses - university and college counseling services are simply in triage mode, they are bursting at the seams.
If you bring any problem to the forefront and tell people not to be ashamed and come forward, then you will see an upswing in it. Look at domestic abuse - years ago, no one thought that "nice" husbands ever beat their wives. Some women were courageous enough to come forward, and that encouraged others. Now we know that domestic abuse cuts though all socio-economic levels.
God Bless You Soldier Hard!
Thankkk youuu!!!
- Soldier Hard
soldier hard: Welcome home brother, keep up the good work, job well done. RVN Vet 69 & 70.
We love and support you for your sacrifice, Hard. God bless you and everyone who serves.
Cool story. I agree, it will help some and hinder others.
Wow - about the only thing more depressing than war would be listening to Hip-Hop. It's not music. It's a bunch of bad rhymes poorly synchronized to plagiarized snips of music or voiced over a repetetive mindless drumbeat. This crap is geared towards the brain dead zombie crack babies born in the inner cities since the 80's. This stuff should not even be used in a sentence about music. Sweep up all the Hip-Hop and put it out with the dog droppings.
Actually, I want to shotgun my head clean off when listening to Classic Rock. The same old crap. The same old crap for 30-40 years. BTO, Bad Company, Head East, Clapton, Frampton, Rush, The Police (and Sting. Roxanne! How the hell did that get "classic"), Ac/DC back in black (they only play that album daily, not the others), Zeppelin, Aerosmith (the 'Elevator' needs to go to hell), and i've run out of time to list the rest. You know who they are. Inthe St. Louis market they can be found on KHITS 96 FM.
I''m turning it on now. POP.
LOL that was pretty good!!! So tell me more how much you don't actually "Listen" to messages in songs?
- Soldier Hard
Really so everyone that listens to hip-hop and have come from inner city communities and have been SUCCESSFUL productive members of society are pieces of @!$%# and "brain dead zombie crack babies born in the inner cities since the 80's. This stuff should not even be used in a sentence about music. Sweep up all the Hip-Hop and put it out with the dog droppings." in your opinion?
Either formulate a articulated and well researched post or destroy your computer and kill yourself.
The beat, beat of our mother's heart. That is how we learned the rhythm of life. We became attuned to this pattern before we were born. It brought us comfort and made us feel safe. We were created to thrive on music. Without it we do not grow. Yet amongst us, are those that were born without hearing. They too felt the rhythm of their mother's heartbeat reproduced as vibrations within the amniotic fluid and then on their skin as they were developing. They are not denied this role of music in their lives. Music enriches us and ennobles us. It can ease our psychological pain. This story makes perfect sense.
Wow, that was a cool post and pretty deep. You are not by chance in the middle of a vision quest via mushrooms or peyote by chance? If so, carry on.
Are you a Pisces?
Big oops. I read your post and responded. Jack?
When you supposedly "serve" your country – but actually partake in a vicious invasion of an Arab country and kill and maim tens of thousands of innocent people, both civilians and men soldiers who were essentially protecting their homeland – all for a pack of unmitigated lies – and you do all this for neo-cons, for Israel, for Bush and for Cheney et. al., then yes, you're going to end up with feeling of intense guilt – and yes, intensive, crisis proportion PTSD. Until this country comes to terms with what the invasion of what the Iraq invasion means in historical and moral terms – in just and unjust war terms, then a whole generation of young men and women are going to go through a living hell trying to deal with it. Above all, they'll go through it because ultimately they care and cared about doing the right thing – about killing "for the right reasons" – and herein lies the rub: These men and women should be pushing for a American truth and reconciliation council – to get to the bottom of why and how they were used for the benefit of right wing conservatives, for neo-cons and for Israel…they must find justice or they'll be forever maimed.
Wow.
AngeloR, go take your political crap somewhere else. Vets with PTSD don't give the first crap about politics, who sent them, or why they were sent. Obviously you are a University educated individual who doesn't know crap about life. The military is a VOLUNTARY service, you aren't forced into it, you're not drafted - you join. You join, you train, then you go do your job. Sometimes the job is traumatic and sometimes vets come home with PTSD. So instead of spreading your political crap about Bush/Cheney/etc, go to the VA and volunteer to help these Vets that need a helping hand - and then you may actually learn something worthwhile. SilaSez
Check out the list of democrats that voted for the war. Seems you suffer from your own mental illness.
We are all human. Different skin, different hair, different eyes, different language and faith. The separation of Planet earth into different continents to test our understanding of who we really are. Those who stressed their differences failed the test. Those that saw the value of a united humanity passed with flying colors. Who amongst us sees reality as a unifying one not a divisive one is at peace with herself. We should all join together to teach the world how much we need each other. We are social animals. We need to be good to each other to stay in the tribe and to survive.
Jeff Barillaro's goal in life is to promote unrest, racism and everything else that most hip-hop promotes daily .
ray Thats what they used to say about Chuck Berry and rock & roll.
There are hip-hop artists whose work promotes good things but they usually don't get much airplay because the same group of corporations own almost all of the radio stations. I'm not really a hip-hop fan but I do like beatnik - the recitation of poetry with a backdrop of cool jazz. There's a local group where the wife tells stories in rhythm with the husband's bluegrass tunes. Song lyrics ARE poetry so whether they're sung or spoken the message is delivered. Good lyrics and poetry enable the listener to create a strong visual image that connects the words and music to personal experiences or dreams. Because we're all different, we aren't all attracted to the same styles. And thank God for that or we'd bore the hell out of ourselves.
LOL that is all.....
To Independent Thinker....we all react to life situations differently. Do not cast stones if others do not fit into your model.
Whether you agree with the war or not, have some empathy for the young men and women damaged by it. Hats off to Jeff Barillaro for finding a way out and helping others.
USAF 68-72
"Hip-hop as a response to PTSD" has me thinking about how growing up in a lot of urban neighborhoods probably saddles kids with a form of PTSD.
Actually the stress of living in poverty tends to cause a form of PTSD. My younger daughter loves hip-hop and is quite happy and well-adjusted, not to mention being a great mother to her 2 kids. No, we weren't wealthy, not even middle-class. My family are working-class and farmers so our expectations and responses to having to do without are usually different than for most people. I had to buy our clothes at the thrift store but I could sure fix them up to look cool with some uniquely-crafted patches to cover worn spots, use stencils and fabric paint or lace or buttons, or embroider designs. In my family dealing with life's challenges is considered to be like playing poker...use your smarts and make the most of the hand you're dealt, then play better next hand. And don't whine...do something to work it to your advantage.
Not everyone has the opportunity to learn this, which is why mentoring people in disadvantaged areas is important. You're not giving them a handout but a hand up to improve themselves and be able to change their lives and neighborhoods. The trouble is that there are way too many people who are more than willing to be armchair quarterbacks and critics and far too few willing to put their money where their mouth is and offer their expertise, talents, and support to those who most need it.
independent thinker is a tool , i have never seen combat but have ptsd . i have never seen a military base and have ptsd . post traumatic stress disorder . no military carrer needed . i grew up in the foster care system and was subject to every abuse imaginable , sexual , physical, mental . i got to see the worst of humanity as a child . you wanna talk weak ones ? lets have a talk about being weak . because you are a very weak human to put down fellow men and women because you think they are faking it . not to mention the many vietnam vets i have gotten to know that have ptsd . you my friend need to watch that mouth before someone shows you how weak you really are !!!!
Forty6an2, I believe you, feel frustration & sadness for your horrible experiences, particularly as a vulnerable child, and respect your strength in acknowledging it. I hope some form of constructive expression and more helps you at least manage, if not surpass the ugliness put on you as a child. Your worth is equal all of ours and you deserve a future of equal opportunity and growth. I wish for you the best possible, and that your pain can become fuel for strength to overcome. Thanks for sharing.
all claims of ptsd nee to be taken seriously , it isn't a joke . when people like to bully others that do not fit into their little box . it is the new form of discrimination , well not new but more visible !!!!
I think there are two problems here. The first one is I would like to see the number of claims for PTSD, if it was just expensive, top-notch therapy, and not a $3,000 check in the mailbox every month. How many would be interested in that? He says it in his lyrics, "I forget where I’m at, any problems I’m having, any bills I can’t pay." That is just called life my friend. The second problem is this, the PTSD is a real condition, there is no doubt, and those victims kill, or commit suicide. The percentage might be slim, but I can guarantee there are docs that err on the side of caution because they shudder at the thought of giving a clean bill of health, then the guy shoots up a movie theatre because he thinks he's Rambo. To add to that, the media would just jump all over that hospital, clinic, etc., because it is a sin to think America is not taking care of its own. That is taboo. Some of these guys were watching the most violent stuff on Youtube, video games, beating up girlfriends/wives and each other before they entered the service. Serve overseas for a couple of years, and the military just looks at the product that came out on the other end. They are more a product of their environment. To add to the conversation, I think that is the biggest difference between today's vets and Vietnam vets. The Vietnam vets did not grow up with a sense of entitlement. I have young troops come up all the time and tell me they are going to the DMV because they bought their buddies car. Really, who put you in charge? This happens all the time. The bad part about that as the numbers of PTSD diagnoses rises, the bigger stigma it creates for employers thinking about hiring military members. If I do not get hired because I have the veteran moniker attched to me, I won't be able to pay my bills either, then the debt collectors will come, and I will get angry.
A hell of a lot of vets would take the counseling if it were offered but the problem is Congress keeps shortchanging the VA because their Bankster, Big Oil, and Corporate buddies need that money more in their trough. Nobody wants to live in the hell of PTSD or any other mental trauma or illness. 1 in 5 of the homeless are veterans of US military actions in the Middle East beginning with Desert Storm and continuing on through the present war, and nearly all of them are suffering from PTSD and other mental conditions. Don't believe me? Talk to the folks in Operation Standown who reach out to and work with these vets. Our military personell and their families deserve far better than they're getting and everytime I hear people spouting off about patriotism and then in the same breath denigrating our soldiers and their families, it makes me want to stuff a grenade down their throats and a military boot up their backsides.
When did they start making POW-MIA shirts look like gutter trash apparel?
Eric-781732 these are new times now, veterans are evolving, there are younger vets you know
God Bless you!
Expression of oneself is a powerful healing tool. It is daring of the person to look at the truths of their pain. It isn't to be judged by others, but used as an aide to those who connect with it's message, any genre. If you personally don't find something healing in it, please respect other's opportunity to.
We need to end the antiquated use of war as the method to solve an increasingly aware and civilized society's problems and quests. The cause of the natural reaction of PTSD will then finally be removed, and more constructive ways will replace international problem solving. Until then, anyone with any form of PTSD, whether it be from war's horrors, childhood traumas, etc, can benefit from expressing themselves artfully. And if we can pull together in mutual support, we'll set up an atmosphere where that healing can be accelerated. This will be the acceptance we will all want when faced with our own, inevitable life crisis's. Until then, the 'wars' we create between us will only serve to divide us, and this home battleground will leave unnecessary scars of 'family' betrayal on our own members.
Let's mutually encourage and support each other's healing from any cause. We will be a much stronger nation for it.
Lot of bull@!$%# in these posts from people who don't have the vaguest idea of what they're talking about. Hell, you could get a bad case of PTSD just by surviving eight years of "Five Deferrment Dick's" administration. Commercial wars, ie., wars for the sole benefit of the military-industrial complex, like Vietnam and Iraq, have crippled many troops who have no visible scars. In Nam we installed and propped up one corrupt dictator after another until Uncle Ho and General Giap kicked our imperialistic asses out of the country, and in Iraq we deposed one murderous dictator just to install another murderous dictator who isn't nearly as smart as the one we hung.
The PTSD bandwagon is boarding all aboard.It's the new craze these's days.I call foul ..
Sometimes "crazee", sometimes very real. In the past it has been referred to as "shell shocked, delayed stress syndrome and now PTSD". It becomes the new, "fake", crazee when defense attorneys start throwing it out in desperation. For those who have been affected by the trauma of combat it can be very real. Ya can't judge everyone a fake, ya can't understand it until ya been there. Most come home, go about thier business, affected by it or not, and go on.
antknee: If you think for one minute that PTSD is a "bandwagon" then you have another think coming. I served in Vietnam from 69 to 70 for close to 15 months and when I came home, I lived for almost 40 years not knowing why I was the way I was. The dreams, the self medication, the anger issues and the negativity over all those years drove me to a point where I almost committed suicide. My wife, son and sister convinced me to get help thru the VA system and while it's not a perfect system, I have had an excellent experience. I now understand, through group sessions that I am not the only one who has issues with that war. For a long, long time I felt like I was on an island all by myself and I shut out the rest of the world and almost ruined my marriage and my life. From your post I can't tell if you served our country or not, if you did and are not suffering from combat related PTSD, my hat goes off to you, you are a much stronger person than I was. If you didn't serve, please try to have some compassion and at least open your mind as to what happens to a brave man or woman after they see the horror's of war.
I respected him so much...before I saw the pic of him in the flat - hat. They look rediculous. Now just hang a huge silver $ sign on his neck, pull his pants down below his pelvis, and move his hand firmly to his junk, and the look is complete.
You mean like Eminem? And the word is "ridiculous"
Have you ever heard "never judge a book by it's cover"?
I guess when I see a duck I should err on the side of caution. It could be a lion in disguise.
Actually I've gotten used to the junk - holding. The pants, somewhat. The hats - just lose the hats.
I do applaud what he is trying to do. Do WHATEVER will work, so long it doesn't harm himself or others. And I won't thank him for his service, because I now know it generally makes them uncomfortable to hear it. I'll make a donation to a veteran's group instead.
The treatment of vets in this country is a National disgrace.Congress fights for money for coporate war profiteers and gives themselves a raise and vets are sleeping in cardboard boxes and killing themselves at the rate of 22 a day. Put that on your ''support the troops'' ribbon.
Joe:
the QUALITY and CHARACTER of so-called 'vets' in this country is a disgrace. they are idiot, thug-like, teenyboppers now, not deserving of any respect whatsoever. nothing like being a 'vet' meant 75 yrs ago.
Thug -LIKE? Some really are thugs. As I recall from a recent article, the US military readily accepts Gangsta's into their ranks. This needs to stop if it hasn't already. Though I suppose they are easier to train since some thugs may have killed a dozen people by their 18th birthday. They serve their tours, get out, and become Super thug due to the military training.
But such vets are the minority, thankfully, and the majority of them have served bravely in the face of danger, in the worst conditionns as a part of the sacrifice that it is to enlist.
I have never been a THUG, and Never will, my family has fought in every major war our country was involved in, it was my duty since birth to serve our country, to do my part, and i will do it again...judge me all you want to, but you have to know, times has changed and if we don't change with it, we will never evolved to what home should be!
i thank you for your opinions though, no matter what, i love all americans, even the ones that cast people like me out without even knowing me.
- Soldier Hard
Hey Ike a vet is a vet, who are you to hold a person's past against them? Are you God? Are you perfect? If you are not then you have NO right to judge. Ive known people who were thugs, and when offered the option of military service over jail and when to become the most awesome and influential NCO's and Officers I have personally ever met. Your judging is harshing my mellow and now imma go back to watching the walking dead. Soldier Hard, you are my inspiration but you already know that lol.
Yall take care.
Ike- only a total scum bag who never wore a uniform would say crap like that.Hopefully you run into one someday and he kicks your ass. Im sure there are some commenting here why dont you tell them where you can be found?
if anyone knows this guy, tell him there is help out there and no im not talking about meds & crap. i mean real help.
I'm the guy! Real help you say? i'd like that info, if you have time.
PTSD has to be the worst. Know I am retired military and never had to see the things put forth today.
what an idiot. Just shows you the quality of so-called 'vets' in this country. they used to be smart, upstanding young men, 75 yrs ago. now they are just your typical idiot teeni-bopper thug kids. they aren't worthy of nor deserving of our respect. just another idiot who was 17 and desperate, and thought going into the military would be exciting. respect WHY ?
Hey, "Ike", got no Humanity? Only incomplete folk talk like that.