Author Topic: Campus bars veteran for combat essay. (Read 989 times)

powderman · « **on:** November 28, 2010, 03:01:12 AM »

Quote

http://www.military.com/news/article/campus-bars-veteran-over-combat-essay.html?col=1186032325324

This was an essay he wrote and got an A on. After it was published the school barred him. POWDERMAN.

SwampThing762 · « **Reply #1 on:** November 28, 2010, 08:03:50 AM »

Pantywetters at work.

St762

powderman · « **Reply #2 on:** November 28, 2010, 09:44:36 AM »

Quote from: SwampThing762 on November 28, 2010, 08:03:50 AM

Pantywetters at work.

St762

YEP. These same people depend on the soldier to keep them free, but don't want to know what he does to give them the right to run their yap. POWDERMAN.

Pat/Rick · « **Reply #3 on:** November 28, 2010, 10:08:31 AM »

Alot of people want to stay home and take. They look upon those who enter military sevice as "loosers" and villains. They scream when the military action is mandated by the politicos, say they support our troops. When they come home they are treated as outcasts, plague victims. All the rights and freedoms they enjoy, yet turn up their noses at those who would stand for their rights. Not trying to understand what a military member endures, or is ordered, they cast them out and want not their association, but their distance from our veterans. Panty wetters is right ST762, I have no use for their beliefs,or their leftist lifestyles, they are puke.

Oldshooter · « **Reply #4 on:** November 28, 2010, 10:45:00 AM »

Quote

He called war a drug and wrote that killing "is something that I do not just want but something I really need so I can feel like myself."

OK hold on a minute. I'm no panty wetter and far from a non military supporter but that is a lil scary dont ya think? You are talking about leftist college pukes who dont like the thought of the military and firearms and are prolly plain scared of the guy, and he professes "needing to kill"! Hell, maybe he needs some help!

Spirithawk · « **Reply #5 on:** November 28, 2010, 11:53:56 AM »

When I first came home I was cursed at, spit on, called a murderer and baby killer, refused work and treated like garbage. I was far from alone, my brothers and sisters in arms got the same treatment. Now it's the popular thing to tell us welcome home, yeah 40+ years later. You'd think people got smarter but I still occasionaly hear sarcastic remarks about Vietnam Vets. Seems that current military gets a taste of the same. I't sickens me how some convienietly forget the sacrifces made by those they so quickly and thoughtlessly criticize. Put them in harms way for just one day and they just might see things a whole lot differantly! I can understand the University's concern but the guy's writing about his feelings show's he is trying to deal with them and recognises that he must. Maybe the guy does need help, but ya know what? Everyone can point the finger but who actually makes an effort to see that vets like him actually get help? It's a sad situation any way you look at it.

The Soldier

It is the soldier, not the reporter,
who has given us freedom of the press.

It is the soldier, not the poet,
who has given us freedom of speech.

It is the soldier, not the campus organizer,
who has given us the freedom to demonstrate.

It is the soldier, not the lawyer,
who has given us the right to a fair trial.

It is the soldier,
who salutes the flag,
who serves under the flag,
and whose coffin is draped by the flag,
who allows the protester to burn the flag.

By Charles M. Province

williamlayton · « **Reply #6 on:** November 28, 2010, 01:13:34 PM »

A complex issue.He can still attend---and graduate on line--.
It is needless to say that we created this behavior modification in this individual.
No one can guarentee anything---keeping him off campus certainly will not prevent his feelings from erupting.
That said we asked him to do it---should we not accept the responsibility to acknowledge this responsibility and share in the danger of what he could do?
You can't stop stuff from happening.
It is also apparent that he not only recognized the need forhelp, but sought it out and has maintained that regime in his life---we ought to take the chance with him---shunning him will not do any good for anyone.
Blessings

Oldshooter · « **Reply #7 on:** November 28, 2010, 03:16:15 PM »

Valid points William and spirit hawk, I'm just saying, he's saying things like that to the wrong folk. That prolly scares the hell out of em cause they dont appreciate what he went through or where hes coming from. Now , that being said, There are a lotta guys like "our" Richard and many others that went through hell in other wars, probably worse if not just as bad that have come back and did what they had to go to get along and get back into society without a headline. Do we owe all of these guys a debt, Hell yea, do we owe them some help if they need it , of course! However proclaming the need to kill aint gonna get you a hug from folk that prolly dont like you and what you stand for in the first place.

If the unthinkable happens, they will be crucified by the press and everyone else if they dont follow up on something like that statement.

Yea Vietnam Vets were and are not respected like they deserved but they didn't do it for praise. Heck some had no choice but they went, they died and some suffered and came home and went to work. Probably the majority of em.

Pat/Rick · « **Reply #8 on:** November 28, 2010, 05:57:42 PM »

This man has been trained for and did the job assigned with honor and dedication. I have been stationed with alot of guys like him, LOVED combat action, the edge, the "rush", and a few admittedly the killing. I will not presume to know,I was airborne infantry but peace time. This warrior was hard wired for combat action and there is no switch just to turn him off or expect him to forget his experiences. Do we as a nation make him a shut -in? Or do we acknowledge his ordeal and try to understand? The left preach celebrating diversity, maybe not the diversity that belongs to a combat infantrymen sent by his nation to do a job somewhere huh? Panty wetters? Yep, thats just what I'll label the pukes. The staff of the school are the ones who should have dismissed, they are blind and ignorant. Whether you agree with the military actions of the last century or not, don't take your statist opinions out on those who were sent. The freedom of speech that is being used to denounce our warriors was provided by them. Some "educated" people ought to just keep quiet once in a while. He should NOT be made to graduate on-line.

FourBee · « **Reply #9 on:** November 28, 2010, 06:22:28 PM »

Its pretty easy to jerk a young boy up off the city streets of good old U.S.A. and toss him into a hellish environment of kill or be killed. But after his young mind has been filled with all the horrors of war, he's suddenly tossed back to a world that is obliviant to reality where he's expected to adapt on his own. That alone has shocked many a soldier to the point he may never recover in his lifetime. i like many on here have been there, done that, and saw our buddies that took the hit harder than we. Yes, help is what we need. God's help is the answer.

williamlayton · « **Reply #10 on:** November 29, 2010, 12:10:53 AM »

IF anybody deserves a free pass, IF ANYBODY DESERVES A FREE PASS--a VET does.
They did what was asked. They learned what they had to do to survive and help their buddies survive.
It really makes no difference if the war was a good war (whatever a good war is) or a personal war, they did what was asked---we helped create whatever is inside him now--and we did it for our benefit.
Screw those & all, pantywetters.
Blessings

beerbelly · « **Reply #11 on:** November 29, 2010, 02:21:55 AM »

I could not have said it better myself William!

powderman · « **Reply #12 on:** November 29, 2010, 03:13:22 AM »

I agree with most all of you. This man should graduate just like everybody else. Can you imagine how he must feel now??? Those people are disgraceful. POWDERMAN.

subdjoe · « **Reply #13 on:** November 29, 2010, 04:37:30 AM »

Quote from: Oldshooter on November 28, 2010, 10:45:00 AM

Quote
He called war a drug and wrote that killing "is something that I do not just want but something I really need so I can feel like myself."

OK hold on a minute. I'm no panty wetter and far from a non military supporter but that is a lil scary dont ya think? You are talking about leftist college pukes who dont like the thought of the military and firearms and are prolly plain scared of the guy, and he professes "needing to kill"! Hell, maybe he needs some help!

Did you catch this:

Quote

But Whittington, 24, says that he has his violent impulses under control with the help of counseling and medication

Quote

He says he didn't learn to cope with his anxieties and violent urges until he followed a doctor's suggestion to write about his experiences. He found a new calm wrestling with combat on the page.

and, from his essay:

Quote

War is a drug because when soldiers are in the Infantry, like me, they get used to everything, and fast. I got used to killing and after a while it became something I really had to do. Killing becomes a drug, and it is really addictive. I had a really hard time with this problem when I returned to the United States, because turning this addiction off was impossible. It is not like I have a switch I can just turn off. To this day, I still feel the addictions running through my blood and throughout my body, but now I know how to keep myself composed and keep order in myself, my mind.

Sounds like he IS getting help and is getting it under control. Funny that he is in therapy but for some reason the school isn't hearing that.

Spirithawk · « **Reply #14 on:** November 29, 2010, 05:45:01 AM »

Quoting Oldshooter [Yea Vietnam Vets were and are not respected like they deserved but they didn't do it for praise. Heck some had no choice but they went, they died and some suffered and came home and went to work. Probably the majority of em.]

Yes and that majority was, and is, forced to deal with wounds of body and mind very much on our own. Anyone who thinks the VA is the "answer all" help has never had to deal with the VA. No, we didn't do it for praise but we didn't expect nor deserve the treatment we got either. When a lot of guys were burning their draft cards, and the flag, getting deferments, or running to Canada a lot of us, myself included, chose to enlist. I use us as an example because it shows how many vets are still treated. Everyone wants the soldier to do his job and then come home and miraculously forget all he or she has been through, no matter how badly they are wounded of body or spirit. Many expect the soldier to do their job but then sit in their arm chairs criticizing how they have to go about doing it. They then just shrug off the baggage the veteran carries the rest of their lives rather than lift one finger to help the vet deal with it. Just remember folks, A veteran is a man or woman who at one point in their life wrote a blank check payable up to and including their life for both Country and for you! The man deserves understanding and respect, not fear and suspicion.

Pat/Rick · « **Reply #15 on:** November 29, 2010, 07:04:54 AM »

Welcome home Spirithawk. I mean that from my spirits core, not only to you but to ALL of our veterans.

Oldshooter · « **Reply #16 on:** November 29, 2010, 04:53:18 PM »

Quote

The man deserves understanding and respect, not fear and suspicion.

You are absolutely correct! Don’t get me wrong I deeply sympathize with the mans dilemma. I just know how this country is as a whole, short memory, and very ungrateful. (long term). Been here for sixty years and have seen it time and time again. He or no other vet will get sympathy from "the higher education" types, hell they won’t even let recruiters on their campuses. You certainly don't expect them to understand where his heart is do ya?

I spoke and wrote here that this country could not afford to elect a leftist as president with the S.C. judges that were to be replaced. If for no other reason than that you have to vote republican for president, Evil or not it’s a far better thing than putting liberal judges in power that will further takes us down the road to hell! Its 5 to 4 now one more and were done for sure.

Ya want more of the same, sit idly by and let more liberals get power and......... Teach your children!

Land_Owner · « **Reply #17 on:** November 30, 2010, 01:42:14 AM »

With so much "cover up" and Combat Vets not saying much about their war experiences, because the rest of us "just wouldn't understand" (I too am a Vet and have a Combat Vet for a son), perhaps it is time, well past time for these and many more stories like this to make a public appearance. Desensitize the public perception. Bring it to the public eye.

The human animal in survival mode is hardwired since we crawled out of the Primordial Ooze. When an individual is constantly tapped into that mode, it would definitely become an addiction. An addiction based upon the survival of the individual for the common survival of the Group. In this case, his soldiers, his Platoon, his combat buddies. The rest of us 'back home' are not the focus of his addiction. I like this guy.

billy_56081 · « **Reply #18 on:** November 30, 2010, 04:17:10 AM »

You are 100% correct Landowner. I get some strange looks when I smile as I tell my combat stories. I will not lie about it, I enjoyed the rush very very much. I have to say I felt more alive at that moment than at any other time in my life, and I am not ashamed of it.

powderman · « **Reply #19 on:** November 30, 2010, 04:28:12 AM »

LANDOWNER. Well said Sir, I agree. POWDERMAN.

dukkillr · « **Reply #20 on:** November 30, 2010, 04:51:41 AM »

Quote from: Land_Owner on November 30, 2010, 01:42:14 AM

With so much "cover up" and Combat Vets not saying much about their war experiences, because the rest of us "just wouldn't understand" (I too am a Vet and have a Combat Vet for a son), perhaps it is time, well past time for these and many more stories like this to make a public appearance. Desensitize the public perception. Bring it to the public eye.

The human animal in survival mode is hardwired since we crawled out of the Primordial Ooze. When an individual is constantly tapped into that mode, it would definitely become an addiction. An addiction based upon the survival of the individual for the common survival of the Group. In this case, his soldiers, his Platoon, his combat buddies. The rest of us 'back home' are not the focus of his addiction. I like this guy.

Did you catch the movie that won best picture last year? And I agree.

ironglow · « **Reply #21 on:** November 30, 2010, 05:02:47 AM »

From the link provided;

"We all believe in freedom of speech, but we have to really be cautious in this post-Virginia Tech world," says college spokesman Hope Davis, referring to the 2007 massacre of 32 people by a student gunman.

Well Miss Hope Davis...So much for "freedom of speech" ! You were sure quick to cut off his freedom of speech...even after he risked his life and limb..to defend YOURS.. You ought to crawl into a hole somewhere and pull it in after yourself !

goofyoldfart · « **Reply #22 on:** November 30, 2010, 07:11:44 PM »

I sometime find it hard to post on this forum due to the fact that if you don't agree with the general consensus of the posters, you are 'UnAmerican, leftist, socialist or just an A$$ wipe. I read the whole comments section (it is one hell of a long section) after reading the story posted about. when I read the essay, I had a feeling that something doesn't ring true because I have been there done that a few times. I attribute this feeling to the experience not to killing but to the adrenalin rush of SURVIVING. Now, with that being said , It could of been the choice of words due to the fact that he may have had a problem expressing feeling into words or just not understanding the proper definition of the feeling. I don't know and cannot judge that. while reading the comments section, 2/3 to 3/4 of the way down, there was one post that pointed to a story follow up by the .org that said that his records indicated that he was not an infantryman but that he was a fueling or refueling technician. from that point on only two others spoke up about the story not ringing true also. NO comment from ANYONE about the posting of the follow up. NONE AT ALL. it was as if that would have destroyed the remaining posters credibility to rant about the school. Now, for arguments sake, I personally don't know which way would be the right way to have handled the situation due to school liability VS protecting his rights and getting him help. I do think that he needs compassionate help and should get it.

I speak from personal experience from the fear, guilt of surviving and the adrenalin rush of Surviving. turning the fear into anger and attacking with a vengeance to make the enemy pay for the loss of my brothers and for making me afraid was ecstasy for me, then the rush of surviving and the let down when it was over. coming home and realizing the guilt of surviving when my brothers gave all and I only gave some led me to serious drinking. after many years of drinking (calling it what it really was--Stone (censored word) DRUNK) I went to the bottom of the barrel and finally got help. But, as many VIET VETS did, I had internalized it because it wasn't popular to talk about it---it's called a stigma. many of our new warriors coming back are experiencing it as we did.

I'm sorry, the essay did not ring true. I believe that it was a clarion call for help. and if he put one toe in the sandbox then he is entitled to help. I'm not denigrating his service and his need for help. HELL NO. he has earned help. the story just doesn't ring right.

OK , I put my asbestos panties on and am ready for the flaming. have at it.

Oldshooter · « **Reply #23 on:** December 01, 2010, 04:45:27 AM »

Now why would you think that you'd get flamed here?

Great observation! i hadn't read the posts in question but you make a valid point! I said as well that he may need help. And deserves it! Should get it with no questions asked!

I missed the "not an infantryman but that he was a fueling or refueling technician" part, Hmmmm!

Never feel like you shouldnt post here just be ready to back up what you say and dont wear your feelings on your shirt sleeves!

powderman · « **Reply #24 on:** December 01, 2010, 04:55:06 AM »

GOOFYOLDFART. Your opinions are just as valid as anyone here. I guess I too missed the part about him not being infantry and him being a refueler. POWDERMAN.

Land_Owner · « **Reply #25 on:** December 01, 2010, 09:01:29 AM »

Point being, this guy WROTE OUT LOUD about his feelings. That can not be equated to the lying in wait dirty killers at Columbine, Virginia Tech, Ft. Hood, et al.

This guy isn't hiding, sneaking, slinking around, planning, etc. He wrote a story. He told the World. Had it Published. Yes, he could use a helping hand and I know he is going to get one. But the chicken$#!+ liberal Profs and Admin went the wrong way. They did not think this through. They knee jerk reacted in their PC way. That is what galls me.

Profiling? Yep, you bet it was!

powderman · « **Reply #26 on:** December 01, 2010, 11:10:57 AM »

LANDOWNER. Good post Sir, I agree. POWDERMAN.

billy_56081 · « **Reply #27 on:** December 01, 2010, 11:41:21 AM »

Even the military frowns upon it if you tell them you enjoyed the rush of combat and the act of killing. I'm sure TeamNelson can attest to this.

goofyoldfart · « **Reply #28 on:** December 02, 2010, 01:46:28 PM »

Ok. Well, I guess that I can take off the asbestoses panties.

they were getting itchy anyway. I think that I understand what you all are saying and have no problem with that. There was only one reference to the MOS designation, though in all honesty it said that he carried dual MOS's and was a fueling tech. the thing that I remember about my war is that with out ALL the support troops, I couldn't have done my Job going head to head with Victor Charles. Every one of those guys was important to the mission. God Bless them ALL. and ALL the Branches, for without which I can tell you I wouldn't be here now. I'll back off now and read the mail. God Bless to all.