While I was driving to work, I heard the chatter from one of the radio DJs about D-Day coming up. I was unaware it was today, but at least I know what it is. It is the day we attacked the Germans in WWII through Normandy, France. A great illustration of the landing was given to us in the movie Saving Private Ryan. They spend about fifteen minutes getting from the boats in the water to attacking and taking out the guys in fortified bunkers. There was a great loss of life on that beach, whole platoons of soldiers were lost in the water as some of the landing vehicles didn't even make it to landfall, but it was necessary and it turned the war in our favor.
I guess in honor of that, I decided to watch a movie about an army guy. I landed on Sgt. Will Gardner just randomly and it certainly wasn't a funny movie. The main character Will is a shell of his former self, living on the streets, trying to get by on booze and really trying to forgive himself for the death of his best friend who died fighting by his side. It takes a while to figure this out as his friend keeps popping up to talk with him throughout the movie, but it is only in his head.
The story is kind of typical. He went all out and did what he was supposed to do and for his efforts, he lost his friend and has no relationship with his ex-wife and Son. He sort of starts coming out of his personal prison towards the end of the movie and he starts realizing he is at his best when he is helping out his brothers. We get to see the night his friend died as he relives it over and over. If he can only get past this roadblock, he might get to a place where he can help others.
He mentions that he has TBI, Traumatic Brain Injury, which because he was not left crippled physically, he gets less compassion than he would or should. I am fortunate in that I have never had to be involved in anything of the sort of military, but I can imagine just be near the concussion of artillery and heavy bombs can rattle one to their core. Throw in the occasional friend getting shredded to pieces with nothing you can do, and I do believe a fair percentage of these men are left forever changed. My dad served in Vietnam, and mom said it took him a while to get back to normal and he walked away without any "injuries" to himself. One of the guys said it best. The military was good to my family and I, it put food on the table and a roof over our head. The VA, though, has a long way to go before it can compare itself, it is sorely lacking in providing proper anything.
I have long had an aversion to the homeless people, realizing this is best where you could find them. I just wish we lived in a better society that took care of the truly sick.
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