Page 40 - A Soldiers Exposition

And, we all know the government is excellent at not providing records.

So what has all this brought us to? It has brought me to this:

Plain and simple: I served in fighting roles too. When was the last time Congress - doing their law
required duty - declared war against anyone? The sending of our troops into combative situations should
require Congressional approval any time and every time.

No President: No single individual should have that authority.

Think about it for a moment.

How many soldiers went where they were told to go; did what they were told to do; experienced horrific
crimes against humanity, and today receive no credit for their service and therefore are unable to obtain
basic medical treatment for “service-related” injuries – including Wounds That Do Not Bleed?

The “service-related” injuries aspect of a soldier’s duty performance needs congressional scrutiny. The
use of our military in support of humanitarian causes in hostile environments around the world must be
acknowledged and documented in the soldier’s official duty and medical records.

The use of the classifications of “TDY” and “Other Duties as Assigned” provides the government cover to
send our soldiers wherever and whenever without requiring acknowledgment of their actual whereabouts
or their actual duty requirements.

I did not receive any physical wounds related to direct combat. But, unfortunately, I did come away with
many medical complications and PTSD from my participation in missions that were not entirely recorded
in my official service record or medical records.

Fortunately, I was able to document my service and meet the VA’s service-related requirements. Today I
receive excellent medical care at my local Veterans Affairs Medical Center.

It was a five-year journey made difficult every step of the way because my official service record was
incomplete or did not reflect all those “TDY” and “Other Duties as Assigned” missions.

To clear the air; I do not claim to be deserving of the Purple Heart. That is accurately reserved for those
who gave their all.

But I do believe we deserve credit for the wounds we received. The: “Wounds That Do Not Bleed.”

Most of my assignments were classified as “Combat Service Support,” I was in the logistics field or so
they said, and so they recorded.

I served my “Combat Service Support” with some heavy hitting units. I saw training incidents
(“mishaps”) that maimed, disfigured, and killed. I served with soldiers who were broken, went absent
without leave (AWOL), and in a few cases committed suicide. In short, I witnessed horrific situations
and circumstances often involving our own military. Humanitarian Aid assignments would also play a
major role in my PTSD.