Quote:
Originally Posted by uspsmark
Take away the political portions of Daniel's post and it reads like a pretty good summation of what is happening every day to some soliders. I have a friend here that was depolyed to Iraq twice as an Infantry squad leader. He got out and worked as a Supervisor for a privately owned security service for three years making pretty good money. When that job contract expired, he actively looked for jobs, including here at my office but was unsuccessful in finding something. He has since become a kind of recluse in his own home for the past several years. He is afraid to leave his house as he thinks someone will try to kill him if he leaves that sanctuary. He has looked up to me in the past and knows I am a veteran. I've gone to his home many times just to talk. He won't even go to the VA for counseling, and I am in no way trained to help him other than being his friend and confidant. The good news is, I was able to convince him recently to take a drive with me. We only went around the block a couple of times in his neighborhood, but it is a good start I think. He has a wife and young son and I will continue to help them in any way I can. I'd hate to have him decide that there was no other outlet left other than taking his own life.
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Good on you!! The more you can get him out the better. It will be slow, slow, slow and it will try your patience though. It sounds trite but a journey of a 1000 miles really does begin with the first step. I am glad you are there for him.