The War Isn't Over

"You realize every time you suit up. Its life or death.
You roll the dice and you deal with it...."

I have mad respect for anyone that has ever served for the states. I've always had this immense pride of being American. I don't know where it really came from. My mother is proud of her background, but I've never felt like anywhere else but California is my home. I would defend it. I know that everyone says that we, as a country, are selfish, ignorant, and greedy. I know that this country has its issues, but it's my home. And I love it. So whenever i meet someone who has served for my nation, I always swell with pride inside. I just want to say "Thank you."
I can't even begin to imagine the life of a solider. The things they see and have to do and are put through.
They seem so scarred when they come back. I've heard it many times, "Once a marine, always a marine." And yes I am quite aware they are not the only ones that serve. Marines are just what I have been exposed to more. I have a few friends that are serving right now and it pains me to see how much they have changed. One of my friends came back for a visit and he looks so old and is the a shadow of who he use to be. He hardly is genuinely happy about anything.
Before I lived where I do now, my room faced a main street. There was this old veteran who would walk by my street every single night at 3 am and from my window i would hear him. He would scream and scream out stories. Wretched stories and even once i heard him narrating "Alice in Wonderland." Which was really odd. But i cant imagine what people have seen to make their brains cope with that damage by scrambling their thoughts. I can't even pretend to know what I'm talking about when it comes to combat but it hurts to see the solders when they come back home. The war isn't over, not for them. It's still in their head.