YOU ARE NOT ALONE

YOU ARE NOT ALONE

Through out lifes many struggles,
we wander aimlessly.
Though friends and love forsake us,
internally, we bleed.

They say, we never wanted to talk about it,
Hell! They never gave us the chance.
The world just went and past us by,
without a backward glance.

Most of us sought nothing,
our government let us down.
They left us all to struggle,
like some wounded, circus clown.

Now the time has come to pay the fiddler,
and they are dancing to our tune.
Johnny is finally comin’ home,
And you are not alone.

By R.W. Mackedanz (10/29/03)

After attending the 85th annual reunion of the First Infantry Division, (The Big Red One), in Reno, Nevada in July of 2003. Ron realized that he was not alone in his battle with PTSD. Many other combat vets are dealing with the same set of problems. Working through the VA, and working with other Nam vets, it became very evident that many vets are in a state of denial.

Like any other problem, first you have to address the fact that you have a problem. Reach out my brother, for you are not alone. 

The verses above were written by a combat wounded veteran of the Vietnam “WAR”. Ron spent ten months of his yearlong tour of duty, out in the field serving with “Bandido Charlie Company” 1st of the 16th, mechanized infantry. He was wounded twice in combat against the Viet Cong and the NVA.

If you are offended by any of these writings, deal with it. We all did, in Nam. Ron makes no apologies, and he asks no quarter. Thirty some years later, a lot of this is just now coming to head. Most Vietnam vets have gone on with their lives, married, taken on respectable work, and tried to put it all behind them. Those who believe that they have accomplished that are either fooling themselves, or trying to find peace in the bottom of a bottle.

War is hell and combat is a M----- F-----. That’s just a fact of life. Combat will change you forever, and not necessarily for the better. However, life must go on.

These memories, and verses are dedicated to Ron’s cousin, Lyle Mackedanz, MIA/POW Vietnam 4/21/68, and to all the Bandidos, and other brave men who gave their all in a far away land, called Vietnam.