It's so heartwarming to see some thought and care go towards a US veteran. You never truly know how much their experiences weigh on them and what it's like living with that trauma.
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A viral post circulates the internet where a woman named Kara sees a man eating all alone by himself. Rather than stay to themselves, something tells her to go up and talk to him. "This guy is sitting at breakfast alone. He just seems really sweet. I'm gonna go up and see if he wants some company," she says to the her phone camera.
She introduces herself and meets the man named Steve, donning his Vietnam Veteran hat. When she asks if he wants someone to eat with, he looks incredibly relieved. Moreover, when she asks how he's doing, she's met with a grin and a resounding '[I'm] better now.'
When she sees his hat, she just has to know his story. Steve sits with the question for a moment, briefly relieving every memory, good and traumatic alike. You can tell how much that experience weighs on him over the years. Once he collects his thoughts, he invites Kara and her friend to sit down and talk.
Tears are rolling down my face ??? pic.twitter.com/vq4q7iECeF
— Shaney Boy (@Shane29008046) May 31, 2024
The Veteran Tells His Story
Initially, Steve prefaces with how patriotic his family is at the time. It gives light to why he goes down to enlist in the draft with his friend at the time. After taking all the tests necessary, he recalls how they called them special, a surefire way to encourage soldiers to take up arms overseas. They put Steve and his friend in the Army Security Agency, describing it as the 'Army's version of the NSA.' "We thought we were gonna be spies," he remembers.
After basic training in South Carolina, they ship the veteran off to Vietnam. He emphasizes how the media often blurs the totality of the war, you might not see the 'corresponding side of it.' Additionally, he recalls never getting a positive reception when they come back from overseas. He says it wasn't until Operation: Desert Storm that he sees a positive response to coming home. What ultimately makes him tear up back then was the sign that says 'welcome home.' But not just to the Desert Storm troops. Right below it, they acknowledge the Vietnam war efforts.
Lastly, he expresses how he's still proud of his country but he also recognizes how they leave veterans like himself out to dry. The children fresh out of high school, they go into the military and lose themselves physically and mentally. Body parts severed and a mind fractured. He says something incredibly powerful, a lesson we should take to heart," If you don't remember, you tend to repeat."
