Well, I must thank you for your service, so jingo fever, thank you. What you did to earn this honor, and it is a tremendous honor, surely amounted to more than just "killing foreigners."
Most folks who enter our military do so for honorable reasons with honorable intentions, which may have been your rationale as well at the time you enlisted. You know better than most of us how very changed a person becomes after having engaged in warfare and it seems you're burdened by the actions, deadly as they were, that caused you to receive the great and rare honor.
As you know, your actions saved lives, I'm sure. While it is true that you took lives to save lives, it is not your fault that your government put you into such a position, and I, a pacifist, forgive you and send you my healing love. It is much more important though for you to forgive yourself.
I have a friend, an 88 year old Veteran for Peace, who revisited China earlier this year. As a 21 year old Marine Corps platoon leader during the second world war he ordered and partook in a massacre of an entire village, which left him wracked with guilt for 66 years. Now I've known him well for nearly 30 years, but he never shared a word with me, so ashamed he was for his actions.
He returned last year to the village to apologize and was forgiven by the relatives of victims and townspeople.
He arrived late to a meeting we had with our Senator Gillibrand's chief of staff a day or two after
this story broke, so I had no time to talk to him beforehand about it. After our meeting I was engaged in conversation and he slipped away unnoticed, but fortunately I caught up to him as he was beginning to exit a parking lot in his car. While holding up a car trying to leave just behind him I asked him to open his window all the way, which he did. I reached in and gave him a big strong, long and heartfelt hug, which he welcomed, though he had no idea why I was hugging him. Tears fell from my eyes... all I could say was "China; I had no idea and I'm so very sorry" and then he told me how very wonderful their forgiveness was to be offered him, especially with all present knowing of his heinous acts so long ago. Love is a wonderful, healing thing.
But their forgiveness and the relief it offered did not miraculously wipe away his memories. And he's still working on forgiving himself, which the Chinese have made a bit easier.
Here's one more thing to read about him you may find some interest in reading.
This too.
People unfamiliar with combat will tell you war is Hell, and surely it is, but really, as you know better than most after your experience, war is insane.
I am sure that those you saved feel forever indebted to you every day they live and whenever they enjoy the company of their children.
I am sorry for your being so burdened by your heroic actions.
You have my Blessings, jingo, I wish you Peace and send you my Love.
by jingofever » Thu Jun 28, 2012 9:03 pm 
yeah, JF, I acknowledge your god-given right, nay, may I say obligation to practice your right to free speech. May you be richly rewarded. Just imagine if the supremes would have upheld this....suddenly lying becomes illegal. talk about government interference.
