Coming from the Chinese Press.....I have to question the accuracy....
Some -- but certainly not 30%...
Hell -- there are folks that think I'm still wired wild, for the past 40 Years..
NO ONE ever gets 100% laid back "normal" after stomping in the shit..
Semper Fi
The Chinese Press is merely quoting the Army's surgeon general.
Yep, been 30 some years for me too. Hmmm
You can't pull tour after tour and see what these guys and gals are going through day after day and expect them not to have some problems.
Going out on convoys day after day not knowing if this is the day you get hit by an IED. Driving up on carnage left from an IED and or Suicide bomber that just drove his car into a convoy or a crowd. Getting ambushed while driving through a town. Going bac to base at night so Haji can drop mortars or rockets on your base. He don't have to hit ya, he just has to do it over and over and make you wonder. No one knows what these young men and women are going through, but God bless em all, and if they do need help then we ought to give them the best.
Haa, haa, 100% of the Marines that survive bootcamp are delusional, egocentric, and ready to rip the heads off of anyone that threatens America's freedom. Did my stint as a Drill Instructor on Paris Island, so have a little first hand experience.
Who can forget shouting the sweet refrain, "My rifle is my life, I wanna be free to shoot and kill my emeny!" and other endearing song.
Marines are finely crafted tools whose express purpose is to kill people and break things effectively. Let's face it, anyone willing to face death and not flinch at prospect of dragging their buddy back to safety under heavy gunfire is certifiably nuts, my kind of nuts.
That said, we do need to be concern about our returning boys. War has a heavy cost on one's soul and spirit (seen this first hand too). Some injuries are internal and take time to heal.
Let's make sure they return home in dignity, respect and are provided the best of care (mental and physical). I might be in the minority here, but I don't think 30% is far fetch with my experiences meeting, living with, and talking to the soldiers who fought daily in Vietnam.