Vietnam vet with no known family to be buried in Casper; His son died in Iraq

http://trib.com/news/local/casper/vietnam-vet-with-no-known-family-to-be-buried-in/article_97da23eb- ^ | 23 Nov 16 | Elise Schmelzer

[ARGLOCKGUY]

he knows he served with honor in Vietnam. She knows he loved cooking and Bruce Springsteen. She knows he died lonely in Casper.

But that’s about all Natrona County Coroner Connie Jacobson knows for certain about Stephen Carl Reiman, a 63-year-old homeless Navy veteran who died Thursday at Wyoming Medical Center. Her office has looked for a friend or a family member to claim Reiman. They haven’t found anyone.

The other thing Jacobson knows is that Reiman needs to be buried with respect. And that he shouldn’t be alone.

Reiman came to Wyoming from a Southern California community for homeless veterans. He served in the Navy from 1971 to 1975, his last post aboard the U.S.S. Long Beach. Reiman had previously told a VA doctor that he had struggled with PTSD, depression and alcoholism, Jacobson said. Those symptoms worsened when Reiman’s only son died in combat in Iraq, Jacobson said, and Reiman became incapable of working. He depended on the VA for housing, income and health care.

[DUMBGRUNT]

http://icasualties.org/Iraq/Fatalities.aspx

Reiman not listed.

Divorce or never married?

[Twinkie]

Democrats are good at puddling into wars all over the world
when they see it as “their” military. Then escalating the
wars while demonizing the military. THEN - when
Republicans get in office - the Democrat squawking starts
in along with Democrat demands for the Republicans to STOP
THE WAR NOW!! Watch now and learn. Soon, it will be “ALL
TRUMP’S FAULT!” with rioting and endless “marching” of
SNOWFLAKES ON PARADE.

[oh8eleven]

However,my sister-in-law's father was a WWII vet and he had it.
All vets probably have it to one extent or another. Ninety nine percent have never experienced anything like the military. It can be traumatic - like 3 months on Parris Island.
But combat vets are in another class entirely - especially infantry.

[Rannug]

Bury him, with full honors, at Oregon Trail Veterans Cemetery, near Casper.

Thank you for your Service and Sacrifices Stephen. May you Rest in Peace. Salute.

[diogenes ghost]

"....PTSD is a scam."

Ahhhh...a voice of reason, up to a point.

While I believe it, in the form formerly known as shell shock, surely exists, it is rare and massively abused.

I was a shipboard sailor in the 60's, my son spent 14 years on boomers, and we would consider it dishonorable to claim PTSD for ANY problems we might have.

Those who claim it as an excuse for other ills make a mockery of those who actually suffered for our country.

[gnarledmaw]

Cant claim to know but offer as a possibility that he may not have had it yet wasnt necessarily gaming the system as much as playing the game.

I have 2 service related issues and have been told by multiple people that Im never going to get the VA to acknowledge those and should instead claim another issue thats easier to collect on. I havent followed that advice but imagine there are those who may.

An uncle from the Nam era fought with VA for 20 years, he was the kind that would have made up something if he thought it would shorten the fight and had been clever enough to think of something convincing.

[defconw]

Only if you are willing to lie. My husband has PTSD. I am fully educated in the subject. Are you? I would rather that they actually freaking helped him then throw money at it! Vietnam Vets can't get 100 percent unless they embellish.

I would trade every dime if he could have not suffered for 40 plus years. What a jerky remark!

[defconw]

Maybe like being 19 and the only guy from your infantry unit that lived? Is that OK? or is he making it up? How about a mortar going off next to you head that scrambled your head? You know my husband lived for over 40 years not knowing what the hell was wrong with him. He could have blown his brains out at any time. But that would have been OK because PTSD does not exist! Plus the little bit of money he gets for it could have been given to welfare whores instead.

[dfwgator]

How about a mortar going off next to you head that scrambled your head? You know my husband lived for over 40 years not knowing what the hell was wrong with him. He could have blown his brains out at any time. But that would have been OK because PTSD does not exist! Plus the little bit of money he gets for it could have been given to welfare whores instead.

Like George Carlin said, "If we still called it "Shell Shock" instead of PTSD, those Vets probably would have gotten the help they needed."

[defconw]

True That! Anyone who says it’s not true, has no clue what they are talking about.

[dfwgator]

This is why despite a lot of things I disagreed with him on, I miss George...

George Carlin - “Shell Shock”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hSp8IyaKCs0

[PAR35]

Vietnam Vets can't get 100 percent unless they embellish.

Thank you for your supporting evidence.

[PAR35]

Reiman not listed.
Divorce or never married?

You left out a third alternative.

[OldMissileer]

God bless you, veteran and rest in peace. May you now be with your son.

[diogenes ghost]

Dayum, lady, read my stinkin' post.

I have no problem with those who suffered combat, but those who falsely claim the link lack any semblance of honor.

A cook on a cruiser who turns into an alcoholic and claims the same status as your husband is a cyst on the collective dick of humanity.

[em2vn]

I served in-country as an advisor on VN gunboats in the Delta. Do you think shipboard sailors were posted to combat units in-country without that being posted to his personnel file? I can understand brown shoes going in, but I am still seeking the workout that sent him in without it being recorded.