This is a range story but a very sad one. I was shooting at the local public range when a younger guy drifted over to see my flintlock, I could tell he was very depressed and a beaten man, he just had that aura about him. As we talked, I told him I was a vet, he said he was too and having a very bad time of it.
I let him shoot my flintlock, he told me his M/L beat his shoulder up and it was painful to shoot. I questioned him and found out his rifle had a deep crescent butt plate and he was holding it on his shoulder. I told him TN rifles like his were made to hold just above the bicep, this made sense to him and he almost smiled.
He talked more and said he couldn't handle the killing when he was in combat, he had been a Marine in Fallujah and had a breakdown after he killed his first man. He said they sent him to Bosnia to decompress and them put him back into combat where he had to kill in hand-to-hand combat. He had a major breakdown and the Marines discharged him with a mental disability. I have never seen a man so beaten and destroyed by PTSD, my heart went out to this guy but there was nothing I could do.
I mentioned that I made bows, he said he had always been interested in making his own bow. I told him I would give him a call so he could come to my shop and learn bow making.
He lived with his dad, I called, his dad said his son wasn't taking calls, I called again later, and got the same message from his dad.
I don't remember his name, this took place about 5 years ago, I haven't seen his picture in the local obits and I might not have caught it if he was. I could tell he was thinking of taking his life when I was talking to him, I felt so helpless, I reached out but couldn't do a thing for him.
I was hawkish when I joined the Army in 67, I was a helicopter crewchief but went to Germany instead of Vietnam. Our company in Germany was comprised of at least 50% combat vet crewchiefs who were sent to Germany to finish out their left-over enlistment time. After talking to these guys about how it really was, I left the service with a completely different outlook on US involvement in other countries' problems. So many brave and gallant men used as cannon fodder for no valid reason. I still believe in a quick and decisive strike on those who attack us but no more protracted un-winnable wars like Vietnam and Afghanistan, our amazing men and women in the service deserve much better.
). That was back around late 60s to early 70s.
