What do you think Dakota Meyer's (MOH recipient) statement on veterans and fireworks?

2015-07-01T02:04:54-04:00

I added a photo of what Dakota M. Was talking about. Please be respectful when responding to the question this is not a competition to see who is the toughest guy/girl. I just ask that we respect each other and have a spirited and educated discussion nothing more I hope this question is thought provoking and nothing more.

Response by SSG Ike Phelan made Jul 1 at 2015 2:16 AM

2015-07-01T02:16:14-04:00

I think Dakota M. Has done his part for this country and he is allowed to do and say what ever the hell he wants. But I got to say the first time I came back from the war I was shaking uncontrollably by the end of the 4th of July fire works show now this was back in 2004 before all the Talks and what not about PTSD and all that so of course I thought it was just me so me not wanting to look like a pussy I sat thru the entire show even though I was a wreck by the time it was done I did not show it (attitude) to those around me but trust me my adrenaline was up and my hart was ready to jump out of my chest and my hands looked like I had Parkinson's it was dark so no one noticed and I had the ride home to calm down (I did not drive) and collect my self before saying good bye to my friends that night (I was in Dallas with family and old friends). I will say this I think I do a good job dealing with it now. What I don't get is, Is it one or the other either I made it thru the war and I am tha same as when I left or I came home different and now I can not wear any T-shirt that says I am or was a war fighter. That is the way his post makes it sound like if you have a hard time dealing with fireworks noise you are a pussy and you should not wear anything that says other wise.
I of course left a public post supporting Dakota saying he has the right to post what lever he wants with out catching any shit (which is my public opinion when it come to Dakota) but in private I think that he is wrong for posting that. He got the fucking Medal Of Honor (which comes with a $3,000.00 or 5,000.00 a month stipend for the rest of his life) I am sorry but he does not get to live the private life we do and he needs to watch what he says because there are a lot of veterans out there who look up to him and with him posting shit like this trust me it does not help the 22 foundation he more then likely made more then one person feel bad about themselves. But hey that is just my opinion I would love to hear what you think.

Response by CPT Private RallyPoint Member made Jul 1 at 2015 5:29 AM

2015-07-01T05:29:45-04:00

I agree with him. If someone has a problem they may need to seek help. But imposing on my neighbors some kind of firework ban is foolish. In the US we are able to celebrate it how we see fit, as long as it is legal. I had my issues but I didn't try to burden my neighbors. I did speak to my neighbors often. If I thought it would have been an issue I would have asked instead of putting out a sign.

But he is right. So many veterans are all Billy Bad Ass and then all of a sudden they put out signs saying that can't handle a loud noise. A lot of vets are police officers. Should we tell criminals not to use a gun because we Vets with PTSD?

We need to stop segregating ourselves. It doesn't help. It makes use look bad. If someone needs help there is help there for you. I am sure there are other vets to help with that. But a lot of these signs are for attention for than anything else.

Response by MAJ Robert (Bob) Petrarca made Jul 1 at 2015 9:07 AM

2015-07-01T09:07:37-04:00

I 'm not sure I agree with the message he is sending but everyone is entitled to their opinion. His words seem a bit crude. I would think he'd be a little more understanding towards fellow veterans. When we start, IMHO, demeaning our own I think we have to take a step back and think about what we're saying and how it's coming across.

Response by SGT Joseph Goldman made Jul 1 at 2015 9:43 AM

2015-07-01T09:43:01-04:00

Being awarded the MOH does not entitle one to additional mental capacity or intelligence. That being said, there are many ways in which we, as veterans, deal with the trauma that each of us has had to endure throughout our lives. One of the methods of coping, specifically for myself, was bold and tough. However, that is truly not a full measure of personality or mindset. In reality, each of us knows just how much we can deal with before we break, some more aware than others but none the less true. So to wear a shirt or cap or some ink to represent how we feel or want to feel, that too is a method of coping. The fact that a vet is aware that the fireworks make him or her uncomfortable has absolutely nothing to do with how they feel an hour earlier proudly wearing a DV T-shirt!

Response by SFC William "Bill" Moore made Jul 1 at 2015 10:13 AM

2015-07-01T10:13:06-04:00

I agree with his sentiment, I have personally busted a few "oh please look at me, I have PTS" folks around my home town. And do
not take this as a slap in the face of those suffering PTS, it is real and debilitating. Just stop the posing.

Response by MSgt Private RallyPoint Member made Jul 1 at 2015 11:58 AM

2015-07-01T11:58:02-04:00

Good intent....poor judgement.....and use of profanity makes all of us look bad.

Response by PO1 John Miller made Jul 1 at 2015 12:09 PM

2015-07-01T12:09:14-04:00

I agree with SGT Meyer. There are ways those whose PTSD is triggered by fireworks can deal with it other than asking their neighbors not to set them (fireworks) off.

Response by Cpl Jeff N. made Jul 1 at 2015 2:28 PM

2015-07-01T14:28:45-04:00

There is this view of PTSD as well. I think it has merit. Stress and trauma can make you better, stronger and you can grow from it. We want to attach disorder to everything we encounter. There is the reality of "post traumatic stress growth" as Mattis said.

_____________________________________________________________________________________

James Mattis, who retired from the Marine Corps last year as a four-star general, is among the most articulate thinkers on a subject that gets very little attention: what it means to be a warrior.

Even in retirement Mattis has an enthusiastic following among Marines, an infantry-oriented service that values espirit de corps, or fighting spirit, above almost all else.

In a speech last month, Mattis tackled a concern that is on the minds of a number of combat leaders: A public that wants to paint veterans as victims and why that is potentially damaging to the fighting spirit of America's warriors.

"I would just say there is one misperception of our veterans and that is they are somehow damaged goods," Mattis said. "I don't buy it."

"If we tell our veterans enough that this is what is wrong with them they may actually start believing it," he said during questions after a speech at the Marines' Memorial Club in San Francisco.

It was a speech that received little coverage, except for a notice on the website Military1, which headlined it, "Gen. Mattis' next mission: Destroying the PTSD victim myth," referring to post-traumatic stress disorder.

"While victimhood in America is exalted I don't think our veterans should join those ranks," Mattis said.

It's a sensitive subject, since no one wants to appear uncaring or insensitive. America has fought wars in Iraq and Afghanistan without a draft and the burden of combat has fallen on a small percentage of Americans. It's not easy for the public to understand why there are men who volunteer to go to war.

Mattis didn't point fingers, but the media and political leaders have helped fuel this perception that most or all combat veterans come back from war traumatized.

"There is also something called post traumatic growth where you come out of a situation like that and you actually feel kinder toward your fellow man and fellow woman," Mattis said.

Mattis is legendary for his bluntness, but his words are chosen carefully. He is an avid reader of military history, but also literature.

Mattis' point is that warfare often comes down to a clash of wills. Technology and weaponry matter, but war, even on today's battlefield, is often won or lost at the point of a bayonet.

Mattis said the U.S. military must be steeled to fight a fanatical enemy that has a medieval worldview. The enemy must be convinced that it has a warrior class that won't back down.

"We are going to have to have young people in our country who are willing to go toe to toe with this because two irreconcilable wills exist," he said.

"There is no room for military people, including our veterans, to see themselves as victims even if so many of our countrymen are prone to relish that role," he said.

Mattis speaks of "ferocity" and "slaughtering" the enemy, words that don't always go over well in so-called polite society, but resonate among young Marines, most of whom volunteered so they could go to war. He has led Marines in combat in Afghanistan and Iraq.

In 2005 he was counseled by the Marine Corps commandant at the time after he told an audience that it can be fun to kill an enemy "who slap women around."

Even then, Mattis wasn't been flippant or unthoughtful. His words were directed at the audience in front of him, which included a group of Marines just back from Iraq, where they had engaged in intensive fighting. The Marines had traveled to San Diego to see and hear Mattis.

It was Mattis' way of conveying to the young Marines that they did what they were trained to do. He was speaking to the enemy too, letting them know there were American warriors who "are pretty unapologetic about our willingness to fight," he once said in an interview.

But there was a camera in the room and soon his words were echoing around a country that wasn't accustomed to such blunt language from its nation's military leaders.

The general never apologized but has acknowledged his words could have been more carefully chosen.

At the San Francisco speech, Mattis made reference to the controversy. "I'm on record that it didn't really traumatize me to do away with some people," he said.

Response by SPC David Hannaman made Jul 1 at 2015 4:44 PM

2015-07-01T16:44:27-04:00

I haven't walked a mile in their shoes, but I would think if you know that fireworks are a trigger, then you would take the 4th as an opportunity to take a vacation up in the woods someplace quiet.

Fireworks don't bother me, but they sure send my dog into a "the best defense is a good offense" mode and he spends the weekend bouncing off the walls, so they're pretty annoying for me. That doesn't give me the right to tell the rest of the neighborhood to not celebrate.

Response by LCDR Private RallyPoint Member made Jul 1 at 2015 4:46 PM

2015-07-01T16:46:28-04:00

He's saying what I've said for a while now, but he's a MoH recipient with a lot more clout. I'm glad he called them out.

Response by SSG (ret) William Martin made Jul 2 at 2015 8:12 AM

2015-07-02T08:12:07-04:00

He is sharing his opinion. Because he has a MOH, doesn't make him sensitive to the needs of others. Pain and mental instability is relative. I personally don't have a problem with fire works as I know it can't hurt me.

Response by MSG Brad Sand made Jul 2 at 2015 10:26 AM

2015-07-02T10:26:16-04:00

I think it is a bit of both...you can be reminded of many things by fireworks that are not good memories BUT posting a sign is just trying to draw attention in a way that is not well thought out. IF fireworks are going to be an issue, you need to plan ahead and be smart about it and not try to make others feel guilty about their celebrating the holiday. This by someone who does not like them myself but will tolerate them because my daughter loves them.

Response by SGT Kevin Brown made Jul 2 at 2015 12:18 PM

2015-07-02T12:18:49-04:00

As a sufferer of PTSD, I get it, unexpected loud noises suck, especially when they simulate explosions similar to rockets and mortars. With that said. I get his sediment as well. The best therapy I partake in is immersion therapy, being a part of it. Going to the range and shooting off rounds, going to the fireworks shows and shooting my own off has done more for me then any other form of therapy to date. Involuntary reaction is down to a flinch and an temporarily increase in heart rate. As far as the sign goes, I am not against someone putting this in their yard, but you won't find one in mine. I may have PTSD, but I want people to see me only as the strong veteran I am, not the broken one I am working to fix. Dakota is a good guy and I don't think he meant any harm by this at all.

Response by SFC Jason Porter made Jul 2 at 2015 6:13 PM

2015-07-02T18:13:52-04:00

A MOH with no sensitivity or professionalism. He should volunteer and go down to the local VA and help Vets with Chronic PTSD and stop being an arrogant asshole! Respect your fellow man!

Response by SFC(P) Private RallyPoint Member made Jul 9 at 2015 7:59 AM

2015-07-09T07:59:04-04:00

Never know....
http://www.wctv.tv/home/headlines/Army-Vet-Takes-His-Life-After-July-4th-Fireworks-Trigger-PTSD-312648751.html?device=phone&c=y

After Passing of VSU Combat Vet, Many Ask 'What More Can Be Done To Help Those With PTSD?'

After the passing of VSU combat veteran, Mike Kreft, many in the Valdosta community have voiced concerns that enough isn't being done to help those suffering from PTSD.

Response by MAJ Ken Landgren made Jul 9 at 2015 2:25 PM

2015-07-09T14:25:33-04:00

What qualifies him to speak about PTSD veterans except his fashion sense?