My reply to my friend, Mark.

Tom's Journal.
http://tomschuckmanjournal.blogspot.com/
tschuckman@aol.com

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Dear Mark,
When I originally started my very own blog/ Journal a few years ago [Old Soldier Tom's Journal] -- now 'Tom's Journal' http.//tomschuckmanjournal.blogspot.com , I listed the "mission/ objective" right from the start and my goal [s]. First and fore most I wanted to share my blessed hope and trust in the salvation and promises of the Lord Jesus Christ and reach out to anyone and everyone who has interest in that subject. We all know that some will love it and some will spit on it-- and that's OK. I serve only as a 'mouth piece' for the Lord and His Word- the Bible. [2]. I wanted to reach out and connect to/ with as many Combat Veterans of any war and age to help them understand how to 'deal with' the corrupt VA system that seeks to ignore and screw them and their families until they are dead! This is NOT a figment of my imagination! This is the real world of reality that constantly gets thrust into my face, personally, and for the vast majority of those who talk, email and contact me --plus well documented news articles and Veteran Orgs. research and gov't documents. Looking back at the past 30 years of my personal dealings and knowledge with the VA-- 98% of it has been an up hill battle and very frustrating-- and others I've talked to have it much worse--many are now dead! The Congress and past Administrations have proved that they don't give a rat's ass about the Veterans! Sorry...they just want 'us' to dry up and blow away, and guess what?!-- the new, young disabled Veterans are now getting the same old treatment that WE did!! If we don't band together like brothers and help ourselves the Govt and VA will push us into obscurity and neglect their contractual promises made to us! Now finally, the true exposes, facts and cover ups are being laid bare for the public to see and examine-- AFTER so many good men and women have died of neglect and service-connected injuries and being disenfranchised and dumped on, lied about.
If I have any 'gifts' or where with all-- I would be a coward and a sinner NOT to print/ publish these timely subjects! That's my story-- and I am sticking to it. I figure that with all the trash and lies on the "News Media" these days, I have also earned the RIGHT to speak my piece too as I see it.
Thank you for your personal view point, observations and comments. As always, I respect you and your beliefs and mind sets even if I don't always agree with them, old friend.

Tom Schuckman
Christian Soldier

THOMAS G. SCHUCKMAN

VIETNAM VETERANS:
Heaven doesn't want us... Hell's afraid we'll take over.

http://tomschuckmanjournal.blogspot.com/
tschuckman@aol.com
Union Grove, WI

-----Original Message-----
From: LTLIKE49@aol.com
To: Tschuckman@aol.com
Sent: Tue, 6 Jan 2009 11:54 am
Subject: Re: Vietnam

Mark Eisenhower talks about our two families [plus thousands more] that came and settled legally in America in the [S.W. part of] Hays, Kansas area in the mid-1800's as basically wheat farmers, who escaped the racial and religious persecution of the old mother country in Europe. Mark and his siblings attended the same schools in Kansas that my first cousins did--so we have a kindred spirit or sorts. We are called, "Volga-Germans", but we've completely assimilated into patriotic Americans and many fought in America's wars. Mark's dear, beloved brother, Jim, was killed in Vietnam with the same combat Aviation Hel. outfit [ the 240th AHC-BearCat, RVN] that I was in. He was a brave helicopter pilot that paid the ultimate price at too young an age, and many morn his loss.

By now you have received the link I forwarded to you.Look at the names.They were settlers hard and determined to make a life of a patch of ground never before settled out in the middle of no where.You are of the same cloth as these people.They were humble ,God fearing,hard working,contributing to the society that depended on the efforts of all instead of just one.I know you are proud of your heritage and the values instilled in you by those who have gone before us.

Your experience in Vietnam shaped who you became but who you were was already determined by those who walked this way before us.The combination of the two is the sum total of the person who learns from the experiences.A door-gunner was a power to reckon with and was a life saver for himself and others on the aircraft.That is a challenge to put before a young American.You rose to the challenge and survived to talk about it.In part you are the product of that experience,but it is history.I am always careful when I speak to those with combat experience.Why should I expect them to dredge up memories of combat when I know the memories must haunt them.For those who have helped me in my search for facts about 18 Aug 68 I am very grateful for the unpleasant return to the horrors of war.I understand his point.He will talk of these experiences to those who like him have lived it.My curiosity was motivated by a need to know.Not everyone needs to know or for that matter even want to know.I succeed in my chosen profession because I listen to what people say and what they don't say is just as important.I am older now and am looked to for help at a very difficult time in the lives of people.It took me awhile but eventually I came to the reality that I had no clue how this bereaved family accross the table from me felt.This is death,it effects everyone in a different way.Some make the transition from grief to acceptance.Others will deny a reality and continue to search for those who were lost.When I said Jim was killed in Vietnam the first time I began to heal.I still miss him and wish he could experience his two GrandSons.I was forced to put that reality in a place where I could recall it's influence at any time.Door-Gunner is a reality in many ways.Not all of them are pretty pictures.Sure you can share that with those who might because with you they share a similar phase in the lives.It is like "been there ...done that.....bought the T-shirt ......and now I use it for a grease rag.You can say that!But,God help the poor sucker who says this with no knowledge of the impact it had on you lfe and others like you.Not everyone would do what you did! Not everyone wants to be reminded!And,you will carry the memory for the rest of your life.It is your memory and for some it is an ugly reality that they are better of not knowing.For you it was a life-changing experience and who you are today may in part may be a result of the experience.Vietnam did not shape the whole man but had a part in it.Your heritage gave you the tools to indure and keep on keepin on.You have found a source of strength that overshadows all you have done before.Find strength in who you are today,tomorrow and in the days to come for you are a child of God. Not a door-gunner..........

Share it with those who need a witness for the Glory of the Lord......
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And from Carolyn:

I don't know Tom- but I would guess every one who was there has a different way of dealing with things. Nothing wrong with talking about it- it helps those of us who weren't there, or too young to know, just a bit of what you all saw and did. Maybe some, actually, I know many who don't talk- WW2 vets and Korean vets as well, who don't talk about things, as for being traumatized etc. But I've always been a firm believer in the more you talk- the more healing it is. Just be you Tom- and if you talk- keep at it. You help so many people with your blog, and when you use your Viet Nam "status" on your comments, well, it may bring someone to read your blog and be helped and blessed. You never know! God Bless!

Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you really knew me, you would know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him.
John 14:6,7

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