My name is Charlie. I was in Viet Nam in 1969 and part of 1970. I spent my 21st Birthday in a fox hole with one of my Marine Brothers in there with me, but there was one difference in us. He was deceased. When we came back to the states, people could care less, it was like we were on a vacation. No one welcomed us home, no one seemed to appreciate what we went through and saw when we were there. Things that still today give me nightmares. It was horrible. I went to a military hospital about 4 years ago to get help with a hearing aid because my hearing is really bad since VietNam and they told me that I had 20% hearing in one ear and 50% in the other but refused to help me get a hearing aid.

     There is a new song out on a CD by Johnny Cash and Willie Nelson. The song is called "Drive On" Its starts off by saying Our country got off track, it took them 25 years to welcome us back. (Very true) And at the end it says I finally figured out what I am -- I'm a walking talking miracle from Viet Nam. I just want to say that our country let the Viet Nam Veterans down from that era. We were putting our lives on the line for our country and they did not seem to appreciate us.

  

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