Family Military History

Uncles:

1. Army, Died Vietnam, only two years older than this vet, mother's youngest brother, played hide-and-seek in the cornfields when growing up.
2. Army, Died WWII, youngest son of great-grandmother who raised me who always cried when "Dink" was mentioned.

Siblings: Almost 50 years of military service.

1. #1 Marine, 26 years, E-9 at 17 years, Bronze Star, 4 purple hearts.
2. #2 Army, Korea
3. #3 Army, Korea, broken neck
4. Self, Navy, E-4 in eleven months
5. #5 Marine, Vietnam
6. #6 Marine, Vietnam

Nephews and Nieces: All Branches, over 100 years combined service including Purple Hearts.

It is troubling that civilians without military experience deny veterans their benefits, especially a $9/month anti-narcoleptic medicine as is the case with this writer, a denial that fostered a PTSD emotional roller-coaster--see How the Military and V.A. Worsens PTSD.