Brothers – and heroes

Many years ago, I was honored to command a rifle platoon in Vietnam. Each day, for 9 months, our routine was to move through the jungle and set up an ambush. I don’t know if you can imagine that, but I can’t forget it.

The platoon was made of white, black and brown soldiers. Their color didn’t matter – they became family. We were brothers. They did everything I asked of them. I especially admired the black soldiers who had recently been given their civil rights over the objection of part of the country. Despite their struggle, they wore an American uniform and fought alongside us in battle. We didn’t expect much when we returned to America and that is what we got.

Now we have a president who has called those who went to Vietnam “stupid,” has said that those with PTSD are weak and that John McCain wasn’t a hero. While belittling Vietnam vets, he laughingly said he had spent the Vietnam years trying not to get an STD.

Now it appears his racist remarks might have incited the recent mass shootings. Perhaps, if he had seen fit to have been in a “foxhole” with us, his words might be different. I should also mention that the last soldier I “dusted off” was Hispanic. That Hispanic was not a murderer or rapist. He was a hero with a bullet in his stomach.

Dave Bentley

Spokane Valley