Military Christmas Overseas

Military Christmas OverSeas

by Peter Macdonald

I have moments every year at this time, since 1974 when I came home. The feeling of loneness, and the dream of living one Christmas back in the world (US). After boot camp I was in a car accident. TBI tarmacs brain injury was the result. To this day I remember nothing (family, friends, school), prior to the accident. The Marine Corps because of an admin error sent me back to active duty, once released from the hospital. This is the start of my 31 months overseas duty.

Can you imagine every day listening to other Marines talk about home and the U.S. Sitting in a make shift hooch with screen walls and a metal roof. Walking through knee deep mud to take a shower. Eating what appeared to be garbage at the mess tent. Preparing to go off on another convoy. Trying to conceive what life back in the “world” would be like.

Every Veteran that has served over seas I am sure remembers the holiday season and the feelings of loneness. The place may have changed, Iraq, Afghanistan, Vietnam or others. The situation is the same. Questioning if you would be here tomorrow. Listen to the bombs explode in a distance from the air craft you launched hours earlier. Sitting deep into the night in a ditch waiting for those same aircraft to return. Dreaming of what it would be like to kiss a round eyed girl for the first time. Hoping mail call that day that you would receive a letter. The slow times were the worst. Once the action started you never had time to think. The action was short bursts of commotion where life or death did not matter, just complete the mission then go back to the hooch.

My first memories of life that I retained in my mind are those lonely moments overseas. To this day I remember some things clear as a bell and others I forget in seconds. The timing of a memory could be off by years but deep in my mind I relive every year the feelings that I am sure every U.S. military person overseas are feeling at this very moment. These are the children that we sent into war. These are the children that will return as Veterans.

I write these articles because I want the people that never served to understand what a Veteran is. I want you to know the Veterans of tomorrow that come home are not the same as the kid that left. I want you the citizens of the U.S. to understand every returning Veteran need help. Not just the disabled, but all because adjusting back here in a civilized society is not easy. Reality back here is not the same as where these Veterans have gone for you. Some Veterans may need a lot of help, others may just need a friendly hand during the Christmas season. My moments come and go but I was lucky enough to marry the perfect wife whom helps me.

Peter Macdonald Sgt USMC Semper