Bluejay's Blog

A Veteran's thoughts on D-Day

I've been around for a few years. To give you an idea how long, I joined the Air Force in 1969. That was, of course, during the Vietnam war which I'm sure was way before the time of many who might read this. It was also only 24 years after D-Day. I never actually saw combat during my time in the service, but I was constantly aware of many who did and the very real possibility that I could go at any time.

I took my physical for the service a few months before actually going into the Air Force, and while there I saw and briefly talked to a friend from high school who was going into the Army. Before I even went off to basic training that friend came back in a body bag. I went to his funeral shortly before leaving for Basic Training. That could just as easily have been me.

I worked as a computer operator at HQ Air Force in Texas for a few years. Yes, they had computers back then - big and difficult to operate, but computers nonetheless. One of the things I often saw was the listing of the thousands of names of combat fatalities. Then I spent about a year at a base in Ohio. One day, out of the blue, about half of the base was given a few hours notice and put on C5's to set up a new base in Thailand. Somehow I missed that too, but it could have been me.

I tell you all of that as background to tell you about something that happened a few days ago. Now, please understand that I have no regrets about being in the Air Force. I was proud to serve my country even if I spent four years concerned about what could happen. Anyway, a few weeks ago, I got a card in the mail inviting me to attend a "Veteran's Health Fair". It went on to say "Come use the VA services you earned." I've used some of the VA benefits before for some education and some house mortgages and appreciated those services, but I never used any health benefits. I knew there were VA hospitals but have always had good insurance and never went to one. Other than that I had no idea what was available, so when the day came, I drove the 30 minutes to the location.

I've been to other "fairs" so I arrived expecting to see booths set up with people giving out information and answering questions. Instead I was handed an application form with about ten pages to fill out, then was sent to a man who took the form and started entering the information into a computer and asking me questions as he went. Finally finished, I explained that I only wanted to know what options were available to me. He said, "Were you in combat in Vietnam or were you injured as a result of your service or is your current income below this amount?" I said no to all to which he replied "There's nothing we can do for you".

If they had put something like that on the card, I wouldn't have even gone, but now I felt like they thought I was trying to get something I didn't deserve.

My dad was in the Army during WWII but also never saw combat. I wonder if he ever was made to feel like that.