Valhalla: a short story by James Savik

[JamesSavik]

Valhalla: a short story by James Savik

 

 

Warriors of America

[JamesSavik]

The road to Valhalla goes through hell.

 

 

 

[Hoskins]

Not without links it don't!

 

 

Oh, wait. Are you TEASING us again?

[Nephylim]

That was short... powerful though

[TalonRider]

Not without links it don't!

 

 

Oh, wait. Are you TEASING us again?

He's just letting us know it's coming.

[JamesSavik]

Like a Soldier by Johnny Cash

 

 

With the twilight colors falling

And the evening laying shadows

Hidden memories come stealing from my mind

As I feel my own heart beating out

The simple joy of living

I wonder how I ever was that kind

 

But the wild road I was rambling

Was always out there calling

And they said a hundred times I should have died

But now my present miracle

Is that you're here beside me So,

I believe they were roads that I was meant to ride

 

Like a soldier getting over the war

Like a young man getting over his crazy days

Like a bandit getting over his lawless ways

Every day is better than before

I'm like a soldier getting over the war

 

There were nights I don't remember

And there's pain that I've forgotten

Other things I choose not to recall

There are faces that come to me

In my darkest secret memory

Faces that I wish would not come back at all

 

In my dreams parade of lovers

From the other times and places

There's not one that matters now, no matter who

I'm just thankful for the journey

And that I've survived the battles

And that my spoils of victory are you

 

_________________________________________________

 

Posting Wednesday at Awesomedude: DO NOT MISS IT!

[JamesSavik]

Valhalla has arrived.

[hombre]

A stunning story James!

[old bob]

James, can you explain me how this is possible in a whealthy country like US ?

In France, for instance, we have vet organisations, supported by the government, who take care of those who suffer in their mind from the consequences of their engagement in war.

Was it a political problem ? We had such here in Switzerland, with the volunteers who fought with the republicans in the Spanish civil war. When they came back in Switzerland, they were put in jail. It needed more than 40 years to obtain their rehabilitation ! I was one of them who fought for that.

[JamesSavik]

It's a complex problem with a lot of moving parts but I'll try to tackle it.

 

Since the end of WWII, the United States has been involved in a number of unpopular wars with ambiguous outcomes and in support of dubious allies. Korea was just the first but it was followed by Vietnam, Panama, Gulf War !, Gulf War II and Afghanistan.

 

Unlike WWII, none of these wars has been a clear-cut victories and a "good war" like WWII that the people could all support.

 

Often times we found ourselves supporting an ally that wasn't a hell of a lot different than the enemy.

 

In many of these wars the indigenous military ran a lot more than they fought and shot a lot more civilians and suspected spies than enemy soldiers.

 

When soldiers from these conflicts came home, they were met with apathy, ridicule and even hostility.

 

While WWII veterans were lauded and praised, Korean and Vietnam war veterans were ignored for the most part.

 

Post-WWII war veterans experiences were difficult, ugly and were often shrouded in secrecy. Many were told never to discuss operations that until this very day remain classified. So the foundation is laid for the silence: Never talk about it.

 

Almost all of these veterans suffer from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder to some degree, which I described in Valhalla. PTSD manifests itself in a number of ways and alcoholism and drug addiction is quite common and difficult to treat when you have a patient with numerous traumatic memories who can't find relief in any other way.

 

The symptoms of combat related PTSD that I described in Valhalla are alcoholism, drug addiction, sleeping difficulties, nightmares, flashbacks, social and family difficulties make it difficult or impossible for a sufferer to function successfully in society. In many cases its a degenerative condition and the PTSD sufferer's life falls apart over time. It becomes a downward spiral and the symptoms grow worse.

 

In many ways Never Talk About It makes things much worse. It is very difficult to get vets to confront these traumatic memories in a therapeutic setting. Many just think they are crazy and suffer in silence until a lot of damage has been done or there are serious personal and legal consequences.

 

It's no surprise that many of these guys end up homeless. The treatment that they receive on the streets as homeless people is disgraceful. They can become victims or be exceptionally violent if cornered or if they are having a flashback.

 

It is a complex problem that our society has yet to successfully cope with and the Afghan and Iraq Wars have added an entirely new generation of vets with crippling psychological problems that are progressive and deadly. Already we are seeing spikes in suicide rates of active duty personnel. If history is any guide, this will only get worse in the decades to come unless more effective treatment methods are used and our society treats this issue as a medical problem rather than a legal one.

[Nephylim]

That was a VERY moving story. I would like to say that the situation is better for war veterans in the UK.. I would like to but I can't.

 

I have always thought that if you joined the army, not conscripted but chose to join, then you knew it would be likely that you would be placed in situations where youwould be expected to kill or be killed... you make your choice you live with the consequences.

 

However, you have made me think... hard. Thank you.

[old bob]

It's a complex problem with a lot of moving parts but I'll try to tackle it.

If history is any guide, this will only get worse in the decades to come unless more effective treatment methods are used and our society treats this issue as a medical problem rather than a legal one.

Thanks James for your detailed answer. You are right. What a Nation thinks and does for its veterans depends on its acceptation of the war and the result of it.

I remember the "Harkis" in France, algerian soldiers who fought with the French army in the Algerian independance war (1954-1962). When France lost, they came as refugies in France, were parked in camps and forgotten during 35 years.(The same with the japanese vets from WWII).

[JamesSavik]

Valhalla is strong, confronting writing, revealing and thought provoking, compassionate and cathartic, and for these qualities gains my appreciation award for literary achievement.

 



 

Awarded to Jamessavik

for literary achievement

in his story

Valhalla