The Truth about Vietnam vets!!!

In New Mexico, many employers, especially construction , service, and manufacturing companies, require an on-the-spot mandatory drug test for all employees injured on the job. Abpit 1 in 5 test positive for something. The vast majority of these are too young to be Vietnam vets.

Addictions to alcohol, prescription drugs, and illegal drugs is epidemic in the United States throughout the general population. I have a hard time believing there is any specific universal correlation to the Vietnam War related to any vets who currently have a problem now.

As far as physical and mental trauma, I think that is in no way unique to the Vietnam war. though the Vietnam vets did suffer an unusual stress in being held in contempt by some of the American public.

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Contempt, yet. That is a good point. There were clear divisions in the war, as there are now in Iraq. But the drug problems you refer to and the testing of potential employees is more relevant today, but not so much during the time of the Vietnam war. Do you think drug usage is as prevalent in Iraq today as it was in Vietnam in the late sixties?

This is why drugs in the Vietnam war WAS unique, based on the American culture at the time. The Korean war, and WWII, didn't offer a period that fostered the kind of drug culture that existed in Vietnam during the late sixties.

American culture certainly dictates, to an extent, this particular subject matter in regards to our military.

If you want to see turmoil in returning Vets, take a gander at Korea.

You think that was different Dys? I had seven uncles who were overseas in WWII and I had three uncles who served in Korea. One was killed. All but one of the others came back no more wierd than when they went. My mother's only brother, career Army, was critically injured in Korea and was returned to the states for rehabilitation from his wounds, and alcoholism.

I think the point dys is makin' there is that Korea is "The Forgotten War". If any subset of vets can lay claim to gettin' screwed, then, since, and now, its those who were there.

You're probably right Timber. I hadn't really thought about that as I don't think I knew anybody who fought in Korea who didn't also fight in WWII. I know my career-army Uncle, years later, said that was his first time to come up against an enemy with no honor and no ethics of any kind.