Guns don’t kill people, people do, but the gun helps

Burdens to Carry

Posted on April 16th, 2008 in Uncategorized

I know you’re not suppose to “judge a book by its cover” but when I first read the title of The Things They Carried I thought it was either going to talk about the awesome machinery or the guilt and emotions each soldier has to deal with. When first reading about the weight each soldier had to carry it reminded me of my cousin complaining about how his daughter is taller than him. He claimed that his pack and helmet and all of his gear weighed him down. I’m not sure what his missions were and I don’t know much about his stay in S. Korea. I just know he met his wife there so, even though I was adopted, I have cousins that look like me.

There are so many burdens a soldier has to carry. That’s why it shocks me to hear about all of the stories of betrayal from loved ones. “How Easily Life Changes,” is a blog I read about a soldier observing what his fellow soldiers have to deal with. It must make your boots heavier knowing that when you get back home, everything is different. I’m not sure if it would make me angry at the person so I would fight harder or if I would blame the military for my situation and want to get out as quick as possible.

You’d think these military wives would know what they’re getting into. It’s sad and I agree with the writer when he says,

“These women really have no excuse for doing what they did to these soldiers. Maybe it was selfishness, the inability to adapt (in the Army you can get chaptered out early for that), who knows.”

Sure, it may be lonely without their husband there, but think about how lonely he feels.