Listen...can you hear me applauding you?? I am ! Thanks, well said!

While I honor his service and hope nothing but the best for him and his family, I must tell you that I am unable to attach the label "Hero" to him. As someone who spent 2 1/2 yrs in Vietnam--and who just happens to have a Purple Heart also, I am very cautious about calling every soldier who experiences injury a "hero". To me, Heros are ordinary individuals who, in an unusual, unexpected situation, do extraordinary things. From what I know of SGT Battle's injury circumstance, I am unable to assign such a label to him. "Brave Warrior"--yeah, that works. It is most regrettable that he appears to have been victimized by forces beyond his control. I hesitate to castigate "HomesForOurTroops", a Veteran's support organization that has built 40 homes in 30 states for needy veterans.

This soldier was seriously wounded on the battlefield and deserves now to be taken care of by a system set up for that purpose. Unfortunately, it is a very expensive system due to so many bloddy wars over the last 60 years, and the fsct that the military also does brain damage to many which is hard to determine. It is similar to people trying to get on Medicaid disability--some deserve it---some do not. This soldier obviously deserves it.

As to the term "hero," I have a theory on that. The term is for relatives to brag about and for those who think it is adequate for them to say it loudly, wave some flags, get on Tv, ride a motorcycle, and then forget it until another one comes along.
Make it your objective to check into his plight personally and help him through goughing the government. Your mouth at a rally doesn't help.
Also, in the past wars we have had a majority of very young intelligent soldiers who were drafted mostly. They had no family to screw up, nor to be screwed up by them!

I doubt the soldier here cares about whether he did something heroic or not. He stepped out of a tank and was blown up--a dreaded misfortune. All of those guys in harm's way over there are risking their lives every day. It is just that those who are unfortunate and become seriously wounded are owed more.

The army needs heroes and sometimes invent them for morale purposes--such as the football player in Afghanistan not long ago. Ollie North also comes to mind. He put his fellow soldiers in harm's way unnecessaruly.
But when a soldier or sailor is seriously wounded doing precisely what he is supposed to be doing it is hard for them to make much out of that, and they don't.

Then, when the numbers are approaching 40,000 wounded and 5000 dead for this useless war, many lose interest as it is a hopeless cause. Especially when there doesn't seem to be anything won due to political and power games.
Soldiers can't help about the politics and are not responsible for the mistakes.

Well, while this is a rather disjointed post,I'll just say that in my 42 yrs of service with the US Army (21 active and 21 Dept of he Army civilian),I have never known one person who, regardless of where they went or what happened to them, ever thought they should be called a "hero". That's just not how we think about what we do or did. Pay atention to what Git said and discard the political crap.

As a veteran, I didn't know anyone either who wanted to be called a hero. We had a few though who did very dangerous things every day knowing that they were just lucky to be able to go again! That has nothing to do with the relatives and the glory crowd who follow these fellows around. They are little help to the Wounded.

That was not my "disjointed" point, however. There is no way to keep politics out of it unless you are active duty--then you must.
I see many things much differently now than when I was there.

You indicate that you want no credit, yet you bring out 42 years of service instead of just saying, " I am a veteran."
We all need a little recognition sometimes but shooting firecrackers and roaring engines is stupid.

No,bonkers, I don't look for credi but sometimes establishing your bona fides helps to eliminate confusion and just may, just may, establish credibility. Try it, you'll like it!

What confusion? What credibility?
Try what?

Bonkers... you don't have any friends do you?

I suppose.... the meds do help you cope. Have a wonderful evening watching your Lawrence Welk re-runs.

Are You Freer Today Than You Were Before Obama?

Yes, I have friends--some chase glory and BS, but I don't.
Ah one, ah two, ah three.........

I am not freer or unfreer than before 140 days of Obama....I was an unknowing captive of crooked bankers and unscrupulous administration hacks for eight years!!
Never again.
I can handle my own principles and morals and do not need some bunch of fakes in DC spouting all of the time about them to get votes.

I use the term Hero for Sgt. Battle because of what I've read about him.I believe from what I've read here, you are a Hero too.
Thank you from the bottom of my heart for your sacrifice & service.

Homes For Our Troops is a wonderful organization.

Take care
Tug

I appreciate your kind words, but in no way do I put myself in the category of what I call a "hero".

I agree the term of "Hero" is way overused today and diluted. And I understand from your service and from a vets point of view the term may appear to be over used referring to military types. However, as a citizen who was never in uniform and speaking for many others, let me just say that all of you vets that served that got killed, injured or not are heroes to the civilian population. Thanks guy. Your 2 1/2 years in Vietnam make you a hero to me my friend. I truly believe that the sacrifices you guys made there halted or severly slowed down the expansion of communisum around the world. In my mind.... you guys are heroes indeed. Cheers as another vet likes to say. Thanks.

And regarding Home For Our Troops.... I agree. A job well done to them too.

Are You Freer Today Than You Were Before Obama?

I appreciate the kind words.

Bottom Line... Thank you Sgt. Battle. Tug summed it up.

Are You Freer Today Than You Were Before Obama?

It was beautiful, there were probably over a hundred Patriot Guard Motorcycles. I was so thankful I could stand there with my flag to welcome Sgt. Battle home!!!!

Tug

You are something else Tug. Love Ya!

Are those Patriot Guards awesome or what? Are the Patriot Guards the organization that was birthed from protecting the families who were burying our war heroes while those crazies who were protesting the war were harassing the processions calling them murderers?

Are You Freer Today Than You Were Before Obama?

I love ya too Git, and Hutch, Jane, Cy, Hack, Muddle, Sky, etc. etc. I'm like an old drunk I love everybody. But...I don't drink except for a good Margarita sometimes.

You're right. The Patriot Guard was formed to shield the families of fallen soldiers from protesters. I looked it up & their motto is... Standing For Those Who Stood For Us. Good motto, don't ya think? Beautiful sight, & so many of them! I will never forget it, very emotional for me. Several of my brothers were veterans. I have a very close relative who is in the Navy on a ship in the Middle East now. All of them are Heros to me!!

Tug

I think you relatives as missing the point. Two independent groups, and vets themselves, volunteered their time and money to make a home happen for a disabled vet, believing he had none. Neither group of volunteers knew of the other until they read of the other in the papers. One house and 100,000 is more than vets from previous years has ever got. Two houses is nuts.

How do I know this? My ex was a viet Nam vet. He too stepped on a mine and was in a hospital overseas many months before they could patch him up enough to live through a plane trip back to the states. He almost lost both legs, they left them on because he was 18 and begged for them. His left arm, the muscles were blown away and though he has it, his fingers are useless.

When I met him he was getting a check as 30% disabled. It was over 20 years after Viet Nam. While I was married to him I drug him kicking and screaming back to MDs and had more shrapnel than I care to talk about removed from his legs. I was shown x rays and told they should have been removed, they were slowing poisoning him and should have been taken off years before. Still the VA paid 30% disabled. I divorced him because he had PDSS and it got really freaky waking up in the middle of the night to find your husband on 'night watch'.
I wasn't about to turn him loose like that because he couldn't hold a job for the pain the the PDSS so I made it my mission to get him 100% disabled with the VA. It took years. Another thing, while I was married to him, every 6 months we had to go have the warts and tags taken off of his hands and neck from being exposed to agent orange.

These VET groups, you are bad mouthing are volunteers like my ex would have been if he could have gotten around. They themselves,got a bad deal and wanted to help a fellow soldier. They wanted to take care of their own. Most of the VietNam era vets got the same treatment as my ex. Nothing wonderful like 100,000. and a house, I can assure you. They have made it a point that no one else be treated as they were.

Instead of thanking them for trying to make a bad situation better, you have publicly put them down for not giving more. SHAME ON YOU!

Pulling out the race card comment was beyond cheap. It was shameless and uncalled for. Whomever posted that should have be waterboarded.

Are You Freer Today Than You Were Before Obama?

Why don't you do some research next time before posting ignorant comments like that. Homes for Our Troops has built a home for:

Eugene Simpson

And is currently building homes for:

Casaundra Grant

Dwayne Cole

You're not such a "smart cookie" after all...

ohhhh we're pullin that card huh?
let's not even go there, how stupid of a statement is that?

After reading all the material here and at the Sun:

http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/bal-te.md.veteran19jun19,0,7229924.story

I'm thinking it's more the wife than SGT Battle who caused all this discomfort.....

I'm sad over this turn of events. My heart goes out to him.

. . who just joined this blog 3 hours ago. Do you have any answers to my questions?

How much money was raised in Sgt. Battle's name?

Was the home going to be ready for the Battles?

Was the home ever finished?

Check for finished homes in Maryland

Lot's of unanswered questions here. Note that only one home has been completed in California. I don't think the Battle's need to be concerned with this now. Home for Troops is still collecting money - and very few if any homes are completed. Something isn't right here. Interesting that Homes For Troops didn't make the announcement until they found out that the Battles were being given a hero's welcome in Fayetteville, GA. A key presentation ceremony on the same day - for an unfinished house? It will be interesting to hear an explanation for that. Maybe they're just slow in updating their website.

Thanks for the service Sgt. and Mrs. Battle - and welcome home! You deserve some rest and peace.

see their financials right on their website go to about us and click on financials! THEY ARE PROUD OF WHAT THEY DO WITH THEIR MONEY!

Yes see their Charity Navigator Rating of 4 STARS out of 4 STARS!

See their American Institute of Philanthropy rating of A for using funds efficiently! Then look up some of the GRATEFUL veterans that they have already provided homes to across the USA! Ask them what they think!

We don't want any more crippled up for life soldiers like the SGT!
I'm afraid "quick recovery" is not in the cards, nor God's speed--whatever that means!

The sergeant is a victim (limbs lost, etc.,) of a political decision. Has little to do with "liberty, freedom, and democracy for all!"

Never the less, we owe him unending medical trearment and money. Best if you write congress and demand that for him! Even if your taxes have to be increased.

The existence and use of our armed forces has always been a political decision. Whether it be Shay's rebellion, the War of 1812, The Mexican War, WWI, WWII, or the police actions in Haiti, Dominican Republic, Iraq, Afganistan, etc, they were all political decisions. "I am an American Soldier. I serve in the forces which guard my country and our way of life. I am prepared to give my life in their defense." It used to say "I am an American Fighting Man" Soldiers have always been placed in harms way due to political decisions. We volunteered to be the blunt instrument and teeth of American Foreign Policy. We should take care of our soldiers, but understand it is all a political decision. Even the ones that you don't agree with Bonkers. BTW- Welcome back. I missed you and the numerous voices that you have

I missed you and the group while you were away, even wondered if you all were OK.

But I had forgotten how you can make my ulcer boil . . . you did not make the comments above, oh no you didn't. How rude, uncaring, and just plain mean. Seems you stand alone in your opinion, because seems everyone else is thankful for what he did.

Thanks...nuff said

"When the person who in possession of a government, shall say to a nation, I hold this power in 'contempt' of you, it signifies not on what authority he pretends to say it is..but an aggravation to a person in slavery"..Thomas Paine

He needs better VA treatment and money. Doubt that your prayer will furnish that!
Call congress!

you are a sick puppy; did they just release you and your other voices from GITMO?

"The truth is incontrovertible, malice may attack it, ignorance may deride it, but in the end; there it is".
Winston Churchill

Just pray about it!

you need to go soak your head or something . . .prayer can furnish things you could never imagine. To me I believe there would be more results from praying than talking to our elected officals! Oy!!!!!

And I believe in them.
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Caution - The Surgeon General has determined that constant blogging is an addiction that can cause a sedentary life style.

A simple "thank you" just doesn't seem to be good enough....