[Genesis]

My English teacher asked me to write an essay about"Why should veterans be honored?"(5 paragraph essay)And they should be honored because they leave their families and homes for our freedom. But she said we could add a mental picture of what veterans have or are being through during the war. I was clueless because I don't know what its like.

[puma2072]

Okay, somebody is inevitably going to say watch"Saving Private Ryan"or"We Were Soldiers". They are good but they miss the mark and there isn't enough room here in Yahoo to do your question justice. What I would suggest is to find the local VFW or American Legion club and ask to speak with some of the veterans. As you are listening, watch their face. You are going to get a lot out of their facial expressions.The link below is the absolute best description of PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder) you or anybody will ever find.

[Robert K]

Soldiers have to deal with situations most people will never have to.Get to see humanity at its worst.

[Doug B]

OK, imagine the smell of rotting meat. Now imagine a sound so loud that it's like being kicked in the head. Add lying in a pile of decomposing human bodies, and finding yourself covered in maggots. But you can't move, because *friendly* artillery is falling short and if you move an inch you'll be torn to bloody shreds.Physically, I was in that FSLN dump hole for about five minutes. Mentally? I'm back there every night, and have suffered flashbacks that have left me curled up on the ground crying.This is *one* incident, lasting about five minutes. I was in the Army for years, and served in combat on three continents. Some days I'm amazed I haven't killed myself yet.