“I’m a veteran from the Korean war. I was injured in the military 38 years ago. I have no short term memory at all.”
DISCLAIMER: I should note Rob’s story did not add up in a timeline. He claimed he was a Vietnam era-veteran who fought in the Korea War. He is most likely too young to have fought in the Korea War. With that said, he of course may have been confused due to his brain injury. I do not doubt the validity of his injury. Thousands of veterans suffering from mental illnesses currently live on the streets today.
“I’m a veteran from the Korean war. I was injured in the military 38 years ago. I was hit by a ten-ton truck. It was my own guy just not paying attention to what he was doing. It knocked me out for two days. I have no short-term memory at all, long term memory- if its more than five years- seems to come back to me. That wasn’t stupidity on my part, just an accident. Wrong place at the wrong time.
I wasn’t on the line. I didn’t get purple heart, I got discharged. They realized what they had done and decided to just sweep me under the carpet. The said ‘Oh your fine’. I was never fine. Rather than fix me they discharged me.”
“I’m trying to go into this homeless veterans program. While I’m there I will file for my disability again. Hopefully I can finally get my disability. It’s almost impossible to get disability when you don’t have an address or a phone for them to contact. I haven’t been able to form new memories for 38 years, it’s not like I can work. I doubt I’ll remember our interaction here today.
People see me and have no respect for me. They treat me like I’m a piece of shit. I don’t want any sympathy for being a veteran. That’s not the point. The point is you’re supposed to treat people with respect. With the way things are now, I’m scared about the future.”
