From Lawrence Winters: The Making and un-Making of a Marine

By Remy Benoit

Please visit with Larry Winters at The Making and Un-making of a Marine. so he may share many thoughts with you and you may see the reviews of his book which I truly feel will interest you.

I asked special permission of Larry to give you his words here tonight. When they were sent to me, I felt they directly related to the thoughts that I put here a few days ago - we need Veterans and Civiilans to be Big Brothers and Big Sisters to the new Veterans coming home. They are us, our family, our national family and they need us to keep the Covenant -

Be there for us, and we will be there for you.

It is my privilege to give you the thoughts of this author, mental health counselor, and Veteran Advocate, Larry Winters.

OK, let's think about this for a few minutes. You say you support the troops but not the war. Have I got that right? Great! I thought that's what you said. So let me just make sure I understand what that means; support the troops, that is.

I was once a troop during the Vietnam War, and I would have seen support as you showing up for me. You would have honored me when I was sent to war to risk my life to keep you safe. You would have followed the war as it progressed to see where I was and how I was doing. You would have written me letters and prayed for my safety. You would have welcomed me home when I got back. And you would have thanked me from the bottom of your heart for standing between you and the enemy.

You then would have asked me what I needed, and how was my health. You would have wanted to know what you could do to repay me for the effort that I put in to keep our country safe. Your primary interest would have been for my welfare. You would have wanted to comfort me from my battlefield fears; you would have asked if you could pay for my medical bills; you would have helped my family when I was gone; and, you would have told me that you honored me for my sacrifice. You would have asked me for forgiveness for not going yourself and you would have offered forgiveness for the killing I did in your name. That must be what you mean when you say you support the troops?

Hey where are you going we just started this conversation? Come on back I want to hear about why you don't support the war.
Larry Winters

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Rhea and Jordan Devereaux had it all: undying devotion, a tender love, and a grand passion. And then the Vietnam War separated them. Follow the course of their love across time and space. Journey with them through the steaming jungle; dance with the Mardi Gras revelers while revolution unseats Louis XVI and protestors on the Washington Mall scream, Hell, NO. We won't Go. Sail with Laffite's pirates into Devil's Isle and rejoice as an unconditional and timeless love emerges victorious.

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