Wounds that time cannot heal

My brother is in the Army, he has been since July of 2001. He rather likes his life. Today he posted a picture on Facebook of a memory bracelet he has from May 2, 2004, the day most of his unit was killed in Iraq, including his Captain. I know he posted in response to the Captain's wife sharing her last photo of her husband with their children. Heartbreaking. My brother is like that, he thinks of others. He thinks of all the guys who have died around him every day of his life, they walk with him, invisible to sight of others. As a medic, there have been hundreds.

My dad also has his own band that walks with him, He, too, served in the military. It has been 40 years since he said farewell to the Marines, but, he never really left. As he ages, his memories get stronger, and worse. 40 years of repression gets harder to maintain as his body gets older and his mind less occupied by work and raising kids. Every night he has nightmares, and often wakes up with bloody scratches on his arms, from where he was "shooing mosquitoes".

They are the walking wounded. Their minds, bodies and souls bare wounds that time cannot heal. If my brother's life is like my dad's, the memories will only get worse. I pray it is not so, that J-gets the help that was not there for my dad, but, they are strong proud men, it is hard to admit help is needed.

All of this makes me think about the article that is going around about court martials for those who share their faith, including chaplains. When our soldiers are grieving, they need God. When they are tired, they need God. When they are scared, they need God. When they are homesick, they need God. Sometimes, though, like the rest of us, it is hard to see God among the muck of life. Sometimes, He has to be brought to us by others.Now, that could be grounds for the worst punishment that the military can offer. I wish my brother and my dad were more religious, I know in their hearts they have faith, but life has beaten it out of them at times, but I am sure, there have been men who were there to share it when they really needed it.