Your thoughts on the real antagonists in the story?

[wordslinger42]

I was pretty disgusted with how they treated the vets. I found myself wondering how much good they could have done if they had put as much effort into actually helping vets as they did on trying to find loopholes.

[Brenda Creech]

I had two uncles and a brother-in-law serve in Viet Nam. One of my uncles did two tours of duty in Nam and was exposed to agent orange. When he came home he didn't initially get any benefits from the military at all. He had to battle the system for several years before he finally received his VA benefits! It is a shame on our government to deny ANYONE who serves this country their benefits when they come home. It still angered me to read about how these heroes were treated in the book. This may be a book of fiction but what happened to these guys is a reality for most military heros!

I totally agree with you, this happens even in real life right know. I know people who are going through the same currently, militaries who have been affected by wars but no pentions assigned to them

It is really sad how our military men and women are treated after they risk their lives for our country. They should be treated like kings and queens when they come home!

[Abacus]

The bureaucrats in the VA who deliberately withheld services not because of policy but because of personal rancor should be punished for killing members of the military. They are as guilty as terrorists and the Viet Cong.

What an assinine rule that military personnel should wait months to be seen at a VA hospital and cannot go to hospital available to the public. Someone should be held accountable for that.

[chelhack]

I agree with you on them being worse than the act of war. They send these men and women to fight for their country just for them to get shown how little their country cares for them when it comes to a money standpoint.

[evraealtana]

The VA is, admittedly, still not great, but it is at least better than in the book. Poor treatment of our veterans is shameful - including their medical benefits and ease of access to these benefits, but also unemployment and homelessness rates. We're going the right way but still have a long way to go.

[Ekta Swarnkar]

The theme is war and I think war brings real heroes. It is amazing how war is described.

[AvidBibliophile]

I think that the Veterans Affairs department needs to be completely redone to meets the needs of our soldiers coming home. As a country, our priorities are getting men and women ready for combat. We focus so intently on fighting that we don't put any time or effort into helping them into civilian life. I think that this was perfectly illustrated during the Vietnam War and the way that these veterans were left behind to fend for themselves.

I completely agree, and it's an inexcusable disregard that the VA cannot defend. They become more concerned with cost-cutting maneuvers and unfairly worded guidelines, so much so, that all these soldiers wind up suffering alone on a massive scale. As a psychiatrist, I have worked alongside providers at the VA, as a former military spouse, I have dealt with them as a civilian. And the entire organization is flawed beyond measure, despite their goodwill mission statements.

[AvidBibliophile]

The bureaucrats in the VA who deliberately withheld services not because of policy but because of personal rancor should be punished for killing members of the military. They are as guilty as terrorists and the Viet Cong.

What an assinine rule that military personnel should wait months to be seen at a VA hospital and cannot go to hospital available to the public. Someone should be held accountable for that.

I recently read an article in one of the Psychiatric Journal publications I receive as a physician, and a former mental health provider for the VA flat out stated that she thinks the issue with increasing rates of veteran suicides (in her opinion) stems not from their experiences at home or abroad, but simply due to their easy access to firearms. I was in disbelief.

[randy6175]

I have not yet read this book, so I can only talk about the VA based upon my own knowledge. I think the VA has done some truly awful things for our society and Veterans. I also know some people who have benefited greatly from the medical (my cousins) and the temporary housing (my friends). Above all, I think the bureaucracy of the VA sucks (to put it mildly), but the employees and volunteers associated with it, genuinely care.

I agree. The clinicians do care and do good works, but beware the bean counters that have the power to hobble them.

[Erick Muyesu]

In my opinion, I think the Veterans Affairs department as presented in the novel were inhuman and I regard them as real antagonists in the story. How could they pass laws that would deny soldiers their pension after the war? That was inhuman of them.

[Paige Alvarado]

My least favorite character was Lance Corporal Marvin Boudreau. He was the "jarhead" who harassed Zack and his comrades, and then got what he deserved later on. Unfortunately for him, his massive beating left him incapable of further service in the military. That is, until he was offered the job in Washington. I thought it was extremely petty that he went on to convince his fellow officials to brush the Agent Orange scandal under the rug, and continue denying Blue Water veterans their pensions, while knowing full well that they were in brown water just as much. He felt he was gaining revenge so many years later by doing this and that really stuck with me. I just could not stand him.

[randy6175]

At first, I thought the real antagonist of the story was the Veteran affairs department. Clearly, the injustices they serve these honorable veterans are unthinkable.

However, on a closer look, I think the real antagonist here is not even human. Sometimes we get so caught up in post-war politics. I think we have to realize that the real antagonist isn't the enemy or the Veteran Affairs department despite the wrongs committed by them.

The real antagonist, in my opinion is, war itself.

Do you agree?

Nope. I see that as a cop out.

[mariana90]

Man, it is chilling to see these brave people risking their life for their country and being so mistreated once they get home. It is shameful and no society should allow it.

[Nkoo]

I can't agree less, the Veteran's Affairs Department was cruel. Such acts demonstrated by the veterans show stoic patriotism which is no joke. It shouldn't only be appreciated by mere words but with quality action.

[djr6090]

I have not yet read this book, so I can only talk about the VA based upon my own knowledge. I think the VA has done some truly awful things for our society and Veterans. I also know some people who have benefited greatly from the medical (my cousins) and the temporary housing (my friends). Above all, I think the bureaucracy of the VA sucks (to put it mildly), but the employees and volunteers associated with it, genuinely care.

Thank you for that, V. Reading this book, people may be tempted to ignore the many volunteers who try to make life tolerable for our war wounded.