Was I wrong?

[NIGHT STALKER]

I was on the off ramp on I-95 waiting at the light earlier today. I see a homeless guy with a sign that says..."Help a Vietnam Vet". I call him over and don't let him know I'm also a Nam vet. I ask him when he was there and he says 1968. I go to myself, hey, same year as me. I then proceed to ask him where he was in Nam and who he served with. Tells me the 9th Infantry Division in Da Nang. Again, he has no idea I am a Nam vet. I tell him, come again? He repeats it back to me who he was with and where. I told him to **** himself and tell him, you're making a bad name for Nam vets because the 9th ID was in the Delta down south. He goes back to his area by the light and continues to hold the sign. As the light turns green, I approach him again and shoot the ****. No, I didn't of course, but I really wanted to shove that sign up his ass...was I wrong in calling him out like that or should I have ignored his BS? The guy is probably making himself a nice stash living a lie.

You have to remember, I am a combat vet from that war and when someone pretends to be, I just want to...well, I hope you all understand.

[BP]

I don't think you're wrong. I could understand how that would piss you off.

[Garb]

Going off-topic here, but never understood homeless folks that remain in the Northeast during winter. I mean, there has 'gotta be a way to migrate south with little money. I can't imagine sleeping on a grate when it's zero degrees and snowing. I know many of these folks have pschological issues - but even a crazy drunk knows it's cold out there!

BTW - I don't think you are wrong for feeling angry either. Maybe he's THAT screwed-up though, you know?

[NIGHT STALKER]

Going off-topic here, but never understood homeless folks that remain in the Northeast during winter. I mean, there has 'gotta be a way to migrate south with little money. I can't imagine sleeping on a grate when it's zero degrees and snowing. I know many of these folks have pschological issues - but even a crazy drunk knows it's cold out there!

BTW - I don't think you are wrong for feeling angry either. Maybe he's THAT screwed-up though, you know?

You know, after I left the scene, I starting saying to myself maybe he was so far gone that he has memory loss of some kind...sometimes it pays to just leave well enough alone I guess.

[Lil Bit Special]

were you wrong? No.

But you shouldnt get upset over some bum begging for money. Its not like he is going to stop just because you called him out on it... unless you plan on standing next to him with a sign that claims he's a phony.

And most people would have no clue on whether he is a real vet or not. Most dont care.

I for one dont really look for honesty in my beggars. They are as truthful as car salesmen, pyramid scheme promoters, and website owners.

[NIGHT STALKER]

were you wrong? No.

But you shouldnt get upset over some bum begging for money. Its not like he is going to stop just because you called him out on it... unless you plan on standing next to him with a sign that claims he's a phony.

And most people would have no clue on whether he is a real vet or not. Most dont care.

I for one dont really look for honesty in my beggars. They are as truthful as car salesmen, pyramid scheme promoters, and website owners.

At the end of the day there's a big difference in a car salesman and beggars who claim to be vets. The car salesman is still a car salesman whether he is lying or not. A homeless beggar who claims to be a vet and isn't...well, maybe you have to be a vet to understand.

[spjets]

i pass a homeless guy everyday....has a sign that says he has no money no home, heart problems etc....but every 3-4 days..he's wearing new clothes and is clean shavin....

what happened to the good ol bum with the santa beard and 3 winter coats on??

[war ensemble]

I don't know dude. On paper I can understand why you'd be so angry, but you don't know how psychologically screwed that guy could be. Maybe he did serve and post-war stress has left him in that state with major memory loss. I think it would be best to simply ignore him, you don't know what he has or has not gone through so right now it's impossible to judge.

[GangGreen]

I was on the off ramp on I-95 waiting at the light earlier today. I see a homeless guy with a sign that says..."Help a Vietnam Vet". I call him over and don't let him know I'm also a Nam vet. I ask him when he was there and he says 1968. I go to myself, hey, same year as me. I then proceed to ask him where he was in Nam and who he served with. Tells me the 9th Infantry Division in Da Nang. Again, he has no idea I am a Nam vet. I tell him, come again? He repeats it back to me who he was with and where. I told him to **** himself and tell him, you're making a bad name for Nam vets because the 9th ID was in the Delta down south. He goes back to his area by the light and continues to hold the sign. As the light turns green, I approach him again and shoot the ****. No, I didn't of course, but I really wanted to shove that sign up his ass...was I wrong in calling him out like that or should I have ignored his BS? The guy is probably making himself a nice stash living a lie.

You have to remember, I am a combat vet from that war and when someone pretends to be, I just want to...well, I hope you all understand.

You were 100% right, and you shouldn't feel guilty at all.

[PFSIKH]

i pass a homeless guy everyday....has a sign that says he has no money no home, heart problems etc....but every 3-4 days..he's wearing new clothes and is clean shavin....

what happened to the good ol bum with the santa beard and 3 winter coats on??

It is a profession now.

About a decade ago, I was in NY Transit Authority and a kid in some expensive Air Jordans and an expensive jacket comes up begging for money. I asked if he was kidding?

In 2007, I flew in to Tucson for some training. Every highway exit had someone at the end of the road begging for money.

[Gainzo]

I was on the off ramp on I-95 waiting at the light earlier today. I see a homeless guy with a sign that says..."Help a Vietnam Vet". I call him over and don't let him know I'm also a Nam vet. I ask him when he was there and he says 1968. I go to myself, hey, same year as me. I then proceed to ask him where he was in Nam and who he served with. Tells me the 9th Infantry Division in Da Nang. Again, he has no idea I am a Nam vet. I tell him, come again? He repeats it back to me who he was with and where. I told him to **** himself and tell him, you're making a bad name for Nam vets because the 9th ID was in the Delta down south. He goes back to his area by the light and continues to hold the sign. As the light turns green, I approach him again and shoot the ****. No, I didn't of course, but I really wanted to shove that sign up his ass...was I wrong in calling him out like that or should I have ignored his BS? The guy is probably making himself a nice stash living a lie.

You have to remember, I am a combat vet from that war and when someone pretends to be, I just want to...well, I hope you all understand.

I understand where you are coming from but isn't it time you walked away from that kind of stuff?

Vietnam ended in 1975. I was 3 when the war "ended", but lost family members I would never get the chance to meet. They were Aussies and Kiwis who wanted nothing to do with that war and lost their lives fighting for it anyway.

It's 2008, soon to be 2009. It's over mate.

[StillerPaul]

It is a profession now.

About a decade ago, I was in NY Transit Authority and a kid in some expensive Air Jordans and an expensive jacket comes up begging for money. I asked if he was kidding?

In 2007, I flew in to Tucson for some training. Every highway exit had someone at the end of the road begging for money.

I have alot of sympathy for the homeless and i don't wanna judge them in any way... But if a guy can hold a sign next to a street all day why the hell can't he work? There's work out there, even temp agencies and such.

[NIGHT STALKER]

I understand where you are coming from but isn't it time you walked away from that kind of stuff?

Vietnam ended in 1975. I was 3 when the war "ended", but lost family members I would never get the chance to meet. They were Aussies and Kiwis who wanted nothing to do with that war and lost their lives fighting for it anyway.

It's 2008, soon to be 2009. It's over mate.

Technically the war is over. Mentally, never. Don't take my word for it, ask any vet from any war.

[Gainzo]

Technically the war is over. Mentally, never. Don't take my word for it, ask any vet from any war.

My Uncle John will never forget about that war but he doesn't bring it up on a message board.

NIGHT STALKER: Lets talk football, music, anything but Vietnam. Deal?

If you want to talk send me a PM.

[NIGHT STALKER]

My Uncle John will never forget about that war but he doesn't bring it up on a message board.

NIGHT STALKER: Lets talk football, music, anything but Vietnam. Deal?

If you want to talk send me a PM.

We're in the lounge area...isn't this the place where people bring up marriages, how much you drink, etc...sorry if I offended you, but all I was asking if I was wrong to dis the guy.

So, anything goes in the lounge area but my experience in Vietnam...and that wasn't what the original intent was.

[ZachEY]

The guy is going to continue to do what he's been doing to get money for food/drugs/whatever... the only thing he's going to take from your interaction is that he didn't get the 50 cents he'd hoped for.

You have every right to be upset, but at the end of the day, your anger will accomplish nothing...

And I would bet your account of him 'making a nice stash living' are grossly exaggerated. I'm gong to guess that begging rarely amounts to minimum wage.

[Gainzo]

We're in the lounge area...isn't this the place where people bring up marriages, how much you drink, etc...sorry if I offended you, but all I was asking if I was wrong to dis the guy.

So, anything goes in the lounge area but my experience in Vietnam...and that wasn't what the original intent was.

You didn't offend me at all. You did what you had to do with the guy claiming to be a Vet. IMO: That guy can go F himself.

Here on the board we have you, PFSIKH, & G.O.B (who am I forgetting?) who have served in the US Armed Forces.

[Bergen Jet]

I told him to **** himself and tell him, you're making a bad name for Nam vets because the 9th ID was in the Delta down south.

You just told him how to answer the question next time somebody asks him...

[mdjet]

We're in the lounge area...isn't this the place where people bring up marriages, how much you drink, etc...sorry if I offended you, but all I was asking if I was wrong to dis the guy.

So, anything goes in the lounge area but my experience in Vietnam...and that wasn't what the original intent was.

my father in law and his 3 bros are all vietnam vets, great guys, love talking about their experiences, probably therapeutic(what do you know you were in the navy, etc.), I soak it all up, NS keep up the the stories I enjoy reading your comments about it, regardless of politics, these life experience stories are great.

[Lil Bit Special]

At the end of the day there's a big difference in a car salesman and beggars who claim to be vets. The car salesman is still a car salesman whether he is lying or not. A homeless beggar who claims to be a vet and isn't...well, maybe you have to be a vet to understand.

I was making a joke based off other threads here.... guess you werent in a joking mood.

Whether he claims to be a vet or not will not cross the mind of most people who pass him. They dont care.

You do care, but is it really worth it to be upset over someone who is begging for money? Do you look for truthfulness out of other beggars who have signs about no home, food, etc? Doubt it. Scream at him. Yell. Cuss. None of it will matter. He isnt going to change his sign just because you called him out on it.

[NIGHT STALKER]

I was making a joke based off other threads here.... guess you werent in a joking mood.

Whether he claims to be a vet or not will not cross the mind of most people who pass him. They dont care.

You do care, but is it really worth it to be upset over someone who is begging for money? Do you look for truthfulness out of other beggars who have signs about no home, food, etc? Doubt it. Scream at him. Yell. Cuss. None of it will matter. He isnt going to change his sign just because you called him out on it.

No, you're right the more I think about it...this is a bad time and good time of year for me... exactly 40 years ago to the year of 1968. I explained my feelings to Gainzo in a PM...sorry if I offended anyone.

[BP]

No, you're right the more I think about it...this is a bad time and good time of year for me... exactly 40 years ago to the year of 1968. I explained my feelings to Gainzo in a PM...sorry if I offended anyone.

Bill, you didn't offend anyone. I enjoy hearing you talk about your experiences and actually think it's therapeutic to talk about it.

[Lil Bit Special]

No, you're right the more I think about it...this is a bad time and good time of year for me... exactly 40 years ago to the year of 1968. I explained my feelings to Gainzo in a PM...sorry if I offended anyone.

Didnt offend me.

I just like having fun. I also try to not let things get me too pissed off these days. No matter what the frustration, is it really worth it for me to get so upset? No.

However, something like Vietnam is a hell of a lot worse than any petty bullsh!t I deal with in my life. I can only imagine what it could have been like and why it upsets you seeing sh!t like this. And it probably isnt easy for you to just let it go. However, its just a bum.

I thank you for your service to our country and defending it for pu$sies like me.

[ZachEY]

Try to remember... Being a Vet for you is a source of pride and a source of identity, and ultimately, the way you look back at your life and think, 'I did something that mattered'.

Remember that this guy imitating a vet is doing so not only to survive, but because people like you have a high enough perception in this country today that average American's respect this and it earns him money a few sheckles. While it's unfortunate that he's a fraud, taken from another angle, this can be a source of pride for you as well. When the chips are down, pretending to be like you is one of the best ways for him to survive.

Remember that at the end of the day, whether his situation was of his own doing, or of societies, he, like everyone else is just trying to survive. It's a shame that he has to stoop to these levels to do it, and two days after Thanksgiving, rather than being angry, feel blessed that you're not standing next to him, where the merit of your story comes in a distant second to the prospect of your next meal.

/liberal diatribe.

[Thai Jet]

I was on the off ramp on I-95 waiting at the light earlier today. I see a homeless guy with a sign that says..."Help a Vietnam Vet". I call him over and don't let him know I'm also a Nam vet. I ask him when he was there and he says 1968. I go to myself, hey, same year as me. I then proceed to ask him where he was in Nam and who he served with. Tells me the 9th Infantry Division in Da Nang. Again, he has no idea I am a Nam vet. I tell him, come again? He repeats it back to me who he was with and where. I told him to **** himself and tell him, you're making a bad name for Nam vets because the 9th ID was in the Delta down south. He goes back to his area by the light and continues to hold the sign. As the light turns green, I approach him again and shoot the ****. No, I didn't of course, but I really wanted to shove that sign up his ass...was I wrong in calling him out like that or should I have ignored his BS? The guy is probably making himself a nice stash living a lie.

You have to remember, I am a combat vet from that war and when someone pretends to be, I just want to...well, I hope you all understand.

I know how you feel Stalker but I seriously doubt the guy is making a nice stash.

[Thai Jet]

No, you're right the more I think about it...this is a bad time and good time of year for me... exactly 40 years ago to the year of 1968. I explained my feelings to Gainzo in a PM...sorry if I offended anyone.

I don't think you really offended anyone Stalker.

[Boozer76]

I was on the off ramp on I-95 waiting at the light earlier today. I see a homeless guy with a sign that says..."Help a Vietnam Vet". I call him over and don't let him know I'm also a Nam vet. I ask him when he was there and he says 1968. I go to myself, hey, same year as me. I then proceed to ask him where he was in Nam and who he served with. Tells me the 9th Infantry Division in Da Nang. Again, he has no idea I am a Nam vet. I tell him, come again? He repeats it back to me who he was with and where. I told him to **** himself and tell him, you're making a bad name for Nam vets because the 9th ID was in the Delta down south. He goes back to his area by the light and continues to hold the sign. As the light turns green, I approach him again and shoot the ****. No, I didn't of course, but I really wanted to shove that sign up his ass...was I wrong in calling him out like that or should I have ignored his BS? The guy is probably making himself a nice stash living a lie.

You have to remember, I am a combat vet from that war and when someone pretends to be, I just want to...well, I hope you all understand.

Were you wrong? I don't think so. That being said I hardly think the guy is making a nice "stash", he is homeless afterall. When you have no home and are in full on survival mode you do whatever you have to do to survive. If the guy thought pretending to be a vet would give him a better chance to eat, then I can't really fault him either.

[Ranger]

NS,

part of me says you should have kicked the **** out of him, but you did the right thing. Tell him next time you see him impersonating a Vet, you'll kill him.

[The Gun Of Bavaria]

I was on the off ramp on I-95 waiting at the light earlier today. I see a homeless guy with a sign that says..."Help a Vietnam Vet". I call him over and don't let him know I'm also a Nam vet. I ask him when he was there and he says 1968. I go to myself, hey, same year as me. I then proceed to ask him where he was in Nam and who he served with. Tells me the 9th Infantry Division in Da Nang. Again, he has no idea I am a Nam vet. I tell him, come again? He repeats it back to me who he was with and where. I told him to **** himself and tell him, you're making a bad name for Nam vets because the 9th ID was in the Delta down south. He goes back to his area by the light and continues to hold the sign. As the light turns green, I approach him again and shoot the ****. No, I didn't of course, but I really wanted to shove that sign up his ass...was I wrong in calling him out like that or should I have ignored his BS? The guy is probably making himself a nice stash living a lie.

You have to remember, I am a combat vet from that war and when someone pretends to be, I just want to...well, I hope you all understand.

Brother,

First of all you're totally, 100% within your rights to have said something. That is complete and utter B.S. and any vet should have the right to call B.S. on something as pathetic as posing as a Vietnam Vet.

Hell I'd go so far as to say morally, you were entitled to kick the guy's ass right there on the spot.

On a funny note, I arrested a guy once and he told me, "Man, you're going to arrest a Vietnam Vet? That's F'd up". When I looked at his ID and reminded him he was 6 when Saigon fell, he quickly shut the F up.

[war ensemble]

Just a thing to consider...both marijuana and heroin have been tied to memory loss, and you should know as well as anyone how many people were hardcore drug users both in Vietnam and the subsequent post-war depression. You don't know what that guy has gone through, so I personally think it's unfair to judge him. He's not going to be making much money, if any, so either way he's not benefiting much. The war in and of itself could've caused him to live like that...

[NIGHT STALKER]

Just a thing to consider...both marijuana and heroin have been tied to memory loss, and you should know as well as anyone how many people were hardcore drug users both in Vietnam and the subsequent post-war depression. You don't know what that guy has gone through, so I personally think it's unfair to judge him. He's not going to be making much money, if any, so either way he's not benefiting much. The war in and of itself could've caused him to live like that...

Without getting political here, that is the typical stereotype associated with Nam vets...speaking for myself and the guys I served with in 68-69, we didn't do drugs.

Much has been made of drug use among personnel in Vietnam. What is ironic is that the overwhelming percentage of American drug users were civilians, and a very high percentage of anti-war activists were drug users. The number of drug-related arrests by Military Police officers and CID agents during the war actually represents a much smaller percentage of drug use among the military than in the overall civilian population during the Vietnam War.

Further, drug use in Vietnam was confined almost exclusively to personnel stationed at base camps and other relatively secure installations. Drug use in the field was rare and was discouraged even by personnel who used drugs in the rear. The reasoning was fairly straightforward: drug use in the field endangered lives. It was not a "victimless crime" in the field. Peer pressure was usually enough to discourage drug use when in the field. Those who were stupid enough to use drugs in the field were often beaten senseless by their non-drug-using comrades. Those that persisted were usually killed in action, sometimes by hostile fire, and occasionally, tragically, by friendly fire.

[war ensemble]

Without getting political here, that is the typical stereotype associated with Nam vets...speaking for myself and the guys I served with in 68-69, we didn't do drugs.

Much has been made of drug use among personnel in Vietnam. What is ironic is that the overwhelming percentage of American drug users were civilians, and a very high percentage of anti-war activists were drug users. The number of drug-related arrests by Military Police officers and CID agents during the war actually represents a much smaller percentage of drug use among the military than in the overall civilian population during the Vietnam War.

Further, drug use in Vietnam was confined almost exclusively to personnel stationed at base camps and other relatively secure installations. Drug use in the field was rare and was discouraged even by personnel who used drugs in the rear. The reasoning was fairly straightforward: drug use in the field endangered lives. It was not a "victimless crime" in the field. Peer pressure was usually enough to discourage drug use when in the field. Those who were stupid enough to use drugs in the field were often beaten senseless by their non-drug-using comrades. Those that persisted were usually killed in action, sometimes by hostile fire, and occasionally, tragically, by friendly fire.

It's not a stereotype...many soldiers in Vietnam were drug users. That statement holds value independent of American domestic drug abuse. At the time there was no test for marijuana, so numbers can't be argued on either side. You make a point with the self-policing soldiers, however the opposite was often true. Marines would catch a new guy in and tell him that if he was going to buy marijuana he was buying it for everyone. And they made sure to not let him get away telling others about their habit.

Combat troops obviously are going to avoid heroin use for the most part. But before going to Vietnam only 30% of enlisted soldiers had tried anything other than marijuana. Opium soon became plentiful in Nam in the early 70's, a much purer and bountiful form than in America. As such, many soldiers flocked to it. In 1971, almost half the enlisted troops had tried opiates, and half of those warranted "addiction" status. That's a quarter of the standing army overseas addicted to opiates, there's a good chance that homeless guy could've been one of them. That would explain his memory loss.

A survey in 1977 revealed that 2-3 percent of young adults in America had tried heroin at some time in their lives, compared to 14 percent in Nam. There's a definite trend with the numbers.

In 1971, U.S. Army medical officers estimated that 10-15 percent of the lower-ranking enlisted personnel in Vietnam were heroin users. From 1970-1971, the number of hard drug-related arrests went up 700%.

I will admit that the after-effects of the war are often misrepresented, as veterans have lower unemployment rates, higher personal incomes. Around 85% made a successful transition to civilian life, but that man could've been of that other 15%. I wouldn't be too quick to judge that man's character without knowing his background...

[Norway'sWaddlingMarmaloof]

It's not a stereotype...many soldiers in Vietnam were drug users. That statement holds value independent of American domestic drug abuse. At the time there was no test for marijuana, so numbers can't be argued on either side. You make a point with the self-policing soldiers, however the opposite was often true. Marines would catch a new guy in and tell him that if he was going to buy marijuana he was buying it for everyone. And they made sure to not let him get away telling others about their habit.

Combat troops obviously are going to avoid heroin use for the most part. But before going to Vietnam only 30% of enlisted soldiers had tried anything other than marijuana. Opium soon became plentiful in Nam in the early 70's, a much purer and bountiful form than in America. As such, many soldiers flocked to it. In 1971, almost half the enlisted troops had tried opiates, and half of those warranted "addiction" status. That's a quarter of the standing army overseas addicted to opiates, there's a good chance that homeless guy could've been one of them. That would explain his memory loss.

A survey in 1977 revealed that 2-3 percent of young adults in America had tried heroin at some time in their lives, compared to 14 percent in Nam. There's a definite trend with the numbers.

In 1971, U.S. Army medical officers estimated that 10-15 percent of the lower-ranking enlisted personnel in Vietnam were heroin users. From 1970-1971, the number of hard drug-related arrests went up 700%.

I will admit that the after-effects of the war are often misrepresented, as veterans have lower unemployment rates, higher personal incomes. Around 85% made a successful transition to civilian life, but that man could've been of that other 15%. I wouldn't be too quick to judge that man's character without knowing his background...

I know you're a very bright kid, it's obvious. However, I'm gonna go with guy that was there over this one, vs. the googled stats. No offense.

[Vicious89x]

I was on the off ramp on I-95 waiting at the light earlier today. I see a homeless guy with a sign that says..."Help a Vietnam Vet". I call him over and don't let him know I'm also a Nam vet. I ask him when he was there and he says 1968. I go to myself, hey, same year as me. I then proceed to ask him where he was in Nam and who he served with. Tells me the 9th Infantry Division in Da Nang. Again, he has no idea I am a Nam vet. I tell him, come again? He repeats it back to me who he was with and where. I told him to **** himself and tell him, you're making a bad name for Nam vets because the 9th ID was in the Delta down south. He goes back to his area by the light and continues to hold the sign. As the light turns green, I approach him again and shoot the ****. No, I didn't of course, but I really wanted to shove that sign up his ass...was I wrong in calling him out like that or should I have ignored his BS? The guy is probably making himself a nice stash living a lie.

You have to remember, I am a combat vet from that war and when someone pretends to be, I just want to...well, I hope you all understand.

Bro- Come to Portland, it makes me sick to see the amount of people here with those signs... because I wonder in the 50 of them I see a day if there is 1 out there who truly is a Vet. I dont' think you're wrong.

[Gainzo]

I know you're a very bright kid, it's obvious. However, I'm gonna go with guy that was there over this one, vs. the googled stats. No offense.

I'm with you on that.