LEXINGTON, N.C. — Two years after returning to Massachusetts from Iraq, the worst memories of her combat experience began to resurface for Natasha Young-Alicea: Five dead Marines, killed while dismantling unexploded bombs; the bloody gear she collected for disposal; the personal belongings that she sorted, packed, and returned to grieving families.
Nightmares, migraines, and anxiety attacks followed. The 31-year-old became increasingly isolated and depressed. She withdrew from family and friends. “I went from this bubbly, flowery woman to this lukewarm . . .,’’ the retired staff sergeant began, her voice trailing off. “I felt like a visitor in my own life.”
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Dogs provide source of healing for veterans, and protein for Koreans.
We should not be in Afghanistan in the first place, putting our young Marines at unnecessary risk. This is not good military strategy. The most the Al Quaeda can do is plot and plan mayhem in our contry but that is the responsibilty of our intelligence agencies to ferret out the plots and catch the plotters. Meanwhile,the Marines we send overseas could be better used here defending fortress America. It is not likely, however, that the Al Quaeda will come sailing to our shores to bomb us. We could blast them oout of the water before they even arrived. They could only plot and plan from afar. Oh, by the way, were the high jackers, that allegedly hit the towers, from Afghanistan? I heard they were from Saudi Arabia. Remember? This is "veddy" intresting. What are we doing then in Afghanistan? Who and what, by the way, struck down the towers? Are the United Airline planes responsible? First of all, let's ask the question, What is the color of the planes that hit the towers. Gee, they are grey in color. And what would be the predominant color of the two United Airline planes? Oh, I know, mostly white. Hmm, moving on. And what about the testimony of the Fox reporter who reported on TV that there were no windows in the planes. Go to "You Tube." His testimony was never solicited in the Govenment's report. And did the floors in the towers pamcake down on one another according to the government's explanation? No. You can check this out by looking at the rubble at ground level shortly after the Towers' destruction. And could a plane be responsible for the destruction? No, not according to the architects and engineers that built the Towers. The plane (B25 bomber) that hit the Empire State building in 1939 did not destry the building. You can check this out on the Internet. Get also Dr. Judy Woods' book "Where Did the Towers Go." The towers went up in dust. The truth in this case is more incredible than science fiction. Neither Afghanistan, nor Saudi Arabi had the technology to carry out this massive destruction of the towers. Oh, by the way go to "Google" and check out the passenger lists of the two planes that struck the towers? See if you can get the names of the high jackers. Strangely, they are not listed. As we did in Iraq, we are once again fighting the wrong enemy. Then who is the enemy? Should we then not bother to find out? Not likely.
Beautiful story. Thank you for writing it, Katie.