Is the term AVF All Volunteer Force appropriate or misleading or correct?

PO3 Aaron Hassay-glad you found out about your dad's service ,if it's any consolation to you being a the radio man in Vietnam was one of the tougher assignments lugging that PRC 25 through the jungles and rice paddies along with all the other crap we carried was no picnic and of course you were a target at all times brave men were RTOs believe me.

SGT Philip Roncari - Thank You there sir for letting me know more details about this. Tell you the truth, it has been a bit hard. I met him years after I served, and I was already messed up a good bit just by my own service. But, I was not as messed up as him. The radio man (MOS) he just finally told me, after years of knowing him, not knowing what to ask, as he was really not going to talk about anything about that anyways. He has physical wounds also. Poor guy. He has survivors remorse, I know when he started to relive a few memories, in broad day light. He lost his family, me my mom brother and sister, by the time I was 8, because he was really going ape Sh-t, and my mom I think had no real choice. He went dark, and so dark, that his stories are all a bit disjointed. He finally kicked the alchohol in the last couple years, because of his heart. But he likes his meds. I am trying to get my life together. I love the guy. But he only knows survival and loosing. He is only really aware when he is desperate, and he sobers up, and become rational to get more of what he needs so he can go out there some where again, until he looses everything again, and has no ID or wallet or place to stay. He is service connected 100. But that he can not manage. I think the truth hurts. But man, I am trying to take care of my life. I wish I could like have a normal if there is such a thing, two men like self sufficient, and not like dwindling limited resources. I volunteered to join. He had no real option. He thinks my service is a joke, compared his, when we compare stressors. I am much more open to mental health and understand PTSD and study mental health. I want to understand how stress mental or physical, can really mess people up. He will not look into this. It is just a tough man competition. I can see what Vietnam Combat Vet would not have much empathy for anyone or anything. I can see how cold and dark that place must get for a young man who was there, from my perspective, looking into Vietnam, and through my dad, the warrior, that cat of 100 lives, still goes.

I wish talking was something him and I could do. But so far it is about fixing mistakes that is can not stop making. That alone makes me angry. But he wont talk about his much. I respect him for being my dad. But I can not let my dad or anyone else, belittle my own sense of me.


I am a warrior also.

PO3 Aaron Hassay -Reading your latest post is a small part also my story I had alcohol problems myself waking up in a jail cell almost losing my wife and kids,luckily I did find AA that was over thirty years ago one day at a time still sober thank God.I truly think we Vietnam vets were dealt a lousy hand and really we keep our emotions hidden,I have never talked about the war to my son,except for some funny stories about service life in general that's the way we are,we could only trust each other over there and we seem to keep our fears and anger to ourselves.your dad is I feel one of my Brothers so tell him for me Welcome Home ,he'll understand.

I will let him know there sir. Same back to you as the son. YOu know being the son of one of you guys I do not think you are far off at all in saying, you or your family were dealt a lousy hand by those in higher places who sent you and returned you to what they returned you. I mean jeez, I was homeless by 8 with a mom 2 younger siblings..and not one red cent of support from the VA. Lets just say being dealt a lousy hand is truthful and honest. No Vet in current conflicts can really even comprehend their family being 1000% abandoned into homelessness if they became dysfunctional after returning from conflicts. But I stand behind them all. The military the VA, America in general needs more action and less words and less fireworks...and more coverage and more protection....from cradle to grave...for those that are vetted through recruiting processes physical and mental...allowed to enlist...sacrifice...I never volunteered to be subjugated to being left alone sick homeless confused incapacitated unaware uneducated the stressors of duty cause certain illness I was suffering from...sent home honorably...without even a proper discharge physical...

All Recruited Force ARF..wow..i like it...indeed honest....

I never remember hearing my recruiter or any paper work I signed say I volunteered...

But I did buy into what I heard and what I listened to.

I wanted to be a bad ass and do what few thought I might do and serve my country.

Let see it could be All Recruited Service ARS.

I think Volunteering should be left to cleaning beaches or babysitting for free as Volunteering. No money no expectations that you don't have the freedom to walk away from freely is Volunteering.

Defintions online of VOLUNTEER are:
vol·un·teer
ˌvälənˈtir/Submit
noun
1.
a person who freely offers to take part in an enterprise or undertake a task.
synonyms: subject, participant, case, patient; informalguinea pig
"each volunteer was tested three times"
verb
1.
freely offer to do something.
"he volunteered for the job"

I was thinking of all the new VOLUN------ Words I can come up with now....VolunFu-ked...VolunScrwed...Volunordered...VolunRecruited...Volunteered....VolunJoke...VolunSold.....but guess. what I am sill a freaking patriot....I will defend what is correct....I know there are guys and girls I served with that are on the right side of things...But this AVF stuff became a joke..I recall some guys saying Never Again Volunteer Yourself as early as bootcamp.....but never really picked up on it..as I thought I signed a contract..and obligation...a way to better myself and country...I could not run from..unless I wanted to say hello the walls of a Brig....so it was not volunteer work to me....Maybe I lost my sense of humor somewhere alone the line in those days. I mean it was not a friendly joking place where I was. I just learned this AVF term and read about the history...I think I represent some of the best America has. I live below the poverty line, and I don't do criminal things, and hurt others, to enrich myself. It is a right and duty to question things that are not ethical. It is much easier to question, when paygrade and the threat of getting railroaded by someone pulling rank is not a clear and present danger. I served to protect to Constitution Against Enemies Foreign and Domestic. I believe english words have contextual definition. I think Volunteering should be left to cleaning beaches or babysitting for free as Volunteering. No money no expectations that you don't have the freedom to walk away from freely is Volunteering....