a salute

WASHINGTON — Handsome and friendly, Clay Hunt so epitomized a vibrant Iraq veteran that he was chosen for a public service announcement that told veterans that they aren't alone.

The 28-year-old former Marine corporal earned a Purple Heart after taking a sniper's bullet in his left wrist. He returned to combat in Afghanistan. Upon his return home, he lobbied for veterans on Capitol Hill, road-biked with wounded veterans and performed humanitarian work in Haiti and Chile.

Then, on March 31, Hunt bolted himself in his Houston apartment and shot himself (msnbc)

Donald Rumsfeld, George W. Bush are living a carefree life, both best selling authors, both collecting speaking fees as they rewrite history and in particular their reasons and rational for starting the two wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Neither man suffers from post traumatic syndrome nor has either man ever served in a battle. Both men were able to send our troops to war and both men had a bunch of public explanations as to why the war was necessary but neither one has revealed the private priorities or real purposes.

Marine Corporal Clay Hunt did what he felt was his American duty and fought battles to help keep this nation safe, and in doing so he experienced some horrors so intense that the nightmares immersed into his psyche and haunted him constantly. He did not write books or collect speakers’ fees, he wasn’t intending to leave a Library celebrating his accomplishments and his bully pulpit was not the political arena but instead it was a one on one with his fellow troops who experienced the scars of war.

We, as Americans, were told by people we thought we could trust, people we assumed were honest, people we knew were true Americans that the why’s, wherefore’s and what for’s of sending Troops to Iraq and eventually Afghanistan were based on principle, on justice, all of this on the reputations of people like Bush, Rumsfeld, Cheney who had the interest of America at heart, so they preached. We were chastised as Un-American if we even questioned the intentions of our leaders, and we were made to feel Un-Patriotic if we asked for a timeline, a cost estimate, an evaluation of our purpose. And a man like Clay Hunt took to heart all the prose as promise and went to battle. A man like Marine Corporal Clay Hunt came home to find that all the promise was pure propaganda and he just a pawn put in place by a bunch of players.

I do not know Marine Corporal Clay Hunt, or his parents. But as a parent who, from the second my kids were born, worried wondered, cared, caressed, nurtured and loved them, my heart broke when I heard of this suicide and the loss of this valuable life. I found it difficult to understand what terrors ran through Marine Corporal Hunt’s head and how frustrating it must have been for his Mom and Dad to watch as their son was in pain and feel helpless.

I read this story and watched his parents speak about their son’s life. They seemed brave, braver than I imagine I would be, and spoke about moving forward with the cause their son felt to be so important. They said how much they loved and admired their son and his dedication to help those Vets who returned from the war with baggage yet to be identified.

I am waiting for the Bush’s the Cheney’s the Rumsfeld’s the politicians who knew the truths and ignored the consequences to tell us about the pain they feel when yet another young life has ended so tragically. I am waiting for the truth which I hear sets you free to finally be released from this group of liars. Maybe, it will be mentioned in their next best seller or their next $100,000 speaking engagement.

I am sorry to say goodbye to Marine Corporal Clay Hunt. And thank you for your brave commitment to this nation.