Saturday of Memorial Day Weekend 2007

Chicago is the home of the exhibit "Eyes Wide Open" for this Memorial Day weekend. It was created and is maintained by the American Friends Service Committee. It was started here 4 years ago; a pair of boots for every soldier who has died in Iraq. A uniform of one of the soldiers who committed suicide after he returned home. Post Traumatic Stress Disorder is epidemic-approximately 60% of soldiers have PTSD on returning from Iraq. You get PTSD because "you are success" "war has not destroyed your humanity" from a story told today by a RN who works to heal the wounded soldiers with PTSD as they return from Iraq.

Here is my speech, given on behalf of Military Families Speak Out (MFSO)
It was raining gently so I began:
It is good that it is raining. For even the skies are weeping with sorrow over the loss of life to war. Each rain drop, a tear of our grief for the death caused by war. For sons and daughters who will never return to us. For their goodness lost to the world.

My name is Katy Scott and I am very honored to be a part of Chicago’s Memorial Day Observances and to speak at the final full exhibit of “Eyes Wide Open” I have walked among the boots of our combat deaths in Chicago, Milwaukee, on the Mall in Washington DC at this time last year, and now today with you in Chicago.

Last May I was completing my 8 months at Walter Reed with my son Capt. Jason Scott who had been injured in Iraq October 2005. Jason was medically retired from the US Army in Nov of 2006 after a year and three weeks at Walter Reed. He now resides in Florida with Jodi his very courageous and loving girlfriend.

In early May 2006 while at WR I attended the burial of Alex, only child and son of another MFSO mother at Arlington National Cemetery. She had lovingly attended to Jason in those critical first weeks at WR when he needed someone at his bedside 24/7 and the hospital refused to provide one on one care.

On this weekend a year ago I attended the memorial of Ken, friend of Jason’s from Tank Commander school who had been killed in Iraq in 2004 and whose mother holds a memorial for him each year on memorial day. Another MFSO mother she says, ”There is no other place I want or could be each Memorial Day”except with her only son and child at his Arlington grave.

I have been a member of Military Families Speak Out since Jason joined the
Army in 2002. MFSO has asked me to speak on taking care of our soldiers after they return to the US

I prefer to have the soldiers speak of their truth so I want to read a reflection written by a US Marine.

WHY I FIGHT FOR PEACE
by Cloy Richards USMC

Because I can't forget no matter how hard I try.
They told us we were taking out advancing Iraqi forces,
But when we went to check out the bodies
they were nothing but women and children
desperately fleeing their homes because
they wanted to get out of the city
before we attacked in the morning.

Because my little brother, who is my job to protect,
decided to join the California National Guard
to get some money for college and
they promised he wouldn't go to Iraq.
instead three months after enlisting
he was sent to Iraq for one year.

Since he has been home for the last six months,
he refuses to talk to anyone, he lives by himself.
the only person he associates with is a friend of his,
the one other man out of his squad of thirteen men
who made it home alive.

He called me a few weeks ago for the first time
And told me he's having nightmares.
I asked what they were about and
He said they're about picking up the pieces
Of his fellow soldiers after a car bomb hit them.

Because every single one of the Marines I served with,
the really brave warriors, even when some friends and people
they looked up to got killed or lost an arm or leg,
they wouldn't cry, they just kept fighting.
They completed their mission.

Every one of them I have spoken to since we got home
has broken down crying in front of me,
saying all they can do since they got back
is bounce from job to job, drink and do drugs,
And contemplate suicide to end the pain.

Because I'm tired of drinking, bouncing from job to job
and contemplating suicide to end the pain.
Because every time I see a child,
I think of the thousands I've slaughtered.
Because every time I see a young soldier,
I think of the thousands Bush has slaughtered.

Because every time I look in the mirror
I see a casualty of the war.
Because I have a lot of lives I have to make up for,
the lives I have taken and
Because it's right.
That's why I fight.
Because of soldiers with wounds you can't see.

Our soldiers are crying out. Their lives are in our hands. We the American people are responsible for the unimaginable unending suffering in our soldiers and their families.

We must ask forgiveness and do the work of reconciliation and healing with our brothers and sisters who have returned to us from the Killing Fields of Iraq and Afghanistan. With our soldiers returning home the Killing Fields are now in Chicago and in cities and towns across America. Where ever our wounded soldiers are crying for healing for what they did in Iraq in our name for our country's political ends.

Let us bring our troops home NOW, End the War
Let us take care of our soldiers and their families when they come home.
Take action, it is our responsibility.
_________________________________________
The sharing was wonderful. We had two families share the story of their sons' suicides after returning to the States. They had killed women and children, suffering from PTSD unable to get the care from the VA system. We heard an Iraqi vet suffering from PTSD who fled to Canada, turned himself in, and is not eligible for VA benefits because he was "discharged other than honorable." This soldier was awarded two purple hearts for his injuries in Iraq. His mother has suffered 3 mental breakdown periods since his coming home in 2004. He is also suffering from "Gulf War syndrome" rashes, severe stomach problems, unable to sleep for days on end. He tells his mother, "Mom don't worry it will end. I know I have maybe 20 years, no more." Each person shared, mothers and fathers and brothers. Each sharing the suffering of the depths of their being, my heart broke. I held them all in my heart and will hold each one.

After I walked through the 3445 pairs of boots layed out on the grass of Grant Park under the trees, under gray skies. I will return on Monday to help dismantle and pack away the boots for their trips to the individual states. I took pictures of Alex and Ken's boots. Their mothers as have other families have added notes and pictures to the boots, to share a small portion of the story. One pair had a teddy bear, another patches from his uniform.

At 5 we reconvened to Grace Place a community center by the Episcopal Church in the loop, home of the Chicago AFSC. for a wonderful dinner of pizza and salad. We were also filmed by a crew for a documentary on the work of the Friends over the last 90 years.

We pondered "How to best get the American to take action against this war?" How can we serve the soldiers returning? We considered the Congress hopeless, we are committed to voting them out of office. Much was given to working at the State level especially to increase services to the soldiers with PTSD. The parents of two dead soldiers wanted to walk amongst the boots one more time, they leave tomorrow. Our dinner discussion broke up, a final picture taken and we blessed each other with our "Goodbyes"

I feel so alive when with others who have suffered directly because of this war. It is true we have a unique life experience that most Americans do not share and are afraid to recognize in us and to join with us as we seek healing.

It is a call that I have answered to be peace amongst the wounds of war. We will never leave the combat zone of Iraq. We can choose to live in bitterness or to live in hope and with a vision of healing, peace and justice for the world. I can not think of a better way to live my life until God calls me home to rest for all eternity.

May God bless each soldier who has served. May each of you honor those who have served. May we all work and pray to end war forever as a means to political ends.