Rebecca Burt

I joined the Army as a patriotic but clueless kid out of High school. I have very mixed feelings about my military service; I tried to do what I thought was right at the time, that would serve my country and help people. But looking back I feel used by the-powers-that-be. The military was designed to protect the American way of life and to step up to protect the weak, but we have become storm troopers for commercial interests and international politics. I never signed on for that; I agreed to protect my county, but NOT to give my life so someone else could get rich by hurting other people. Living through war in Iraq has changed my life forever; nerve problems and a bad knee create pain (though I'm young) and claimed the ability to do several of my favorite hobbies. PTSD causes issues with focus, memory, sleep, hyper-vigilance and more, making 'stress' a constant condition and making every-day tasks difficult. As a soldier I feel my duty to serve my country continues, but that no longer follows the dictates of the Army. I will now do my best to fight to end the current war-based economy, and to aid those who have been hurt by the systems that were supposed to protect them.