By Lyonel Doherty

Aberdeen Publishing

I could never imagine leaving my family behind to join some army to kill people or possibly take a bullet in the head myself.

It may be a crude way to put it, but it’s the truth.

I’m sure a lot of soldiers didn’t know what they were getting into, but many knew exactly what they signed up for: to stop tyranny and the erosion of our freedoms.

Countless of these soldiers suffered and died for people they didn’t have any attachment to, like you and me. And many still suffer the horrors of war through post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Lives were mentally destroyed, and marriages were shaved away like a pine branch in a whittler’s hand.

That’s why it’s comforting to know that one organization is working to help homeless veterans through the Homes for Heroes project.

The first project is opening in Calgary, and the goal is to bring it to B.C.

One Homes for Heroes advocate shared an experience she had talking to a lonely veteran whose marriage eroded after the Vietnam war.

The man shared a huge burden on his soul by telling a story about his time in the US military.

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He was sent into a village to reconnoiter and report, but not to engage. He walked around like a homeless idiot, reporting by radio any enemy movement.

Some women were trying to gather fruit from a tree, so he joined a youngster by climbing and throwing the fruit down to the ground. When he observed the enemy coming, he immediately jumped down and hid. But the youngster fell from the tree and tumbled down into a crevice.

The soldier hid for three days and nights, listening to the child screaming until he died. Then he picked up the dead body and took him to the village. But the villagers attacked him because the enemy knew he was there and blamed him for the death.

The veteran has never been able to tell anyone this story until now. Not even his priest knew.

Maybe if he had been able to shed that burden, then his life would have been different.

This has inspired many Homes for Heroes advocates to work diligently to bring an end to veteran abuse.

The ultimate goal is to establish these homes across Canada so that these burdens can finally be shed.

There has not been one day in the past 100 years where there is not a war somewhere.

As one advocate puts it, how can we ask our young to go to war to keep us safe when we abandon them when they come home so emotionally wounded? This impacts not only them but their families as well.

More than 3,500 veterans are homeless and living on the streets in Canada.

Anyone can donate to this project by visiting www.homesforheroesfoundation.ca.

Please indicate that your donation is for B.C.