Seeking opinions from veterans

My grandpa wrote a book about his experiences in vietnam (hanoi hilton, ho chi minh trail, etc) and I was thinking about transcribing it into digital media, and giving it to him on a flash drive, as a surprise

is this a bad idea?

 

If it is going to be helpful to him, I think it is a wonderful idea, you are so thoughtful.

 

My grandsons never do anything that nice for me.

 

sounds like a good idea.

 

I think its good idea




Hotwater

 

thumbs up dave.

 

Absolutely. That's extremely thoughtful.

 

I like the idea... I agree that it's very thoughtful... Are there any other military men in the family, or maybe a Grandma to run it by..?

I only ask because some men are funny about that. My father had wicked bad flashbacks. He never even told my (now) twenty something yr old stepbrother that he was in the military. I had to stop the kid from "trying to take dad on" when he was sixteen.
He said Platoon was a good movie, but that most of 'em are shit. He usually won't talk about the war now...
All I'm saying is maybe feel it out a litte bit more.
It could go either way... He might take it for what it's meant as... a token of love and respect. Or it might be like rubbing salt in a wound... Depends. I'm leaning towards the love and respect one if your relationship with him is already real solid.

What'd he do over there?

Sorry if I overstepped by giving such a long winded answer, not being a veteran myself.

 

I'd go audio. Make an audio book.
Then he can sit out side, sit back with his GandT and think about the good old days.

 

The problem is he's pissed at me for not becoming a marine (even though I'm epileptic) he's pissed at my uncle for not becoming a marine (even though he was a navy diver until the nitrogen bubbles from rapid resurfacing destroyed his hip and he had to have an artificial one before he was forty)

he still loves the service, he loves war movies, no flashback problems, he flew helicopters, his got shot down (chinook) he got captured by charlie. he'd done several tours before being captured, and did more than "his part" to "defend capitalism"

I am looking at a digital format because he's been looking at getting it published off and on for, well, decades now, and in digital format it will be much easier for him to shop it around.

also he'll have an easier time distributing it if he just wants to do that, and it forces me to deal with it more point blank.

 

In that case, go for it. Sounds like a win.

IMHO, which doesn't mean much, he's been too tough on you guys. I hope he recognizes that someday, but it might never happen.

 

oh, he never will recognize it, I'm okay with it, uncle is okay with it, it's just who he is, all I can do is accept him for who he is and move past it

he's been a positive influence n my life in spite of everything, and I want to know him better before he dies.

 

I hope it goes well. :cheers2:

 

Everyone in my family is military except for my little sister (she has scoliosis) so i know where you come from. there is a huge push for us to all join the service. When my sister showed interest in my dads service, he was more then happy to talk and share with her even though she could never join. so I think this might be a way for you to get on his good side.

Writing was something we were told would help our PTSD. A way of getting it off our mind. Lots of my brothers-in-arms wrote journals almost daily.

 

I think it would be a great idea, might soften his stance on you not joining up. Military service is not for everyone.
Peace is the only answer....

 

I actually would have joined if they'd have taken.

but epilepsy REALLY takes you off the list.