Wounded Vietnam veteran devoted to others

Wounded veteran devoted to others
Newsmaker
Intelligencer Journal
Lancaster New Era
Oct 08, 2010 21:24 EST


By ENELLY BETANCOURT, Staff Writer

"I'm just a veteran helping veterans get out of the cave I was once in," he said.

For hundreds of thousands of veterans who have not been able to leave the horrors of war on the battlefield, life at home is a nightmarish rollercoaster.

Lewis Alston is a living testament to that. He brought the war home and re-lived it every day, for 15 years.

Alston, 59, fought in the Vietnam War from 1969 to 1971 as a corporal with the 1st Marine Division.

As a reconnaissance scout, he saw combat action and witnessed severe human suffering.

On the battlefield, he was wounded by shrapnel that hit his chest and legs.

Also, he lost his father during that time.

But his biggest wounds were psychological: the rage, the flashbacks, the sleeplessness.

"I had a hard time separating the war from the warrior," Alston said.

Alston returned from his combat service angry, distrustful and suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder.

"I became a terrible person," he said. "My family wanted nothing to do with me."


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Wounded veteran devoted to others