On a job I was doing. Iraq war veteran, who joined in 2000. Young guy by my standards, it's sad the shape some of those guys are in, not sure what else we can do to help.
Living in a motel room, with nothing. Made small talk with him and somewhere along the line I said something that got him talking. Among the many things discussed I asked him if he was working and he told me it's tough to get work he has physical and mental problems. Kind of a jittery guy that I noticed I had to repeat myself if he wasn't looking at me so he must at least have some hearing problems. Had a TV on a stand and a bag in the corner, other than that the room was pretty much bare. Nicest thing by far was hanging on the wall. A glass cased frame with what looked like his official Marine papers, some medals overlapping each other in the upper left corner, 2 letters that appeared to be official honorable discharge letters including a personalized letter of thanks from one of his commanding officers, and some other Marine stuff that I can't say exactly what it was. His spiffed up color hats were neatly arranged on a makeshift shelf. He told me that all was a different time and a different world but he looks at that case and thinks that's the only thing he's done that makes him of any worth. I told him you are worth a lot more than just that.
Left there saddened to a degree and have thought about him ever since. It was a one off job an hr and half away, I feel bad I didn't think to at least ask if he minded giving me his phone number to keep in touch with him.
