As a Gulf War vet I can tell you, this hits home. We didn't have phones, so the letters were our happy day.

When i was in Vietnam the letters I'd get from home kept me going and helped me deal with losing friends.

This song gets me every time. My dad was a very hard man and the first time I saw him get emotional and tell me he was proud of me was as I was heading off to Iraq.

Used to send our friends in Iraq and Afghanistan big boxes of as many kinds of candy/ cookies I was allowed too. They’d pass them out to a lot of their buddies…. Got lots of Thank you letters- ( which wasn’t necessary) I always felt We owed them our thanks!🇺🇸

As on veteran to another i want to say thank you for doing this. Your explanation of tears instead of anger and hurt was spot on . Years later and i still have times it hits me out of the blue and i have to find a quiet spot to let my tears out. Bless you Brother

I made sure my husband and his buddies were always getting stuff. I think his record was 9 packages in one day. I made sure his entire unit was taken care of.

I have always loved this song. It is great and your shared knowledge took it to the next level.

I was in Iraq in 2010. Like you said, I had the chance for sat phone or skype when i was at home base, but getting a letter from my parents and the care packages i would get (when i was in Kuwait not on convoy duty) such a huge moral boost and truly did provide the strength to keep going. My dad served in Vietnam and i can only imagine what he went through but i do know our bond has grown stronger once i got home from deployment.

I love the way you put that. "Tears are better than anger." It's the most natural outlet that we have. Acknowledging our emotions is a whole healthier than trying to act like they don't exist. If you want more Country patriotic songs If You're Reading This by Tim McGraw Just A Dream by Carrie Underwood Both are heartwrenching fair warning. A really cool one by Five Finger Death Punch is a cover of Bad Company (original is the band Bad Company). The video is of them when they went to Iraq to perform for the troops.

Aloha! Writing to my (single-parent) dad, stationed overseas, when I was a youngin' was a big part of life, and receiving his letters was the best. When I joined, he made it a point to write to me, still using that yellow lined notepaper he always used. Better than best 😀 One of my tasks in Iraq was to convoy to Kuwait to pick up the American contingency (and contractor) mail. Xmas was a fun run - the humvee was full slap up! On my birthday, I was surprised with a birthday care package, complete with kiddie pool and rubber duckies, from the support group in CA that I had connected to to have care packages sent to the US troops at my duty station. What a happy surprise to walk in and see my desk fully decorated 😁🥳 Just before deploying back to the states, a contractor that I picked up mail for popped in with a surprise ~ still warm SPAM musubi (a Hawaiian fav snack) ~ that he made for me as a thank you for doing the mail runs for them. He had found out I was from Hawai'i and specifically learned how to make them and had the ingredients shipped over in one of the packages I had delivered to him 😄 I really loved Girl Scout Cookie season cuz I was able to share them with the other forces I was stationed with ~ what a treat for them! 🤙

I cry easily and have a hard time controlling my emotions after part of my brain was removed in 2017. I tell my loved ones, especially my spouse that I love them and am proud of them and appreciate them often. I do that because what if something happened to them. I want my last words to them to be from my heart and not just about the daily grind or what have you.

I know this video is old. I hope what I say will matter. First, thank you everyone for your service. My uncle had a Very difficult time when he came back from Vietnam. As a child, during that time, fought my own battles, which came with PTSD. Flashbacks, triggers, nightmares, blackouts, anxiety, etc.. I found a great counselor who also does EMDR therapy. Super simple method that actually gets rid of the issues of PTSD. Its been life changing in positive ways. You are worth it, & worthy. If I can help even 1 person, its worth it. Thank you if you read all of this. You are loved.

Thank you for talking about being able to trust your comrades with your feelings and be able to cry over sad and emotional things. It definitely beats being angry because anger led to impulsive thoughts and rash behaviors that could derail your mission and get your people or civilians killed.

Your reaction to this song is the best I've seen. From a fellow veteran. ❤😔

I huge John Michael Montgomery fan..... He has so many good songs that people haven't heard and songs that never made it to radio

I never been thru anything close to this but during my time in bootcamp man letters at the end of the day like every couple of days meant the world to my platoon for that 1 hour of square away time. The first couple of mins seeing the pictures and writing back home definitely keeps u in the fight

You spoke of the R/R for 2 weeks. I went from temps in Ballad of 130 degrees on average to going to Florida for 2 weeks ....temps of around 79-80ish. My parents at the time thought I'd completely lost it when we had to go buy sweats and longer shirts while I was visiting. I was cold man! hahahah But yea, the letters and care packages were big. To this day, I have a picture hung of a 4th grade class who sent me hand drawn cards.

First trip was 03, loved my letters

My first appointment, we literally we're running with L-doors that wouldnt stay shut and canvas tops stompin around Ramadie!🤣🤣🤣

Thank you for explaining the importance of the letters/package. I think it is important for us civilians to understand.

Thanks for your service.

5:23 you talking about the care packages took me back to decorating those FPO boxes from USPS for holidays or just funny photos from home that were taken for him to see us and what was going on, especially after having our son. 9-12 months at a time is a long time to miss when they're so little and hitting milestones. I'd throw in as much extra dip/smokes, treats, etc as i was allowed to for the rest of the guys in his unit, so he could share. ❤

Never got a letter from my dad. He wasn't the type to show affection much or tell you how he felt until he got older.

Motomail was the main way to communicate with my first husband during his deployments. I'd send those puppies at least once a day if not many more.

Thank you for your service

I love this song!! Good choice!!

My mom giving a shit and talking to me, sending me a response kept me from suicide. It's not just active duty combat troops, or indeed soldiers who need reminders of their humanity and worth, and personal connections to people. Reach out to your children, tell them you love them. Spend time with them, nourish them, teach them, guide them. If you haven't seen a friend you love in a long time, reach out, make the effort, force the issue, ask to meet up and hang out. Time is short, loneliness, despair, isolation depression and anxiety don't only occur in combat zones. Combat was where we were FORCED to be a family and that's why it felt good in retrospect while also being hell considering reality. Community and connection and family makes life worth living for humans. You can't ask for a good buddy without being a good buddy. The effort is worth it I promise you.

Care packages were the best. I loved getting letters but getting a care package instantly raised morale in the hooch with your closest buddies.

I love the stories. I want to know more of your story. Dont change

8:32 this story just broke my heart... We live on base at MCB camp lejeune and after first deployment (when my first husband was injured by an IED), we would hear sonic booms from the air base that would send him to the floor. I got tackled more than a few times trying to protect us from imaginary insurgents coming.

Thank you for your service sir😢

Ty for your service

Letters, care packages, all were a life saver. Whenever I got one from my wife it was like Christmas. Getting my favorite dip, my favorite snacks...it was awesome

You are my favorite and so right about not knowing from one day to the next if we'll be here. I was a Paramedic and the friendship & partners I had like buddies in a war we had each other's backs without a word! We were an ER based truck so we as 2 medics to a truck had a bond with our ER team & our friends today still!

The best care packages we got when we served ( my dad, two brothers and myself in my immediate family), were the ones that had the things that were known from our area (i.e. Hershey chocolate, tastykakes, certain chips) because of hometown pride and the trade value of them after we gave our friends a sample. The best way to put it is…it’s just like trading baseball (then) or Pokémon cards nowadays.

My favorite was always mail from school kids

Sad thing for me is my father (A vet) rarely ever told me he was proud of me. Only remember three times. He was always focused on himself unless I had an achievement then he's proud of me. But I met a man who I proudly call my honorary father (also a vet) and he always always tells me if I was his daughter he would be proud of me. I remind him of a saying the mandalorians have (in star wars) "Aliit ori'shya tal'din" which translates to "Family is more than blood", Hell my bf even approved of when/if we get married he'll be on the guest list. For the short time I've known him he's acted like more of a father than mine ever did. I ended up going no contact with my father in early April the mental abuse and gas lighting (he's a raging narcissist) was too much to take. While it pained me to do so it was what's best for me. I found I've been so much happier and I'm less ehhh volatile for a lack of better words. I was very very snappy and would yell at anything. But now that I did cut him out I'm more laidback and i don't yell often anymore. Sure I still do that sometimes but it's actually getting to a point where it doesn't happen often anymore.

Excellent insight thanks for sharing

There is no dislike button for this song

When i was in highschool my church had us write letters to those in Desert Storm even if we did not know the recipient.

I love that you brought up the "pre armor" days since I remember stories from people even after 2004 where they were going around in Humvees (with no doors) or like spare vans because they just did not get the equipment. That sparked some memories for me. They always said they had tanks but everything else...

Jason Michael Carroll, Alyssa Lies. Going to tear your heart out, something im dealing with right now. The court system sucks!

I got four good songs -Would anyone care by citizen soldier -Where we left off by Hunter Hayes -vanguard by smash into pieces - all eyes on you by smash into pieces

💗💝Thank you for expressing how important those care packages and letters from home are.

Im thinking this is closer to my time in Desert Storm/Shield only because this song has been out for a minute

To everyone in the comments, Ty ty ty for your service😢

Thank You.

Home Free is an A Capella group that lean towards country they're very patriotic Traveling Soldiers,Land of the Free,Brothers in Arms,My country tis of thee,Born in the USA,Go rest high on that mountain.

Between January 2001- February 2002 Kuwait the first Gulf war. Was the soft sided doors for the Humvees.

My father did this and let me tell you I haven’t cried like I did when I read tha before or since

Great video sir. There is a close bond with each other in the fire service as well. The guys I served with are like my brothers and sisters. We see both the good and the bad together. And we're always there for each other in both good and bad times. When I was working at a grocery store for a few months, I didn't get that same feeling with the people there that I had with the guys I served with. There is a great song called It Goes On by Zac Brown & Sir Rosevelt and it talks about that close bond. Can you do a reaction that as well as to a song called When Those Sirens Are Gone by Kevin Davison?

I have a suggestion Tim McGraw if you reading this It's another heart string puller but keep.up the good work man much love ❤️❤️

Truth

Hey I really love your videos and if you're looking for a song Castles of glass is a wonderful song

I'm with you I'm not a fan of fireworks as I deal with sensory sensitive mainly smell (I can't set foot or go a foot away from bath and body works), sight, and sound. While it's a whole different reason than yours I just know how you feel. I can't deal with thunder either.

Nothing but tumb up on this channel

Also try Riding with Private Malone

song came out in 2004

I prefer talking through instantly through text with my bf (he's in the army). It's a way I know he's safe and okay tho I know he isn't at risk as he's currently stationed in Korea I still worry about him. But when I can and have the ability to I would and will send him care packages.

I hear baby wipes are a hot comodity when you're deployed.

Pls pls do letter from war!

And if the FOBIT's hadn't taken it completely over!

Can you do Brothers by Dean Brody

So it’s pre Mrab. The best and worst care package we received a friend got this huge box full of popcorn, with candy,other junk food, and at the bottom their was a ziplock with something in it. We opened it and there was a wrapped package inside was a dirty diaper. Yeah it was gross but we thought it was funny as hell latter. People don’t understand how we can smell a woman without perfume being on the letter. I kept my sons picture in my helmet I asked him if he wanted it because it had me, his mother and him as a baby in it. The desert scratched it all to hell

Can you please React to some Gave all by Billy ray cyrus

Dare you to react to Andra Day "Rise Up [Inspiration Version]" (Official Music Video) Thank you. 😊

You pause to much I like comments but not when yo7 can't get through a verse without stopping 3 to 4 times

Too much stopping.

because it was from everlast first

Here's a couple of requests: "I Need A Favor" by Jelly Roll "Ragged Old Flag" by Johnny Cash "The Most Mysterious Song on the Internet" by Unknown Artist (Google this to see the amazing backstory) "The 8th of November" by Big and Rich

Thank you for your service