We have more amputees now than during Vietnam

[lectrobyte]

at least that's what the woman across the bar from me was telling her friend. Some days it don't pay to eavesdrop. Or to get drunk.

[punpirate]

1. Not so sure about that....

As I recall, there were over 250,000 disabled vets due to the Vietnam war. How many of those were amputees, I'm not sure, but I've known several personally.

What I would agree with, however, based on reports, is that a much higher percentage of those with disabling injuries are amputees. That's the result of better body armor, which mostly protects the torso.

[jdj]

2. yikes so your're saying that in Vietnam those guys would have

been DOA. Thats so sad, no matter how you look at it.

[punpirate]

5. Yes, very likely...

... while there have been any number of complaints about Kevlar helmets (too heavy, won't completely stop an AK-47 round, rounds punch holes in the helmet that then hit the skull), the Kevlar/ceramic fiber body armor in use today is far superior to so-called flak jackets of the Vietnam war era.

And a lot of them in Vietnam were DOA. *sigh*

[lectrobyte]

3. I hope you're right, I'm just going by what I overheard at a bar.

and maybe they were just talking about one particular VA hospital or something. They seemed like two old friends catching up on old times, and from the bits of conversation I heard, these women worked in the medical field.

[Moxygirl]

4. I hate shrub as much as the next patriot

but that is just plain not true. Maybe down the road a few years but right now it is not even close. Vietnam wins the pain and suffering contest hands down.