{"id":7836,"date":"2025-08-28T06:00:00","date_gmt":"2025-08-28T10:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/azadkinsiii.com\/blog\/?p=7836"},"modified":"2025-08-28T19:23:39","modified_gmt":"2025-08-28T23:23:39","slug":"198-the-weight-we-carry","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/azadkinsiii.com\/blog\/198-the-weight-we-carry\/","title":{"rendered":"#198\u2014The Weight We Carry"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong><u>Trivia Questions (Answers @ end)<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Who said, <em>\u201cIt\u2019s never too late to be what you might have been.\u201d<\/em>?<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>In what TV show did we hear, <em>\u201cDoing the right thing is never the wrong thing.\u201d<\/em>?<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>In what song (and who sang it) did we hear:<br><em>The sound of your footsteps<\/em><br><em>Tell me that you&#8217;re near<\/em><br><em>Your soft, gentle motion, babe<\/em><br><em>Brings out a need in me<\/em><br><em>That nobody hears except<\/em><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n<div class=\"sdm_download_item \"><div class=\"sdm_download_item_top\"><div class=\"sdm_download_thumbnail\"><\/div><div class=\"sdm_download_title\">Blog #198 (audio)<\/div><\/div><div style=\"clear:both;\"><\/div><div class=\"sdm_download_description\"><\/div><div class=\"sdm_download_date\"><span class=\"sdm_download_date_label\">Published: <\/span><span class=\"sdm_download_date_value\">August 28, 2025<\/span><\/div><div class=\"sdm_download_link\"><span class=\"sdm_download_button\"><form action=\"https:\/\/azadkinsiii.com\/blog\/?sdm_process_download=1&#038;download_id=7847\" method=\"post\" class=\"sdm-g-recaptcha-form sdm-download-form\"><div class=\"sdm-recaptcha-button\"><div class=\"g-recaptcha sdm-g-recaptcha\"><\/div><a href=\"#\" class=\"sdm_download darkblue sdm_download_with_condition\">Audio by Andy Adkins<\/a><\/div><input type=\"hidden\" name=\"download_id\" value=\"7847\" \/><\/form><\/span><span class=\"sdm_download_item_count\"><span class=\"sdm_item_count_number\">1<\/span><span class=\"sdm_item_count_string\"> Download<\/span><\/span><\/div><\/div><div class=\"sdm_clear_float\"><\/div>\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Thanks to those who commented on my last blog post, \u201c<a href=\"https:\/\/azadkinsiii.com\/blog\/197-what-the-hell-did-i-get-myself-into\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong><em>What the Hell Did I Get Myself Into<\/em><\/strong>?<\/a>\u201d A few insights:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><em>\u201cJust my four years in the Navy, I did some remarkable things that some people spend a lifetime to get to. By the age of 25, I was already doing things that were difficult for some people to even think of doing.\u201d<\/em> \u2013 Jim<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><em>\u201cThe minute we stepped off that bus from the airport to the naval base in San Diego, and told to fall in formation and strip down to our birthday suit. What the Hell Did I Get Myself Into?\u201d<\/em> \u2013 Bill<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><em>\u201cI was 18 with no direction in sight. Made my mind up as I walked through the gate at Great Lakes that I would do the very best I could for the next 4 years. That&#8217;s what I did and left after that 4 as ABF2. Never had a single regret except maybe that I should have stayed.\u201d <\/em>\u2013 Randall<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><em>\u201cFess up. How many of you came off that bus thinking, \u2018Oh shit, what have I gotten myself into?\u2019&#8221;<\/em> \u2013 Dave<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">I like to write.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Am I a good writer? I don\u2019t know \u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Like many bloggers, I know some of my posts are better than others. But at this point in my life, it\u2019s important to me to keep writing. It gives me a sense of purpose and deep satisfaction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">I write books, too. I\u2019m working on my 9th (a novel), 10th (collection of short stories), and 11th (local men who died during the Vietnam War). <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Yeah, I know \u2026 you don\u2019t have to say it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">My first \u201cnon-business\u201d book was based on my father\u2019s <strong>World War II<\/strong> experiences in Europe. <strong><em><a href=\"https:\/\/www.azadkinsiii.com\/book_closer.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">You Can\u2019t Get Much Closer Than This: Combat with the 80th \u2018Blue Ridge\u2019 Division in World War II Europe<\/a>.<\/em><\/strong><em> <\/em>It was published by Casemate Publishers in October 2005 and immediately selected for the November 2005 Military Book Club Book of the Month.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">I was floored, and I had no idea that it would be welcomed like that. It\u2019s currently in its 3rd printing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">That was almost 20 years ago. When I read parts of that book again, it still gives me chills to think of what my dad\u2014and thousands of others\u2014went through during the war.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">I also created the <strong>80th Division<\/strong> website (<a href=\"http:\/\/www.80thdivision.com\">www.80thdivision.com<\/a>) and continue to update it as new materials and information become available. I lost count after 200,000 images, pages, documents, oral histories, unit histories, morning reports, and operational reports on the site.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">But that\u2019s my labor of love.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>&nbsp;\u201cThe Greatest Generation\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A few days ago, I visited my older sister, Anne. She gave me several storage bins of our dad\u2019s WWII memorabilia. I knew she\u2019d had them, and I\u2019d seen them periodically when I visited. We\u2019d look through some of the old photos and letters he wrote home to his parents &amp; two sisters.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">I still have all his letters!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">We\u2019d look through some of the photos of him and his buddies, some of the bombed-out streets in France &amp; Germany, and many (MANY!) photos of the snow during the blistering winter of the Battle of the Bulge.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-default is-cropped wp-block-gallery-1 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"639\" height=\"894\" data-id=\"780\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/azadkinsiii.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/1945-JAN-Heiderscheid-Luxembourg-Pop-in-front-of-house.jpg?resize=639%2C894&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-780\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/azadkinsiii.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/1945-JAN-Heiderscheid-Luxembourg-Pop-in-front-of-house.jpg?w=639&amp;ssl=1 639w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/azadkinsiii.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/1945-JAN-Heiderscheid-Luxembourg-Pop-in-front-of-house.jpg?resize=214%2C300&amp;ssl=1 214w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 639px) 100vw, 639px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Lt. A.Z. Adkins, Jr. (Luxembourg, 1945)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"618\" height=\"954\" data-id=\"781\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/azadkinsiii.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/1945-JAN-Heiderscheid-Luxembourg-Pop-on-Skis.jpg?resize=618%2C954&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-781\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/azadkinsiii.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/1945-JAN-Heiderscheid-Luxembourg-Pop-on-Skis.jpg?w=618&amp;ssl=1 618w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/azadkinsiii.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/1945-JAN-Heiderscheid-Luxembourg-Pop-on-Skis.jpg?resize=194%2C300&amp;ssl=1 194w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 618px) 100vw, 618px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Lt. A.Z. Adkins, Jr. (Luxembourg, 1945)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Yet, the letters he wrote home <em>never<\/em> revealed what he and his buddies were going through on a daily basis. Usually, he\u2019d talk about the weather and the beautiful surrounding scenery.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">I think that\u2019s what <em>his<\/em> generation did\u2014not worry his family.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">But \u2026 we all know what they endured.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">That generation, \u201cThe Greatest Generation,\u201d (coined by Tom Brokaw), grew up during the Depression. They didn\u2019t share their feelings with family. But \u2026 they did with their buddies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">I\u2019ve worked with a dozen or so authors on their World War II stories \/ diaries \/ books (mostly 80th Infantry Division soldiers). Many share the same stories, but also the same experiences while growing up:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><em>\u201cDon\u2019t wake your father while he\u2019s napping on the couch.\u201d<\/em><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><em>\u201cDon\u2019t slam the doors in the house.\u201d<\/em><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><em>\u201cYour father needs a little time to himself.\u201d<\/em><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">After reading through some of these WWII memoirs, written by <em>their<\/em> children and grandchildren, I can certainly understand the triggers these men experienced <em>after<\/em> the war.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>My Generation<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">I\u2019m a <strong>Vietnam<\/strong> \u201cera\u201d veteran. I make that distinct point because while I served during the Vietnam War years, I <em>never<\/em> stepped foot in country, nor did anyone shoot at me or my buddies. I had two duty stations: <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/azadkinsiii.com\/blog\/53-you-always-remember-your-first\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">NAS Agana, Guam<\/a><\/strong> and <a href=\"https:\/\/azadkinsiii.com\/blog\/41-haze-gray-and-underway\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong><em>USS Kitty Hawk <\/em><\/strong>(CV-63)<\/a>. My job was an <a href=\"https:\/\/azadkinsiii.com\/blog\/67-flight-ops-a-day-in-the-life-of-crash-salvage\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong>Aviation Boatswain&#8217;s Mate Handler<\/strong> <\/a>(aircraft director and aircraft firefighter).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"553\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/azadkinsiii.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/GuamCrashCrew.jpg?resize=800%2C553&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"NAS Agana, Guam (1974); Glenn Law, John O'Mara, Gary Cuzner (R.I.P.), Andy Adkins\" class=\"wp-image-1797\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/azadkinsiii.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/GuamCrashCrew.jpg?w=947&amp;ssl=1 947w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/azadkinsiii.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/GuamCrashCrew.jpg?resize=300%2C207&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/azadkinsiii.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/GuamCrashCrew.jpg?resize=768%2C531&amp;ssl=1 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">NAS Agana, Guam Crash Crew (1974)<br>Glenn Law, John O&#8217;Mara, Gary Cuzner (R.I.P.), Andy Adkins<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The closest I\u2019d ever come to Vietnamese (other than my <strong>Cuong Nhu<\/strong> karate instructor here in Gainesville) was when I took <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/azadkinsiii.com\/blog\/51-shore-patrol\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Shore Patrol<\/a><\/strong> duty during <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/azadkinsiii.com\/blog\/49-westpac-75-after-six-months-were-coming-home\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Westpac \u201975<\/a><\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201c<strong>Operation Frequent Wind<\/strong>\u201d was the final operation in Saigon at the end of the Vietnam War, and it began April 29, 1975. The Marines loaded Vietnamese civilians onto helicopters and brought them to waiting aircraft carriers. They were then transported to the Philippines. Many of these refugees were on <strong>Grande Island<\/strong> when I took SP duty in September 1975. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Normally, Grande Island was an island paradise frequented by Japanese tourists, but it was now being used to house Vietnamese refugees.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The people were quiet, reserved, and looked somewhat defeated. It was no surprise\u2014they had to quickly leave their homes, many with just the clothes on their backs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">I didn\u2019t talk with any of them; I didn\u2019t know the language and besides, there was a tall chain-link fence separating them from us. There were several kids, however, who came up to the fence waving Vietnamese money. It was not worth anything to them, but I exchanged a few Filipino pisos for several Vietnamese dollars.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It was a sad sight, but from what I\u2019ve read and what I\u2019ve seen, they were much better off here than in Vietnam.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">That was truly an eye-opener for me.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>The \u201cMental Weight\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">I\u2019m also a member of our local <strong>Vietnam Veterans of America<\/strong> chapter here in Gainesville. Periodically, I\u2019ll attend the monthly meetings\u2014a great group of guys. Many of them (me included), are hard of hearing. We also gather twice a year, <strong>on Memorial Day<\/strong> and <strong>Veterans Day<\/strong>, at the local cemetery to pay tribute and honor those who were KIA during the war.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Through these meetings and several private conversations, I\u2019ve noticed veterans tend to open up about their time. Some will talk about humorous events, very much like my dad (and Becky\u2019s dad \u2013 <strong>82d Airborne<\/strong>) did while growing up.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Sometimes, I\u2019ll overhear a deeper conversation, almost a whisper \u2026 often sharing an emotional experience of the past that just will not go away.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">I\u2019ve learned over the years that when a veteran opens up, it\u2019s best not to shut him or her down or walk away, but to listen \u2026 <em>really<\/em> listen to what they\u2019re saying. It\u2019s not just the physical event or the loss of a buddy during war. It\u2019s oftentimes more of an emotional recollection that they may <em>want<\/em> to forget, but they <em>can\u2019t<\/em> and\u2014understandably so\u2014<em>will not<\/em> forget a memory.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">There\u2019s a term \u2026 \u201c<strong>Survivor\u2019s Guilt<\/strong>.\u201d It\u2019s not just related to veterans, but anyone who has survived an event when others didn\u2019t.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">That\u2019s a weight not often recognized.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>The \u201cPhysical Weight\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">I saved this one for last, simply because I weigh a \u201clittle more\u201d than I did 48 years ago when I got out of the Navy (1977). <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">I <em>could<\/em> weigh more \u2026 a LOT more \u2026 but I\u2019m pretty comfortable. I <em>should<\/em> weigh less \u2026 a LITTLE less \u2026 but I\u2019m pretty comfortable with my current &#8220;diet.&#8221;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The physical weight doesn\u2019t bother me yet. I\u2019m still able to do all the things I want to do. Maybe not as quickly as before, but I can still do them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Besides &#8230; the \u201cphysical\u201d weight, at least for me, is <em>lighter<\/em> than the \u201cmental\u201d weight.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Until we meet again,<br>Andy<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong><em>Previous Blogs mentioned in this Post:<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/azadkinsiii.com\/blog\/197-what-the-hell-did-i-get-myself-into\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">#197\u2014What the Hell Did I Get Myself Into?<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/azadkinsiii.com\/blog\/53-you-always-remember-your-first\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">#53\u2014You Always Remember Your First<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/azadkinsiii.com\/blog\/41-haze-gray-and-underway\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">#41\u2014Haze Gray and Underway!<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/azadkinsiii.com\/blog\/51-shore-patrol\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">#51\u2014Shore Patrol: It\u2019s Not Just a Job, It\u2019s an Adventure<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/azadkinsiii.com\/blog\/49-westpac-75-after-six-months-were-coming-home\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">#49\u2014Westpac \u201975: After Six Months, We\u2019re Coming Home<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/azadkinsiii.com\/blog\/67-flight-ops-a-day-in-the-life-of-crash-salvage\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">#67\u2014Flight Ops: A Day in the Life of Crash &amp; Salvage<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/azadkinsiii.com\/blog\/68-flight-ops-another-fine-day-in-the-navy\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">#68\u2014Flight Ops: Another Fine Day in the Navy!<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong><u>Answers<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>George Eliot.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Ted Lasso<\/strong> (Jason Sudeikis).<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Midnight Confessions <\/strong>(1968), The Grass Roots; written by Lou T. Josie.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Trivia Questions (Answers @ end) Thanks to those who commented on my last blog post, \u201cWhat the Hell Did I Get Myself Into?\u201d A few insights: I like to write. Am I a good writer? I don\u2019t know \u2026 Like&#8230; <a href=\"https:\/\/azadkinsiii.com\/blog\/198-the-weight-we-carry\/\" class=\"readmore\">Read more<span class=\"screen-reader-text\">#198\u2014The Weight We Carry<\/span><span class=\"fa fa-angle-double-right\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":4800,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[60,59],"tags":[374,277,74,162,112,193,7,256,84,255],"class_list":["post-7836","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-army","category-navy","tag-80th-division","tag-82nd-airborne","tag-agana-guam","tag-aviation-boatswains-mate-handler","tag-philippines","tag-shore-patrol","tag-uss-kitty-hawk","tag-vietnam-war","tag-westpac","tag-world-war-ii","content-layout-excerpt-thumb"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.9 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>#198\u2014The Weight We Carry &#8212; A Veteran&#039;s Journey<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Veterans carry a weight that others may not see. It could be something they saw, something they did, or someone they lost.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/azadkinsiii.com\/blog\/198-the-weight-we-carry\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"#198\u2014The Weight We Carry &#8212; A Veteran&#039;s Journey\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Veterans carry a weight that others may not see. 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