Veterans Reflect on the Boy Inside Them That Died on the Battlefield

From Vietnam to the Gulf War, to the Global War on Terror, maturity comes fast under fire, combat soldiers say.

Lysander Caligo, a former U.S. Marine who served in Afghanistan, stands behind a mesh barrier at a restaurant in Mesa, Ariz., on Nov. 3, 2024. Allan Stein/The Epoch Times

MESA, Ariz.—“You can never go home again” rings true for combat veterans, especially the part of them that can never forget.

People have called war many things—cruel and tragic, the final court of appeals, a racket, and the most noble thing people can do for their country. It depends on how you look at it.