A few days ago I shared a written statement from an American Army veteran fighting in Ukraine. He said he didn’t have a place in life and didn’t have friends. Dozens of people sent him encouraging and kind comments. He keeps those comments with him and reads them everyday. He wrote this to respond.
by tallalittlebit
18 comments
Several days ago I shared a written statement from an American now fighting in Ukraine. He is one of the volunteers supported by donors from Protect a Volunteer.
He received a really warm response with dozens of people offering kind words. Those really matter. I shared those with him, and this was what he wanted to say to everyone to respond.
If you would like to see the original post, [this](https://www.reddit.com/r/ukraine/comments/1advfto/im_not_made_for_that_life_an_american_army/) is the link.
Looks like I needed a good cry and just had one…..
Slava Ukraini 
That’s awesome, thank you to him, all the brave soldiers and you.
Slava Ukraine
tell that guy to join reddit! We can cheer him up anytime
To my countryman aboard fighting for freedoms of Ukraine.
You are loved by your countrymen who value freedom and the ideals Americans fought for and encoded in our Declaration of Independence (first draft had anti slavery language in it, BTW, sadly removed).
Out commitment to our ideals is constantly being tested, but you appear to pass the test and I tip my cap.
Immediately knew who this post was about from all the stories I read on here. Although my life doesn’t relate to yours, just by the genuine and open way you express yourself I just know you’re a good person. If people just could watch past the first impressions right ;). In any case, I’m going to find Protect a Volunteer and I’m going to read your stories about your brothers with great interest.
We love you brother!! Slava Ukraini!
His comment that he and his comrades are so much more than just soldiers made me cry. I cried because those words were the very words I said in my comment to the PAV memorial post about my sponsored soldiers death last November. He was a special, unique, amazing person and he is deeply missed.
Here is a link to that comment:
https://www.reddit.com/r/ukraine/s/2wbT3DKDsy
I now am supporting a member of his platoon through PAV and have also met online quite a few of his former comrades. And all of those soldiers are more than just fighters. Although they are, or were, all in Ukraine for a common cause, they are all unique individuals. Somehow I hope that my knowing of them, caring about them, and *seeing* them from across the globe from my safe sedate civilian world makes them *feel* seen and cared about; because they are. And so is this soldier.
I’d also like to offer praise for ProtectAVolunteer which works tirelessly to support these volunteers and provides an opportunity for people all over the world to support and get to know a foreign volunteer. It is and was my honor to do so.
I thank this hero, he protects us from evil!
Thank you Rachel for giving us the opportunity to hear their stories. I keep having a dream that I go to Ukraine and hug every person I see wearing camo, I know it’s weird, but I just want to protect them all.
He’s a Legend
I would love to read the stories of the men, fathers and sons of Ukraine, and any other country men fighting for freedom and democracy.
You’re a hero many of us wish we could be, there’s a beer waiting for you in the UK should you ever visit, stay strong brother. Slava Ukraini
Fellow reads the comments. Sez “Reading those comments made me feel loved.”
Hell yeah, friend. Maybe I am mistaken, but I consider myself thoughtful and educated, and I have never seen such a global expression of honor and courage. There are volunteers from Japan in Ukraine. Some of the best people on the planet are in Ukraine right now.
>Knowing that I have support back home as well feels like the last piece of the puzzle being put into place. Knowing that I can reach out and have people listen to me and care about me is a feeling I’ve been searching for since I was a young man.
I simply want to say, and I mean this as a compliment, you have no idea what you are doing. You have no idea how rare it is. You will see someday!
Historically people doing what you are doing is the only line between freedom and slavery.
if this guy needs to get off the line and chill he is welcome at my place. i should be back in dnipro late march there is a bed hot showers and a warm house.
This honestly why I worry about our Foreign Volunteers. You really need to be in the right headspace, and understand your still fighting a foreign war. You will get back to your county there isn’t any fanfare, not everybody will understand your reasoning, etc.
This coming from some one who seen many friends who are vets go down the deep in after post-deployment. Why my tone seems negative in context. I want to really express it’s ok to feel what you are feeling. People come and go in your life, you will build new bonds, new relationships. You have this support of many Ukrainians who are very thankful for your service to them in their time of need.
We’re all only human, we’re all fragile emotional, physical flesh and blood, but some of us who are willing to risk life and limb for a good cause ( like Ukraine)are real heroes.
Can you provide a link to the protect a volunteer site? I don’t want to Google it and accidentally pick a scam site