[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 156 (2010), Part 9]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 12895]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                       REMEMBERING JOSHUA FUESTON

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. RICK LARSEN

                             of washington

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, July 13, 2010

  Mr. LARSEN of Washington. Madam Speaker, nearly one year ago Joshua 
Fueston, a 19-year-old Army soldier from Bellingham, Washington, 
committed suicide in Washington, DC. Joshua was at Walter Reed Army 
Medical Center receiving treatment for physical wounds suffered in 
Iraq, but he was also suffering from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder 
(PTSD).
  In honor of his life and service, I request that the following poem, 
penned by Bert Caswell, be placed in the Congressional Record.

                            The Scars Of War

     As when our fines sons and daughters go off to war. . . .
     Much heartache, and such great burdens bore!
     As some come home all encased in wood, all but for the 
           greater good!
     While, others come home without arms and legs. . . . as do 
           they!
     Ones without eyes, and faces . . . with burns upon their 
           bodies as placed this . . .
     Touching all hearts, in so many ways . . . as it's for them 
           we now so pray . . .
     But, some scars are not so easily seen . . .
     But found deep down inside most heroic hearts, convened!
     Are but found Those Scars of War, not so easily seen!
     The kind that, in the middle of the dark night make them so 
           awake . . .
     All in cold sweats, as upon all of their fine souls such 
           heartache is placed . . .
     All in their most sleepless sleeps, now carried in their 
           souls so very deep . . .
     As each day these scenes from hell they pray not repeat, as 
           its for them we weep!
     For War is Hell, and Hell is War!
     For their battles do not end, when they reach their home 
           shores again!
     As from the outside, they look so strong and secure . . .
     While, deep down inside . . . in all of them, the battle 
           builds all the more . . .
     Destroying even the bravest, and the strongest of all hearts 
           for sure!
     As upon their fine hearts and souls, but lie these most 
           dreadful scars of war!
     As P.T.S.D., is but the silent killer . . . that we all 
           should so look for!
     Because, while some die on battlefields of honor bright . . .
     And then others, come home all in anguish . . . to fight this 
           fight!
     And sadly, without help . . . many will but live their last 
           and final nights!
     As they must fight their own private wars, never ending both 
           day and night . . .
     As this darkness upon them so lies, as they so try and try!
     With tears in eyes!
     As another Hero died this day!
     Take a look around you, I say . . .
     A Hero stands beside you, with tears of heartache upon their 
           souls which lay!
     All in their quiet suffering, we must somehow so hear their 
           pain!
     For some things are not so clearly seen!
     But, lie so deep down so inside this pain . . .
     Remember, under the surface but lie all of their most 
           dreadful dreams . . .
     Such things that Heroes dare not repeat!
     Now, carried all in their fine hearts, so very deep!
     For ever vigilant, as we must keep!
     For all of our Sons and Daughters, who deep down inside their 
           fine hearts!
     The Scars of War, they so keep!
     P.T.S.D. a silent enemy . . .

                          ____________________