I just walked away feeling emotional and holding back many more tears. As I sat there at Kent State Tuscarawas, I was moved by your stories and acts. One after another got closer and closer to my Era of service. The story about the Marine sitting on his fathers lap was very sad then his death in the morning. WOW!

I too came home expecting praise and gratitude by other's. I too had a fiance and had a ruff time adjusting to life out of military. After marriage thing's quickly turned for the worse. Medical Discharged from Injury gotten in Iraq that left me confused why I couldn't stay in. Lower back injury from a fall and no longer allowed to ruck with my fellow battle buddies. Soon the distancing and the stay up all night, sleep all day kicked in. No mission to complete, no schedule to keep. Laziness and fatigue was a daily obstacle. Self-worth went away. The feeling of love and happiness disappeared. The moment she walked out that door was my life ending as I knew it. I ran for the pills and for my gun. I was going to go out one way or another. I thought about death everyday for over several years. The thought of dieing for my country was how I wanted to go. I survived the war and now like wtf. She was still in her car on the phone with her parent's when I looked out of the window. I knew I scared her then that day. The pills were binding up in my mouth when I tried to swallow. I chocked and spit them out as she walked inside the house. Then there the total embarrassment of my core was woken up. I emotionally broke and that made me seek help. That wasn't the end of my problems. I lost her trust and soon her love for me. With a child on the way and divorce filled. I was close to my breaking point once again. This time the loss of my potential family was too much to bare. I told me non military friends how I felt and they had no clue how to respond. They didn't understand what I seeked daily. The rush the need to be part of something greater than myself. I told them I'm going to do it. Time after time they brushed me off as what ever attention seeking idiot. Then one night on my lowest stages of depression. One of my childhood friends knocks on my door. I get up and open the door. He hands me a shotgun after he chambers a round in it. Here he said, fucking do it. He kept repeating it to me over and over. I put it under my chin and click!! Jackass had it on safe... He took it back and unloaded it. I then realized it wasn't worth it. He said to me dude you have a child on the way. With or without your wife in your life. You have a boy who's going to need you.

After that day I never spoke of suicide nor thought of doing it. All a soldier needs in life after war is a purpose to live for those who didn't make it back home. They need love and support endlessly throughout their lives. Only war veterans understand or family who suffered along with a Veteran. My 2nd and best wife and I have a son together.He is 6years old my oldest is 13 and I haven't seen him in 3 years. Bad divorce and 10 years of court ended when I put my new family and my mental health first. I had to sign him off to his mom. I know wait for the day I seen him again and talk with him as an adult. Maybe he'll understand why it didn't work out. My family feels I'm not ingaged as much as I should be. Feelings of love still evades my heart. Ptsd has so many ways to mess with you that you walk around like your not even alive. No one sees you, no one cares the pain and suffering you feel daily. Even the VA therapy dr.s have no clue. What we need is people like you opening there eye's on our pain and that of our families suffering with us. I had tears pouring uncontrollably during the marines break-up to his death. You hit so many emotions that I wasn't sure it it would stop b4 anyone else saw. Some of the beginning was confusing but then realized what type of act we were here to see. A lot of people didn't know either. Maybe they thought it was a Veteran speech like other university speakers. I Google your show and watched 5min of it b4 I got tickets. A few left b4 the end of the first act. Some brought children and was caught off guard by some thing's. Like your story about stabbing the soldier in the chest. Even an elderly man got up and said that was enough for him.

I appreciate your time and hard work it must of taken to put something like this together. I wanted to leave you a video after the show but was worried I would start crying again. Maybe if they had a private booth and not a open area so everyone can see you cry. LoL I told the camera man to tell you Great Job and it was dead on point on many levels...

I hope your acts keep going and get a lot more attention.

Thank you again for what you are doing!

Howdy Sir! My name is Sgt.V. We met briefly yesterday/ last night. I am the female combat veteran who stood up in the talk. Anyway, thanks for that awesome tribute to my fellow Brothers and Sisters in Arms, past and present! HOOAH!! Here are couple pieces of poetry I wrote that I’d like to share with you. It’s easier sometimes to write down how "we" feel rather than voice out. I hope you enjoy them.

Thank you for not forgetting us and stay blessed sir, and continue to be a blessing to others.

HOOAH!!

Sgt.V

Alex Guzman-Lopez and his wife Victoria,
daughter of Catherine Concepcion.

March 8th, 2020 - Iowa

Good evening Douglas,

I want to thank you again for your performance in Storm Lake Iowa, my daughter still talks about it and how you kept her attention throughout the entire play. I’d like to share with you a story about when I was on deployment, and after coming home. A Promises Kept!

I was called up to deploy in July of  2010 to go over to Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. I was in the Iowa National Guard. I knew before deployment that my dad, a man that I always looked up to, had been having health issues and yet I didn't know to what extent they were. I was sitting on Bagram Air Field in Afghanistan and it was the night of my 36th birthday. I'd been talking to a friend from home on the phone and she told me that I needed to call and talk to my dad and express to him that he didn't need to lie to me. I had a sinking feeling that something was wrong so I hung up with her and instantly called him. Upon my dad answering the phone and wishing me a happy birthday, I said dad is there something I should know about concerning your health and please don't lie to me? 

I heard his voice crack just a little and knew I might not like what I was about to hear. He tried to pass it off saying I had enough to worry about with being in Afghanistan, I didn't need to worry about him and that he'd be ok. I was persistent thou and said that that's not what I wanted to hear, and that I wanted to know the truth.  He then explained that he had brain cancer as well as a brain tumor over his eye. I started crying and said you should have told me before. We both sat there crying on the phone for a while and then talked about fishing and such and a few good memories we had of me growing up. I made him promise that he would fight his battle and I'd do everything in my power to come home safely to him and the rest of my family. 

I was able to go home over the Christmas holiday and spend Christmas with my dad. We stayed up almost every night laughing and reminiscing about stuff. Gotta say that was one of the greatest Christmas's I've had in a memory. We again promised to continue fighting our battles and make it through until I came home in July of 2011. 19 July 2011, I stood in the back of a school along with my brothers and sisters that I had deployed with, knowing that in a few minutes I'd be able to make good on my promise to my dad. (I'm getting a little emotional right now as I think back to that day.)

I could feel the energy coming out of that gymnasium (It was electrifying to say the least) as we lined up to march in and take our place in front of our families and friends. We entered that gymnasium to a standing ovation and hero's welcome. I stood there on the risers scanning the audience knowing that my dad was somewhere out there and that soon I'd be in his arms. After several speeches they dismissed us and I made a bee line to go look for him.

My daughters were there with their mother's and after hugging them I asked where my dad was. I seen him ( man the tears are welling up in my eyes) and I grabbed him and all I could say is "I made it dad, I kept my promise to you. I'm home and I love you." We rode home together that day and I felt like a king. Sadly I lost my dad shortly after Thanksgiving of 2011. I got to see and spend more time with him before he went home to heaven. He reminded me every chance he got before he left us that he was very proud of me for serving our country. I think of my dad often and know that he's watching down over me from heaven.

Thank you for everything you are ding with your play!

Veteran SPC Donnie Madison Jr

November 9, 2018 - New York

Good afternoon Doug,

Words cannot express my profound gratitude in being able to experience your amazing performance at the Bank earlier this week.  I have been working for my employer nearly 30 years and have NEVER experienced anything they offered that was as moving and touching as your performance.  Words cannot describe the power I felt in the auditorium where my colleagues and I were all affected by your incredibly powerful performance.  

As you carried out each story, you truly transcended the audience into the life of a soldier.  Your performance allowed us to ‘feel’, ‘see’ and ‘empathize’ with each character.  As I sat in amazement, I was able to relate your stories to a number of family members and friends that have served in the military.  

Your performance transported me to my personal tragedy in which my son-in-law, Alex Guzman-Lopez, tragically died in Darwin Falls, Australia nearly 10 years ago.  Words cannot express the experience as a mother receiving that dreadful call from my first born daughter screaming and crying at the other end stating ‘Alex is dead’.  Until this day, my daughter recalls the pain she experienced when she encountered a Gunnery Sergeant, Pastor and Marine who knocked at her door and confirmed her name and then stated “We regret to inform you………” when she thought the knock was Alex returning home early from his deployment.

Thank you again as I will always remember how touched I was by your performance.  You have a gift that is to be shared and am blessed to have been one of your witnesses.

With great gratitude,

Catherine Concepcion, Gold Star Mother

These are images of Cynthia’s father which she shared with me. On the bottom row, he’s in the second row with goggles, and the post card is a card he wrote and drew to be sent back home.

November 11th, 2019, Cape Cod

Dear Douglas,

I have thought of you, your incredible performance, the gift of The American Soldier, over and over again. My father joined the Marines at the tender age of 17 and fought on the sands of lwo Jima at 19. From my earliest childhood, I was always aware that my father fought on some hot, volcanic island called lwo Jima and I learned of the horror of war by his accounting. My father would tell me that war was all about waste. Waste of materials, equipment, resources, and the greatest of all, the waster of human life.

And battles like lwo Jima, wasted the youngest of men. Young men never given the chance to seed the next generation.

My father never held any hatred for the Japanese, but rather always held a collective sense with all humankind that had experienced the horrific power of war. My father's ability to share his wartime experiences was a gift, but many veterans are unable to, they are numbed into silence from what they witnessed on the battlefields.

That is why, your play The American Soldier, which I had the privilege of attending this past Veterans' Day contains a most powerful portrayal of the voices of veterans who need to be heard. You executed it with a dynamic, multi­-character performance, your spellbinding captivation gives a voice and presence to the American Soldier. Thank you, Douglas Taurel, for your willingness to share your craft and theatrical expertise, and bring the audience to its feet in a well deserved standing ovation. Thank you!

Cynthia Blackburn Robotham,
Daughter of Iwo Jima Veteran and wife to a Vietnam Veteran

Douglas, my wife and I attended your play last night and thoroughly enjoyed it. Thank you for coming to an out of the way spot like Storm lake , Iowa.  I am a 100% disabled Viet Nam vet and I really appreciated your one armed portion of the play. I did not lose my arm, however I was hit in the neck by shrapnel and lost the use of my left arm due to nerve damage( I was left handed too).

Over the last 50 years, wow, that sounds like a long time ago, some things have gotten better and some worse, I got a little use in my arm but still can't bend my elbow or turn my palm up, but I did get some feeling in it and I can hold things in my hand.  The rodeo with the VA was quite a ride. I went from 100% down to 70% because after about a year healing and therapy, I  got a job. Eventually I discovered various other ailments and worked my way back up to 100% disability and it was a 30 year struggle with the VA, thankfully the DAV is a great support for us. So it turned out the shrapnel not only severed nerves to my left arm but also to my left diaphram and my lung atrophied to about 50% of normal, 30% rating.

Of course PTSD is a problem for anyone with combat experience and I have that. I remember the Doctor asking me how often I thought about combat and my injuries. I told him every time I try to button my shirt or put on my pants on with one hand, so I got a 50% rating for PTSD. Then of course most of us VN vets also brought back the gift that keeps on giving, agent orange, ischemic heart disease, 50% more so they finally figured I was bad enough to warrant 100% again.

Just for informational purposes, I was with the 1st Cavalry Div. in 1970, I was a combat medic and only lasted 5 months in country which I guess was about normal for medics. Our battalion was part of the Cambodian Incursion in May 1970, Kent State riots time, because of Nixons expanding the war. My company went into Cambodia about 150 strong and came out 60 days later 40 strong, from a company to a large platoon. several KIA's but mostly WIA's.

So I officially retired at age 54 on disability with a wonerful wife, who has supported me throughout this trip, and 3 wonerful kids. A bright spot to this story is that early retirement and the progression of the internet in the last 20 years opened a new door. As you are probably aware most of us Vietnam vets just wanted to get "back to the world" and get on with our lives and due to the rotation of replacements one or two guys at a time would come in and one or two would leave, most of the guys never stayed connected once they got home.

It was a bad memory and  we just wanted normal again. But back in 2006 I had lots of free time so I started searching, put my name out in 1st Cav sites and guest books and search the web. About mid Feb 2006 I recieved 2 seperate emails from guys that thought I might have been their medic. So we emailed a few times and figured out yeah, we had been together 36 years ago.

Finally one of us got the nerve to actually call the others and talk, that was hard! But we continued visiting and brainstorming names of guys, mostly nicknames and tryng to remember where they were from. We eventually located and spoke with about 2 dozen uf us that went into Cambodia together in our platoon. The next obvious step was to have a reunion, mind you not one of these guys had ever made contact with another in 36 years, but we were brothers and would have died for each other back then. We found guys that worked on the same cosruction site and never new it, two guys that were both radio operators and best of friends lived less than 50 miles apart and never new it. Anyhow we decided Nashville would be a good spot, lots of good old boys in Nam, and we booked a hotel. We had over 24 guys and wives that first reunion, you can't imagine the tears and stories and hugs that weekend. We made the Nashville news and TV "Vietnam Vets reunite after 36 years" the mayor gave us a key to the city, the local American Legion and VFW fed us, and even Hooters came to our hotel and fed us one meal .

So here we are 2020 and times have surely changed for the best, everywhere we go we are welcomed and thanked, we continue to have at least 2 reunions a year in different locations, some we go to others we can't but it keeps going on, a few guys want nothing to do with it and we understand that too. We have the names and addresses of almost 500 guys that served in our company from 1965 to 1972. I recognized your bagpipe song from " We Were Soldiers" we have guys in our reunion that made that battle at Lz Xray to reinforce  Col Moore  and the 2/7 Cav., we were B co 2/5 Cav.

Last spring I was able to make an Honor Flight to DC and again the reception and welcome was overwhelming, I think there were probably over 3000 people at Dulls to recieve us. School classes ,boy scouts, girl scouts, 4h clubs and just everyday ordinary folk that come out for as many honor flights as they can to give us that WELCOME HOME and THANKS FOR YOUR SERVICE and SACRIFICE.

So in closing, Thank You for your contribution to our welcome home and support!

John Schmidt, Former Vietnam Vet, 1st Cavalry Div. in 1970                                                                                                                                                         

PS. My dad would have enjoyed your play also. He was a WWII vet 3rd Infantry Div. He spent 3 years from North Africa to Italy (Anzio), South,France, the Bulge, the Vosages. See attachment. We got his dogtag back from a Frenchman 2 years ago, lost 70 years earlier.

November 10th, 2016 - Red Hook, New York

Your performance was one of the most amazing things I have ever seen on stage. I served in Iraq and Afghanistan, and a lot of times when people come up to me and ask me how does it feel to experience war, I personally can never find the works to express my experience, the way your performance did. Your performance says it all and your play is a voice for veteran.

Thank you!

Marc Coveli, Veteran of Iraq and Afghanistan, Purple Heart Recipient 2014.

April 28th, 2018 - Bedford, New York

Your play The American Soldier delivers with passion, clarity and honesty why soldiers look at life differently. War is hell for the families of soldiers also. The true story of the soldiers and family letters you portray leave you numb.

Your passion for the stories you enact helps us realize what the American soldier does and why he does it. Your depiction of the love hate relationship war creates in the mind of the combat veteran is remarkable. How many of us are aware of this?

Douglas, your inspiring portrayal of our veterans remind us of the debt we owe our nations defenders. You pull no punches of the fact that we must remember those heroes killed in action and we must reflect on the living veterans who bear the physical and emotional scars of war.

How they return home to a public that has no skin in the game and are completely oblivious to the effect and sacrifices on their families. The American Soldier and it’s message makes you realize how hard it is for veterans to care about normal things when they come back.

Normal life seems silly and pointless to them. A sign of PTSD. Veterans grow resentful of those who go about their lives indifferent to their experiences and the sacrifices of the brothers and sisters with whom they have served. They are returning soldiers who can not cope with civilian life in a normal world, where there is no similar brotherhood, no bond as strong as the experience of combat and the reliance on one another for survival.

The American Soldier message is a must see for the American public to fully understand and better support our veterans. A wake up call for many of us too busy to notice.  Douglas, your passionate support of veterans and their families is outstanding.

Your performance in Bedford, New York left us speechless. You left a lasting impression on everyone in the audience, as well as myself.

Joe Reynolds, Vietnam Veteran

November 2019 - New York, NY

Your play The American Soldier was able to immediately capture us, captivate us, and meaningfully change the perception of what the experience of war truly is.

You were adept at depicting place, time, sights, sounds, smells, and a sense immediacy of the soldiers lives.  Most importantly, you helped us feel the simultaneous juxtaposition of both the pure and gritty - the raw and sober emotion war brings out, exposing almost continuously in those affected.  

It is, at times, demanding to watch and challenging to hear their words echoed back across time.  I had quite a few people come up to me, and remark how much they enjoyed the program and how incredibly moving it was. 

Know that each time you perform Douglas, you're touching people in ways they weren't expecting.  And for those who had an idea what to expect, you’re touching them as well.

Thank you!

David Zapsky Veteran, USAF

February 10th, 2019, New Hampshire

Douglas, 

I was so overwhelmed and emotionally touched to be an eyewitness to many soldiers intimate and personal stories in your play on February 2, 2019.  I was able to feel this raw emotion thanks to your one man play, The American Solider.

As a Blue Star Mom of 2 Army Veterans, you evoked feelings that I had not felt before in regard to my boys deployments.  One son struggles to this day with the effects of war with TBI.   My hope and prayer is that The American Soldier would be seen by civilians across America, as well as military service members and their families.  This production WILL LET THEM SEE and FEEL what military life is about and the ongoing struggles that many war Veterans endure each day.

Thank you, Douglas,…my life is not the same since seeing The American Soldier.

Susan Peterson, New Hampshire, Blue Star Mother

Dear Doug, 

Your play “The American Soldier”  is a powerful riveting testimonial from inside the “souls” of veterans spanning hundreds of years.  Your authentic capture of each soldiers’ or mothers’ most personal thought during conflict is stunning, impactful and presented with a deep compassion that invokes an emotional response from an audience of all ages.

As the son of two World War II Veterans and the father of two veterans (US Army), this play affected me on many levels and gave me a profound respect and admiration for the American serviceman. 

During the audience “talk back” session after the performance; I found that an audience from all walks of life were touched by the performance and wanted to ask questions or share their experiences.  From a Gold Star Mother to a female veteran, or veterans that served over fifty years ago --- this performance brings home the heart and soul of why our veterans serve!  For family and country.

Thank you!

Bill Peterson, New Hampshire, Blue Star Father

February, New Hampshire, 2018

My strongest reaction to your play was to the family dealing with the sudden absence of their husband and father.  I remember when my father left for Viet-nam in 1967 that i had never seen my Mother cry.  Just before the bus came, she went to the bathroom, and my father sent me to get her when the bus arrived.  She was in there crying.  I told her the bus was there, and she dried her eyes, washed her face, and sent him off to war with a calm face. 

He knew that we would all be safe because she was there, and did not have to be distracted by worrying about us.  She knew that the Good Army Wife copes with the loneliness, and the financial hardship, and the agony of waiting for a notification team to come to the house, and sends her husband off to be successful. And we went on.  No one waited for "your father to come home" for discipline, or for advice, we just went on.  Each hiding our misery from the other, because it would not help the family survive.  We went on without him.   

Your show touched me very much Douglas!

Thank you,

Vera R Boals, Major, US Army Retired, Dependent

February 3rd, 2019, New Hampshire

Your play provided some reassurance of the multi-faceted duties, conundrums, consequences and contributions of American Soldiers, over the course of our country's history as just that - complicated and consequential in all kinds of long and short term ways. I realize how much more complicated and difficult it is to protect and preserve a country than most civilians think. The play was a useful and important prompt for me to continue sorting out those difficult realities. It also provided an opening for me to appreciate the safety and security I enjoy because of them. Compassion, Gratitude and THANK YOU to you and all of them!

My deceased husband was a Marine who served 3 tours in Vietnam. Only now, am I beginning to better understand and appreciate the training, commitment and dedication that came along with it. 

Thank you for what you do! 

Glee Hooper, Gold Star Wife

February 13th, 2019, New Hampshire

Hello Douglas,

Thank you so much for bringing a group this powerful and compelling stories to our stage in New Hampshire.  Your piece was particularly moving to me; it reminds me of my family, especially those we've lost.  I come from a military family.  Everyone has served except my parents and most of them are career soldiers.  But everyone, and I mean everyone in our family has served in every American war except the War of 1812 so it was particularly beautiful and emotional to hear stories from all eras, from all those in my past.  

These stories particularly reminded me of my grandfather who passed away 8 years ago.  A career Air Force intelligence officer, he could never talk about his service because it was classified.  I never got to hear what his story was.  But I felt his presence during your performance particularly when you enact a character's visit to the Vietnam War Memorial. 

I miss him terribly.  Keep it up as long as you can.  I know Pepaw would have wanted to see it.

Thanks you and my sincerest best wishes!!

Emelie Vandenberg, Blue Star Family

March 2020, Storm Lake, Iowa

Dear Douglas--I attended your presentation of "The American Soldier" last week at Buena Vista University and found it to be a very moving and excellent depiction of the lives of our soldiers. Thank you! 

I am not a veteran, but I do have a story to tell about the profound impact the Viet Nam war had on my life and my husband's.  In 1969, my 21-year-old boyfriend returned from a year in Viet Nam.  I was a 19-year-old college student.  From the day he returned, we were together for 40 years, 34 of those as man and wife. 

Upon his return, he was dropped back into "the world" and expected to resume his life as if nothing had ever happened to him.  He had no contact with other soldiers, nor was there any follow-up from the army after his return.  Friends felt awkward around him--not knowing what to say.  Strangers often scorned him.  The result was that he put those horrid memories in a box somewhere near his heart and locked the lid. 

In all the years we were together, he never spoke once about his experiences over there.  Life went on.  We had 2 kids, bought a house, and he ran our family business.  But he was never okay.  We had never heard the term "PTSD" but I know now that he suffered unmercifully from it his entire life.  Ten years ago, after several difficult life experiences, he began to unravel, and our marriage fell apart.  I encouraged him to talk to a V.A. counselor, but after 2 sessions, he said he could not continue.  Instead, he chose to leave our family and the life we had created together.  I think he thought a new start might calm his tortured spirit.  It only hurt those who love him the most.  I feel like he was mortally wounded in Viet Nam and has been forced to live in pain for the rest of his life.

When I look at all the mistakes made during the Viet Nam War and how returning soldiers were treated, I understand more fully the suffering of our generation of soldiers.  I do believe we have learned from the mistakes of that time though.  When I see the help offered to the young returning warriors from Iraq and Afghanistan, I know there is hope. 

Everytime I hear someone utter "thank you for your service", I know we have taught the next generation the power of being grateful to those who risk their lives for our freedom.  Now, if we could only figure out a way to settle conflict without war.

Thanks your for the play and please continued the good work! And thank you for the hug, it was lovely!

Warmly,

Candy Clough