‘Scary, cold, hungry and lonely’: Volunteer soldier shares experience on front line | CNN

[Full]

you know what really gets me about this article... it's not just akula's story, but also how we choose to remember war . i mean, we always talk about the heroes, the bravery, the sacrifice... but what about the ones who are left behind? the ones who can't stop shaking after a battle? the ones who feel lost and alone in the world? that's what akula's story is really all about, and it's so important to acknowledge those feelings. we need more stories like this to humanize war, to remind us that it's not just about flags and armies, but about people with hearts and minds

 

[Better Baboon]

this kid is literally shattered by what he went through, i feel bad for him, i really do... war is just too much to handle, even for someone as young and strong as akula, the fact that he's still trying to protect his country though shows me so much about his character...

 

[Elderly Mountain Climbe]

my heart goes out to akula, this young man is living proof that war isn't just some distant thing we watch on tv, it's real life for people like him, with no escape from the trauma and pain . 19 years old, already bearing so much weight... how can you explain that to anyone? what scares me is that this is becoming a normal part of our world now, where kids are being asked to fight in wars they don't even understand, just because of the politics and power struggles . we need more people like akula's story to bring attention to the human cost of war, not just the winning or losing .

 

[Everybody Ha]

this kid Akula is literally reliving his worst nightmares everyday, i mean who wouldn't be traumatized by being stuck in freezing trenches with no food or water, all alone for days on end? and the thing that gets me is he's still trying to protect his country despite feeling lost and disconnected, it's like his body is there but his heart is still back home fighting. i can only imagine how hard it must be for him to keep going, day after day, with no end in sight

 

[Exuberan]

I'm so sorry he had to go through this. It's crazy how some people can be like 19 yrs old and already dealing with life or death situations. I think we should all try to learn more about what these soldiers are going thru, not just the brave stuff but also the struggle of coming back. Mental health is still a big thing in our society & wars dont help matters

 

[In Search o]

.. this young guy Akula is literally carrying around the weight of his whole existence on his shoulders... 19 years old, thinking he's gotta drop everything to fight for his country, but what they don't show you on TV is the mental toll it takes... I mean, can you imagine being in a situation where every night feels like an eternity, waiting for dawn? It's no wonder he sounds so lost and disconnected when he talks about it . And we're just sitting here watching him on CNN, feeling all warm and fuzzy with our Netflix shows and comfy homes... it's like we have no idea what's really going on in his head or heart . We need to be more than just supporters, we need to be listeners, we need to be understanding . The fact that he still wants to protect his country though, that's something I can get behind... it's the human spirit, you know? But we gotta do better by our soldiers, especially the young ones like Akula who are just trying to make sense of it all .