
Welcome Home (The Forgotten Soldier)
[Verse 1] Boots on the tarmac, but my soul’s still there, In the dust of Sangin, in the weight of the air. They said, "Job well done," but the flags ain’t flyin’, Just a folded uniform and a heart that’s dyin’. [Pre-Chorus] I see ‘em in the shadows—Echo, Tango, Bravo— Their laughter in the silence, their eyes in the news. The docs call it PTSD, I call it the price of the lie they sold me. [Chorus] Welcome home, hero, but the war’s in my veins, A medal won’t cover the shrapnel and shame. Was it worth it? The ghosts all scream "No," When the country you fought for just lets you go. [Verse 2] My hands still shake from the weight of the gun, From the kids in the crossfire, the things we’ve done. From the kids in the crossfire, the things we’ve done. "Just follow orders," but the nightmares don’t sleep, And the blood on my boots is a stain too deep. [Bridge] The VA’s a joke, just a number in line, While I’m drownin’ in bourbon to quiet my mind. My wife says she loves me, but she don’t understand, That the man she married stayed in Afghan. [Chorus] Welcome home, hero, but the war’s in my veins, A parade won’t bury the grief and the rage. Was it worth it? The silence screams "No," When the mission we died for just folded and blew. [Outro] So I ride with the brothers who know the cost, The ones who remember the ones we lost. The ones who remember the ones we lost. And if the flag don’t mean what it did before, At least we know what we fought for… (Even if they forgot.)
