VETS PULL THROUGH TO HELP THE TROOPS.

Byline: DENNIS McCARTHY 

They call it the warrior's room at Camp Pendleton. A place where Marines who've been wounded in Iraq gather, watch TV or call or e-mail loved ones and friends.

It's a recovery room, of sorts - where the Marines can recuperate from the emotional wounds of war that can cut as deeply as any bullet or piece of shrapnel.

``They deal with a lot of the guilt here,'' says Bill Bonney, who retired last month as inspector of the 1st Marine Division to take the job of family readiness coordinator, the guy wounded Marines come to for support.

``A lot of them have survivor's guilt. They don't want to be here. They want to be back forward with their units.''

But here they are, and while they are, it's Bonney's job to make them as comfortable as possible. That's why he was glad to see some old Korean and Vietnam war vets from the San Fernando Valley stop by the warrior's room a few weeks ago.

Walt Swanson, Jim Schepps, Nick Guest, Joe Steinberg and Evan Mader from All American West Valley VFW Post 2805 in Canoga Park. The post was honored with the All American designation a few years ago by being one of the strongest VFW posts in the country.

The guys have big hearts, too, as the Marines in the warrior's room found out.

The local vets had read a story in the VFW district newsletter about the wives and relatives of wounded Marines, who were buying personal items for their loved ones who had gotten out of the hospital and were living back in the barracks while waiting for reassignment.

The Marines take care of their own, so they never made a big deal about it, Bonney says. But they've been passing the hat for many of the wounded Marines returning from Iraq.

``Congress tells us what we can spend tax dollars on, and personal things like hygiene items, phone cards, DVD movies and players, handheld games books, and civilian clothing are not authorized,'' he said Wednesday.

``Those things are taken care of while they are in the hospital, but after they're released and back in the barracks they're not.''

When he read that, Swanson, the commander of Post 2805, put the word out to VFW District 7, which encompasses all the posts in the San Fernando and Simi valleys. There were some Marines home from Iraq who could use their help.

``A couple of the guys asked what our goal was, and I said $1,000,'' Swanson said. ``They thought I was crazy. We'd never collect that much. Well, we collected that the first day I went out.''

Schepps single-handedly collected $1,700.

``I hit up everybody I know, and they all came through,'' the Vietnam vet said. ``No one said no.''

It was that way everywhere he went, added Swanson, a Korean War veteran. ``A lot of these guys don't have much money, but they all gave what they could - from $5 to $500,'' he said. ``A few of them, like me, had been wounded in combat and spent time in military hospitals. We knew how tough that could be.''

When Swanson and his buddies visited the warrior's room at Camp Pendleton a few weeks ago, they handed Bonney 60 gift cards for $100 each - $3,000 from Costco, $3,000 from Wal-Mart.

His 1st Marine Division was preparing for another large-scale deployment, Bonney told the men.

``We will have a much larger number of Marines in harm's way and are expecting to have a significant number of wounded returning,'' he said.

``As they return, we'll purchase items with these cards to support their needs.''

When Bonney handed out a few of the gift cards in the warrior's room later, the Marines wanted to know who they were from.

The family readiness officer smiled and told them the truth.

``They're from some people who care about you and want to show it,'' he said.

Dennis McCarthy, [phone]

dennis.mccarthy(at)dailynews.com

To contribute to the VFW's efforts, call Walt Swanson at [phone].