Are you the angry vet?

SGT Ben Keen — Mon, 07 Mar 2016 09:54:37 -0500

It is no secret that in general, humans are very opinionated. I think that is a great thing and makes our country stronger for it. Yet, recently I was talking with a group of people and the idea of the "angry Vet" came up. This group was made up of civilians and Veterans from all eras. We started talking about how, again in general, Veterans have this passion of working towards what they feel is right. Yet, sometimes this passion is seen as bitterness, anger, or entitlement.

Now, for those of you that know me either through this site or personally know that I am the last person to seek out something because of entitlement. We are entitled to only what we work for but I have to admit that I agree with the group when it comes to the anger and sometimes bitterness. And I think this time of the year with the Presidential election process at full speed, we sometimes allow our passions to take a different form. Yet, it is not just the elections that can bring this side out of us.

I do not think I am the only one here that gets frustrated. Let it be at work, home, or where ever, I sometimes find my fuse just a little shorter at times. It has gotten better over the last few years. I at least understand some of the whys that cause my fuse to shorten from time to time. Such as my frustration with having a hard time remembering things. But I also had to work very on on learning how to remain calm when working with others that do not necessarily work in the same mind set as me. Like most of you, I work in a very detailed manner. I see the issue and try to work on it step by step, trying my best to plan for the future but focused deeper on the 50 meter targets. Some people I work with both professionally and personally have what I classify as the "nuke them all" mind set. That being, when an issue comes up, they just want to fix everything all at once. This can and has caused issues with me and yes, elevated my anger. And it remains to be one of the areas I work on every day.

So why this post you may ask? Well honestly, I had two objectives here. First, I find it very good for my mind, body and soul to come here and share these type of things with this community. When I have something happen like this conversation, I find it to be a good move to ask others that I trust for their thoughts on the subject matter. Secondly, through recent observations of what has been happening here in the community, I think we all need to step back and reflect on how our actions both individually and collectively reflect on all of us. Being a Veteran is not just a solo act. We will forever be linked together through the hardships we endured to provide freedom for our country. But that also means we remained linked even after we take off the uniform. My actions reflect on you just as your actions reflect on me. Good or bad, we are forever brothers and sisters-in-arms. So while it is great to have a passion towards something or strong feelings about an idea, concept or point of view, we are sometimes challenged to remind ourselves that we cannot always just go from 0 to 60 and let our emotions get the best of us. Sometimes the best thing is to listen, analyze and then form our thoughts.

Response by MAJ Ken Landgren made Mar 7 at 2016 10:11 AM

MAJ Ken Landgren — Mon, 07 Mar 2016 10:11:02 -0500

I am still bitter about how the WTU treated me when I think of the WTU. I am angry that my army retirement is not the 70% for disability, instead I get 50% for longevity. I am angry at SS for taking 6 months to recomp my girls' SS funds. They both lost 6 month of payments, but I have gratitude for the things that did go right.

Response by LTC Stephen F. made Mar 7 at 2016 10:19 AM

LTC Stephen F. — Mon, 07 Mar 2016 10:19:05 -0500

In general I am not an angry veteran SGT Ben Keen. I learned over the 34 years that I wore the uniform that no chain of command is perfect and tends to be as weak it's weakest links.
I saw the impact of wise national level decisions and foolish national decisions with the vast majority falling in between.
1. Learning to wait patiently is a skill learned in the crucible. I went to bat for my soldiers many ties. Sometimes they benefitted and sometimes they didn't. I chose early on display respect for my superiors, peers and subordinates as much as I could and never to be a yes man and it has helped me sleep well at night.
2. Dealing with military retirements system and the VA Processes can be very frustrating because they are far from perfect - yet many especially at the lower echelons of the VA do their best to help veterans. The further removed from dealing with constituents that government bureaucrats are they more out of touch they tend to be.
3. As a Christian I have learned to better respect people. I try to remember that each of us are created in the image of God and worthy of respect.
4. I am careful when I get involved with political issues and inflammatory discussions of any kind including race-baiting, religious antagonizing, or any dehumanizing discussions.

Response by MSgt Steven Holt, NRP, CCEMT-P made Mar 7 at 2016 10:39 AM

MSgt Steven Holt, NRP, CCEMT-P — Mon, 07 Mar 2016 10:39:43 -0500

I don't know if I would say I'm an "angry veteran". I'm more of a "moderately pissed off" or "heavily agitated" type. Very rarely do I get truly angry. I've called in heavy ordinance a few times when I should have just popped smoke and executed a strategic withdrawal. I think we all fall into that trap now and then though. It's part of what makes us human.

Response by SFC Dr. Joseph Finck, BS, MA, DSS made Mar 7 at 2016 10:54 AM

SFC Dr. Joseph Finck, BS, MA, DSS — Mon, 07 Mar 2016 10:54:04 -0500

SGT Ben Keen I see angry vets and will add that most have a reason for being angry. I will explore the VA system for a moment to discuss the angst which may result in anger. First, many vets have little idea of the separation between the VBA (Benefits) and the VHA (Medical). I have had mostly good experiences with the medical side of the house and mostly tolerable experiences with the benefits side. I have seen the mistrust of the system create even greater angst and anger among vets. In most cases it is well earned and deserved. For example, call the National call center and attempt to obtain current real time information about your claim. They MUST get there information from eBenefits as they have no other information to offer and are ambivalent when you ask questions. Its not their fault, it's the system, but the system creates an angry vet.

Thank you for posting this SGT Ben Keen

Response by SGT David A. 'Cowboy' Groth made Mar 7 at 2016 12:55 PM

SGT David A. 'Cowboy' Groth — Mon, 07 Mar 2016 12:55:11 -0500

No I'm not an angry vet, it only causes grief and heart problems in the end.

Response by SGM Steve Wettstein made Mar 7 at 2016 12:58 PM

SGM Steve Wettstein — Mon, 07 Mar 2016 12:58:00 -0500

SGT Ben Keen At times I am especially dealing with the VA. Also, my son who is a SPC, when he acts like that since I have been retired for almost 3 years, that I don't know shit about the Army. He actually told my wife something like that when he thought I wouldn't hear him. Oh, can't forget about driving in traffic and slow people in the passing lane.

Response by LCDR Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 7 at 2016 2:00 PM

LCDR Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 07 Mar 2016 14:00:26 -0500

I think veterans probably feel like we "have" to make a stand, somewhere...or invalidate everything that we fought for as younger warriors. More to the point, I think we tend to forget that we had our differences even then...the "feel good" sense of universal and mutual respect blunting the fact that we are, inevitably our own persons.

Response by Sgt David G Duchesneau made Mar 7 at 2016 3:48 PM

Sgt David G Duchesneau — Mon, 07 Mar 2016 15:48:31 -0500

Thank you for your Post Brother. Yes, I was a very angry Vet when I first got back home to the World from Vietnam. I was angry because of the way I and many other Vietnam Vets were treated, with cold shoulders, as if we were Criminals and we were called all kinds of names and spit on. We were the outcast, the bad guys and it was all because of the way the media portrayed us. Was I angry, you bet you ass I was. Hell, I hated everyone. Then I went to the VA and filed a claim and my anger got worse because those bastards had no clue what we, the Vietnam Vet, had to endure. Then those god damn War Demonstrators, those dope smoking, long haired, tie-dyed tee shirt wearing ass wipes. Anyway, I finally calmed down after a few years, but it wasn't before I became a State Trooper and I can tell you that I stopped everyone of those damn VW Vans that those hippy bastards drove. Now that I am retired from the State, life is good and I was able to learn to live with all of my haunts that was caused by the Vietnam War. I went back to the VA and this time, they settled my claims!

Response by PO1 Nathan Watts made Mar 7 at 2016 7:50 PM

PO1 Nathan Watts — Mon, 07 Mar 2016 19:50:08 -0500

Yes.
100% of the time.

Response by PO1 William "Chip" Nagel made Mar 7 at 2016 11:19 PM

PO1 William "Chip" Nagel — Mon, 07 Mar 2016 23:19:00 -0500

Angry Vet, Nah, Bad Tempered Kraut? Isn't that the Nature of my German Heritage? Proabably, I'm just a 21 Yr Retired Navy Spook, Crypto Tech and Grandpa.

Response by MAJ Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 9 at 2016 10:07 AM

MAJ Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 09 Mar 2016 10:07:57 -0500

Not yet. Give it time though.