Can you describe how you felt coming home from a deployment or combat?

After Operation Hastings where we lost 27 of our brothers in 48 hours, being seriously wounded 2 months later, I was simply grateful to God for allowing me to return home alive.

Honestly at first it felt fuckin great to be home then everything came apart at the seams.

Grateful!

I felt lost. Everything that I expected on my return from Vietnam was completely different. I felt as though my family and friends did not understand what I had been through. I was medically evacuated from Vietnam to Fort Lewis, Washington, which was closer to family. Most family treated me as though I hadn't even been gone. It was not a warm welcome home.

My experience is different from my fellow soldiers. I was not allowed to go on deployment. When we had to go through our physicals prior to leaving the doctors rejected me from leaving. I had to stay behind with my sister company, I felt so humiliated and ashamed but there was nothing I could do. To make matters worse the company I was left with did not treat me very well either. I was ready to shot somebody there as we were getting ready to go to the range. But then I was recalled back to my company, thankfully, as they were coming back from deployment.

Overwhelming !!!!! scary , awkward and uncomfortable

Coming back home was great because I wanted to hit the ground running and demonstrate the military skills which I adopted in a civilian setting. I took some classes to prepare myself mentally, connected with Elders at my local Church, spoke to wise friends and family members before establishing a plan and moving forward on the best strategy for success. Coming back home I learned that if you look for help, there are people that are willing to help you succeed. trust in yourself first then take the next step of faith and have courage when taking risk. We learn many skills in the military and we wore many hats. Don’t settle for less, seek to be awesomene!

I returned home for the first time in the early summer of 1973, on leave for 30 days. I had been in the service for only a year but I was looking forward to being with family and friends. I was warmly greeted by my family, however, it was a different scene with my "friends". There were about 10 of us that got together at our favorite pub. Everyone seemed anxious to see me, most had no idea I was in the service. They only knew that I had not been around for a long time. I was asked where had I been for so long. I told them I was in the Army and home on leave. The group suddenly went silent and stared at me. Then the conversations began again, only this time, without me being included. I felt like no one could see me or hear me. No one talked to me or even looked at me. It was as though I was never there. After being shut out for about 15 minutes, I got up and left. I said nothing to my so called friends and they said nothing to me. It seemed like an eternity had passed, even though we had only been together about 15 minutes. I felt alone and couldn't understand what was going on. I flew back overseas to my unit after being on leave for only 7 days. Everyone in my unit was surprised to see me back so soon. When I told them what happened, I heard story after story of the same thing happening to them. I'll never forget that time in my life as I found out that in reality, I had only acquittances back home. My real friends were in the military with me! Nowadays I go out of my way whenever I see (or find out) a military person is nearby. To the outside world, a serviceman or woman is not welcomed. I want them to know that they are special and I thank them for their service. It makes me feel that my time in the military was indeed worth it and I want them to know that theirs is too! Thank you all for listening and THANKS FOR SERVING!

Whenever I was deployed I was actually working where I was when I was at my home base I didn't have much to do to do so being deployed was the most exciting part for me while serving in the military. I actually loved it quite a bit. It is the one thing that I truly miss about my military life.

Coming home from my first tour in Iraq was one of the happiest days of my life. I love America.