Posted on Mar 19, 2016
Does Anyone Else Have Recurring Dreams About Being Back In the Military?
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I retired from the Army with 24 years of service back in late 2011. In the last 3 years, I have had dreams that I had to go back in the Military and I am now unable to keep up with the young troops and all the changes to the equipment and gear. The dreams are unsettling and very real to me. I know they are not about having an unsettled life that needs structure again, as I have an excellent job and great post-military career. I am finally settled in one spot and am very happy, so it can’t be an unhappy thing. Anyone else have these dreams?
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Responses: 162
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PO2 Jennifer Meyers
Me the same. I either don't have a cover or my boots or any identification to get off tge ship!
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MSG I think we have all had these nightmares (or sweet dreams for those who still think they are in) the unfortunate thing is as retirees you know we can be recalled by the Secretary of the Army but not likely unless things get really bad, like another big attack on the home front which is possible.
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Last night at my American Legion meeting one of the guys told me he had been ask how long it had been since he was in Vietnam. I laughed and responded "Last night." He agreed.
Once you have been there you never really leave. Maybe if our politicians had all served instead of being of spoiled rich wankers we wouldn't be in the shape we are now.
Once you have been there you never really leave. Maybe if our politicians had all served instead of being of spoiled rich wankers we wouldn't be in the shape we are now.
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A1C Lisa Casserly
My son tells me how they are not allowed to have this thing or that weapon, because its "unfair" to the insurgents/enemy since they don't have good equipment. I think that's so darn stupid. we don't WANT the war to go on forever since its fair. We want it won and over with. We should be allowing our soldiers to do their jobs and get it finished and cleaned up. I think we should put all the politicians with those stupid ideas onto a C-130, and fly them over THERE, and drop them off. Wonder how long it would be before they were screaming for rescue and help?
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Yes, I have dreams of all sorts. For some reason, the hurry up and wait ones are the worst. Had a dream last night, which seemed to last all night. The dreams mess up my day some times. I've been out for over twenty years.
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You're not alone with that. The imprinting that you get with your induction is pretty indelible. I wouldn't worry about it. I just wish i could pass my PT tests.
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Welcome to the afterlife. I have talked to VA dr and he finally gave me Trazadone, in a small dose, when my dreams bother me it helps. I do not use it all the time but when the dreams persist and I become to active it releases me back to the retired world. I retired in 1995.
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My weird dreams were in 1962, in the 8th grade, living in Lynn Haven, FL. I dreamed several times that I parachuted into Cuba, to organise freedom fighters. I had an M-1 carbine and pineapple grenades. When we were not playing sports, after we cut the grass on Saturdays, it was pinecones and bb gun battles. If only paintball guns had been invented!
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PO1 Brian Austin
Ahh, the "good ol' days". My cousins and I would "hunt" each other in the woods, set up ambushes, etc., good times. We'd pump our BB guns one time, would just leave a welt if we got hit.
These days we'd probably be brought up on attempted murder charges or some crazy thing for doing that.
These days we'd probably be brought up on attempted murder charges or some crazy thing for doing that.
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TSgt Daniel Wareham
I grew up in Ohio, It was BB guns and Buckeyes in the spiked shell. Those things hurt like hell when they hit and stuck.
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A1C Lisa Casserly
PO1 Brian Austin - As the mother... my oldest son shot my youngest son in the chest with a bb gun... let me just say I didn't dare raise a hand to the older boy because I was afraid I would kill him. Patrick wears the scar on his chest to this day. The kids - 5 of them - turned out ok. Nobody in jail. James went USAF, a B1-B crew chief. Jonathon became Army Infantry, 101st from Ft. Campbell. Patrick is now an Intel Analyst for the USAF. Shealynn - the younger girl - is an Army Combat Medic. And it was she - the rule following perfect child - who came back from Afghanistan with severe injuries. The oldest girl got married and didn't do military service. Oh, God. The things those darn kids did. I have yelled so loud and so much that I could feel my eyes bulging out. The fights, the fires, the guns and crossbows fired in the house... And the frog pond they tried to build in the middle of the bedroom floor... complete with 23 frogs. The trips to the emergency room to fix their boo-boos. Ah, good times, good times. It has been a bumpy road, but I wouldn't have missed it for the world.
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MAJ (Join to see)
A1C Lisa Casserly- hello- frog pond in the middle of the floor-- I am consideration with laughter-I can barely see THRU my tears!
My oldest son, when six was discovered (a loud crash from a drunk driver running thru my mailbox, which flew at least 15 yards) when I ran into his room to have opened a gallon of white house paint and with brush in hand was slipping it onto his wooden dresser drawers.
I painted myself brown at four when visiting grandmother at Ft Walton Beach, FL. Grandpa used up two or three gallons of turpentine (1953). It burned like fire.
My oldest son, when six was discovered (a loud crash from a drunk driver running thru my mailbox, which flew at least 15 yards) when I ran into his room to have opened a gallon of white house paint and with brush in hand was slipping it onto his wooden dresser drawers.
I painted myself brown at four when visiting grandmother at Ft Walton Beach, FL. Grandpa used up two or three gallons of turpentine (1953). It burned like fire.
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I'm "in uniform" in one way or the other, practically every night. I have a variety of weapons in a variety of conditions. Sometimes my uniform isn't quite right. Sometimes I'm a volunteer and sometimes I'm a leader. I retired in 1988, but am "back in the Army" in a sense, because I work on a military installation as a contractor. I enjoy these dreams. No nightmares about Vietnam, although I served there. Sometimes I respond to these dreams by cleaning the military gear that I kept, or have since acquired. Just last weekend, I cleaned my two "shelter-halves," scrubbed and re-painted the tent pegs their original orange color, and cleaned and re-painted the poles green. I actually slept in that tent on a TDY trip last week! I also have an M1A, which I have fixed up with an original 1960's wooden stock to look, feel and shoot like the M-14 I carried in Vietnam. I've got a 1911 .45 pistol and the shoulder-rig marked "US," too. "You can take the Soldier out of the Army, but you can't take the Army out of the Soldier. So, "soldier on," retiree!!
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Yep I've been out since 2001. I was a Cpl. in the Marines and I've had several recurring dreams about going back in. For me I feel like i didn't do enough and would jump at the chance to reinlist. So i guess thats where mine come from. Semper Fi! Ooorah!
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For 1st 10 yrs - never. For the next 10 yrs seldom. Now approaching 70 - often dream of being back in the service - no nightmares. Maybe it is because of my concerned over the mess that our country has gotten itself into. Also, it does say in the Scriptures, .... "young men will see visions, and your old men will dream dreams." So, who am I to argue. Besides for me: Duty, Honor, Country are great things to dream about and to live out.
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