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?
Edited >1 y ago
Posted >1 y ago
Responses: 162
Most people who have been in the military have reoccurring dreams---some good---some bad. Most of mine are kind of silly. The last one I had I was late for formation and couldn't find my pants. Than again there are occasional dreams of Vietnam, that are always disturbing.
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I have had similar dreams... I was only in for one term; My nightmares are when I have to leap out of bed to be sure the uniforms don't hang in the closet anymore! As for the meaning of the dream... well, that's hard to say. Are they "repeating" dreams, almost identical each time or are they just "similar" in theme and so on? Psychology will tell you that when you have those dreams that your brain is trying to work something out, something it doesn't do in "daylight" hours because your brain is working on other things. You say you have an excellent job and great post military career. So, obviously your brain is occupied during the day. The dream will keep recurring until your brain finds a solution. And, to make things harder, the brain will dream using all sorts of images that might not mean what they "appear" to on the surface. For example, I used to dream a lot of being chased thru the streets of a familiar town in the dark by a vampire. It would never catch me, but I would wake sweating and terrified. After many years, I understood that I wasn't actually running from a vampire; I was actually "running" in a figurative sense, by having done my level best to bury memories of sexual molest. Once I confronted that, sought counseling, etc; the dreams stopped. I don't know if this will help you. Only you can answer as to what the dream really MEANS. I have met many military men and women who struggle after retirement with going back into the workforce. It is difficult for them to be used to being "the top of the food chain", and having to start over in the civilian sector at the bottom; having to take an entry level position, etc. They feel rather lost and out of place.
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A1C Lisa Casserly
At least you got a pay raise! Though, I've often thought being an officer would be a pain in the backside. All those whining, annoying people wanting stuff!
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Yes, I have similar dreams occasionally. My dreams often have to do with being brought back in and just not being able to keep up anymore. I am now 100% disabled and I think there is still part of my mind that tells me I would no longer be a good military leader since I could not lead by example anymore.
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A1C Lisa Casserly
You may be disabled, but you are still the same person. And, you don't always need to lead by example. You could be a wonderful teacher, because you have "been there, done that."
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funny you should ask, I have been having more dreams over the last 2 years than I've had since getting out 40 years ago. Mine mostly are about reenlisting. I guess with all the terrorists killings many vets wish they could contribute.
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A1C Lisa Casserly
I suppose that's true. Doesn't it seem scary to say "I got out 40 years ago?" Last August was the 31st anniversary of my enlistment. I look in the mirror and wonder who that old lady is.
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I still have dreams about being late for a test in school.....at least I'm not dreaming about showing up naked anymore..... ;o)
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MSgt John McGowan
LTC. Now that would have been one more sight. Thinking back I can't seem to remember if I was in uniform or not. Pos of the times I dream about the barracks and shop inspections.
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Yes, and occurring much more frequently. They run the gambit from garrison operations to special duty, to combat ops. In almost every case, there is an element that is disconcerting. For example, I dreamt that I was detained by North Koreans. In another example, I was back in Iraq, without my rifle. Sometimes, I suspect it is from a sense of loss from missing my brother and sisters in uniform. Other times, like the North Korean example, I suspect it is a feeling of entrapment (same job, every day), while when I served my duties or station would often change. I can't speak for everyone, but for me the military was a great part of my life and I visit over and over on many nights...
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I have nightmare type dreams and I was never in a shooting combat action. They occur during VA visits. Which I have 3 visits in 1 week. I am usually unable to move while asleep. Hang in there. You are not alone.
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Quite a bit. Sometimes back on active duty, and others I am a civ in the unit.
I loved the dream where a fellow retired friend of mine put me on the OOD duty roster. The BN SgtMaj made me stand it even though I was retired.
I loved the dream where a fellow retired friend of mine put me on the OOD duty roster. The BN SgtMaj made me stand it even though I was retired.
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I sure do. In most cases, I am coming back as a retiree recall and deploying. I also have recurring dreams that I returned to my last civilian job I had before starting to work with Cadet Command as a contractor. So I am not sure why I have them. While I would deploy in heartbeat if I had the opportunity, I never wanted to go back to that other civilian job.
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CW2 Max Dolan
The reason, COL Jon, is that you are a "Soldier for Life." I think that most of us are. Remember the old saying...."Old Soldiers never die..."? Well, I have a different end for that quote that I like to use to get a grin out of the young soldiers that I work with on a daily basis...."Old soldiers never die...they just SMELL that way!"
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Yep! Had one about a week ago. Damned if I know why. Great Job and Great Fun for 21 years but pretty sure I wouldn't want to do it again and I suspect the Dream was a Reality Check and brought back some of the not so nice aspects and memories.
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I have recurring dreams about the military every night. I am always in a transition center waiting on assignment. There is always something missing from my uniform, wrong rank, missing equipment, last in line and late to my next appointment. I've tried to process these dreams myself because they are every night and I dream of nothing else. This morning I woke up after I was supposed to report for night duty in my dream. I am wondering if I'm in trouble tonight when I fall asleep. My processes lead me to believe my dreams are tied to the anxiety of reassignment. I've had some terrible bosses and have been yelled at plenty of times for doing exactly what I was supposed to do. I've had great bosses too. Never knowing what is next is what still bothers me. I once got out of the Emergency Surgery to find out I was in trouble because my Commander didn't authorize me to have Emergency Surgery. I've had Commander's move Physical Training formations every morning in attempts to make me, individually, late, so they could pull my retirement package. I've had Commanders secretly try to remove me from promotion lists because they felt I was advancing too fast, or better said, faster than my superiors advanced. Just going to work in those units was a living nightmare. Now I do it every time I fall asleep.
MSG, USA, (Retired)
MSG, USA, (Retired)
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MSG Anthony DiFondi
Mine are about having to go back in and am no longer competent with all the changes. I am always unprepared.
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I retired in 1994 after 22 years of happy service. I traveled the world visiting many countries. I still have dreams. What's weird is sometimes I'm there with these young troops of today and I'm at my current age. But they listen to my wisdom as I teach them about life and the importance of doing their job "right the first time".
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I do all the time and I got out in 89 after doing 9 1/2 years but I have to take a buttload of mental health meds and I think that they are a big part of it. Sometimes it gets to the point I can't tell the difference between the dream and reality, and they are so real it's .....well......it's crazy.
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Yes. I had the same dreams for a long time. They finally subsided after around ten years. I think they're fairly common.
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Hello Sergeant DiFondi,
I'm retired Air Force MSgt Dan Harrison. I retired in 1994 after 22 years of service. And yes, I still have dreams of being back in the military. I had a wonderful career where I was stationed overseas for 18 years of my service tenure between Asia, Europe, and the Middle East. There is no doubt that I could easily keep up with today's troops because unlike the Army, the Air Force (especially for Senior NCOs) is more about management and supervision. After retirement, I taught Middle/Elementary School for 16 years. Now fully retired I am enjoying my life.
Your dreams are perfectly normal. Embrace them, because you have accomplished something, seen things, and done things that only a small percentage of people in this country can relate to. And if you have someone who doesn't mind listening to your "war stories", talk.
I'm retired Air Force MSgt Dan Harrison. I retired in 1994 after 22 years of service. And yes, I still have dreams of being back in the military. I had a wonderful career where I was stationed overseas for 18 years of my service tenure between Asia, Europe, and the Middle East. There is no doubt that I could easily keep up with today's troops because unlike the Army, the Air Force (especially for Senior NCOs) is more about management and supervision. After retirement, I taught Middle/Elementary School for 16 years. Now fully retired I am enjoying my life.
Your dreams are perfectly normal. Embrace them, because you have accomplished something, seen things, and done things that only a small percentage of people in this country can relate to. And if you have someone who doesn't mind listening to your "war stories", talk.
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Ha ha and laugh out loud. I retired in 2005. About once a month I have a very realistic dream about the military. My job for my last five years was as a SGM problem solver. So every one of these dreams is about some problem that is brought to me to be solved. My wife has actually told me I have talked in my sleep, me talking about some of the real bazaar problems soldiers bring to me to solve. She said a few times I even cussed and sounded very mad. Often I wake in the morning and say, OK good, that was only a dream. I am retired now.
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I have dreams/ nightmares about being recalled and having to go through boot camp again before being allowed to continue at my former rank. The nightmarish part is my inability to keep up with my peers who stayed in for 30 years. The dreams are troubling, but I thought it might have to do with the fact that I was retired on disability and unable to make the Corps my lifelong career.
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Yep, had pretty much the same dream about being recalled to active duty. Oh, maybe that's a nightmare.
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Yes I have that dreams. I retire from the Army with 28 years active duty plus 7 years in the reserve.
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Maj Bill Smith, Ph.D.
Anyone that served as long as you did, deserves good dreams. With all the junk these days on TV, often dreams are far more enjoyable.
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MSG Carlos Quinones
You are right Sir, I am a old soldier that the Army is my family, my soldier the are my son and I defense my flat and my constitution a gains all enemies now and forever.
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