How do you deal with civilians?

2015-07-30T20:22:04-04:00

This is partly a rant. How do you deal with people. I have done a lot and seen a lot in my short 7 years. I have often found it hard dealing with people. After seeing true suffering I get highly annoyed when people are complaining about the little problems they have about how their sandwich wasn't right and how they are to hot and on and on. Then there's trying to be patient when you are working with them and remembering that you can't talk harshly With them as they are sensitive. So the question part how do you guys deal with it what are your techniques to staying calm and polite and nice. I do a good job at it just wanted to see if anything else works better.

Response by Capt Private RallyPoint Member made Jul 30 at 2015 8:33 PM

2015-07-30T20:33:24-04:00

If it is bad enough, I just turn my hearing aids off :)

Response by TSgt Melissa Post made Jul 30 at 2015 10:41 PM

2015-07-30T22:41:28-04:00

I have been asking the same question to myself lately. Unfortunately, the people I'm trying to figure out are those who are still in the military. It sems like i have to be super sensitive of people's feelings a lot more lately even when I'm just being matter-of-fact. It's really frustrating.

Response by COL Mikel J. Burroughs made Jul 31 at 2015 12:11 AM

2015-07-31T00:11:59-04:00

SSgt Private RallyPoint Member I think that your patience will grow over time with wisdom, understanding, and more experience. I use to be very impatient, but I found that over time as I matured, became confident in my leadership abilities, gained valuable wisdom from my peers and leaders, that I soon took on more patience and learned to understand people better for their strengths, faults, and weaknesses. Not everyone is going to be like you and your not going to be like them. We are unique and thats what makes us special in our own way. Learning to accept people for who they are and what they have been through is a step in the direction of profound wisdom. You will soon learn that "Grasshopper!" Thought I would throw in a little humor. Just my shot at your question.

Response by Capt Seid Waddell made Jul 31 at 2015 12:41 AM

2015-07-31T00:41:41-04:00

SSgt Private RallyPoint Member, I think that must be a common experience when coming home from war.

I was embarrassed by the superficiality of our culture and the minor things that seemed to be so traumatic to them. After knowing Vietnamese people and their challenges - would the VC come and kill their men and kidnap their boys to be soldiers; would the Americans come and bomb and burn their villages; would the South Vietnamese government draft their sons; could they find enough to eat or get medical care for their children, etc. etc. (things worth worrying about) - and to then see coworkers worry just as much because someone said something in a strange way (what did they mean by that?) or that their car developed a squeak that was making them crazy - it made me a bit ashamed about my fellow countrymen.

I finally figured that human beings just have a need for a certain amount of worry; and if God didn't provide sufficient cause for it they would just make it up.

I wish I could say that the feeling goes away after a while, but it doesn't. You get used to it though.

That may be the reason that RP is such a breath of fresh air. The folks here understand the world.

Response by MSgt Private RallyPoint Member made Jul 31 at 2015 12:45 AM

2015-07-31T00:45:39-04:00

I've been there. The problem is that you have seen suffering but these other people haven't. You have to accept it as a result of experience. These complainers just have not done their time yet and don't realize they are whining. Like most mistakes we all have to learn from them. It just takes some longer than others. Much longer.

Response by MSgt John Grollimund made Jul 31 at 2015 10:20 AM

2015-07-31T10:20:02-04:00

I had to learn that most people don't see what the military sees. We know that there is pain and suffering out there. We also know the evil that is out there, and fight with our personal demons on our own way. Educating people rarely helps.

Response by SP5 Laurie Mixter made May 28 at 2023 11:24 AM

2023-05-28T11:24:14-04:00

Oh boy, this is a biggy! I. They are civilians, they have never been in a war, and their knowledge of it is in movies, not real life! 2. They all believe we are all too regimented and pushy, maybe they need to be more organized and regimented! 3. Consider the source and take their complaining and envie with a grain of salt! Be proud of what You have ac·com·plished and they have not! Drive on!

Response by SP5 Laurie Mixter made May 28 at 2023 12:07 PM

2023-05-28T12:07:14-04:00

Here is my second answer for all:
Transcript “Renaissance Man - St. Crispen (sic) Day Speech”
Drill Sergeant: Brother Benitez, New York! You study Shakespeare?

Benitez: Drill Sergeant, yes Drill Sergeant!

Drill Sergeant: Alright, let me hear some. (Pause) I said I want to her some! Let’s go!

Benitez: He that lives….

Drill Sergeant: Come on! What! What was that? I can’t hear it, c’mon! Go!

Benitez: He that outlives this day and comes safe home will stand a tiptoe when this day is named and rouse him at the name of Crispian.

Drill Sergeant: I didn’t tell you to stop. Keep going, keep going! Go!

Benitez: He that shall live this day, and see old age, will yearly on the vigil feast his neighbours and say ‘Tomorrow is Saint Crispian.’ Then will he strip his sleeve and show his scars and say ‘These wounds I had on St. Crispian’s day.’ Old men forget; yet all shall be forgot, but he’ll remember, with advantages, what feats he did that day. Then shall our names -- familiar in his house as household words -- Harry the King, Bedford and Exeter, Warwick and Talbot, Salisbury and Gloucester, be in their flowing cups, freshly remembered. And this story shall the good man teach his son and Crispin Crispian shall ne’er go by, from this day to the ending of the world, but we in it shall be remembered -- we few, we happy few, we band of brothers; for he today that sheds his blood with me shall be my brother; and gentlemen in England now-a-bed shall think themselves accursed they were not here, and hold their manhoods cheap whiles any speaks that fought with us upon Saint Crispin’s day. That enough, Drill Sergeant?

Drill Sergeant: Yes, Benitez. Good.

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