Posted on Jan 18, 2017
How does talking to fellow veterans and service members help you?
13.6K
34
14
9
9
0
Finding support from others with similar experiences can be powerful. Connect and share with other service members or vets on PatientsLikeMe, join today at http://www.patientslikeme.com/join/rallypoint (it’s free)!
PatientsLikeMe
Health
Health and Wellness
Support
Advice
Posted 9 y ago
Responses: 12
8
8
0
Even if we are different branches, there is a commonality that no one else can claim. So the immediate tension of meeting someone new is already gone.
(7)
(0)
CPO Nate S.
Yep! I met several veterans at an event I attended a couple of weeks ago. Life is typically simpler when communications are more straightforward as they often are in our military service world for more obvious reasons than not. Typically, I am always wearing my Navy ball cap when out.
Sidebar: At the event I mentioned a fellow navy vet was wearing a ball cap of a ship I had served on, he about 10 years before my service. We spoke about 15 minutes about our different experiences on the same ship a decade apart, him during Vietnam and me post-Vietnam. Meeting a fellow vet that had serviced on the same afloat platform as I had but in two entirely different departments, me in medical and him in engineering, again was great! It is always easier to have those common experiences that non-vets cannot come close to relating too.
Just wanted to put an exclamation mark on your point!
Sidebar: At the event I mentioned a fellow navy vet was wearing a ball cap of a ship I had served on, he about 10 years before my service. We spoke about 15 minutes about our different experiences on the same ship a decade apart, him during Vietnam and me post-Vietnam. Meeting a fellow vet that had serviced on the same afloat platform as I had but in two entirely different departments, me in medical and him in engineering, again was great! It is always easier to have those common experiences that non-vets cannot come close to relating too.
Just wanted to put an exclamation mark on your point!
(0)
(0)
3
3
0
Its definitely easier. Knowing that similar experiences have been shared, and common ground can be met right off the bat.
(3)
(0)
1
1
0
Tamara Crivello it is always easier to talk to someone who has been there and that does not need things explained or spelled out. There is a shared experience regardless of when they served.
(1)
(0)
1
1
0
Most definitively. People can sympathize, but not empathize unless they've gone through it. My ex-wife (who was in the Reserve while we were married) never deployed but she knew military life more than most.
You can talk at length all day for months to someone, but they won't 'get it'. Each military person's experience in the military is unique. Dealing with that and the emotions and all that come with it is different from everyone else's. With other military and Vets, they have more familiarity and can empathize with each other.
You can talk at length all day for months to someone, but they won't 'get it'. Each military person's experience in the military is unique. Dealing with that and the emotions and all that come with it is different from everyone else's. With other military and Vets, they have more familiarity and can empathize with each other.
(1)
(0)
1
1
0
While deployed you are focused on your job/mission when you talk with other vets who were either there or in similar situations it help to shed some light on why you were doing what you were doing. Most of us only see our little piece of the pie, we always know other thing are going on but sometimes it nice to know how and where you fit into the big picture.
(1)
(0)
1
1
0
1
1
0
Tamara Crivello being a USAF Military brat, I've gone my whole life being around Veterans and speaking with them from all branches...my mom would rather go to the commissary on Fort Sam...because they had a larger variety of JAPANESE food...then Randolph's commissary....We were a MULTI branch family...lol......and then there is my DAD...USAF retired...who is a disabled Veterans and has Agent Orange and other things...I've heard it all....and then I joined the USAF...It's a natural thing for me to always speak to/have discussions with fellow Veterans of all branches...I think each time, not only is it a learning experience whether for health or just life in general, but it's also a soothing experience.....a good feeling experience...most of the time.
(1)
(0)
1
1
0
I recently finished an assignment in Italy assigned to a NATO BDE; this afforded me the opportunity to learn the different aspects of how each nation's NCO Corps operates. Not only did I work alongside other nations, I also managed to incorporate our adjacent services into our daily operations; commonality allows for feasibility of joint operations.
(1)
(0)
1
1
0
Its definitely easier. Knowing that similar experiences have been shared, and common ground can be met right off the bat.
(1)
(0)
Read This Next
Continue with Facebook 
Continue with Google