How has your military service affected what you enjoy or avoid for entertainment, like TV, movies and other media?

2017-04-05T20:13:12-04:00

Triggers and past experiences can affect the way many consume media and entertainment. Some of the Veterans and people with PTSD are talking about how to manage triggers in their daily life on PatientsLikeMe.

Response by SPC Private RallyPoint Member made Apr 5 at 2017 8:29 PM

2017-04-05T20:29:01-04:00

How fake tv or movie firearms are. Or not necessarily the gun but how to actor uses it or what they do with it. Tick tock timer grenades, racking the slide on a weapon without a shell ejecting, cocking the hammer on a pistol that doesn't have an external hammer. Stuff like that drives me crazy.

Response by SSG Trevor S. made Apr 5 at 2017 8:41 PM

2017-04-05T20:41:49-04:00

Those untucked boot laces in the post's picture count?

Response by SGT Matthew S. made Apr 5 at 2017 8:45 PM

2017-04-05T20:45:13-04:00

During my second deployment, and largely ever since, I mostly just watch comedies and light-hearted entertainment. Most of the time I wanted/want something to distract me from the challenges, troubles, and issues of life - not remind me of them.

Response by SPC Saundra Teater made Apr 5 at 2017 8:57 PM

2017-04-05T20:57:47-04:00

I was caught in a few anti American demonstrations in Germany. Of course I was in uniform, so I have this huge fear of crowds. At first, when I came home, I really didn't understand what was happening. Ptsd was not really known. It was just you being called mentally unstable. Being a single parent, my fear was if they used that to take my daughter away. So it was years before I understood what was going on. And even longer to get help. In the meantime, I missed a lot of my daughters sports because of crowds. We didn't go to movies because I would start freaking out as soon as the lights went down. Couldn't go grocery shopping when I got paid, because that's the same time everyone got paid and the store would be packed. My daughter and I can laugh at it now. You know how many times I filled up my grocery cart and just had to leave because I would have to stand in a long line surrounded by other shoppers? And I know I missed out on a lot of events with my daughter. There's no way I can ever get those moments again. It took years of therapy, but I can go to movies and shop whenever.

I was a driver for our MAJ during alerts, in the advance party. We were the lead vehicle. Still in Germany. Autobahn is a bitch when you are only allowed to drive as slow as we were. But it can produce really, really awful accident scenes. We were stuck behind one for hours. When you have an accident the involved cars from the outside left lane, (no speed limit), it can create a very long scene. We had a lot of time inching up to try to figure out what was involved in the accident. one time, looked at the median, and a head was staring at me. I think, its eyes were mostly closed, but I seemed like it was watching me. It's amazing what your mind will do to prove what you are looking at, isn't what you are looking at. But it was. So I'm still having problems taking really long drives on highways were there is a lot of speeding. But, meds work wonders. And I pretty much get to decide what time of day I drive so I do a lot of night driving.

Response by SGT Philip Roncari made Apr 5 at 2017 9:56 PM

2017-04-05T21:56:27-04:00

Any and all mention or sight of Jane Fonda!

Response by PO1 William "Chip" Nagel made Apr 6 at 2017 2:59 AM

2017-04-06T02:59:45-04:00

21 Years as a Navy Spook. Anything that Incorporates the Intelligence Field gets my Interest and if You Mention a Project I worked on, Oh Yeah

Response by SCPO Jason McLaughlin made Apr 6 at 2017 6:15 AM

2017-04-06T06:15:59-04:00

Did a lot of time in Canada and became a Hockey fan. When you understand the sport and the rules it is really fun to watch.

Response by SPC Private RallyPoint Member made Apr 6 at 2017 8:26 AM

2017-04-06T08:26:50-04:00

nope I am fine

Response by SSG(P) Private RallyPoint Member made Apr 6 at 2017 8:33 AM

2017-04-06T08:33:08-04:00

Yup. I nitpick military-related shows and movies with regards to uniforms, TTPs, equipment, etc. I yell at the TV when stuff I see is f*cked-up, unrealistic, or just plain laughable.

It gets worse because I own and carry a pistol. So when I see cop shows or military shows, and they corner the bad guy, everyone's pistol makes the chambering a round noise, I just lose it. Why would you go into a volatile situation without a round chambered? And if you re-cock your pistol, you're wasting your ammo, and where did that ejected round go?

Response by MSG Private RallyPoint Member made Apr 6 at 2017 9:58 AM

2017-04-06T09:58:23-04:00

Well, for one thing, my wife hates watching military movies with me.

Response by CDR Terry Boles made Apr 6 at 2017 1:28 PM

2017-04-06T13:28:38-04:00

My initial service was in the Navy on the line side of which I enjoyed my job very much. After the Gulf War I returned to college and graduated with a degree in physical therapy (PT). Ever since I began to work in the medical field I have absolutely no desire to watch any TV show or movie about medicine; it’s as if you never leave work! Prior to this career change I enjoyed the hospital based TV shows…..maybe someday again as I approach retirement this summer with no plans to work as a civilian PT.

Response by SGT William Howell made Apr 6 at 2017 4:28 PM

2017-04-06T16:28:19-04:00

I don't have PTSD, but crappy military movies trigger my tourette's. Who the hell picks up a gun and does not pick up the ammo?

Response by MSG Private RallyPoint Member made Apr 8 at 2017 2:01 PM

2017-04-08T14:01:15-04:00

I tend to stay away from the new movies, tech has made them somewhat real, I will watch the oldies, in harms way, tora tora and other such

Response by Lt Col Jim Coe made Apr 9 at 2017 6:36 PM

2017-04-09T18:36:38-04:00

I don't watch war movies about Vietnam or more recent conflicts because of the tendency of the entertainment industry to get so many things wrong. From uniforms to dialog, they just don't get it right. We've had other posts on RP similar to this subject where RP members have pointed out all the problems and errors that "Hollywood" puts into war movies.

I do enjoy history documentaries or docu-dramas. Also, some "reality" shows--yes I know they aren't really real. Spend a lot of time with Animal Planet and History Channel. Haven't watched a TV show on lamestream network in at least 10 years. Can't stand the underlying liberal themes.

Response by LTC Jeff Shearer made Apr 9 at 2017 7:27 PM

2017-04-09T19:27:18-04:00

I am am a semi broken retired guy and now things that did not bother me before makes my head burst into flames. Seeing some jackass sit, talk or just not pay due respect when the National Anthem is played makes me hot. Before retirement I found myself in different situations overseas in different places where people would burn the flag, step on it or just disrespect it in general. Then it bothered me but I had a different job and creating an international incident would certainly put that in jeopardy. My flag was in my heart and they could not take it away. However, now I find that to be a situation that is harder for me to ignore.