How often do you connect with your battle buddies?

Me with My buddy Frank Donahue Jr in 1968 at Da Nang, Vietnam in front of the hut We both lived in there. He was having a problem with the VA on disability despite problem directly related to Agent Orange. We talked about that a lot. I wrote a letter His Doctor used and He got His 100% finally due to that letter according to Him. , He is on the right Me on the left in the picture here. . The Agent Orange was not only sprayed on the perimeter We both worked but We both also worked a bunker post within 100 feet or where thousands of barrel of AO were stored and to this day nothing will grow there. One of His daughters was also born with physical birth defects. Other guys We served with already have died due to Agent Orange exposure. Just over one year after that on 06 March 2023 Frank Died due to that Agent Orange exposure. Up until them We did talk and were on many of the same Veteran's Facebook pages as well as each others.

Pretty much daily but then I was in service 20+ years and then from 1993 to 2012 I worked in PMCs that directly worked with either US or US-Allied militaries and partners.

Not as much as I should. :(

We have a Facebook group that we all use together to be there for each other. I know it’s helped others and has definitely helped me

Every couple of weeks, I check in with a handful of my brothers. We say more in a few sentences to each other, than any other conversation I have. We make it a priority to do Buddy Checks routinely.

There are only a few of my buddies who made it back. I stay in touch with two of them multiple times each week. One doesn't like to communicate online so I only talk with him four or five times a year. We are all dealing with Agent Orange problems and/or PTSD issues. We are starting to look in to heart issues that our kids have. We are wondering if they are associated with Agent Orange? How do we get them compensation?

I was basically a private Pyle on boot camp & everyone hated on me. Except one guy. That was back in Aug 89 RTC San Diego We stay in touch to this day

I connect about weekly with my military buddies, but unfortunately, the number is dwindling daily it seems.

I have a friend, my family, former FCA2 and we talk every day. I’ve only been out for a year, my friend just got out a few weeks ago. I am very blessed to be able to support my friend through those first moments of “oh my god , I’m not in the military anymore” we spend hours on FaceTime , sometimes just doing each of our own tasks but just so we aren’t alone in this new unfamiliar territory of the civilian world. My navy family means everything to me, I always send birthday and Christmas cards, we support each others small businesses, and social media is great for connecting. My other really wonderful friend ET2 , we talk on the phone and have coffee every single Sunday, we will be living together soon when he gets out of the military. I recently reconnecting with and A school buddy while going to the vet center at my college. I start in three weeks and man am I glad that I have my navy family to help me. We connect in many ways but the best thing is, no matter what we are family and it’s like no time has ever passed. I also find new battle buddies at the gym , all different generations, branches and experiences coming together in a place to continue to improve each other and have each others backs. Facebook is a great tool as well, for example my mom recently reconnected with her bunk mate from boot camp after 43 years and it’s like no time has passed. Thankful for my navy family always