Posted on Mar 9, 2015
How were you treated after you got home from a combat deployment?
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We all know how Korean and Vietnam Vets were treated when they came home. I'm interested in how you were treated. Was it a great reunion, sort of, or not at all?
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Edited 11 y ago
Posted 11 y ago
Responses: 24
SGT (Join to see)
Aww, come on now. All you tour after tour after tour guys are heroes in my eyes. Thank you and welcome home SGM Marquez.
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SGM Erik Marquez
PFC. Omar E. Torres
SGT Todd Singleton
Spc. Christopher G. Patton
Pfc. Joe L. Baines
LTC Tim Karcher
Sgt. Timothy A. David
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No not a Hero......
SGT Todd Singleton
Spc. Christopher G. Patton
Pfc. Joe L. Baines
LTC Tim Karcher
Sgt. Timothy A. David
..............................
No not a Hero......
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SFC David Reid, M.S, PHR, SHRM-CP, DTM
They say a hero is much like a sandwich stuck in a hard place
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Hurry up, hurry up, turn in your weapons and sensitive equipment, get your shit off the trucks, and get in formation. BDE CDR runs his gums for 10 minutes, and you're dismissed.....hold up...gotta get info on where you're going, safety brief, hold on....more needless crap heard, and dismissed at 0300. Be back in formation 0600 to begin gear turn in. No band, no cheerleaders, no news, just tired, stinky from the long flight, and bad jet lag. I'd do it all again though.
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SSG Warren Swan
SGT (Join to see) - Nope not even. Just another Soldier. Maybe a good man surrounded by Great men and women.
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Since 1980, I never faced anything but a positive return ceremony, and very welcoming and thankful attitudes from our communities. I always preferred low and fast, as all I cared about was getting to my family and finally getting home.
It is unfortunate, that our Korean War and Vietnam War brothers and sisters did not receive the same reception and thanks.
It is unfortunate, that our Korean War and Vietnam War brothers and sisters did not receive the same reception and thanks.
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SGT (Join to see)
I think what happened on our return showed the citizens and future military members what a big mistake that was made, and it made it better for our sons and daughters. We were all young soldiers back then and I know for me, I tried to ensure it wouldn't happen again by volunteering at several places set up to honor the troops in Iraq right after that war started. It proved to be the right thing to for our troops and it spread like a wild fire.
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COL Roxanne Arndt
My experience was far different than a combat troop's. The most significant thing for me as a reservist was the fact they couldn't outprocess us fast enough to get us off the payroll. It didn't allow much time to take care of medical concerns...oh we had a 'physical', a once over cursory look, and we had 6 months of TAMP but as a reservist coming off deployment you took a back seat to most everything at the MTF. I was truly disappointed with the medical care treatment process. Then we were told we didn't have to come to drill for x number of months. That was hard because here I was, disengaged from all my friends that I had served with. Most of us ended up going to drill because we needed to talk to one another and help work through what we had just experienced providing medical care to thousands of patients. I think about 5 or 6 months later we had our official welcome home ceremony and received our flag but the Army Reserves did not have enough flags for all the members of the unit due to money issues. How do you choose who gets a flag and who doesn't. Fortunately I think things have changed now with the Yellow Ribbon ceremonies. Integrating back into a civilian job was even worse....but that's another story.....
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SGT (Join to see)
When I got out of the Army I drove to South Bend, Indiana to be with a girl I met at Ft.Bragg. She was the sister of a guy I was in Vietnam with. I stayed for a month. My dad kept calling telling me that my, job before the Army wanted to know when I was coming back to the job. At that time, I didn't care if I ever got back home. My girlfriends family treated me like family which was not at home waiting for me. We decided to drive to Texas so I could go back to work and they could meet my girlfriend. That was on a weekend and Monday I went back to work. When I got home from work, my GF wasn't there. I asked where she was and my asshole dad told me he didn't like her and he sent her back home on on an airplane. I moved out that same night and never went back. In the end my GF decided she didn't want to be with me anymore because of my family. Thus began my tour of duty with PTSD of which I did not know I had. The End, sorta.
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As a Vietnam veteran who simply tried to distance myself at the time I would like to know how older veterans can come alongside "the new guys" to walk with them back into a more normal life. Being deployed overseas to a combat area is very difficult and I really don't know anyone who is not adversely affected by the experience. We know, we have been there and have walked these many years to sort out matters. It would be nice to help others.
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SGT (Join to see)
I try to have a positive attitude when I am able to talk a new vet. I go to the Houston VA a couple times a month, and when I come across a young vet, I always thank them for their service and ask if there is anyway I can help them get around in the VA. Sometimes they accept my offer, but the majority don't want it, and the majority won't talk to anyone. I hope that gets better in the future. I was in a PTSD group and we had one new young vet. He never talked or looked at anybody, and quit coming. If they want to understand what's happening to them they have to make an effort. I can't help them if they won't talk to me. I went up to one of them a few years ago because he looked like he was lost, I asked if I could help him find what he was looking for. He told me no and said, I don't know you and it's none of your business. What I thought about looking lost, was that 1000 yard stare. I'll keep trying. Maybe they will feel like they can trust older vets and get the help they need.
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On my first, I got off the plane and for some reason we had to wait 1 1/2 hours before seeing my family. Other than that is was better than what Korean War and Vietnam vets got.
On my second, it was really good except my wife and daughter was disrespected by our BN XO. She is very nice but amazing at reading people. She didn't tell me until years later for obvious reasons. But people olin the community were very supportive.
On my second, it was really good except my wife and daughter was disrespected by our BN XO. She is very nice but amazing at reading people. She didn't tell me until years later for obvious reasons. But people olin the community were very supportive.
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SGT (Join to see)
Thanks for your continuing service CPT Boling, and have I told you welcome home? Welcome home.
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My very first deployment didn't go so well on our return. I was a single airmen living in the barracks. We were transported home on a C-141 from Taif, Saudi Arabia to Eglin AFB. When we landed we could see all the people waving flags and cheering with banners all over the place as we approached to park. Before we were allowed to disembark, some Cheif and Capt jumped on board and told all the single guys to form a line and walk out the back and around as to not to interrupt the celebrations. There I was marching single file out the back and away from the soldiers who were being greeted as heros. That was the first golf war mind you and one of the first units to return. It was funny because I remember seeing ourselfs on the local news stations that night. To add insult to injury, we had to break down the pallets so the luggage was ready for the married soldiers when they were done celebrating and talking with the media.
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SGT (Join to see)
Holy cow! We're you a SGT then, MSgt Lyons. How was it on your second deployment? Welcome Home MSgt.
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SGT (Join to see)
Mine sucked too. Nobody at the airport waiting. Got chewed out by some guy for being in Vietnam, took a cab home. Nobody there. They were at work. My dad was a WWII vet and didn't think it was more important than working. They were glad I came back but never asked anything about my tour. I asked my mom if she still had the letters I sent home and she told me she threw all of them away. When I asked her why, she said she had read them but see any sense in keeping them. Nothing changed at home and that is why I went in the Army. I know, boo hoo. But I got over it and made sure I didn't repeat history with my kids.
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MSgt Jamie Lyons
Well Sgt Bodine I truly appreciate what you did for us. I am glad you came home and can talk about your experiences. No one else understands but other veterans. When I came home from my first deployment I was an E-3 or Airman First Class (2 stripes) so I was dorm dweller, hence the walking around the celebrations. It was ok though because I was used to it. My family lives in England and they couldn't come for basic graduation or anything. My second deployment in 1994 went better as I had gotten married by then so I had someone to come home to. Though that also eventually fell apart on one of my returns when I came home to find out her and my best friend were sleeping together. Being aircrew later in my. Career I came home like 6 or 7 times. They became not a big deal. I remember flying a combat sortie over Afghanistan and less than 24 hours I was in a line waiting to check out at Walmart. The day befores paper was in the checkout lane talking about the killing of 77 taliban soldiers. Yep that was the mission I was on just 24 hours earlier. 2 older ladies gabbing away about how well our military was doing. I didn't say anything even though they were talking about that mission. I just smiled and went about my business. Anyway, thank you for your service. I promise I wll never forget! God Bless you...
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My mother and close friends were relieved. We went out to eat a few times and spent some quality time together. Otherwise, there was nothing special. I will say share that upon arriving at Bragg, all barracks Soldiers had awesome stuff in their new rooms to begin living comfortably.
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Once, after returning from my last and longest deployment, the woman I rented a room from decided to go Vietnam protest on me, called me a baby killer, will stupid claiming I was killing innocent civilians. This was directly after I decided to purchase the house bc I just didn't want the hassle of finding a new place to live. Looking back, I think she was just emotionally jaded bc I didn't accept or even consider her advances and she was deeply scorned, felt the juvenile inclination to lash out verbally. I just looked at her in disgust, no real reason to fed her idiotic assumption with a reply. I was in my early 30s, she was was mid 50s? Never even considered having any type of relationship with her, Ever.. But I think that was her sole intention from the start and I just didn't see it.
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