Is survivor's guilt a common trait with service members who have seen combat?

I think survivors guilt means you care. It shows up different for all of us, just like the other commenters said.

For me, I was at a Memorial Day event 4 years ago and had an overwhelming sense of gratitude for everyone who died while I was there. It doesn’t mean I’m not sad/grieve those guys, but I respect what they did and what happened, whether I like it or not.

Everyone in my unit never said it, but we all agreed we would die for each other if we had to. I just didn’t have to, and also was lucky.

I had done some work on other guilt-related PTSD stuff, so that probably helped shift from guilt to gratitude.

Hope you feel better — sadness/grief is better than guilt any day. Take care, PTSD treatment works for most of us. It’s worth doing just for survivors guilt, even if you don’t have other symptoms.

It varies to each individual who served in combat. Been in survival mode long before joining service.

I was scheduled to go TDY to Saudi but was pulled at the last minute because of medical clearance. The guy that took my place was severely injured along with plenty of others in my unit when Kobar Towers was bombed. I still think that was supposed to be me almost 30 years later.

Heck, I got out after 11yrs in 89 before things kicked up and felt a lot of guilt later over not having stayed in and deployed with my brother and sister vets. I can't even fathom suvivor guilt from surviving combat. When I see a fellow vet wearing combat patches I always approach and thank them profusedly.

YES!!!

YES!!!