Is there a divide between those that Served in Iraq and those that served in Afghanistan?

2014-08-12T15:25:05-04:00

Had dinner last night with someone doing an independent research project looking at Veterans the organizations that try to help support them.

During our conversation, we got talking about the gaps that separate Veterans from each other. Gender, age, and Branch of Service were at the top of the list but then so was evidence of a divide between those that only served in Iraq and those that only served in Afghanistan.

While I think those of us that served in the most recent wars can agree that the two AOs differ but should that difference create a gap? Do you see a gap between those that served in one of the AOs and not the other? What other gaps do you see between Veterans of any era? Do you see a way to bridge the gaps if there are any?

Response by SGT Chris Birkinbine made Aug 12 at 2014 3:40 PM

2014-08-12T15:40:55-04:00

I can only speak from personal experience here, but like most recent vets and active duty, I have numerous friends that have served in one, or both theaters. I have never noticed anything but shared experiences between us.

I have never heard, seen or read any sort of "one up" issues or stories about how one was worse over the other (well any more than the standard one-up that is universal even between Soldiers who deployed together in separate platoons etc).

I think the back to back deployments, and similar threats faced have actually fostered more of a supportive relationship between vets from each, rather than a competitive one. That is my experience at least.

Response by MSG Wade Huffman made Aug 12 at 2014 4:16 PM

2014-08-12T16:16:32-04:00

I agree with SGT Chris Birkinbine . I've not experienced, or even heard of any talk of a divide between vets of one, the other, or both theaters. If anything, serving in either theater creates a bond of common experience (even if in another AO).

I hope that this is a common feeling and that there isn't a divide. That kind of thinking was what our brothers and sisters in Vietnam experienced (from Veterans of previous wars) and I believe that, for the most part, we have evolved beyond that outdated thinking.

Response by LTC Paul Labrador made Aug 12 at 2014 4:27 PM

2014-08-12T16:27:00-04:00

I don't think there is a "gap". What you see between OIF and OEF is what you saw between PTO and ETO vets from WW2. Their personal experiences with tactics, lifestyle and such were different because each theater was unique, but they all saw themselves as WW2 vets who were fighting against a different faces of a common enemy. There may be the game of "you think you had it hard..." one up-manship, but that is usually in good fun. I don't see myself as solely an OIF vet as being any different than someone solely an OEF vet. We are all GWOT vets.

It would be better to ask if there was a "gap" between OIF/OEF vets and Desert Storm vets, or Balkans vets.

Response by SSG V. Michelle Woods made Aug 12 at 2014 5:41 PM

2014-08-12T17:41:18-04:00

I've heard arguments between soldiers about this.
For example, one soldier thinks the other had it easier.
OIF Soldier thinks OEF Soldier doesn't "know what hot feels like" and recent OEF Soldier thinks OIF Soldier needs to "get over it".
I've also seen disagreements over training because one was used to the urban battlefield in Iraq and the other was used to the rural battlefield of the Stan.

I see the rift as no different from every other rift we have in the military. Marines vs. Army, combat arms vs. support, men vs. women and so on. The gap is there in some ways but at the end of the day, we all know we're in that small, exclusive group of Americans who served their country.

Response by SGT Suraj Dave made Aug 12 at 2014 6:29 PM

2014-08-12T18:29:25-04:00

I never went to Iraq, but did 2 in Afghanistan. From what I heard, Iraq has some real dangerous and real messed up places.... but they had more amenities then we did. (Pool's, Wifi, fast food etc...)

Response by CPT Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 12 at 2014 8:53 PM

2014-08-12T20:53:27-04:00

I served in both OIF and OEF. I didn't feel like there was any difference in attitude towards one another. It is all GWOT and there are quite a few SMs who did serve in both. The only people who may have a perceived "gap" are those who had the "special" mess halls and never had to wear body armor on a daily basis, for example BIAP.

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 22 at 2014 12:01 PM

2014-08-22T12:01:11-04:00

I think there is more of a gap between those that truly experienced "the suck" in the earlier days of both campaigns/the ones still experiencing "the suck" in outposts, compared to some of us that arrived in either country after there was more infrastructure in place, like wi-fi, phones, and decent CHUs.

Response by SGT Ben Keen made Aug 22 at 2014 2:08 PM

2014-08-22T14:08:33-04:00

Giving this a bump in an effort to get more people to respond and share their thoughts.

Response by SFC Mark Merino made Aug 23 at 2014 7:58 PM

2014-08-23T19:58:37-04:00

It's like that saying "All wars are different, all wars are the same." We are all united, but we automatically find our specific subset. First by branch, then by theatre, then by specialty, then by skill level, etc, etc. We can all feel comfortable drinking in te same bar, but in no time we will find out which table to sit at to feel the most comfortable.

Response by SSG Richard Reilly made Apr 10 at 2015 1:15 PM

2015-04-10T13:15:27-04:00

Served in both, Problem solved...staying solved. Giddy up. Honestly who cares brothers and sisters died in both. We went to both to do our duty for our country. And if you didn't and you still served then you served your country well too. I see not gap or issue with OIF/OEF/None.