What is the worst part about being a service member or veteran?

Was truly an honor to serve my country. The relationships and memories of service, I wouldn't trade for anything. The worst experience is coming back from service and returning to a society that doesn't care or understand the sacrifices we soldiers make, and those sacrifices sometimes come at an expense. For me, I struggle with PTSD daily. It also makes it difficult to maintain employment and especially difficult for employers to understand you. That's what I dislike the most. Is the lack of understanding of veterans in the workplace. Here's a story with over 1.3 million youtube views to explain why.

https://www.change.org/p/justice-for-trey-and-deborah

For me it is other veteran's.
I have had issues with many veteran's at the VA.

Some of them need to learn to stay in their lane. I remember, I was being seen for gall bladder surgery. I was talking to the doctor and my wife jumped in and said, "She doesn't need to know that." So, i told my wife to go wait outside. The doctor needed me to get a CT scan, so she sent me to radiology. When i came out of the office my wife was no where to be found, so I went to radiology to get that crap out of the way. My wife showed, up angry as hell. Angry because i kicked her out of the consultation and angry because she had to hunt for me after the fact. So this dumb ass steps in and starts defending my wife, and that almost came to blows.

Then their are the people who bad mouth the president (this was during President Obama's time in office). And I have a really sore spot for veteran's who support Trump. You will get mad about Jane Fonda (all of which is lies), or Cindy Williams (who said we did not need a pay raise), or even Tom cruise (who said being on set is the same as being deployed); But Trump calls us losers and suckers and you vote for him? Hypocritical much? I am sure they are all bad mouthing Joe Biden now too.

Then you have the whiner's who lie about their service. Claim medical records are classified, or that they were part of Hamburger Hill when they are nowhere near being old enough to even been in Vietnam let alone in a major battle. And my favorite "They didn't have stuff like this when i got out."

We are supposed to be unsung STARC heroes. And I am sick of veteran's acting like the civilian populace owes us something.

You know, I don't like 'negative'. Finding the NEGATIVE in literally anything is too easy. That's why when you ask someone about ANYTHING - 98% of the time, that individual inundates you with the NEGATIVES as if you/we are too stupid to KNOW there are negatives and that we've considered them. So my question is, WHY do we care about 'the worst things' in anything? Why do we not focus on the POSITIVES? There is negative to every facet of life - but in my 70 years, I've come to the conclusion my POSITIVES far outweigh any of the negatives. When I'm asked "What was your favorite assignment" my answer is and always has been ALL OF THEM simply because I didn't take an assignment or go on a deployment and start looking for the NEGATIVES. Fact is you don't have to because the NEGATIVES will eventually seek you out - meaning you should know they exist, be prepared, but don't sit around worrying about them. I served 8 years in the USAF and over 34 years in the Army - Active and Reserve Components and all I have to say about it is - I loved every moment.... even the NEGATIVES, simply because I sought out the 'silver lining' in each, found it and did my best to use them to GROW as an individual and leader.

Being out of the ARMY now for 10 years and working on a NAVY Submarine base it's difficult to sit back and watch the laziness, the disrespect from lower enlisted to higher up, the not taking responsibility for your actions and anything else that is wrong with the lower enlisted. By all means I was not the perfect Soldier. But with time and age and different situations you grow up quickly. Todays military (no offense for those that are still in) in any branch has become soft or for better words different. From allowing cell phones and email and internet to be used in either basic training or boot camp to getting 96hours time off because you went 96 days without any alcohol or drug related incidents. To me your not suppose to be drinking underage or doing illegal drugs to begin with. To be quiet and not saying anything as a former squad leader is the toughest part. For me that is

Being able to fit in with those that didn't serve. Lack of respect from some on the workplace. They could care less for what you did.

Sometimes dealing with the VA hosp.

I wrote a book about my military service in Vietnam called The Second Tour: Soul Injury. It took nearly 300 pages to put the worst part in perspective, so I can’t do it here. Being a Vietnam Veteran from 1970 until 2011 pretty much sucked. Not only did our peers turn against us, but so too did the veterans that came before us. But veteranship has done a complete turnaround since then and is now fantastic. All that said, I wouldn’t trade my military service for anything.

"What is the worst part about having served in the United States military?" is a question like "What is the worst part of having attended a banquet?" Given that the defense of our nation necessarily comes with dark shadows, the worst part was not only working alongside fellow servicemen and servicewomen who could manipulate "the system" to their personal gain, but that the results of their private pursuits seemed to contribute more to the mission than anything I offered. It was a distressing paradox at the time that seriously challenged my morale. I gradually learned to accept my small and seemingly insignificant participation, and to take some little pride in it. But even to this day, visiting a VA facility is an intensely emotional experience, for I know I walk on hallowed ground.

My wife and I are blessed to still receive the majority of our health care from Wright-Patterson AFB, although dental is currently active duty only, and some "specialty" departments (many referrals in those areas going to off base civilian providers). We say THANK YOU to the many who have and are continuing to provide us medical care on Wright-Patterson AFB since I PCS'd here to fly for the 4950th Test Wing in 1985. Your care is most appreciated!

If I have to answer "What is the worst part?" I'd go back to my SAC days on Alert... and some of the ORI exercises -- being told one time by the CC that when we get off Alert -- even though an ORI was expected -- "Go do whatever you have planned." OK, so I get home (on base) with the rest of the week and weekend before having to report back to the squadron and load up my family to drive about a hour away to pickup a part for my car. We spend a little more time shopping before driving back to the base... ONLY to find notes on our door, "WHERE ARE YOU?! GET YOUR A** over to the squadron ASAP!" And almost before we get in the door, a crew member shows up screaming, the CC is pretty PISSED!.... I jump into my flight suit, grab my helmet and flight bags and... AFTER everything is over, I'm handed a letter of reprimand! Fast forward a week, the CC calls me into his office...... and actually apologizes for his behavior and tears up the letter of reprimand! He said he knew I was "new" and took his ""Go do whatever you have planned" (after getting off Alert) literally... and indeed it was to be that way even though he had "hoped" we'd all sit at home waiting to be called when the ORI kicked off. My plane was the only one keeping them from being 100% in record time... but we did achieve 100% -- just not in the time it could have been IF i had stayed home. The CC admitted the ORI is not to be "gamed" even though we all know better... LOL

Becoming disabled was a real bummer -- especially since I was just transferred into Systems Command from SAC, but THE real "bummer" was just a couple of years ago in medical retirement when I turned 65!

Tricare Prime worked great for years -- especially since our premiums were "frozen" due to my disability; however once I turned 65 I has hit with an outrageous Medicare "tax" - premium!!! Fortunately, I 'm usually not a frequent flyer medically -- maybe being seen at the base a couple of times a year for a routine "physical" -- so too suddenly be FORCED to pay into Medicare to be able to KEEP Tricare for Life was an insult to our service IMO!

I contacted Sen Brown (Ohio) about the ridiculous Medicare TAX / premium, but he had no informed / legitimate response to the Medicare practice -- simply sent paperwork to apply for "assistance"! Even though our income might qualify us, I was simply asking Sen Brown WHY not allow us -- military retires AND especially disabled vets -- to remain in the Tricare program (with our current premiums) that was working just fine -- NOT be FORCED to come up with a Medicare "premium" 3.77 times the cost of Tricare Prime!!!

IF you're retired, but not yet 65, prepare your budget for it! (We went from $114.99/3 months for Tricare Prime up to $433.80/3 months for Medicare! AND of course the TAX continues to climb -- now $148.50/month -- $445.50/3 months -- with no allowance for disability NOR all that I paid into Medicare/Social Security over the years, PLUS now with all the insane SPENDING in Washington, will I even be able to get my PAID FOR social security when I turn 70?! IMO ANY government "social welfare" program is the WORST INVESTMENT in the world -- should have never been started initially and is only getting WORSE!

From a 22 year Army vet, looking back and wishing i had done some things differently. After being retired almost 30 years i still thing about it. Can’t complain too much, the Army was very good to me. Gave me a job and a good education. Still Hindsight is a bitch.