Posted on May 11, 2018
What is the worst part about being a service member or veteran?
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I know that we are (or should be) proud of our service. I, like many, believe that my experience in the military made me a better person and is definitely something that I am glad to say that I had the opportunity to be a part of. That being said, not everything is sunshine and rainbows. Although there are various positives that go along with having served, the world is not perfect and because of this, there are always negatives that come along with things. What is the worst part about having served or presently serving in the United States military?
Experience
Military Career
Combat
Relationships
Resiliency
Posted >1 y ago
Responses: 188
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There were/are many worsts for me. Coming home was a real thrill! All the protestors at the airport, the people spitting on me and my uniform and me having to bust some heads to let them know that was unacceptable behavior! (Was that politically correct or what! Lol) My best friend wouldn't come get me from the airport because he was afraid someone might see him and after all, they were calling us baby killers. End of friendship. I saw the world in black & white, right & wrong, no shades of gray. After 3 weeks my parents came to me in the middle of the night and asked me to pack all my things and leave as they were afraid of me especially after all the years of abuse they put me through they were afraid I may now kill them. I snickered and left quitely. I floated from job to job wondering how some of my bosses got their jobs in the first place let alone tie their own shoes in the morning. Got married, got divorced. Had anger control issues but never abused anyone. Got married again and was in a wreck and got my noggin rattled. This time was different. I started having flashbacks, very violent ones. This was over 20 years since I'd gotten out it was only then that I'd been diagnosed with full blown PTSD. It's well controlled now. I still get irked when non-vets thank me for my service. It's the way they say it I think that pisses me off. It sounds so trite, phoney and rehearsed. I want to look them in the eye and say: "If you wanted to thank me, where the hell were you 45 years ago when I was at the airport getting spit on?" Instead I politely smile and hold back my puke, civy's - I just can't stomach them.
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I think CSM Parish (below) says it quite well. Trying to add anything would be a waste of time.
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You get to a point where you just don't care about the negatives anymore! I'm just glad I made it this far!
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Being patient! The hardest thing through all the networking of appeals and waiting for someone to give you an answer.
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The not knowing, the lack of common sense people don't have, the last mi ute changes for stupid sh*t, the not listening to the lower enlisted. There are others that i could go on and on about but the 1 one that sucked about being in the military is the not knowing
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That one guy that we gave the title Lance Commandant for always being a suck up to the officers and thinkings he’s in charge a squad leader who now thinks he’s giving orders!
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Suspended Profile
Seems like every unit in every branch of the military has a service member who believes they're more important than they really are. In my case, it was a sergeant who transferred in from the next higher level of [aircraft] maintenance. Didn't matter how dirty, greasy, grimy, and tired we were getting, if it wasn't paperwork, he didn't do it. A while later we got a SSgt. who put him in his place....especially since the SSgt. was often out there getting just as dirty and tired as we were.
SPC Lyle Montgomery
Cpl Jones We all had to deal with suck ups. Even in civilian life. In the military a blanket party worked pretty good.
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