What lesson or experience from deployment and or combat are you happy to have learned/been through?

Murphy's Law that said "Anything can get you killed, including nothing." I have had Brothers and Sisters get killed while in Chapel, waiting on a bus to go across post, and going to the Port-A-John. It taught me that you could go literally at anytime and that nothing is guaranteed. So instead of being scared to die, live like you were going to die tomorrow. Worrying about it doesn't do anything positive

I learned to hold myself accountable. I recieved an Article 15 while deployed. I hated it at the time, but the leadership in the unit took me aside and explained that it was my opportunity to change my perspective and establish a new reputation in the battalion. So I set to work, rebuilding my broken reputation. I owe my career to an NCO that I believed was trying to end it, while in reality he was trying to fix it.

I learned the hard way that you can walk forever, or so it seemed,sometimes asleep on your feet,carry loads on your back that made it seem your shoulders would never stop hurting,be cut ,bitten,stung, along with bad water worse food and at the end of this journey I took so long ago the only thing that can stop you is yourself,and your Brothers are forever.

I learned that I could endure misery, bad water, heavy loads, unrelenting heat, rain, bugs, snakes, and being dead on my feet along with everyone else. Shared misery was what pushed us forward when we wanted to drop. When I arrived in-country, a Gunnery Sergeant told the boots that we should not make close friendships. I lost two close friends in Vietnam, with one being killed on the day after I left country. The Gunny was wrong, in that your fellow brothers are what you are fighting for and the brotherhood is everything. For me, helping South Vietnam and the people was a just cause. Our government gave up on a winnable war. I was/am happy to be part of this brotherhood.

I guess the biggest lesson for me was post deployment. After we pulled out of Nam Phong, Thailand and went to Iwakuni, Japan, we were tight as a unit. We owned the base and the town (at least to the end of Bar St.). No one messed with us. That kind of unity is worth having, whoever and wherever you are.

Learned a lot of patience.
Also developed the mindset that "when it's your time, it's your time", there's nothing you can do about it. No sense in worrying about something you have no control over.

Some of the experiences I had in Viet Nam that before I wondered if I could handle I did. I found in later years as a civilian Police Officer I was able to handle some pretty grisly scenes better than some other Police Officers who had no such prior exposure. I'm happy to learn that I was capable of carrying My own weight and not freaking out about it or groveling. Not unique, just adjustment to situations. Also the concept of teamwork and You and Your people all being part of a team and getting things done and helping each other along the way. Seems all of that helped Me though the rest of My life with confidence in Myself.

Rule 1 - Never pass up the chance to eat, sleep or go to the bathroom (OK, I know bathrooms are few and far between in combat)

Most valuable lesson has been what can go wrong will go wrong. That lesson has served me well

The biggest and most common lesson is if it can go wrong it will go wrong . That’s why we train so hard and have back up for the back ups