What Things Were Difficult to Communicate to Family and Friends About Your Military Service? Login & Share to Win!

Why I changed so much so fast was super hard to share.

The Brotherhood you develop in the military!

There were no problems communicating to my parents as they had gone through the depression and the Second World War, but the biggest problem occurred after i was married with children. It was difficult to explain to my wife and children that the position that I held was not a 9 to 5 job and that there were times when spending extra hours were necessary and there were also times when the job required you to be there instead of at a family function. Working on weekends and sometimes 10 or 12 days in a row, and then deploying somewhere or traveling to various places for conferences and exercises could have easily been a marriage breaker. Eventually my family began to understand how important my job was and that we were defending a nation. Some people will never understand the responsibilities of a serviceman or woman or what each and everyone of them do on a daily basis that makes this country what it is today, The Land of the Free and Home of the Brave.

why i couldnt stay in touch during basic and why i didnt want to make mom a nervous wreck after my orders for vietnam came thru and why i didnt stay in touch in vietnam

Military speak, like the fact that being a Photographer's Mate did NOT mean that I was a photographer's "helper", but that I was actually the photographer. It's a Navy thing.

Why an Army Captain has WAY less rank than a Navy Captain.

There are a lot of things that I never shared with my wife. She is already pissed off enough with the health issues I am having from the military as it is.

The joy of doing a big job with a bunch of folks. You know, getting together with a purpose and accomplishing a goal? Man, I missed that on the outside.

One of the most difficult things to explain to family and friends was walking a guard post in subzero weather and 6 inches of snow at 3am in Korea just after Kennedy was assassinated and feeling that I was a part of the solution, not the problem.

I have to say the closeness the comaradere. It is funny how you can share sometime together and move on but still remember the times good and bad we all had together. Wife just doesnt get it.
And the power of the military, just think seeing rows and rows of tanks, or watching war planes taking off. just amazing. And a side note the taliban just dont get it. they thought because we got safe passage we should have left all that good equipment in good shape WTHeck,? I am sure they planned on paying for it ...