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

I had a hard time trying to explain my selfless duty to our nation,family and friends. I always understood that not all civilians or family have the ambition to serve and protect our country's constitution and way of life, liberty and justice. Some felt that I joined just to be able to go out and kill. Soldiers are trained to protect our country and each other. NEVER LEAVE A SOLDIER BEHIND OR OUR CITIZENS. we are sworn to defend our country against foreign domestic enemies. unfortunately we have more in congress trying to tear us apart than foreign enemies lately

How we, Marines, were treated in boot camp. Also exper. in Vietnam.

The military in general, I took care of my family as a man should and I love them with all my heart, but when I was told that I had to retire from the Army due to health issues, that destroyed me. i crawled into a bottle for three years and could not even talk to a civilian. It turned out at the time the Military was my life and I did not know how to explain this to my family. My beautiful daughter was the one that finally saw what I was going thru and said something to me that snapped me out of it. But I still miss the Military life.

Sometimes not being allowed to tell them exactly where you've been.

I was in the 1st Cav in Vietnam as an infantry soldier so I don't share the experience with them.

I was as surprised as anyone when I was assigned to work at the Base Hospital Emergency Room and Ambulance Service. Being “military” definitely took a back seat to providing excellent patient care. Most folks I talked to were astounded that I was given the autonomy I had in treating patients, and my work was limited only by what the docs would allow. As I developed confidence it was “watch one, do one, teach one” and I loved it. If they would have left me alone I would have stayed 20 years, most likely would have gone to medical school and served as a physician. Too bad that after Vietnam ended the “peacetime military” went into effect and guys with more stripes than brains tried to impose their regimen to make us more military and “teach guys like me a lesson”. So, they took me off my night shift supervisor role and assigned me chicken-shit tasks just because they could. I couldn’t wait to be discharged….as I am typing this, I realize how profound the post-Vietnam military changed for me and how bitter I grew towards the Air Force. That trauma took me years to get over, but when I was recruited to an XO slot in a new ReserveMedical Center Detachment at my previous base. I used those years going out of my way to be kind to everyone I encountered and established an affirming environment to serve together and lead by example. It was very gratifying.

The pride in serving, they friends you make for life. Must have gotten thru to my oldest son, he's a Blackhawk mechanic. He also understands what hurry up and wait means.

Nothing

I have a moral injury from which I will never recover until GOD calls me home. Can you EVER understand that!!!!

the sense of duty and following orders