why-do-veterans-feel-need-deploy-multiple-times-chris-boutin

I cannot reply to the question of multiple deployment because as a Vietnam vet I only did one tour and at that I only did ten months and fourteen days(got an early out to go back to the States and be an instructor) but I do know when I left the field for the last time I felt a loss for the guys who Had been my family both in training and combat,that Brotherhood is real and you feel the loss that's my take on it,hope this helps

I only had one deployment for 18 months so I cannot speak for multi deployments. From speaking with friends who have deployed multiple times the theme that I get are that they are doing it for 2 reasons. The first being economic, some friends say they make so much more than in civilian life and volunteer to stay deployed to save for the future. Others are in it for the Hoorah. they want all the campaign ribbons and the awards they can pin on their chest. The friend I have the most respect for is a CRNA who is a LTC. On the civilian side he makes well over $180,000 a year without overtime.He volunteers to go once a year because he said that's what he signed up for to protect and defend, he tells me you can't do that from home you have to be on the tip of the spear. In fairness his deployments are also only 90 days.

I think it depends a lot on age of the individual as well as I would not imply ALL VETERANS. I had a friend I served with in 1987 that stayed in and he did not want to go to Iraq 6 times and even tried to stop it only to be stop lossed for a year as he attempted his 20 year retirement because he had all that wartime experience. I just got a call from one of my 1982 Infantry OSUT Platoon guide, he went RANGER in 1986 and served in Just Cause in Panama, ETS'd in 1990, then recalled in 2001 due to a SOCOM shortage. It is a still sinking in that he got recalled after being out of service that long but that is what he said (that long reach of the Army shocked me). He left the GWOT disabled and medically retired. I knew a Kiowa Pilot that served during my time in uniform, he was tired of all the deployments, retired from the Army in 2007, the next morning and first day of his retirement rolled over in an attempt to wake his dead wife. So much for enjoying retirement with his wife in his case. I met a Fallujah 0311 Marine online involved in the house to house fighting in Iraq, he deployed twice to Iraq with the Marines and was tired of Infantry but not of serving. Attempted to go into Marine Helo Aviation but was unsatisfied, switched to Army ROTC (when I met him online), graduated and went onto serve in Afghanistan as a Apache D pilot, KIA in Afghanistan, you can still read his fantastic bio online (CPT, AARON BLANCHARD....10th Mountain Division). It wasn't so much the brotherhood that was driving him, though it played a part, ever since he was a kid he wanted to fly and he got his wish via a lot of hard work and enjoyed 1-2 years of Army Aviation but his life ended tragically and he left a wife with 2 kids behind. That guy had brass balls though, that most Marines or Soldiers do not have (read his bio). So my response is yes, I have seen it at times what you describe BUT I would not imply it applies to everyone necessarily. I think a big part of it is age related, some of it has to do with personality. I suspect but I can't be sure. Hell if I was in a war that involved close in, house to house fighting.....that would be my last tour probably but as a peacetime veteran never been there so, don't know, can only guess.