SrA Shawn Leggitt 4247505 <div class="images-v2-count-0"></div> Does anyone else have difficulty connecting with other veterans or military service members? 2018-12-30T22:18:27-05:00 SrA Shawn Leggitt 4247505 <div class="images-v2-count-0"></div> Does anyone else have difficulty connecting with other veterans or military service members? 2018-12-30T22:18:27-05:00 2018-12-30T22:18:27-05:00 MSgt Aaron Brite 4247597 <div class="images-v2-count-0"></div>Yep, it can be difficult especially if there is a mismatch in experience. Combat vs support, pilot vs infantry. Takes time to work from the most common ground (veteran) to actual connection. Response by MSgt Aaron Brite made Dec 30 at 2018 10:48 PM 2018-12-30T22:48:05-05:00 2018-12-30T22:48:05-05:00 Sgt Aaron Kennedy, MS 4247607 <div class="images-v2-count-0"></div>Sometimes. But that is a product of lots of different factors. <br />The average Service-Member is around 20-30 years old. I&#39;m past that by a dozen years.<br />Most Service-Members/Veterans fall under the &quot;One term&quot; or &quot;Retired&quot; umbrella, with a few of us choosing to get out after a couple terms. It changes the way you look at the Service. As a first termer, you tend to only see the &quot;extremes&quot; or problems and benefits, but generally don&#39;t get why things are the way they are. As you get closer to the retirement bracket, you understand the system, but you are much more affected by systemic pressures. Being in the middle, you get the advantage of context but aren&#39;t quite institutionalized.<br />Then you start adding in education, family, location, etc and all these contextual things create nuanced viewpoints about subjects. Like it or not, Veterans and Military members sway towards regimented or rigid though processes. We&#39;re not known for our willingness to change our minds (generalization). This means that we can get into pissing contests about things we AGREE on. It&#39;s even worse if we have a fundamental disagreement about something.<br />RP is pretty good about not being an echo-chamber, but we (collectively) have our biases. However, it&#39;s not the 85% that we agree on that will make use fight like cats and dogs, but the 15% that we disagree on. All this creates barriers when connecting to new people. Response by Sgt Aaron Kennedy, MS made Dec 30 at 2018 10:53 PM 2018-12-30T22:53:30-05:00 2018-12-30T22:53:30-05:00 Lt Col Charlie Brown 4248102 <div class="images-v2-count-0"></div>Be willing to listen to someone else&#39;s story before sharing your own. That often goes a long way... Response by Lt Col Charlie Brown made Dec 31 at 2018 7:35 AM 2018-12-31T07:35:26-05:00 2018-12-31T07:35:26-05:00 1LT Private RallyPoint Member 4248499 <div class="images-v2-count-0"></div>Connecting how? I find it easier to talk to a veteran than civilian with no military experience. Response by 1LT Private RallyPoint Member made Dec 31 at 2018 10:44 AM 2018-12-31T10:44:00-05:00 2018-12-31T10:44:00-05:00 SGT Mark Rhodes 4249912 <div class="images-v2-count-0"></div>With today’s technology I have been able to reconnect with my Military family. I find easier to relate to another service member than a regular civilian. Response by SGT Mark Rhodes made Dec 31 at 2018 8:01 PM 2018-12-31T20:01:46-05:00 2018-12-31T20:01:46-05:00 SGT Cody Skinner 4253369 <div class="images-v2-count-0"></div>But it was my own fault for not getting out and trying to meet them. I now have gotten with a few different Veteran Groups in the Houston Area that I attend sometimes. Response by SGT Cody Skinner made Jan 2 at 2019 9:29 AM 2019-01-02T09:29:13-05:00 2019-01-02T09:29:13-05:00 2018-12-30T22:18:27-05:00