Do you still have dreams about the Military? If so, how often, and about what?

MSG Lonnie Averkamp — Wed, 07 Aug 2024 01:29:14 -0400

I went into the Army, 54 years ago, and I am still dreaming (about 3 to 5 times per month) about being "in". Although it can vary, the most common theme is that I have a new assignment (generally a TDY Mission or a school), I am in the barracks, getting ready for the next day's duties, but I only have shirts (or only have pants), because the rest of my uniforms are in the military cleaners, and they are never open during off-duty hours. (How's THAT for being based in Reality?)

So, to you have any "Service-Related Dreams", how often, and about what?

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 7 at 2024 1:05 PM

SGT Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 07 Aug 2024 13:05:57 -0400

There are 2.

one is not having my cover. No hat means I'm stuck inside and it's driving me crazy.

2. Is the nightmares from serving.

Response by MSG Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 7 at 2024 2:06 PM

MSG Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 07 Aug 2024 14:06:17 -0400

I still have nightmares about certain places

Response by SSG Carlos Madden made Aug 7 at 2024 3:30 PM

SSG Carlos Madden — Wed, 07 Aug 2024 15:30:47 -0400

All the time to various degrees. Sometimes it's just a fear or forgetting something I'm supposed to have, and other times it's full on immersion as part of a unit. It happens weekly if not more.

Response by SGM Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 7 at 2024 5:09 PM

SGM Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 07 Aug 2024 17:09:51 -0400

I have a recurring dream about a unit I left a very long time ago.
It's still not as bad as the recurring dreams about the fast food job I had in high school, or about the last day of finals week in college, cleaning out my desk and finding that I never dropped a class that I intended to, and the final started 20min ago (did not actually happen).
None about deployments.

Response by SGM Mikel Dawson made Aug 7 at 2024 11:57 PM

SGM Mikel Dawson — Wed, 07 Aug 2024 23:57:29 -0400

Getting ready for patrol, missing part of my gear is one of my most common dreams. I have killed a couple guys in my dreams - woke up soaking on those. Some times can't get everyone together to leave. Never having everything ready for inspection.

Response by 1SG Jqckson Wqckson made Aug 10 at 2024 6:44 AM

1SG Jqckson Wqckson — Sat, 10 Aug 2024 06:44:02 -0400

I have dreams, I seen faces of people that were killed and injured

Response by SCPO Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 10 at 2024 7:57 PM

SCPO Private RallyPoint Member — Sat, 10 Aug 2024 19:57:28 -0400

A nightmare that I had was sort of funny to me after I was awake and thought about it but while I was in it I experienced greater and greater angst. I was back on a ship but it was an old time ship from the Jack Sparrow Pirates of the Carribean era. The images in the dream were sort of hazy and cloudy. In my mind I had a strange feeling that it was a Coast Guard ship. I needed to quickly find the correct way around the ship and where I was supposed to be for whatever evolution we were doing but everything I tried did not work and it kept being an unaccomplished elusive task.

Response by Sgt John Mazzullo made Aug 14 at 2024 6:55 PM

Sgt John Mazzullo — Wed, 14 Aug 2024 18:55:54 -0400

Recurring monthly +- time was u but theywon'y let me out

Response by PO1 Paula C made Aug 14 at 2024 7:35 PM

PO1 Paula C — Wed, 14 Aug 2024 19:35:56 -0400

Yup. Still have occasional nightmares (and flashbacks) of the traumas I was subjected to way back in 1979. I was finally diagnosed with PTSD in 1997 by the VA and they have taken very good care of me ever since.

Response by SSG Calvin Titus made Aug 14 at 2024 8:31 PM

SSG Calvin Titus — Wed, 14 Aug 2024 20:31:42 -0400

I still dream about the Army, even though I have been retired since 1991. I dream that a bunch of guys are holding me down and I am kicking and punching trying to get away from them. I actually had an experience early in my career where I was attacked by a bunch of guys. This was in the early 1960’s, I was able to get away unscathed. I sometimes felt that some of the units I was assigned too were ‘holding me back’ . I dream the same dreams weekly, sometimes more often.

Response by CW3 James Kay made Aug 14 at 2024 10:37 PM

CW3 James Kay — Wed, 14 Aug 2024 22:37:55 -0400

Left active duty in 91 and I have dreams at least once a week

Response by Giovanni Gonzalez made Aug 15 at 2024 5:51 PM

Giovanni Gonzalez — Thu, 15 Aug 2024 17:51:07 -0400

iv'e never been in the military, I grew around soldiers when i was a kid, i tried to join the us marines when i turned 18 but due to my hearing impairment did not qualify,, anyway i remember vividly when the guerrillas would climb onto the roof of our house to attack the military base that was a few miles from us , we lived in a hill side area and remember the casings from the machine guns they were carrying hitting the roof top , cling , cling, cling, cling and when they were screaming i hit him , i hit him, next thing you know rpg's were flying , lots of explosions and bullets flying, mind you i was 9 when it happened and i still remember those shooting nights or the soldiers and the guerrillas screams when they were injured, till this day im 54 now i cant seem to get it out of my head....i cant imagine those that really served and were in combat how they feel...

Response by SMSgt Jim Burtard made Aug 15 at 2024 6:37 PM

SMSgt Jim Burtard — Thu, 15 Aug 2024 18:37:16 -0400

Unfortunately, mine are nightmares leave me sweating profusely and end with me screaming "NOOOO!" That wakes me and my wife up and has me sobbing for a bit until I can calm down.
Luckily, it only happens from time to time. It is the same dream every time; a playback of a scene from when I was in Kuwait. We were surprised buy a patrol of 4 individuals with rifles. One walked around from the front of the building, pulled his gun up in my direction and shot at me the same time I shot at him. Luckily, I was a better shot.
The "NOOOOO" is what I screamed when I realized what I had done. I was forever charged from that moment on...

Response by MAJ Byron Oyler made Aug 17 at 2024 9:52 PM

MAJ Byron Oyler — Sat, 17 Aug 2024 21:52:15 -0400

Nope, never. In all fairness, I do the exact same job out of the army I did in the army.

Response by SFC Kelly Fuerhoff made Aug 27 at 2024 1:50 PM

SFC Kelly Fuerhoff — Tue, 27 Aug 2024 13:50:55 -0400

I have been on terminal leave and retire in less than a week. I keep having dreams about my last unit - but like it's current time. I keep showing up there even though it's like 3 states away from me lol. I absolutely don't want to go back. I think it might be my replacement will text me to ask questions (which I said he could) or to blow off steam about the job. Like I had one last night that I showed up at PT for some reason...

Response by SGT Matthew S. made Sep 1 at 2024 9:32 PM

SGT Matthew S. — Sun, 01 Sep 2024 21:32:39 -0400

Been 20 years and I still do at least a couple times a month - last one was just a couple nights ago, as a matter of fact. It splits about 50-50 between going back for some reason/beginning Basic again and being back in; trying to remember everything and accomplish the task at hand.