Have you ever feared for your life? Aside from combat?

In Luanda, Angola in the late 1990s. I was on the way to my hotel from the airport in a taxi. Traffic was stopped in town, bumper to bumper. Suddenly in front of the taxi a group of young thugs (about 8)drew machetes and started to hack at a man (in local lingo they call it a "tornado"). The man drew a pistol and started shooting. More thugs with machetes appeared, more men with pistols appeared. Blood and yelling everywhere! The businessman travelling with me was NOT ex-military and he was having kittens. My biggest fear was a stray bullet more than anything else. The taxi driver deftly ran over everybody and anybody to get out of traffic and the melee. He eventually got the blood-spattered vehicle to our hotel. The driver got a sizable tip. My companion drank the minibar dry, and I spent some quiet time reflecting on what little difference there was in the dangers between my job in retirement and my former military duties.

<p>Larry,</p><p><br></p><p>I had quite a few instances in the late 80s while I was stationed in DC, I was working drug interdiction and we were sweeping crack houses in SE DC, we came into one that was still being occupied and we found ourselves in a firefight for about 10-15 minutes, we had DCMP back-up, but it still didn't stop me catching one in the leg while trying to take cover in one of the front rooms of the house.</p><p><br></p><p>Had another similar situation about 2 years after the 1st incident with similar circumstances, we were set up in a high drug traffic area with the deterrent lights and presence and had the unfortunate luck of being the targets of a drive by, our HUMMV had about 20 bullet holes in it when all was said and done, luckily none were near where we were at in the vehicle. I had an angel on my shoulder that night.</p>

9 years on ships at sea, Yer Sir, I have. Think of movie "Perfect Storm", been in weather like that off New England, Seven Hurricanes 90+MPH Sustained winds, Sea-state 45+foot waves. Four Years in SE Alaska,Crabbers are pulling in and we were headed out on SAR Call. Two days of 35Degree rolls in 20 Ft seas, and those were inside "protected" waters!