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

SSgt Private RallyPoint Member — Sat, 11 Jan 2014 02:24:23 -0500

<p>There are a lot of situations that happen.    We cannot accurately forecast a volcano and it's pyroclastic flow.   Likewise in life.  All the training in the world cannot prepare you for everything.</p><p><br></p><p>I remember being in the Port Authority.  One of the women in their a homeless lady of about 50 was yelling and brandishing a bottle that she broke over a 55 gallon drum.   To add insult to injury she started flashing everyone.</p><p><br></p><p>I've been in some harrowing experiences in Germany and it can be a rush of sorts but I befriend a German Hell's Angel and some punk rockers.  </p>

Response by SFC James Baber made Jan 11 at 2014 3:01 AM

SFC James Baber — Sat, 11 Jan 2014 03:01:41 -0500

<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>

Response by SSG Alleria Stanley made Jan 11 at 2014 4:50 PM

SSG Alleria Stanley — Sat, 11 Jan 2014 16:50:17 -0500

Several times over time...<div>Bangkok, Thailand when my mother and I were briefly kidnapped in a taxi.<br>Midway over the Pacific in a DC-10 with an engine fire (not sure about afraid for my life, but definitely aware of the very presence of danger.)</div><div>Camping with the Boy Scouts on an island in a lake when a tornado went over the camp site (lucky day, and an amazing sight)... we watched the storm... it came towards us... you're on an island in tents, where do you go?... and the tornado went overhead without touching down and went back out the other way...</div><div><br></div><div>In adulthood, I've had much fewer brushes with life-threatening danger.  No corresponding correlation, it's just worked out that way.</div>

Response by LtCol Brent Norquist made Apr 23 at 2014 3:03 PM

LtCol Brent Norquist — Wed, 23 Apr 2014 15:03:09 -0400

I took a taxi from the Seoul Korea airport to Yongsan Army Garrison.  The driver was so crazy I could not look out the window.  He didn't reply to any of my instructions in English to "SLOW THE F*&^ DOWN".  No seatbelts in the back either!

Response by MAJ Joseph Parker made Apr 24 at 2014 3:06 PM

MAJ Joseph Parker — Thu, 24 Apr 2014 15:06:18 -0400

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.

Response by LTJG Robert M. made Apr 24 at 2014 4:31 PM

LTJG Robert M. — Thu, 24 Apr 2014 16:31:24 -0400

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!

Response by CAPT Lyle Brown made Apr 24 at 2014 4:34 PM

CAPT Lyle Brown — Thu, 24 Apr 2014 16:34:44 -0400

The taxi experience you speak of is pretty much par for the course for Seoul.
In answer to your question: Of course I have, I am a retired Navy Bombardier/Navigator. We called fearing for our life "going back to base" (landing on the ship).
Then there were a few in flight emergencies which upped the blood pressure a bit.

Response by MAJ Private RallyPoint Member made Apr 24 at 2014 7:22 PM

MAJ Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 24 Apr 2014 19:22:20 -0400

I had a gun pulled out on me and some other Marines at Mardi Gras in 2000. It was me and 4 female Marines. So is I got in front of them, one of the female Marines got in front of me and dared the guy to shoot her. Bad Ass is the only way to describe that. Well, that and extremely crazy. The dude got scared and took off after that.

Response by Cpl Private RallyPoint Member made Apr 25 at 2014 8:40 AM

Cpl Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 25 Apr 2014 08:40:41 -0400

After I got out of the Marine Corps the first time, I was employed as a Corrections Officer in both Arizona and Nevada. I never feared for my life in Arizona, but Nevada is a whole different animal. I feared for my life and safety every single time I stepped foot on the tier. Inmates at the max prison in Nevada have nothing to lose, and everything to gain by hurting or killing a staff member. Many stories, and not enough time.

Response by CPO Jon Campbell made Apr 25 at 2014 12:20 PM

CPO Jon Campbell — Fri, 25 Apr 2014 12:20:10 -0400

There was a scientific study several years ago about the brain waves of people who had experienced drowning and near death. It found that a very high number had brain wave patterns consistent with epilepsy, but without seizure activity. These people also were predominately employed in fields like law enforcement, fire fighting, military, and other high risk jobs. They tended to be resistent to the fear that a normal person would have in high stress situations.
I have been in some life threatening situations and I don't remember being afraid at the time, but after the incident, is when my hands would shake. I think that good training contributes to quelling natural fear response.

Response by SPC Charles Brown made Apr 25 at 2014 10:19 PM

SPC Charles Brown — Fri, 25 Apr 2014 22:19:08 -0400

I am not the bravest man in the world, but I can honestly say that I have never feared for my life, once I left Korea and Taiwan. I know that when my time comes to die I will, hopefully, face death with the same faith that I have faced during my life. Life is what it is, and death comes for us all. Like someone once said "death is what happens to you while you are making other plans." That is why I don't make plans past the day I am living; and sometimes not even 5 minutes in advance. I trust in my God to keep me safe when I forget to do so myself.

Response by MCPO Private RallyPoint Member made Apr 26 at 2014 12:26 PM

MCPO Private RallyPoint Member — Sat, 26 Apr 2014 12:26:24 -0400

I've hung around biker gangs, thugs, lowlifes, and have been in combat - I've only legitimately feared for my life once.

In the depths of Louisiana, I was bartending an event surrounded by two judges, a herd of sheriffs and sheriff's deputies, and lawyers - all of whom were related by blood or marriage. They were laughing about how much power they had, and one of them looked at me and said, "Yeah, we could kill this boy here and nobody would ever know who done it and nobody would ever find out." The entire group laughed.

And I knew that between them all, it was totally realistic that it could happen - and with what I found later, it had happened before.

It took guys in suits to scare me...

Response by LTC Dr Richard Wasserman, LTC (R) made Apr 27 at 2014 2:11 PM

LTC Dr Richard Wasserman, LTC (R) — Sun, 27 Apr 2014 14:11:56 -0400

Yes,

When I was in high school, I was part of a team delivering phone books. I was in the back seat a VW bug, delivering in an office complex. I tractor-trailer was coming toward us on the wrong side of the road and the driver was looking toward his left. He saw us at the last second and moved over. It wasn't a fun day.

Response by PO1 William "Chip" Nagel made Apr 27 at 2014 6:28 PM

PO1 William "Chip" Nagel — Sun, 27 Apr 2014 18:28:02 -0400

Jun 91. I went TAD from USS California CGN-36 in Drydock to USS Arkansas CGN-41, Enroute to Persian Gulf end of Desert Storm begining of Southerm Watch. I was to meet the Ship in the Phillipines. Shortly after taking off from Japan the Pilot announced their was a change of plans we would be landing at Subic instead of Clark. There was some "Volcanic Activity" that precluded using the runway at Clark. Landed at Subic and entered the Largest Volcanic Eruption in a Century Operation Fiery Vigil and spent 4 days 18 miles downslope from that beast. Got to practice some skill sets that I had only read about until that time. Mt Pinatubo Survivors Club.

Response by SFC Charles W. Robinson made Apr 28 at 2014 1:09 AM

SFC Charles W. Robinson — Mon, 28 Apr 2014 01:09:23 -0400

Yes,

I have survived two brain tumors.

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 3 at 2014 10:16 AM

SFC Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 03 Jun 2014 10:16:27 -0400

I must admit...Once. I was at a customers house doing services as a computer technician. After servicing the PC, we made a second appointment for that week.

As I was leaving the house, I felt and heard the click of the cold hard steel of a .45 Magnum Revolver on the base of my skull. Point-Blank-Range! Barrel to skin!

The weapon was cocked back and ready to fire. The "customer" now made a life threat. "If you do not show up on Friday, I am going to find you and kill you and your entire family...even if it means driving to your office to do so!"

Yeah, I nearly shit my pants. I did nothing to provoke him what so ever. I left the house shaking and went to the police. They too were scared of this man. The police told me, "Hell man...that nut? I am not sending my officers to him. After all he is the Governor's brother. And I am not about to lose my job!"

Typical deep southern Georgia Police Bureaucratic crap. So, that night I was fired for mentioning the incident to the police and my employer...then I left the state.

This Governor is no longer in politics and his brother (charged with robbery, rape and murder 3 times in the past) is still out there free.

Response by 1LT Shawn McCarthy made Aug 16 at 2014 11:41 AM

1LT Shawn McCarthy — Sat, 16 Aug 2014 11:41:47 -0400

In Mexico with some fellow trainees from Huachuca.
It was the 4th of July.
Federales were cruising the dirt roads in white Ford Explorers and had FNCs and MP5s across their chests.
It was the 4th of July, and the locals were either big-time fans of America, or big time fans of an excuse to shoot off fireworks because they were everywhere.
We were at a bar drinking WAY too much tequila, sitting on the front patio.
Some local teens and tweens started shooting roman candles at the Ford Explorers passing by.
A couple stopped. Federales dismounted and started yelling at the kids.
Then they shouldered their weapons.
And the kids let loose with a barrage at the dismounted Federales who started firing their weapons toward the kids.
I was watching in disbelief, trying to figure out if they were aiming at the kids or trying to scare them...they were across the street and over one building. There was another Federale vehicle in front of the bar, 30 feet from me, with 2 dismounts.
I didn't notice that one of the SMs with me had aquired a roman candle.
I didn't notice him place that roman candle between his legs.
Or light it.
It wasn't until the first shot hit the Explorer in front of me that I realized what was going on. He was pelvic thrusting as he fired the roman candle from between his legs. For a brief, brief second, I though the incident was humorous.
Then I realized that I was drunk, in a dirty Mexican town, standing next to another American who was also drunk, who was firing roman candles from his crotch at armed Mexican Federal Police from 30 feet away.
The nearest Federale turned around and shouldered his rifle.
I didn't see much else because I ran as fast as a drunk guy in sandals can run.
Behind me, I heard the continuation of the small arms fire. I had no idea if they were aiming at anyone or just shooting.
I ran into a lot near the bar and hid behind some large containers. I could hear gunfire and it sounded to drunk me like it was being aimed close by. One of the guys from our group was also hiding nearby. Drunk him also thought we were being shot at.
Then I realized, to my horror, that we were hiding behind propane tanks.
We took off running again.
As the sound of gunfire got farther away, we realized that we were 2 white guys in a Mexican ghetto and that we had NO idea where our hotel was. We stumbled around and eventually found it shortly before sunrise.
Everyone eventually made it back safely.
We could barely piece the thing together because we were all VERY drunk, but in all of our minds that was the night that the Federales tried to kill us because a drunk idiot fired roman candles at them.
And all of our arses were puckered for a week.

Response by SPC Michael Johnson made Oct 14 at 2015 12:00 AM

SPC Michael Johnson — Wed, 14 Oct 2015 00:00:06 -0400

i have feared taking anothers life other than in combat

Response by SSG Michael Needham made May 7 at 2018 7:37 PM

SSG Michael Needham — Mon, 07 May 2018 19:37:18 -0400

Prior to being drafted I worked in Houston ,my family lived in Dallas, so I flew Southwest airlines to see my family the return trip on Sunday turned out to be the last flight into Houston before the hurricane hit , .The pilot's announcement that there would be no service on the flight and ordered the stewardess to strap in was a good indication of how rough it was we had turbulence all the way from Dallas.
Sitting over the wing I watched the wing tip snap up and down as we climbed to 30,00 ft and then he nosed over diving for Houston Intercontinental, during the approach I could see the runway lights far off to right of the aircraft and the pilot was slipping the bird hard as we slammed against the seat belts from the storm buffeting the aircraft.the passenger next to me had their fingers digging into my arm this was a flight you never forget we made it by the grace of God and a dam good pilot ..it took over two weeks for the bruises the other passenger. left on my arm to go away I have since flown with some crazy military pilots but not one had matched that landing

Response by MSgt Anthony Youngblood made Aug 6 at 2018 9:28 PM

MSgt Anthony Youngblood — Mon, 06 Aug 2018 21:28:23 -0400

When i was having my stroke, you're not in control of anything. Scared me to death, almost literally.