How would you react to civilians joking about the military and military related things?

PVT Angelo Velez — Sun, 09 Jul 2017 01:00:56 -0400

your civilian friend that is your best friend jokes about the military and jokes about how you have PTSD (when you don't) but you still defend the fact that joking about ptsd isn't cool and calls you soft for getting irritated over it.

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made Jul 9 at 2017 1:12 AM

SGT Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 09 Jul 2017 01:12:59 -0400

I would ignore it. If one does not react than the other will end up tiring of getting a reaction. If I had a friend who persisted, I would look hard as to why I still have that person as a friend in the first place. No friend of mine has ever or will ever do something like that.

Response by PFC Jonathan Albano made Jul 9 at 2017 2:26 AM

PFC Jonathan Albano — Sun, 09 Jul 2017 02:26:57 -0400

Using your example as a template, I'm somewhere in between the two options. I probably wouldn't immediately react, however, if the friend insisted on persisting, it would only be a matter of time before I'd say something to them. If the situation wasn't resolved by our little chat, then I'd wish my friend a good life and tell them I'd see them never. As the saying goes, with friends like that, who needs enemies?

Response by SSG Diane R. made Jul 9 at 2017 11:46 AM

SSG Diane R. — Sun, 09 Jul 2017 11:46:59 -0400

I think it could be helpful for you to have a Frank discussion with your friend about your military and wartime experiences to give them a proper context. What most Americans know about war comes from television which is mostly Fantasyland.

There has been a tendency for the last two decades to view War as a sporting event. I really began to notice this trend after Clinton gratuitously bombed Serbia in 1999.

It's up to us veterans to show the true face of War so that people can comprehend the true horror of it.

As a veteran with wartime experience who has also experience MST, I have been struggling with PTSD myself for many years.

Response by SGT Christopher Hayden made Jul 9 at 2017 4:30 PM

SGT Christopher Hayden — Sun, 09 Jul 2017 16:30:21 -0400

I would let it slide. People are free to have their own stupid opinions and make awful jokes, and often do. If I let that bother me, I'd have a heart attack by this point.

Response by LCpl Steve Smith made Jul 9 at 2017 5:37 PM

LCpl Steve Smith — Sun, 09 Jul 2017 17:37:43 -0400

You already stated that you told your best friend joking about PTSD is not a Joke so you already gave the answer to your own question with that. Now I don't know what kind of best friend you have but mine would never call me soft for bringing that fact up and if mine did they would surely regret ever doing so because That right there shows me that they are not the kind of person I want to associate with anymore. To many of our Brothers and Sisters and even civilians have PTSD and have a very hard time with day to day life so much so that the suicide rate is high. So I would cut bait to show them just how serious that shit is and that it is nothing to joke about. Or you could take your "friend" to your V.A. Hospital and have him meet a few of the Vets there.

Response by SPC Private RallyPoint Member made Jul 9 at 2017 5:45 PM

SPC Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 09 Jul 2017 17:45:03 -0400

Start making jokes back

Response by SGM Erik Marquez made Jul 9 at 2017 5:55 PM

SGM Erik Marquez — Sun, 09 Jul 2017 17:55:01 -0400

"your civilian friend" Is not your friend ..
Reconcile that and move on.

Response by SFC Kelly Fuerhoff made Jul 10 at 2017 1:13 PM

SFC Kelly Fuerhoff — Mon, 10 Jul 2017 13:13:35 -0400

I would rethink my choices in friends if. after explaining how PTSD works and that anyone can get it even those who never served, he or she still acted like a moron. Actually first I'd flip some smart ass comment back and make that person look like an idiot.

Response by LTJG Edward Bangor Jr made Jul 12 at 2017 6:28 PM

LTJG Edward Bangor Jr — Wed, 12 Jul 2017 18:28:48 -0400

There's plenty of jokes to be made about the military that don't bother me at all (what's long, hard an full of seamen). PTSD, however, isn't a joke, and if my friend tried to make one of it, I'd ideally provide some tactful education on the subject. Some people truthfully don't have an appreciation for how bad the symptoms can be, and they might actually appreciate to learn something instead of being a ignorant and possibly disrespectful of an actual problem. Granted doing so requires you to remain professional in how you explain how wrong the joke is. A decent human being will learn form the experience and try to improve themselves. If not, they aren't worth retaining as a friend (to me, at least).