What did you learn about yourself the first time you were in harm's way? Did you live up to your own expectations?

2015-01-28T17:55:30-05:00

Be it combat, bullying at school, or any other hazardous job, did you learn anything surprising about yourself when things got real sporty? Do you think the experience shaped you in a positive or negative way as time passed by?

Response by SGT William B. made Jan 28 at 2015 6:05 PM

2015-01-28T18:05:34-05:00

I remember the first time I got punched in the face. I was six and I threw a rock at a kid on the playground; problem was he was a lot bigger than me. One punch and my lights were out. When our parents got together to talk it out (my dad and his knew each other from the post in Germany we were stationed at), we were both disciplined by having to spend time with each other.

He and I are still friends to this day, and I visit his family every time I drop back in the Fort Huachuca area. Patience and compassion have brought me much further along in this life than violence and enmity ever have.

Response by Capt Richard I P. made Jan 28 at 2015 6:08 PM

2015-01-28T18:08:55-05:00

I get a bit confused when I'm getting shot at. My thought process slows down a little and I have to be more deliberate in following the training.

Response by SP5 Michael Rathbun made Jan 28 at 2015 6:30 PM

2015-01-28T18:30:47-05:00

I guess it is often a surprise. My first rocket & mortar attack (my first night/morning in my unit in RVN) certainly surprised me.

I expected to fall apart at the first loud noise and run screaming for shelter. Something woke me up that morning around 03:15 there in the open-bay transient billets. Shortly after that came sounds like somebody pushing trash cans full of scrap metal off of a 10th-storey balcony, after the first of which I calmly slipped under the bunk and waited. Then the sirens came up, the 107s started landing, and some poor dude, running noisily to get out of the building in the semi-dark, plowed face-first into a pillar and then bled a lot. He was reportedly one of the few casualties we had that morning. Somebody else came along and suggested that we get to the bunker (visible in the profile photo above).

I admit that I seldom feel so clear, focused and aware, in the bits of daily life that don't involve flying metal or threat of death or injury from other causes, as I was in those moments.

I have wondered whether, had I had better skills and the right duty assignment, I would have become a combat junkie like some of my real combat vet friends.

Response by Sgt Branden W. made Jan 28 at 2015 7:48 PM

2015-01-28T19:48:53-05:00

As I headed out of Kandahar in 2003 OEF III, north towards Tarin Kowt on a six hour, up armored Humvee, road trip in Afghanistan, I did some soul searching. Mostly "I'm ready to head to the great beyond if that's what it comes to." Writing that letter to the parents, writing a will, sobers you up quite a bit at the age of 19.
When I was tapped to clear a small village with a small squad, there I was kicking down doors. It was surreal and I only have glimpses of images. I see myself doing it, like a 3rd person shooter game. Next time we had a smaller village to clear, there I was. Hand in the air. I found God briefly, but now that's gone.

Went on a slight tangent there. To answer the question, I was satisfied with both my level of balls to the wall and my composure under pressure. I wish I remembered more of it, but I can't.

Response by MSG Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 28 at 2015 8:00 PM

2015-01-28T20:00:29-05:00

I got a reputation as "contact insurance," that is, if you want to insure that you don't come in contact, make sure I'm in the convoy. As a result the only time I've felt I was "in harms way" was one incident on the last deployment.

Our COP was being rocketed. The first one came in just as I was opening the network shed to show a contractor how we got our data in and out. I heard the battery alarm going off at about the same time as the explosion. I got the contractor in a shelter and set to work on finding out why my shed didn't have power. So, if continuing about my job while all the other is going on counts, yes, I think, I lived up to my expectations.

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 29 at 2015 4:00 AM

2015-01-29T04:00:37-05:00

The first time I was shot at I learned that all my training up to that point was worth all the hard work. I just reacted. Plus I was kinda fanciated by the experience.