Coming to Terms With Being a Marine Who Never Went to War

Be grateful for all of those things. You don't realize they are blessings and nothing to be let down about. No matter what you did or where you did it, you did a job that was crucial to the overall mission of the military as a whole and you got to do it without doing anything that would put your mind, body, or soul in danger. You need to realize that if you had done only one of the things you mentioned that your peace of mind, mental health, and your life could have been ruined beyond repair. Your service was still helpful no matter what you think. I wish I could undo so many things that I did in the military. Every single waking moment since has been that of guilt and regret. I was broken and changed into a completely different person from the bright eyed, happy, outgoing, compassionate, and caring person I was when I enlisted at the age of 19. When I was honorably discharged 8 years later I didn't have the ability to feel at all. Nothing truly mattered anymore. I struggled for a reason just to get out of bed every day. Throw in the nightmares, flashbacks, PTSD, anxiety, panic attacks, constant guilt, and self doubt, and it's almost impossible to be a functional human being anymore let alone be productive. Just be grateful.

Interesting article, thank you for the share brother.

Just be proud of the fact you are a marine and will be one always. I was in the marine corp from 59-63 But it was peace time then but their was Cuba turning communist in 60 Cuban missile crisis in 62 Berlin wall in 63. On Okinawa 1/4 of the company had duty every 4th day. The 3rd Marine division was a combat ready division No dependents allowed on Okinawa. I never even thought about combat. The point Im trying to make, even thought you never seen combat you were ready if needed. Marines go where their ordered and do what their told. I spent 3yrs in the army 63-66, one yr, in Vietnam with the Army. I still consider myself a Marine I was Cpl. in the Marines and a Sp/5 in the army. You are not the only person in the Corp who never saw combat. As we were told after Graduation at Parris. " Marines you are Elite their are only 170,000 of us." Semper Fi.