Posted on Sep 14, 2016
What It Means To Be A Veteran Without The Experience Of War
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As a veteran who was never assigned to a war theater I found this article profoundly moving. It articulates, quite well, many of the feelings I've had for 20 years. I would urge you to read the full article and all the comments before commenting here. I would love to have a deeper discussion on this topic. I am still sorting out demons.
Thanks!
Thanks!
What It Means To Be A Veteran Without The Experience Of War
Posted from taskandpurpose.comPosted in these groups: 
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Posted 8 y ago
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SSgt (Join to see) I'm reading the article now and will be ack to edit this response. Just wanted you to know that I got it through one of my connections. Please feel free to tag me SSgt (Join to see) on any of your shared articles or discussions on the future. I'll be back after reading this - thanks
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SPC Johnney Abbott
Thank you Sir. I'll never feel bad about it. I just feel I "missed out" on the full experience. Like the meme put it, "I am not a hero, but I have served with some". I've met some truly great Americans and will never forget themCOL Mikel J. Burroughs -
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COL Mikel J. Burroughs
SP5 Robert Ruck - Absolutely, I fall into that category as well serving from January 31,1975 to 1 February 2012. Hell, I fall into several different groups!
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SSgt (Join to see) All veterans should be proud of their service regardless of what they experienced. I did not like "I believe I have to kill a man to become a man." Anyone that does not experience combat should be thankful. War is Hell, and that Hell stays with you for the rest of your life. You are changed forever, and not all those changes are good. You do not have to go through combat to be a "Full Fledged Veteran." We all have demons to deal with. Tell the "Non Combat Demon" to go back to Hell, and never return. You have done your duty to our country. Be proud of your service.
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Sgt (Join to see)
SFC (Join to see) - I agree with you. Every man and women in uniform is performing an important task. When we were in the bush on an operation, we would get resupplied with everything that we needed (one exception was we had a hard time getting jungle utility trousers). Once a week, if conditions allowed we would have a hot meal brought in by helicopter. They brought milk and bread which I craved. This was a welcome relief from the C rations. We could not function without a lot of support from many others.
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Cpl Rebecca Nicholson
I believe after reading the article, that the former Marine who wrote it, may suffer from some internal demons that he was hoping would either be discredited or validated emphatically, some ideologies he grew up with. I also believe that if you have the "intent" to serve, in whatever capacity is required of you to the best of your ability, than you are not only a true "man" (I prefer adult....because of my gender), but an adult that has taken with a grain of salt, all of the snark that gets thrown at the non-infantry MOS' or POGS as you would have it. Shaping this individual into hopefully a more tolerant, clearer visioned, and sense of self worth that understands and values what everyone can bring to the table. This clearer vision is called emotional intelligence nowadays, and with that being said, the "real" Veterens would not succeed without the backup support (beans, bullets and bandages) of the more "marginalized" Veterans. Just my two cents worth.
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I never had any direct experience in combat SSgt (Join to see). I went where I was ordered to go and I fulfilled my assigned duties to the best of my ability.
I wanted to go to Vietnam but by the time I was 18 and enlisted and completed training no more combat engineers were being sent to Vietnam after March 1975.
When I was commissioned in 1980 as an Infantry officer I was sent to Europe to participate in the Cold War.
I came back and trained Infantry soldiers from 1985 to 1989 and the went to a sensitive assignment where I supported the planning for Operation Desert Storm before it was named.
I was RIFFED in October 1992 and was commissioned in the USAR. I developed Mitral-valve heart disease in 1995 [initial heart issues in 1992 before I was RIFFED]
I supported various operations from a planning perspective in the Pentagon until I was mobilized in November 2001 to be assigned to the Pentagon in a planning cell until I demobilized in 2004.
I did my best to train the soldiers I was charged with training and develop and analyse planning projects for current and future operations.
Ironically to me, I was awarded the National Defense Service Medal three times.
Thanks fro mentioning me COL Mikel J. Burroughs
FYI I thought you might be interested in this discussion Maj William W. "Bill" Price Capt Christopher MuellerCW5 (Join to see)SMSgt Minister Gerald A. Thomas SGM David W. Carr LOM, DMSM MP SGTSSG James J. Palmer IV aka "JP4"SSgt (Join to see)SGT (Join to see)SP5 Mark KuzinskiSGT Forrest StewartSGT John " Mac " McConnellSGT Robert George PO3 Steven Sherrill PO1 John Miller Kim Bolen RN CCM ACMSSG Leo Bell 1stSgt Eugene Harless
I wanted to go to Vietnam but by the time I was 18 and enlisted and completed training no more combat engineers were being sent to Vietnam after March 1975.
When I was commissioned in 1980 as an Infantry officer I was sent to Europe to participate in the Cold War.
I came back and trained Infantry soldiers from 1985 to 1989 and the went to a sensitive assignment where I supported the planning for Operation Desert Storm before it was named.
I was RIFFED in October 1992 and was commissioned in the USAR. I developed Mitral-valve heart disease in 1995 [initial heart issues in 1992 before I was RIFFED]
I supported various operations from a planning perspective in the Pentagon until I was mobilized in November 2001 to be assigned to the Pentagon in a planning cell until I demobilized in 2004.
I did my best to train the soldiers I was charged with training and develop and analyse planning projects for current and future operations.
Ironically to me, I was awarded the National Defense Service Medal three times.
Thanks fro mentioning me COL Mikel J. Burroughs
FYI I thought you might be interested in this discussion Maj William W. "Bill" Price Capt Christopher MuellerCW5 (Join to see)SMSgt Minister Gerald A. Thomas SGM David W. Carr LOM, DMSM MP SGTSSG James J. Palmer IV aka "JP4"SSgt (Join to see)SGT (Join to see)SP5 Mark KuzinskiSGT Forrest StewartSGT John " Mac " McConnellSGT Robert George PO3 Steven Sherrill PO1 John Miller Kim Bolen RN CCM ACMSSG Leo Bell 1stSgt Eugene Harless
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SSgt (Join to see)
I graduated in '78. Already the liberal viewpoints had crept in to schooling and I was DEATHLY afraid of being drafted. I was almost to that point of hating the military industrial complex *BUT* I wanted to fly (fast, with my hair on fire). Talk about a dichotomy!
I joined the Marines at the ripe young age of 23-1/2. I found out in boot camp that I had JUST passed the age cutoff to be considered for Annapolis for my ASVAB scores (99% overall, 147 EL). I felt, down. But, even in boot camp, I fell in love with the Marine Corps. The slender threads of fate!
I joined the Marines at the ripe young age of 23-1/2. I found out in boot camp that I had JUST passed the age cutoff to be considered for Annapolis for my ASVAB scores (99% overall, 147 EL). I felt, down. But, even in boot camp, I fell in love with the Marine Corps. The slender threads of fate!
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PO3 John Wagner
SSgt (Join to see) - That was a shitty deal. On the other hand we are the actors God is the director. The Good thief went to heaven on the basis of a demonstration of faith while being hung.
I learned many and many ago that when looking back in retrospect that I was put in the right place at the right time to do whatever task was required ..
Once that attitude is ingrained it becomes very easy to look at the present without fear of it's seeming negativity.
I learned many and many ago that when looking back in retrospect that I was put in the right place at the right time to do whatever task was required ..
Once that attitude is ingrained it becomes very easy to look at the present without fear of it's seeming negativity.
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