Civilians Don't Get It.

[Raven]

Kudos to the ones who try to reach out to us, however. Some of my biggest supporters and best friends have been civvies. And sometimes I find it refreshing to spend time around them and talk about civilian things. Those who have reached out to me the most in my darkest moments were civilians.

 

[JarHed]

People are people, military or not. Not every military or ex-military person that I've met was a wonderful person. Many were jerks, probably the same percentage as civilians. We're the civilians now.

I agree, though, that non-military people in general don't care about what's going on with those in the military. It will always be the same, the ones that do are either ex-military or the family or friends of them. They know first hand.

 

[Sludge]

I'm not certain about elsewhere, but here in the US I place a good portion of the blame on mass media. Far too often I see combat PTSD veterans shown in only two ways: the gun toting meat eating John Rambo type that suffers a psychotic break and shoots up a restaurant, or takes his family hostage and holes up in the house; and the ultra depressed, moody melodramatic whiner with what the public calls an overblown sense of entitlement.

Now, take what the folks see on the News at night and throw in the EXACT SAME portrayals by the entertainment media, and you end up with Americans that know everything, or think they do. Even more insulting, they drive around with those stupid, overpriced, Chinese made yellow ribbon magnets on their cars, or wear "I support our Troops" t-shirts and have never actually done ANYTHING to support the troops.

I feel that as long as we continue to allow civilians to picture us as some hollywood drama stereotype or mass murdering monsters the pervasive ignorance will only get worse.

I, and Po-dog, used to volunteer quite a bit with other PTSD vets, but we don't anymore. I find that while you know where I lay blame, I haven't mentioned that we the vets are just as much at fault. We have allowed civilians to portray us incorrectly to other civilians. My personal experience thus far is that many PTSD vets reject help, interaction, or treatment. They are so caught up in the pre-programmed us vs. them mentality that they are not willing to put forth the effort to even try.


I guess what I am trying to get at is that the only way to deal with ignorant, impressionable civilians is to learn ourselves how to not be typified and take steps as a whole to get the right information out there and hope. We cannot coerce the ignorant to change, but we can provide them with the information they need to do so.

 

[Sarg]

Jar, sorry man but I'm gonna go all cerebral on ya here. At least the way I feel and how most of the combat Vets I've run into feel, I don't think you can ever go home to civiality. Once you've tasted blood, you can't take it back. We're rewired, reconditioned, recapped, whatever!

I just can't manage the civilian mentality. Perhaps some of it has to do with me growing up in the military. Perhaps my age as well and the specter growing, rather than all else that is shrinking.

PTSD isn't just an emotional illness, it's a physiological one as well. There's conclusive proof that the brain shrinks (mine much faster than anyone's). There's chemical imbalances along with neural synaspe changes.

Just respectfully disagree, friend Jar, one just can't go home after PTSD.

Sarg

 

[Wagon]

I was contemplating the civvy thing the other day.

It could be that we are used to being 100% into what we are doing. I mean you remember. You didn't half ass anything, you got your ass kicked if you did. It's called "Gundecking" in the Navy and that is one of the biggest sins outside of missing ships movement. Or was. not sure now.

Civvies never have to do that. Some do. Some professions require that 100%. Not many. And I can say, When I made that switch from the docks to the office, Wow. I was lucky to get a 50% out of people. And God help you if you try to push people a little.

If I do something, it's going to be 100%. I just can't fathom not doing a job with all your effort. WTF.

What is the line in Full Metal Jacket "I got no time for slackers, no loads and non hackers" something like that. Man I just have no patience with a less than full effort. I'm probably a real bastard.

 

[JarHed]

Once you've tasted blood, you can't take it back. We're rewired, reconditioned, recapped, whatever!

Hey Sarg

I agree with that. I didn't mean that we're civil or domesticated or anything like that. Just that to other people, unless you're wearing a uniform, you're a civilian, that's all. Hell I'll never be normal, service or not. And, yes, sometimes I can still 'taste' it.

Jar

 

[Jimmy1]

You know what, I think it's the individuals choice and what they want to learn. I have met a few spouses, mostly wives who have gone out of their way to know everything about their partner. If you were to meet them, they could tell you all about the rank structure, postings, operations, etc, etc. Yes they would have no idea what war is about, then again, the majority of us have no idea what it's like to go into a burning building with a fire hose. Fireman would say that we don't understand.

Do you get what I am saying. Civilians are just under informed or don't want to know.

 

[Jibby]

....Yes they would have no idea what war is about, then again, the majority of us have no idea what it's like to go into a burning building with a fire hose. Fireman would say that we don't understand.

Do you get what I am saying. Civilians are just under informed or don't want to know.

Who would blame them?? Nobody owes me anything at the end of the day. I chose the path, and worked hard to walk it. After care is something else, but I've met just as many good lads/knobheads out here as I ever did when I was in.

 

[Bill Simmons]

When I use to live in the United States it was a little less of a problem. But now that I live in Miami, Florida I am a true outcast. Forget the fact that I speak Spanish, and forget the fact that I like the Cubans in general. I am just not "one of them". And as far as being a vet, Viet Nam was a long time ago and no one but Jar, and Sarg, and a few other "old f*ckers" give a shit. Well...a few young servicemen do also.
We may as well have worked for Ganghis Khan in the minds of 99.99% of the people. I don't think we would have fit in with the " civilians" even if we had never been in the service. We deal with them because we do not have any way to get around it. We don't lie and we don't cheat and we don't steal so those facts alone makes us outcast.

 

[Raven]

Kind of related but not really. In Hoboken, NJ, there are memorials to the following wars: WWI, WWII, Vietnam, The Gulf Wars, and OEF.

What about Korea? That is a war because of which my mother had to grow up fatherless in the 1950's and 60's.

 

[WyomingMarine]

I feel ya there Tho9900, my girl thought it was weird that no matter the club, restaurant, event, anything didnt matter but somehow i would always find another war vet and we would be deep in conversation like we had been best friends separated for years!! She hated it cause i know yall have done been there but i would kinda cut her out until i was done talking and sometimes depending on the mood it would take a while. she hated it but was still amazed at how we just knew, didnt have to be wearing a unit shirt or showing tattoos or anything that screams military but we just knew.​

 

[Tim Cake]

I feel ya there Tho9900, my girl thought it was weird that no matter the club, restaurant, event, anything didnt matter but somehow i would always find another war vet and we would be deep in conversation like we had been best friends separated for years!! She hated it cause i know yall have done been there but i would kinda cut her out until i was done talking and sometimes depending on the mood it would take a while. she hated it but was still amazed at how we just knew, didnt have to be wearing a unit shirt or showing tattoos or anything that screams military but we just knew.​

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