Would you still be enlisted?

[anthony]

Would you still be enlisted?

If I didn't get PTSD, hell yes... I would so still be within the military. I absolutely loved the job, loved the people, sport, drinking, being part of a team, the activities, adventures and times I had in... you just don't get any of that as a civilian.

Sometimes I wish my brain was wired a different way and that it could tolerate the trauma, ie. one of those who isn't susceptible to PTSD.

 

[mikee1013]

I'm not sure about that. I enjoyed my job in the Army, there wasn't much to it. Infantry guys only clean their weapons and work out. That's pretty much it.

I liked my time in there, but as a course for my entire life.... I am glad to be out. But believe me if I didn't have a wonderful daughter I would be back in the box right now.

 

[Jimmy1]

I totally enjoyed my time in the Army. Regardless of the horrors I experienced, I suppose its just part of the job.

When you see interviews with people who receive awards and citations, the one thing in common they say is that they were just doing their job.
I agree. We were trained to do a job, and in Australia, depending when you joined, recruit training taught you to be an infantry soldier first, and how to use your aggression to kill people, how to carry out first aid on a wounded mate, and how to survive.

Discipline was what made the forces what they were. Now with all the whining from parents of under age soldiers, things have changed. Recruits have vending machines in their foyers of the barracks. They are allowed to have mobile phones, and you are not even allowed to use Corporal Punishment hehe, when they are disrespectful.

So now, you tell a soldier to do something and he is likely to tell you where to go. And if you charge him, all he gets is either a meaningless fine or a reprimand.

The Military has gone too soft and soldiers have too many rights now.

So, although I had every intention of staying in before they kicked me out, I don't think I would go back.

 

[Charon]

I really miss a lot of military life and still toy around with the idea of going back in once I get my degree. I think the thing I miss most is the travel and that feeling that you never really knew what was going to happen, where you would go, and what the mission would be. While I was in though I was very lonely despite having the respect of my peers, NCOs, SNCOs, and CO-I enlisted at an old age (23 compared to most 17 year old kids) and I'm too much of a bookworm and nerd to fit in with your stereotypical grunt. Everyone told me I should be an officer but I couldn't go to school to get my degree to get my commission (hehe) and most of my superiors treated me like, "what's the matter? being enlisted ain't good enough for you?"

I miss it all though, God I miss it. I'm so jealous of my friends who are still in who have deployments coming up or who are deployed. Most "normal" people wouldn't understand why someone would be jealous of someone in a war zone, but I am-even though I have no illusions about war.

 

[Jimmy1]

Charon,

A mate of mine and I were just talking about this subject the other day.
I did over 20 years, was a Warrant Officer Class 2. I was senior in my trade, had the personal respect of hundreds. I love my job and did it well. It was my life, it was who I was.

But times are a changing mate, over here in Australia anyway, and I don't think I could handle the change. I would only get frustrated with the system which as you know would lead to other things. But to me it is like marijuana, I miss it like hell, but would never go back.

Jimmy

 

[BILLYD]

I still don't think I ever should have gotten out, I lost a part of my life leaving the military. My wife and the docs had other ideas for me. If I could I would be back in, in a heart beat.

Bill

 

[abnvet]

HOOAH - Yes!

I'd be back in a heartbeat. Officially I told people I separated from the Army because of family. I had a daughter from a previous marriage that I wanted to get to know as Army life wasn't good with this. I divorced my first wife shortly after the birth of my daughter. My wife now only experienced the Army for 6 months before I separated. She's been great about dealing with my ptsd-

 

[Cmedic69]

I am still in, I can't think of any other life.

Gonna to deploy again next year (x4), really ready to be done though.

I've given up three marriages, 22 years, And time with my kids that I'm never doing to get back. All that said I would not change a thing. Such is the life of a soldier.

I would have got help for my PTSD much sooner, but not much else I woud change

 

[brad p]

I'm a few months late for this thread but I feel that myself and cmedic relate. I could be a nurse. I could be a doctor. I choose to stay on the line. I've spent 27 months in combat. I did not sit on some camp or FOB. I fought. I wouldn't trade it for anything. My hurt is my pride. Hooah cmedic.

 

[willis williams]

Brad thankyou, It is good to hear that there are still hard drivers out there. I was in a combat engineer unit and even knowing the life expectancy I would not change a thing. I was only in somolia for 6 months and I and proud that I took part. I got married when I got back and the wife convinced me to get out. I stayed gone a lot which prolonged the inevitable. I decided to try college for my wife and came home. Half way through my RN degree my wife through me out to decide if she liked me or not. We had never really been together full time while I was on the road welding and millwriting. So the time in college was only 1 1/2 years and she could not handle the PTSD. All the time I was married I regreted leaving the army and wished I could be there. Every time I heard about a deployment it would trigger depression because I couldn't go. I loved combat I new there was an enemy I knew what he wanted of me and I knew what I wanted of him. It was simple I had the best family (my buddies) no bills or problems like the civilian world. It is funny that a group of men can provide so much for each other you can vent, fight, and argue and they will still die for you it is like the ultimated intimacy with out sex and emotions to complicate things, just a differant kind of love. My fiance would not die for me and she probably doesn't like to deal with my PTSD so it defenitly is not unconditional.The answer to the question is yes I would love be back in the army or any service to be doing my part. I am 37 and have to many screws and metal in my body,(to old and to broken) to fight anymore. So, all I can do is thank everyone who is or has served and wish them the best of luck. THANKYOU!!! Tex

 

[patrick]

Sorry to be a stick in the mud here. I spent my Army time during the years of the draft, and I hated every minute of it. I spent 18 months in Vietnam, and never got promoted beyond private first class because of my lousy attitude. I saw so many stupid decisions made by officers who cared way more about their careers than they did about the lives of the enlisted men under them. I saw rampant racism and racial tension that actually resulted in murder, all of it ignored or denied by the brass. I saw an Army chewed up and spit out in the name of God knows what.

I went to Iraq a couple of years ago as a civilian truck driver for KBR, and was amazed by the difference between a volunteer army and one that was mostly drafted. There was an indescribable esprit de corps that astounded me. These kids really did seem to like being in the Army, and felt like they were making a real difference. In some ways I was jealous of their experience. Is this the difference between a volunteer army and one of kids who are conscripted against their will?

Or is it just my own attitude? By the time I got to the Army at 17 years old, I already had PTSD from a childhood of abuse, trusted nobody, hated anybody who told me what to do, and was willing to suffer almost any punishment to maintain my pathological independence. It's all very wierd and confusing to me.

 

[Nate1]

Good day all,
I read over this last night and had to really think about this. Right now I am still serving but I only work half days because of the stress the uniform puts on me. I know that I will be released in the next coming year or two. If it wasn't for my wife and kids I wouldn't have ever came forward about my PTSD because I loved my job, i have made a very good soldier but the problem is now I bring that soldier home.
So yes I would love to be able to stay in the service but that would cost me my family and they are more important to me.

Nate