Anyone here a combat vet?

[gabosaurus]

My dad has a high school friend who served in Vet Nam (not the one that was his best man). I have never met him, so I told my dad a while back that if he ever came to the Bay Area, Rob and I would buy him lunch.
Today was the day.

Quite a fascinating person. Although a quite bitter one. But I won't go into most of that.
One of his extreme bitches was that many of today's "Hawks" have never been in combat. They may have served in the military, but never saw the front line. Never been pinned under heavy enemy fire. Never had to deal with one of your best buddies, standing five feet from you, getting killed by a sniper. And you have to move on and leave him there.

Totally blew my mind. So that brings my question. I know there are a lot of military vets here. Has anyone been in combat?

[Mr. P]

Gaffer,

[gabosaurus]

Isn't Pale a combat vet?

[Mr. P]

Isn't Pale a combat vet?

Yes, and several others...Peg, gunny I think...

[Kathianne]

My dad has a high school friend who served in Vet Nam (not the one that was his best man). I have never met him, so I told my dad a while back that if he ever came to the Bay Area, Rob and I would buy him lunch.
Today was the day.

Quite a fascinating person. Although a quite bitter one. But I won't go into most of that.
One of his extreme bitches was that many of today's "Hawks" have never been in combat. They may have served in the military, but never saw the front line. Never been pinned under heavy enemy fire. Never had to deal with one of your best buddies, standing five feet from you, getting killed by a sniper. And you have to move on and leave him there.

Totally blew my mind. So that brings my question. I know there are a lot of military vets here. Has anyone been in combat?

Gabby, my dad saw combat. He was at Omaha Beach, by 7:00 in the morning. He was hurt and one of two survivors from his group. He was not 'bitter' and he was not a hawk, though he was hardly into appeasement, that was a lesson he learned.

[pegwinn]

You rang Gabby?

Your friend has a right to be bitter. Although after this many years I would wonder why the chip on his shoulder is still raw. A lot of vets from that era got shit upon. In 91-92 when we had parades, it opened some wounds. I would surmise that today the situation is similar.

Funny thing is that all folks are different. For example, the only outward change I am aware of is a tendency to react quick, fast, and in a hurry to sudden acts. And, of course, I am compulsive about securing the space where my family sleeps. Weapons nearby in case of intrusion. Things like that. I'm actually gratefull that I am not all that deranged or injured.

As time goes on and the number of people I know who've died increase... I feel a bit guilty for retireing after my unit got back.

Best thing to do for your friend is let him talk when he will and don't judge him.

Edited to add: I think CSM is on that list also.

[5stringJeff]

My dad, while a cargo pilot for the Navy, spent many a night in Da Nang while it was under various forms of attack by the VC. I, however, never left the US while on active duty.

[retiredman]

I saw no combat, per se...

the closest I ever came was two years (81-82) as an unarmed military observer/crisis mediator in Lebanon. In that period, I was shot at enough and taken hostage enough to make is seem like combat, without the gratification of being able to shoot back.

[gabosaurus]

Some of his bitterness is personal. He got married out of high school, served in Viet Nam, came back a different person. His wife didn't understand and left him.
He also described unfavorable experiences with veterans pension and the VA hospital. My dad said he was exposed to Agent Orange, at a time when the military claimed it had no detrimental effects. Or that it wasn't used at all.

Basically, this is someone who joined the military (not drafted), went to Viet Nam and wasn't prepared for what he experienced. As if anyone is prepared.

His viewpoint is that anyone who goes to war and enjoys it is a sick person. The only valid war is one in defense of the United States. Other people's wars are not our business.

One side note: He got to meet Dick Cheney when the VP attended a vets rally of some sort. Asked Cheney how he could show up at a vets rally after refusing to serve. Cheney told him that he was "a disgrace." An aide to Cheney tried to have him arrested.
Imagine that -- a guy who got five deferments and once said that "I had other priorities in the 60s than military service" calling a guy who actually went to Viet Nam "a disgrace."

[retiredman]

the mere thought of Dick Cheney makes me want to hurl.

The mere fact that he is the vice president is nauseating to me.

[Sitarro]

So, I guess your father's friend is voting for McCain, he is the only one of the 3 qualified in his opinion. Obama certainly isn't and Hillary is nowhere close.

[Psychoblues]

zero, you are hilarious. Who are you voting for? What did you tell me about McCain? He is a liberal? John McCain is a genuine American Hero. You ain't shit.

[gabosaurus]

Didn't ask him who he was supporting. It never came up.

[Gaffer]

Yes I am a Combat Vet. And I was very bitter when I came home. Bitter with this country. I still am to an extent. I still don't like the term "welcome home" even when another Vet says it, though I don't say anything to them. If I couldn't be welcomed home back then, why should I be now?

I'm a hawk. When war is necessary it is should be waged completely. I think the congress should be made to declare war not vote for funding. I'm fully behind what's going on in iraq and afgan. I can empathized with the troops over there. And if I were young, even knowing what I know about combat, I would be there myself.

Most disgruntled Vets are that way not from the combat but from the way they were treated here at home. Whether from the VA or society in general.

I would ask him about what year he was there and what unit he was in. What part of the country did he spend most of his time. General questions like that will usually get him to expound more on what he did and experienced.

I was exposed to agent orange as were almost all the combat soldiers over there. If they weren't spraying over us, we walked into areas that had been sprayed.

Vietnam was a completely different war than we are fighting now. The only thing that is the same is the tactics of the dems and the media. That has not changed at all. I know, I saw it back then and its an exact repeat now. Divide the country turn everyone against the military, pull out, then cut off funding.

It's all part of the past, but it wasn't really that long ago.

[gabosaurus]

Thanks for your viewpoints Gaffer. I truly appreciate it.