Originally Posted By: Ajax

I was in combat only once (Vietnam). I can't really speak for you, but I suspect you would surprise yourself with what you could do. I know that in a matter of seconds. I had the following conversation with myself.

"HOLY ****!!!!!!! There are people out their trying to KILL ME. WTF! I'm a nice guy! I open doors for ladies! I squeeze the toothpaste from the end of the tube! Why me??? How come they want ME dead??? What can I do??? What can I POSSIBLY do to prevent them from KILLING ME???? First thing I gotta do is keep them out there, cuz if they get in here their odds of success increase dramatically. How do I keep them out there??? I'm guessing curling up in the fetal position and whimpering won't get it done. I GOT IT!!!!! I have to throw things at them..................LIKE BULLETS."

So, you sit there, wondering if your bowels are going to betray you, and you begin to do your job. You fall back on your training and just do it. You do it cuz that's the only thing that is going to save your little terrified white butt (assuming your butt was white and little to begin with, and is still white).

What I cannot fathom is doing that day in and day out for months, getting a few days/weeks off and then doing it again day after day for months, getting a few more days/weeks off and then doing it again...........to infinity. I don't know if I could stand the cumulative affect of that much terror and devastation. How the survivors of World War II stood it and didn't end up crazier than a loon is beyond me.





Jack, thank you for sharing that insight. I have never been in combat, nor do I ever hope too. My dad was in the Vietnam War, but I have never really asked him much about it--not sure if he wants to revisit that part of his life?

Yeah, I often think how it incredibly difficult it must be to withstand constant fighting and tension day after day.

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"Nothin' up my sleeve. . ." --Bullwinkle J. Moose