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Tommy_Carcetti

(44,499 posts) Tue Jan 20, 2015, 07:00 PM Jan 2015

Has it been your experience when interacting with war veterans.... [View all]

....most of them try to deliberately avoid discussing having to shoot at and potentially kill other people on the battlefield?

Most of the ones I've spoken with don't bring up the subject, and I personally don't feel like dredging it up for them. And that to me seems like the most natural response in having to deal with those types of harrowing experiences. I wouldn't view it as something to brag about, no matter how justified I may have been.

So if you come across someone who has fought in a war and that person makes a specific point of talking about how many people he killed, wouldn't that strike you as being somewhat abnormal?

Just an open question here. And for any DU veterans on here, I don't wish to open up any wounds, so feel free to pass on the question if you like.

30 replies

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Highlight:

Has it been your experience when interacting with war veterans.... [View all] Tommy_Carcetti Jan 2015 OP

Never jberryhill Jan 2015 #1

It's been my experience that The ones that do talk about it are liars Sopkoviak Jan 2015 #2

Haven't interacted with war veterans, but I have read the same thing dissentient Jan 2015 #3

My brother and I have both been to Vietnam upaloopa Jan 2015 #4

Only when we're drinking. Brickbat Jan 2015 #5

That's been my experience with my veteran clients. I found all of them to be msanthrope Jan 2015 #10

One of the guys I went to H.S. with likes talking about. Ykcutnek Jan 2015 #6

I have never met a combat veteran who would talk about combat TexasProgresive Jan 2015 #7

I was drafted during Vietnam but was lucky and spent 2 years in the States. Elwood P Dowd Jan 2015 #8

During TET it didn't matter much what your MOS was. upaloopa Jan 2015 #12

That is true, but I'm just relaying my experience with the ones always bragging Elwood P Dowd Jan 2015 #18

Depends on the person glasshouses Jan 2015 #9

Never in detail though Bandit Jan 2015 #11

They can get into details but it doesn't really happen much with other guys glasshouses Jan 2015 #13

My Husband is a Combat Veteran vankuria Jan 2015 #14

I studied screenwriting at UCLA with Frank McAdams aint_no_life_nowhere Jan 2015 #15

My experience with Vets. The ones that saw action don't talk. The one's that didn't see action... tenderfoot Jan 2015 #16

My uncle was in Korea and did not say word until that ship was taken off the shore of North Korea jwirr Jan 2015 #17

They may not talk about it, but many write about it, including snipers Lurks Often Jan 2015 #19

I have known several combat veterans and it's a mixed bag. dilby Jan 2015 #20

I believe it's the sociopaths who like talking about kiling Skittles Jan 2015 #21

Please see post # 2,3 and especially 7 jaysunb Jan 2015 #22

I wonder if things have changed from war to war, as some of the responses on here reference fathers, Brickbat Jan 2015 #23

Have an in-law that served in Vietnam ThoughtCriminal Jan 2015 #24

Never seen it DesertDawg Jan 2015 #25

I live with one AwakeAtLast Jan 2015 #26

only in some counselling sessions, and then, only briefly. niyad Jan 2015 #27

It's been my experience pipi_k Jan 2015 #28

Both of my grandfathers fought in WWII. Neither ever really talked about it. Avalux Jan 2015 #29

When I came home from my war sarisataka Jan 2015 #30