Sebastian Junger: Why veterans miss war
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- Опубликовано: 22 май 2014
- Civilians don't miss war. But soldiers often do. Journalist Sebastian Junger shares his experience embedded with American soldiers at Restrepo, an outpost in Afghanistan's Korengal Valley that saw heavy combat. Giving a look at the "altered state of mind" that comes with war, he shows how combat gives soldiers an intense experience of connection. In the end, could it actually be "the opposite of war" that soldiers miss?
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I miss it constantly. I've lost a marriage and some friends to my odd longings. When you're there, you imagine how grand it would be to go home, but when you get back home, you realize that life carried on without you.... and that you were never really needed there. In the desert, we were needed. People relied on us. I understand why troops get depressed when they return home... because we don't need people's pity. We need a purpose.
Outside of the consumerist matrix of America, we found a purpose, even if it's not what we initially wanted for ourselves. Coming back to the land of excessive convenience and incessant cynicism, we found ourselves stripped of the roles we'd spent time devoting our sweat to. They give us a pat on the back, some time off & a free annual meal at Applebee's.... but where's the purpose? Consuming just to consume, with the only struggle being, "how can I consume more?"
America.... the land of the free, and the home of the perpetually depressed souls, who always see the green grass while standing on their dead lawns. The desert was red, but the desert was green.
+Milkstopher Tripp That was poetic brother.
Michael Erskine I don't believe Mr. Tripp is pathetic, his situation is pathetic for lack of a better word. He isn't the sole variable in his own life his wife and friends made their own choices as did he. He learned many things such as the true meaning of brotherhood and self sacrifice he yearns for those feelings again. Unfortunately he discovered his purpose in the sands of the middle east and they stayed there along with what I feel is his innocence. This happens very often with troops of all ages. How can society expect a young man or a man who has been soldiering all of his life to have a purpose other then that of service to himself and his brothers put simply that is all his purpose. The absence of diversity forced his hand, he could not seek his purpose because it was already set. Arrogance is a useful weapon drilled into the heads of soldiers from the day they leave basic training, it is necessary to believe you are better, you are the best, that none are greater then you. On the topic of self-pity that's a natural human emotion especially in times of constant distress and drastic environmental change i.e coming home from deployment. I digress and wise nothing but the best for my brother Tripp and all others who have suffered and sacrificed.
+Michael Erskine youre a fucking idiot.
Michael Erskine i actually take that back. sometimes people have the tendency to project harsh criticism on those that they identify with. instead, i dont think youre an idiot, i actually feel bad for you. not in a condescending way either, i sincerely sympathize. its not like most soldiers know that they are being used for political and financial interests, and its too late after the ptsd is set in. i truly hope you can move on, and heal. good luck.
+Milkstopher Tripp well said brother.
It’s not missing combat. It’s missing being part of something bigger. Knowing you matter . Mattering to the brothers around you
who would you jump on a grenade for and who would do it for you
Agreed!
Family isn't enough? Hubby was SF, he went all in to our home and family. He loves the small things that seem boring today. He adjusted well and is now a harsh critic of many from the gear in the rear bunch.
I feel ya man. Been retired 7 years now and still can't that sense of belonging. I've worked EMS, Fire Service and in an ER. I gravitate to other vets far quicker than I will a civilian, but even that has limits. I was a field medic, USAF Special Ops, when I find a vet who was basically a desk jockey I hold them at arm's length because they don't get it.
@Rant Master it's more though. In the general population, no one tells you what to do. You never really know if you're making a difference. You have to decide how to measure yourself.
"Brotherhood has nothing to do with how you feel about the other person." This is so true. There are people in my unit that I don't like, would never hang out with, but I would die for.
TheCrimsonChin91 God bless you for all you endured and for your honesty.
That's so true! There were people in my squad I wouldn't ever have wanted to hang out with I would have taken a bullet for. That's literally the best analogy I've ever seen. Thank you for writing that
Seems very paradoxical, can someone elaborate more?
Picture this. Think of someone who you would never talk to. As much as you may not like them, you would never want to see them killed (I hope). Normally, differences between people only go so far. They are humans too and though they aren't your friend, they're on your team in the military fighting for you too.
so that's supposed to be a good thing?
I’m a veteran. I have this strange coping mechanism when I’m stressed out or feel anxious. I think of the sound of gunfire and I calm down. I think it comes from the anxiety of the quite down time, waiting to be attacked. When the gunfire would finally begin, I would become calm. Because the thing I was scared of finally came, and I was in it. The anxious waiting was over. So now to this day, when my anxiety kicks in, I automatically think about gunfire, and I can calm down and cope with whatever it is I’m dealing with. The mind is a strange thing.
George Wittgen thanks.. I guess, lol.
The smell of sulfur will hit me at times that im not expecting it. Sometimes the rush is so intense i will go into a trance from it.
What an absolute mind bend. I can totally understand it rationally. But I know I can't understand the feeling. I can't picture the absolute terror of the possibility and the calmness of facing such fear. Hope you're doing well sir.
There's nothing to fear but fear itself.
im not even kidding, im crying right now knowing im not alone in this
Looking at his eyes and the occasional struggle in speech, I'd say he struggles with quite a bit of it himself. He knows what he's talking about.
Or he might be just nervous speaking to a room full of people. ;)
@@Suyamu Nah. Dude has captured hundreds, if not thousands, of hours of footage of fighting in some of the most dangerous war zones in the world. He has his struggles.
Glas someone else pointed this out. I wouldnt call it the 1000-yard stare (from FMJ) but the memories that he get flooded with while talking are portrayed in his eyes.
@@SingerBlinger568 Sure, he's been there - doesn't mean he can't function anymore without making Shatner pauses in his speech. I think you guys are reading too much into this.
@@Suyamu Dude. This is not social anxiety. This man is not afraid, he is heartbroken.
you can almost see his experiences in his eyes and on his face
I saw it too. www.thetimewall.com
Comrade Savage You can vicariously live it in his book, "War." I've spent my life with and around combat vets since the early '70s and have been listening to Vets/collecting/reading first person accounts since then. Junger's '10 book, "War" is excellent, IMO. This guy nails it: It's not what people think combat vets miss at all. The relationships they developed-"The Brotherhood"-among these men has no comparison in civilian society.
Guys from Vietnam still feel that empty place in their heart 40/50 yrs. later. These are the most profound, intense relationships any human ever experiences; they transcend place and time.
I think that's just alcoholism you're seeing there. This dude looks smashed.
Based on his recollections, I wouldn't be surprised if he was an alcoholic, but it's more than that. There were a few times where his voice appeared close to breaking.
The only 'experiences' i can see on his face is the medication or drugs running through his face during this video. He's an addict, but not of war.
As a 20 yr vet of the Army I can support this. 3 tours in Iraq and one in Afghanistan. This is remarkable close to what I felt/feel. Combat is a simple life. Stay alive and protect your brothers and sisters.
Have you found any ways to sort of have that same energy in civilian life?
@@anandpatel1074 I have but I don’t know that I could explain it. I don’t do social media, I don’t do negativity, I love my family and they are my mission. I decided to give them the same effort, attention, and passion I have during combat.
I hold a Bronze Star, two Purple Hearts, a Combat Infantryman's Badge, etc. from Vietnam. Right after I was hit by a land mine and found out that I wasn't paralyzed by the wound,I went to help put out a brush fire that was threatening other wounded men. It was the proudest moment of my military service. I still attend my squad's reunions in Washington, D. C.--Tom Reilly
dodadagohuhsgi Thank you for your service Sir!
That’s incredible, I’m sure you have an incredible story to tell. Thank you for your service sir!
@@timduncan8450 ew go away loser
@@SkankHunt42isback What? He was just thanking him.
@@SkankHunt42isback huh.
He hit the nail on the head. Marines and soldiers don't particularly miss the war and combat. We miss the brotherhood, the camaraderie, knowing exactly what we would do for each other without hesitation. That is what I miss the most.
Tbh. this means you're lost in your past and that reality. You don't want to get out. You want to live within your small circle of brotherhood.
@@sleepyearth how does one get lost in their past? Without your past, you aren't you.
@@sparkyfister I think what they're trying to say is that one can get trapped in the past. Nothing can ever replace old bonds but new experiences also don't get built by looking at images behind picture frames.
It's a fine balance because the past is the thing that makes you and it's also a thing that can stunt you
@@sleepyearth and???
@@sleepyearth You think you aren't lost?
As a civilian, I was very moved by this. Very transparent. Helping me grasp at something I'll never fully understand.
True story!
Respect my dude!!
@Die Klausi you missed the point! We dont miss combat, we miss the belonging to something bigger than us, and the brotherhood can never be replaced in our civilian lives!
You can go to war to understand it
When I went home I told a freind I was with that I trusted them more than my own family... me and a few others experienced that and I thought maybe there was something wrong with me because who in their right mind would love a freind more than their family?? Then I realized that why wouldn’t I love someone more who’s done so much..we carry each-other over walls and share ammo and sweat together... I’ve never done that with my family so I get it now..
It's 2am I'm drinking whiskey and smoking a cigar and watching this for like the 20th time, and yet I'm still crying like it's my first time. PTSD and depression is real. Be nice to vets. Be nice to everyone. Everyone is fighting a battle you don't know about.
💯
I am with you
How do you make it through it seems to be non stop for periods of time
Carlos Gutierrez I would like to talk to you more I know we can relate
Hey brother you keep writing down your thoughts. That's actually pretty good writing. It helps. I was part of a vet group here in Austin, and that's one of the things they encourage.
I've been out of the British army for 19 years and I miss it sill, everyday. Within three years of leaving, I had lost my family and I was living in a car. Time is a slow healer and I like all veterans, will take my experiences to my grave.
Just trying to get through a day is very hard, but we soldier on.
God bless to all veterans, no matter which war you served in...
Keep up the good fight brother. You're not alone.
my story similar..living in car and all ..thank you for all you have done.
Thank you.
Vince I served in the USAF Special Ops our Wing trained all helicopter pilots and the occasional UN Swedish and British Pilots. It was really interesting!
Please contact me if you need any further help, im a ex British army guy. Iive in the UK. Don't struggle on your own.
Someone finally put into words what I have been trying to explain for so long...I'm literally sitting in a Popeyes chicken with tears in my eyes because I suddenly dont feel so alone.
Adrenaline is the most powerful drug out there. And it's produced when we are in danger. Nothing will substitute for being wired 24/7 by adrenaline.
Join the masons, you may find what you are looking for
Who me? I'm just talking body chemistry.
the op
Damn this duse nailed it
I was in Fallujah in 2004 and in 2006. Clearing houses, seeing the Mujahadeen up close and personal was far worse than anything in Afghanistan - let me tell you that - What I miss is the adrenaline, yes, it was the most intense experience I ever had or will ever have. No thrill in my life will ever come close to it again - EVERYTHING is boring. I hate my life sometimes; I wish I would have just died a hero's death, my family got my $750,000 life insurance policy, and I wouldn't lead the existence I do. There's a quote by Hemingway I will paraphrase here which sums it all up, as he himself was in WWI:
"Men who have hunted other men in War will find no joy in anything else thereafter", and he eventually blew his head off with a shotgun. I think this quote applies to all those veteran's who killed themselves. We are warriors, we have no more war to fight, and there is no place for a warrior in modern society.
I understand what you are saying. But you have to relearn part of your life. You cant be a soldier for ever. And you cant allow your self to drift into the past, that way leads to drink, drugs depression, prison , depression. When you are in civvy street after the buzz has worn of for you, and every else who welcome you back. Its time to start the drudergry and rat race that is civvy street, and civvy work. Getting up travel on a over crowded tube, to go to a grey souless job. Having to learn how to make new friends, and how to learn out to live in a new society. I am now 56, and now again, I have been in long boring and I mean boring work meetings, where I just cant get the passion for the meeting, and I fantasize about violence.
well the falklands and northern ireland might have been more boring than riding the tube to work , ok /
quit worrying about how you feel all the fking time?
Do something to make ur mother or kids happy
There always struggles to join, though nothing quite like war.
I'm sorry you feel that way and Just do the best you can. Sometimes I want to join the army for that same reason: Boredom, but also as Sebastian said in the video, the feeling of brotherhood. I have this: "No one hurts my group of friends" mentality, this sense of loyalty, and desire to help people I know, even if it hurts people outside of my group. While I agree with our independent-thinking capitalist society (I see the economic and welfare benefits it provides everyone) but I also see the major social drawbacks in that people do things not for others, but simply for themselves, and they don't realize that giving back to society and others will better the world around them in the end. but that is simply my logical justification for helping others. The real reason is because I enjoy being part of a "team" or a group when we all share the same goals, and help each other out of anything, and do things together that are fun and thrilling.
This is one the major reason why I enjoyed working and volunteering at the V.A hospital, because I'm helping people who understand the value of loyalty and camaraderie. To me, the veterans are not the dysfunctional ones, it's our ignorant, isolationist, society that's the real problem.
My darkest day was when I tried to re-enlist and then told “NO” I gave my everything to the Marines and being told that I couldn’t do this anymore it was like them telling me “you’re no longer good enough to be a Marine” I remember going back to my Ssgt and just shaking my head and I said “I got denied” he told me that I could have the rest of the week off (it was on a Monday) I went home to my (ex)wife and my newborn daughter and I just said let’s go to lunch. We went to lunch and she asked me what happened and that was the only time my wife had ever seen me cry.
Same here 13 years
E6 out 10 months. Recruiter said no, I was crushed. Desert storm 1.
My old unit 317th deplored from Kosova to the sandbox.
I only did one term but I left on my own accord because I new eventually the same thing would happen to me, I've always wished the military was like it was in the old days and you could stay in it for thirty years as a private. I'd do it I wouldn't care about a retirement I'd still do it if I got nothing I am a warrior it's what I do and I new they wouldn't let us do it anymore. Semper Fi brother Vaya con Dios.
After Desert Storm we came back 14 months after we left August 1st,1990 - November ,anyway went to Balboa Naval Hospital to get checked out for back pain knee pain etc from Helo crash I was in found out had serious injury that would keep me from staying in! Devastating isn't even close as no longer could do the thing I lived for!
I’m sorry man, I hope you are doing well brother
U, got some Bad report that says NO , that comes fm Command ,they will give u in writting ,why , , ,
He hit the nail on the head. This is what PTSD is all about. It's not necessarily the atrocities of combat, but the psyche of coming home and not being around our fellow brothers. You feel like a lone wolf and it makes us feel like we can't breath or deal with the reality of the situation sometimes.
Bang on
About the "please somebody attack us" line: there's also the psychology of fear at play. It's preferable to be IN a firefight rather than the constant fear and vigilance waiting for one that you know will happen but not when.
100%, but the boredom also sucks.
I see what your saying, but wishing that someone would attack and fear do not correlate
@@spaceduniverse he's actually right. There is a psychology to fear and anticipation. They very much do correlate. That's not to say it's always like that, but it sometimes is.
@@daxfrost5942 yeah, like I said, i agree but disagree, tho the psychology is right, I dont think that was his reasonjng
We were just sentries in the States and we'd say that because we were bored out of our brains - and the combat vets from Vietnam would be like "don't say that" ...
.
I quote from the German general in BOB
"Men, it's been a long war, it's been a tough war. You've fought bravely, proudly for your country.
You are a special group, who have found in one another a bond that exists only in combat.
-- Among brothers who have shared foxholes,
who have held each other in dire moments,
who have seen death, and suffered together...
I am proud to have served with you. You deserve a long and happy life of peace"
But that's not what they want. "A long happy life of peace." They don't feel the same bond in peace that they feel in war.
talons claw a quick quote "my brother to my right my brother to my left together we stand together we fight"
talons claw
"We band of brothers"
Jesse Bowman Have seen several other comments from your dumbass. Think I called you an ignorant dumbass on another one. Would like to reiterate that statement here!
War in many ways can be an addiction everyone wants peace especially a warrior...its just harder to find for some and harder still to resist the call
I spent 5 years in the Marines before being medically discharged in 2011. I did 3 tours in Iraq, and I miss it daily. Not the combat, but the brotherhood, the mission, actually doing something worth a damn. I've found that I'm attracted to other veterans in the civilian world. I recently left a company to join a veteran owned small business that had ~15 other veterans in it. I've found that being around other vets, sharing the war stories, the loss, the good times, really helps bring that feeling of brotherhood back. I wouldn't leave my current job and the guys I work with for any amount of raises.
God bless you brother. Never quit.
You could see Sebastian trying to hold back the emotions from the shared experiences many times during his presentation. One thing he didn’t talk about, because you could go on forever, is how as a soldier (particularly as an elite soldier ie airborne, ranger, special forces) you have so much power and responsibility in the military and war and when you return to the world many struggle to be trusted with even trivial things. There aren’t many occupations for someone who is a master of weapons etc. It doesn’t translate well to civilian life except for law enforcement. The sense of belonging to something for many is just instantly over.
our platoon Sergeant a Viet nam vet told us if your white,black,brown or red we are all green now and we all bleed red.that was 30 years ago and it still resonates with me
+tomtomshay Where did you serve?
25 th infantry division,2 nd infantry division,berlin brigade
I heard the same thing many times. MANY times. And it was a real thing.
Its funny, they still say that now....
tomtomshay ...silly irrelevant nonsense worthy of a Hollywood movie
I miss my friends that died over there. I can't go a single day without seeing the dead or thinking about friends who died over there. It didn't fully hit me how much all that death has stayed with me until I saw that movie Lone Survivor. Others in the theater was s talking and a few sniffling was heard was they read off the names of the guys who died during that mission. I just sat there with my face pouring tears and thinking about my friends I put in body bags and knowing they were just kids. I cant go to movies like that anymore in theaters. I cant watch horror movies either because of the blood. I some times just for no reason just start crying and thinking about these times. I live in constant pain in my body now. But nothing hurts more than losing my buddies from back then.
I feel u brother in having a real hard time these days. OIF I OIF II 7th marines Doc HM2 GILES FMF PurpleHeart recipient
Our country needs more men like you. Thank you gentlemen for everything you’ve done.
Sir...I cant imagine what you go thru. But please know...there are so many that recognize and wholeheartedly appreciate you answering that call our Country made. I for one am grateful and I love you brother....God bless you.
Hang in there :( I wish you luck on your journey
I am so sorry and I appreciate everything you have done
This is the best explanation of what I feel, what I miss. It took me a long time to adjust to the loss of the camaraderie, the brotherhood. I spent 30 years in the Army, 30 years developing these bonds, and all of a sudden, upon retirement, you are cast out into another, very different society. It truly is a culture shock. I must have subconsciously known about this, because I immediately found a way to get back into the fray, back into the brotherhood. I got a job as a contractor and was employed to go back to Afghanistan prior to signing out of the military. I was back in the fold and overseas 3 days after I officially retired. I remember the phone interview, when they hired me, it was as if I had won the lottery, I was ecstatic, I felt very fortunate to be back in the game. I played football my entire childhood and in high school, that feeling of back in the game was very similar to being pulled from a football game for a missed block, or a fumble or a dropped pass. Coach benched you, you felt abandoned, but then he called your number and the feeling elation is the closest I can come to explaining being able to go back to the fray, I felt great, I was happy and fulfilled again. I am not a war monger, but the best ten years of my serve was the war years following 9/11. Again, the football analogy works here. Before 9/11, I was n a team that only practiced, was never allowed to play a game, have actual competition against another team, then came 9/11 and it kicked off ten years of live action. You and your team mates went from good friends to "the brotherhood". I was an incredible evolution, I am so fortunate to have been there and experienced it. It was both a blessing and a curse. The blessing was being part of the brotherhood, the curse was the price some of your team mates, or brothers would pay for that experience. We all knew it was possible, and in some cases, likely, but we forged on. The "juice was worth the squeeze". Mr Junger is right on the money when he describes what being shot at is like, he gave a very accurate description, the tunnel vision and the slow motion altered state, the adrenaline rush or flood in my case is very real and very addictive. After one near death experience, it took me hours to expel all of the adrenalin, it must be the same for drug addicts, I can relate to the endless pursuit of drugs, after a few close calls, I became a junkie. Thank you Sebastian for this video, its the best and most accurate explanation I have come across, it hit home with me.
I cry privately, i miss my team and the security i felt with them. "I miss it all" also
Same
I haven't had a brother in years. I cried when i listened to this video. I sent it to my civi friends and they just ignored it...
When that questioned was posed, I answered “everything” before Sebastian gave the answer. I’ve been out of the MC for 12 years, and I think about it daily. If you know, you know.
The divide between combat vets and civilians is perfectly demonstrated by the way the audience is looking at him.
😂😂😂😂😂
I thought the same thing...
I too thought the same thing
well, i notice that at first there were a couple people laughing
was it?
I was pissed off just looking at the 2 Individuals grinning like idiots.
When you know you or your buddies lifes are on the line.. That's as real as it gets.
In the military and especially during war...we know where we stand. In civilian life we don't. We find it hard to find people we can trust and know has our back.
I have been out for a year and still dont trust anyone
yes
LoL r u 12?
@@bobbobb2322 35 and a combat vet why?
I am on my 14th year, I enjoy deployments no matter how good or bad they turn out, because over seas you know were you stand. I have lost friends because time keeps moving without you while deployed and many of them are not the same as when you left.
Great talk! I am a life long civilian and an academic. Every time the camera panned around to show what looked like soft, self-absorbed egg heads in the audience, I thought, "I hope that is not what I look like to a soldier". I sensed that both the males and the females were uncomfortable, some even annoyed, hearing about the other side of the bubble they live in, and the kinds of things that are required of hard men to keep that bubble from popping.
I am a Vietnam veteran. Sebastian Junger is one of my favorite authors. I own a copy of "The Perfect Storm" which is probably his best-known work. This is the first time I've heard him speak. I watched the movie, "Restrepo." His commentary is as elegant as is his writing. I think his observations are sound. The peculiar biochemistry that happens in situations of intense stress has an addictive quality. The camaraderie and esprit de corps would be hard to duplicate anywhere else.
What civilians don't understand is that when you experience being part of something that changes history (which is exactly what war does) and you go back to doing the "normal" routine in the civilian world, your eyes are open to seeing that world and the people in it in a different light. It is not just the combat that changes you and there is a bit too much emphasis being placed on it. Not everyone has gotten into a massive firefight at an outpost, but many have had to endure indirect fire, IEDs, snipers, etc. on a periodic basis, but it didn't matter. Even if someone didn't get shot or see a friend die, the experience will change you, especially if you did operations outside of the wire. When you are part of the 1% that serves and then maybe .50% that went to a combat deployment, you are going to miss that life where everything was narrowed down to accomplishing the mission and watching your fellow troop's back. Back home is a bunch of bills, work to pay those bills with very little personal satisfaction, relationships to manage, over saturation by the media, and being surrounded with people who only know their own world and constantly complain about it. Yeah, deploying will always be yearned for by many.
I have never been in battle and i won't pretend i know what vets go through ... i played a lot of sports and sort of know what he is talking about comradary ... i think the military would be like that but on steroids ... i appreciate all that all vets have sacrificed ...
I think it would be a good idea that vets staying in contact with their brothers in arms afterwards whether it be getting together for weekend or a dinner every yr ... maybe some organization through the military should set that up ...
In war men dont change history they make it.
So theres only going to war or living a "normal" routine? you should get out more
No, but maybe you should experience other things before saying something that is very short sighted and a bit off topic.
There are/have been plenty of civilians who change history more than any single foot soldier.
I was an infantryman (11B) in the Army and did two tours post 9/11. He hit the nail on the head with "brotherhood" during his speech. Other things change. I used to like hunting before war, but I can't these days.
Reminds me of some old WW2 books I'd read of peoples experiences in the pacific.
I'm also Infantry. Thanks brother. I served pre-9/11 and when I went to volunteer the day after,I was thanked for my enthusiasm and sent home as a geriatric. I'm 47 now. I never wanted to kill...not once ever...until 9/11....I always had problems sleeping until then...now I'm ok with my past.
I never want to hurt anything again in my life. I really hope I never have to.
Kenny Kash 11b. 82nd 3/505. i still hunt though
Kenny Kash The brotherhood is strong
The closeness with fellow soldiers - taking high road of helping humanity, your country, believing in their mission. God bless each & every one of them
I'm 75 and sometimes I still miss it, but having joined a couple of reunion groups with vets of my unit helps a great deal. When the ache gets to be too much I think of being in the mountains, in the rain, with no food or water b/c the choppers can't fly with leaches hanging off of my body and wet to the skin. That gets rid of the the horror of feeling lost pretty quickly.
Follow me!
I remember last year I went to see a WWI documentary at a theater called They Shall Not Grow Old. I sat at the very top of the theatre silently crying with tears in my eyes watching this. This was combat from my great grandfather's generation when he went to war as a young man and happen to survive. My Dad went through WWII and Korea as a Paratrooper and Infantryman. My Uncles did the same in Vietnam. My oldest Brother went with the 82nd Airborne in Grenada. I for my personal experience as a young Paratrooper in the Panama Invasion of 1989-90. Later I was in Iraq with my own soldiers as an infantry squad leader and platoon sergeant during 2006-08. In a combat zone my soldiers mean everything to me. Because these are the young men that have to follow me and do what they are ordered to do dangerous things that can cost them their lives. I was very lucky at the end of both one year tours that none of my soldiers are dead or wounded. It was a miracle that they all shot well and moved without hesitation and used their heads when receiving heavy fire from the enemy. The followed orders and took charge of every situation we were in. The located enemy targets, moved, shoot, and communicated like a well oiled machine. They were magnificent flowing like mercury through the combat zone. I was impressed by their abilities. I managed to put into their heads the seriousness of combat during pre-deployment training. During that time before combat. They can be trained to immediate responses with untested leaders but I was with them to tell them what will happen when we deployed. I was once untested and the rest of my platoon had no combat experience except for my Squad Leader. He was a veteran of Grenada from 1st Ranger Battalion. I respected this man and he made me his Bravo Team Leader. I listened to him along with the stories and advice of my Dad and Uncles who had served in wars previously. The squad I was in went into auto pilot the first night of combat. The comradery of working together under fear of getting killed or wounded sinks in every minute and hour as we moved and shot at the enemy. In combat a person's hearing and sight becomes more keen. Reflexes and mind become tuned in to his job in the team like a team sport of football. Because failure on the battlefield is either dead or be wounded. We got lucky in Panama for my first time. I will never forget the guys in my squad, platoon, and company. This will live forever in my mind. Dad said to me when I came back. "Son. You did what you had to do to stay alive. You made sure you kept your friends alive, and your friends did the same for you. Only you have your own story to how it went down. I can't criticize you because only you did what you had to do to live.". That was profound by Dad who survived combat in WWII and Korea. That was the few times I had seen Dad cry too.
@@BradHedges= AIRBORNE ALL THE WAY!!!
You are an incredible man that comes from an incredible family. Thank you sir for your service and your family aswell!
I loved reading this, but I bet you loved writing it more. Freeing isn't it? Most importantly it's honoring. To share your story, is to share the story of all the others whom you served with, and whom served before you. My grandfather was a WWII combat veteran, and my inspiration for joining. Before he left the Army, he was Military Police. I joined the Army as Military Police. At the time, it was literally the closest MOS to infantry a woman could get in the Army, and guaranteed to deploy to combat. If my Grandfather was brave enough to fight all over during WWII, then by no means could I hide behind my gender or a cushy sidelines job.
I'm rambling, so to the point... thank you and your family for their extended service, and I'm happy that we both had world war vets in both of our families.
I will salute to your father, and any one of your family member if I happen to encounter them. South Korean, If I wasn't a christian I must've kneeled down and put my head down to the ground.
Thank you, very much.
man i really wish i was traumatized by extreme combat
It's very hard to explain this to civilians and even family members about this without getting negatively judged or criticized
It's almost impossible. Been there, done that, was issued the t-shirt.
har do convince people it matters when all you do is makinmg arms sellers and bankers rich
Than shutup n growup
@101327 THAT RESPONSE IS TO BE EXPECTED FROM YOUR TYPE OF PEOPLE, WHO LOVE TO KILL
@Kaptain Kid so he identifies with an Infantry unit, big deal. Do you want to tell the WW II soldier who may still have his unit or job name as a screen name that he needs to grow up? Some of us will NEVER have the same brotherhood and comradeary that we had in the service, or more directly under fire. Until you have been shot at you have no platform to judge someone on here
I'm not military but wildland firefighter, I was injured recieving a traumatic brain injury and was forced to self resign, coming back home to San Diego I got the hero's welcome but something felt off, saw a plume of smoke and drove towards it after leaving work without a second thought, I stopped myself and the rest of the ride home everything was on fire... I wasnt scared tho, I was calm. I broke down crying and speeding home and I was back in the mountains trapped in fire, not scared but missing it. My head put me back in the mountains even tho I'm back home, didnt realize how many episodes I went through before it was PTSD, I pray this video helps fight everything i been dealing with. I share this story in Hope's other people can understand but also relate. I'm proud of you guys n gals, if you feel like your nothing know that you've done good and should be proud of yourself, maybe I'll be back in those mountains soon. I love y'all keep your head up
I'm no army man...but I understand the bond You make with you team members and the camaraderie... I was a firefighter for 13 years (untill I had to retire due to a back injurie), and you and your teammates share some sort of brotherhood that is impossible to break.... I remember back in the day that there was a guy I didn't like too much, but I wouldn't hesitate entering a building on fire if he was inside and couldn't get out....
Thank you for your service. You all don't get told that enough, I feel, compared to military folks.
As a member of the 173ABCT in the Pesh and Konar river valleys, may I say thank you Sebastian for bringing light to the realities of war...
Thank you for wording the way I feel sir....
Alan Helton there are those who care sir. You're not alone. I'm 17 and a junior marine, I see in my generation great disregard for the great things and even greater sacrifices soldiers like you make, and it sickens me. Know that if it means anything, I only hope to live up to the standard that you and all the other great men and women in our armed forces have set. Thank you.
I have the greatest respect for the troops, because when it comes down to it, I don't know if I could do some of what they do. I'm constantly in awe of the courage and camaraderie of soldiers under fire, and it's for that reason I thank anyone who has the courage to serve. Courage I may have but am admittedly terrified to use. I just hope that if some day I find myself on the front lines of any war, be it foreign or domestic, that I can live up to those expectations.
glad I read your post now i know I spelled camaraderie wrong!
AIRBORNE!!!
"There is no hunting like the hunting of man, and those who have hunted armed men long enough and liked it, never care for anything else thereafter." ~ Hemingway
So deep i derped
That is only one point of view to judge a universe of posibilities. My Dad fought a war for almost 25 years and he never came fond to hunt another human beign. He did his duty protecting and serving his countryman, never becaming an animal. You must open your mind to understand what does the war really mean.
@@danielcifuentes7198 I completely agree, I served in two branches, I still serve as a pts/ptsd counselor and community director in my state, I see and mentor 100+ vets a year, I am well aware of life in at out. You sir keep up your good works revealing the trauma which is the struggle and silent battle that rages everyday in our vets. #DV8Outdoors #naturetheraphy
Then you've missed this guy's point completely...
@@moravianlion3108 thanks for your opinion
I’m 53 and have been retired since 2010. 4 tours, and I still miss it. Canada 🇨🇦 Veteran
Former infantry Corpsman here. A big part of it is that we train every single hour of every single day simulating war and combat. So the build up to the experience almost feels like a sports team preparing for a big game with the highest possible stakes.
you can see the war in his eyes.
thats what I thought .. he has "that" glimpse...
thousand yard stare?
Andrei Florean- I don't think he has PTSD.
sounds fair, but how can you tell? he said he's got nightmares.
Andrei Florean- Any person can have a nightmare about a past stressful moment. People have nightmares all the time.
I can appreciate the passion he puts into this, you can see him constantly choke and tear up. respect.
you should watch restrepo and korengal
Combat was intense and almost spiritual. I’ve never felt so alive.
That adrenaline rush was tremendous, and I loved it. To prove his points, I have been out of the service for about 20yrs now, and miss it more than I know how to say. A vet buddy of mine put it best, "The hardest part is knowing I will never be that cool again."
Former Platoon Sergeant and you nailed it and so did your buddy. I call it PTCD, post traumatic coolness disorder. You will never be as cool as you once thought you were! I miss my 'Boys.' They called me 'Dad' or 'Father,' lol. I think about them all every single day. Been 17 yrs now since I was with them in both Iraq and Afghanistan. Best time of my other life. The one before this one if that makes sense.
@@Strkr3 it makes perfect sense to someone who spilled the same blood in the same mud. My team was closer to me than any of my family members, and I have never found that level of trust, commitment, or camaraderie since I got out. If any of my team called today and said they were in a jam and needed help, I would still be there in an instant. God I miss it.
I'm from a different a different era - Vietnam. I was glad to be back and I was a short timer. A two year enlistment with half it spent in country. I missed being needed, I missed having a definitive and important role, I missed having trusted friends and comrades. I didn't miss the 12 hour days humping up and down hills and jungle with hundred pound packs, weapons and ammunition. I didn't miss the filth and disease, the fatigue, and the killing. I went home and faced the uncertainty of unemployment and underemployment. I had my homies I enlisted with and one guy I was in country with in my crew. I was lucky in that. My best friend got out of prison about the time the rest of us came home, and there is a parallel with that. We worked it out. It wasn't easy.
Glad to hear you worked it out and had buddies to work with. If you ever wanna talk about your experience shoot me a message.
Arguably I'd say Vietnam vets in general had it the roughest coming home. Unpopular war. All military men were looked down on a lot. Isolated. PTSD wasn't recognized yet. Etc. I hear they're accounting for most of the suicides. Glad you could get by. Happy 4th
I was thinking the cause are the close combat and technology advance in 21th century. People had close combats (WWI, WWII or other wars), you realized the killing. After the war, everything hasn't changed. you come back and continue to live another day. But in modern wars, everything has changed, even six months is a lot.
kuanlin lee My understanding is that it's not due to close combat, but long range. Before guns and cannons, planes and mortars, you had bows and spears. Imagine one day fighting taliban in the valley and being constantly afraid of snipers or a rocket attack at any time, even while sleeping then 24 hours later you're walking off a plane in LAX. The mentality shift required is insane.
It's not about the range of the combat. PTSD is as old as society. Many accounts from Crusader States period of knights who had fought hard and well for many campaigns, HARD men, who wept themselves to sleep every night, or spent night after night at prayer, in tears, prostrate, of soldiers waking screaming every time they dreamed. We wouldn't be human if we didn't crave the brotherhood and yet be terrified of the extreme violence we had seen and taken part in.
I'm glad he mentioned Homer's "The Iliad" because his description of it and Achilles' love for Patroclus was spot on and misunderstood by academics who do not understand the "bond" of conflict in groups.
@BulgaroSlav not a misunderstanding since even the greeks themselves shipped the two and it was not unheard of for soldiers in ancient times to be in relationships (see the Sacred Band of Thebes) and I'm fairly sure Achilles himself at some point said he'd "miss Patroclus' many kisses"
@@lucasartore161a "miss Patroclus' many kisses" doesn't automatically mean it's about homosexual business though. It might, but it doesn't have to. In many, many countries and cultures it's normal and a sign of respect to kiss a good friend on the cheeks.
@BulgaroSlav Some ancient Greeks did actually ship them though. Homer didn't specify the nature of their relationship on purpose. It also depends on the time period - when the Illiad itself was written most probably considered it as deep friendship between two warriors, but later Greeks probably considered them gay and Romans definitely did.
Excellent video.
Veterans don't miss war. They miss the brotherhood and sense of importance that comes along with being a soldier. I think many men are facing this problem in modern society. Civilians (like myself) and veterans alike. The difference between veterans and civilians is the fact that the veterans actually know what they are missing, and the civilians do not.
Well said.
Well said.
yup I would be done inspecting my aircraft and all us airman would congregate inside the cabin of one of the h-3s and start joking around, talking about funny stories ..it was to funny. We did not work as hard as other usaf squadrons as we had specialist to do the work we normally had to do.
As a former Marine, this is pretty accurate! I've been out for 9 years already but still miss it, I miss having someones back and someone having my back. I don't miss being shot at per say, it's not really that fun. Just a few weeks ago I was really struggling, I'm in this weird funk again, like something is missing. I don't feel like I'm accomplishing much in the civilian world. Being in the Marines I didn't have that problem, I felt important and had a job to do, coming home from deployments was rough, no one understood what I had gone through or what I had experienced, only my fellow Marines really knew the feeling of being in war. Just sucks, I battle inner demons about what am I really doing now? I have an average job with no real feeling of accomplishment. I love challenging myself which is one reason why I joined in the first place. Can't really go back into the military, getting older and not in near good enough shape to do so. Anyway, I think he did a great job of trying to explain what I'm still going through to this day, nicely done!
huskerpower- hey devil! Former division corpsman here, idk what it is you do now but I felt the same way when I got out. I now ride horseback exploring the untouched mountains of the Rockies leading strings of horses and hunters into the unknown stalking game that can clear 25miles in less than a few hrs. Find your adventure brother it's out there I'm a hunting guide who will be going to Africa to learn game and guide the dark continent next month. The Colorado outdoor guide school check it out our gi bill covers it.
huskerpower- rdg8404@yahoo.com if you need a devil doc to talk to, I'm here. some of us GREENSIDE corpsman remain SEMPER FIDELIS TO THE CORPS
huskerpower- keep at it, you're not alone, ever.
I'm not a vet or anything but I would say, start doing things you've probably only thought about. Singing? Drawing? Acting? Building a patio, etc.
@huskerpower, the next best thing to military is private security sector..overseas and CONUS. You have skill sets and "can-do" discipline some companies are looking and are needed in global security, motivated men and women with same mindset. Pay the bills, keep mama happy and enjoy work, and still giving something back.. why not. Semper
I was a varsity player in University. and after graduation there was this emptiness, and boredom that was eating at me. I went to a therapist and he said I have mild PTSD or for lack of a better term, an Adjustment Disorder. wtf. imagine if some ordinary ex athlete like me could get an adjustment disorder, I cannot even imagine how much heavier the load these Veterans carry.
Ladies and Gentlemen of the armed forces all over the world, I salute you. People really understate what you go through.
badfoody
***** it's just a small fraction of what soldiers felt and man it feels horrible. i can't imagine how deep real PTSD feels
I went back, he clarified that it was an Adjustment Disorder
VV_ RealEstate I had a wicked stepmother growing up who would starve me and make me sleep outside and years later I developed an eating disorder where I'd tactically place bits of food everywhere in case I was denied meals. I also get a shrill chill down my spine when a woman gets angry around me. That's childhood trauma ptsd. It's like a reflex, I can't control it when it happens.
badfoody ...More like an American disorder....
I have a beautiful family and a beautiful home. I’m in a career field I’m good at. My future is bright. And yet I still miss it.
Yup
I’m not a veteran and I’ve never seen armed combat, but I was shocked to find myself relating very much to the feeling of coming home to a place where there is no one you feel you can trust, stripped of your brothers. Utterly alone in the worst way. It is terrifying and I’m glad a word exists for it: alienation.
I’m so glad I listened to this talk. While I don’t have the experiences they do, I want to be a more knowledgeable and compassionate listener to veterans.
The short answer: They had purpose.
And that purpose evoked a larger part of their true self than civilian life ever could.
you still do, you just have to choose it now.
@@BlazerLz your primal instinct is the clearest and best voice you can hear.
and brothers
I've been saying it for two years now. 'Purpose'; without it, especially to single soldiers, have nothing to look forward to accomplish; and it goes across all branches (I don't mean to single out).
If we had some purpose instead of dwelling... perhaps many of us would still be around.
As a combat veteran of both Iraq and Afghanistan I will try to explain it as best I can to those who have not been in this rather unique situation. One part is the adrenaline rush. And there is no rush like it. I don't care if you drive a motorcycle at 120 mph or jump out of a plane. It does not even come close to combat. And adrenaline can be addictive.
The other part is what Sebastian focused on. And this does not begin in combat. It begins day one when you get to your unit. The hardships and struggles you go through in training bring you together like nothing else (I was 0311 i.e. rifleman in the Marines). And it's not that we all got along. Some of us hated certain individuals within our own platoons or even fire teams but, we knew that we had to trust the individual to the left and right of us and they had to do the same. And when that trust is tested in combat it just brings you closer together in this brotherhood.
And when we get back and eventually out of service you enter the civilian world. And unlike in the military where it is ALL about the unit, to the point where you will go without sleep or food for days on end to accomplish the task at hand, the civilian world is all about the individual. So we view many, not all but, many civilians as lazy, undisciplined, sloppy, and self centered. And is the reason why were more comfortable around other veterans compared to the general civilian population.
Oh and a side note to those who think were mindless, dumb killers. I can put you up against any of my Marines I served with and 9 times out of 10 they will be more intelligent, adaptable, physically and mentally stronger then you. There is a reason why many companies seek veterans and why a larger percentage excel over their classmates in college.
I have to admit, as a citizen I probably fit all of those adjectives. Am I proud of it? Not really, but I honest to god would not want to go to war to make myself a better person. There's got to be a way to make us all better people.
War is a horrible situation for all involved (even the politicians believing it "justly caused"). On the other hand, it is like any bad habit; the human race just cannot seem to shake it. I can attest that military men and woman can definitely get things done much better than many civilians. They often lack the sly and curtly nature necessary for high ranking civilian positions: politicians or CEOs. The bond between the members of a troop are set like flowing magma, the bond is set fire hot and slowly solidifies, then the bond over time becomes a rock of unbreakable strength. This feeling that the person to your left will haul you up a mountain with a broken leg over rocky terrain when you are knocked unconscious from a stray bullet is indescribable except through extraordinary example. Yes, the adrenaline rush is something not easily obtained through other means, but soldiers feel safe knowing that the people around them have their well being as priority number 1 (even if they don't like you). That bond is absent in common society. on a side note, veterans make some of the most devoted and outgoing spouses. there aren't many individuals that could take a bullet, shrug it off, and still carry you to safety.
hippymule We are all 'citizens'. Maybe I take you out of context. Civilians maybe? non military?
We stop being singular human beings but merge with our kin around us into a Hive. We act, move and breath for a singular purpose; yes we are still individuals capable of rational thought. But we learn that as 1 being, 1 heart, 1 body and 1 soul we are stronger, faster and smarter than what is thrown against us. We become more as a unit than we will ever achieve after we return home an a person.
This is why I don't think the problem is war. The problem is our current society. Even in politics, we are driven to be divided. Republican versus democrat, left versus right. We believe freedom is having the ability to pursue whatever lifestyle we want without having to deal with the consequences. Rampant materialism, media focusing us on things that don't really matter. There is nothing to unify us as a country like war does for soldiers. We [civilians] are all individuals, as you say, working towards our own individual goals that we individually decided were important.
There needs to be a change, though I don't know how to do it. To have a truly strong and great civilization, all citizens must be working towards a unified goal or end. The pyramids in Egypt; the library at Alexandria; all the mighty wonders of the world, past and present, have been accomplished through people uniting.
What if we united globally, as a species, and made social reform our goal? Or space exploration and colonization? Technological sustainability? What if we could step up out of our current flawed and selfish systems of living and governing to something noble, a greater cause, something with all the strength of conviction that war gives without the need for killing? The camaraderie of war, I would argue, does not come from killing, but from the fear of being killed. The fear of losing. We can still experience this intense fear without violence--the fear that we are destroying the very planet that 'birthed' and raised us for the past half a million years should be more than enough to motivate us to unify and make a grand change, but we remain, as a whole, distracted by the machinations of petty politics and other people in power who cannot look past their own goals and desires to the larger picture. We remain sedated, letting the "leaders" make the hard calls, supporting their short-sighted plans, never truly questioning.
All of the symptoms of our very sick society are tied to a singular illness, and the more I learn about our present world AND the long, bloody history and habits of all human civilizations, the more I believe that illness is past due to run its course. That it's time for us to recover and move onto the next phase of human life, or else perish by this, our self-made psychological disease of disconnect.
I just read Tribe. As a combat veteran of OIF 2 who struggles with PTSD… this was a very helpful read.
As a vet of oif 1 it made a lot of sense to me too
He does a phenomenal job at explaining this and it’s a much needed thing for this mentality to be understood......by both Soldier and civilian alike. I’m a retired 20+ year vet, been in the Infantry and other “special” jobs, deployed 8 times and served 16 of my 20 years outside the US. So it makes you look back at what we have here in the US, how people moan, groan, grip and complain (a famous rant of a Marine instructor friend of mine).....and realize how awesome we truly have it. Like other have commented, when I was deployed, I missed home......when I was home, I actually missed being “there”....with my guys....in my own head......my safe space. I think more service men and women need to become social workers and go back and give back. It’s alll about having been there and understanding. Well done sir!
Marine Vet here. I miss my time overseas. I went to Fallujah twice. There is a lot of boredom in war. The flipside is abundance of time spent with the guys. Men together, doing a job. Men working with men doing a job who are always together is something different. Yes, brotherhood. You get bombed together, you eat together. You get shot at together, you smoke together. You are bored together, you tell stories together. This bond is critical for an effective fighting unit. Without the bond, you won't be selfless and others will die. When you return home, it's all gone. For those who served, I encourage you to put down the bottle while you're in isolation or even better, all together. Get yourself a dog. My dog changed my life. I've also been sober for a year and that too changed my life. It helped me love myself again. But a dog...A dog helps you get outside yourself; out of your own self pity. Just like you were overseas, you were outside of yourself, fighting for a greater cause. The best companion is a dog and the best part is, you can train together. :)
@jondonwayne wayne some dogs are brothers in arms
2 cats and a tortoise. I hear you brother.
You killed innocent people, you did not fight for me, nor anyone i love. And frankly, i am repusled by murderers such as yourself. I hope you never pull a trigger again you madman.
@@blargblarg-jargon9607 Innocent? In Fallujah? Never went to Fallujah, but all of my "seniors" did. 1/8 A Co. I did two pumps to Helmand and I can assure you, the bad guys are the ones who shoot at you. Only then do they earn the death that's headed their way. I can't blame them. I'd do it too if an invading force took up a defensive position in my backyard. But, I'd do everything in my power to not step out of line if the invaders were as peaceful as we were to the Afghanis. We had some real turds... and they died. But, we had some real hard working farmers around our patrol base. They are probably still alive to this day... if the Taliban didnt murder them first.
Thanks for the words, brother.
"Blarg Blarg" must be a cat person....
I've never been ashamed to say that I miss Iraq. The men I served with were the best. The decisions I made mattered. The consequences were immediate and measurable.
I miss it. But....life moves on, and so must I.
WHY SHOULD YOU BE ASHAMED?? NO SOCIOPATH IS ASHAMED OF MURDER, SO WHY SHOULD YOU BE?
Good on you Brother. We've got to keep moving forward, no other real options. Kudos for being able to frame it that way.
Michael Kahn There is a difference between a soldier and a sociopath.
@@noice2606 Yeah, one gets a salary.
@commiesarentpeople Arming insurgents in the womb seems more in line with US foreign policy.
I’m a Vietnam combat veteran. The sounds and the smells was the glue that held our brotherhood together so closely. God how I miss them all.
Sir, I may even be Brazilian, but I feel great honor for all of you who fought in Vietnam and were treated improperly at the end of the war. my honors to you.
The way he talks sounds like he is on the verge of tears. Much respect to you, sir.
Are you a soldier, using the word "sir"? Are you being subservient. This guy may have tears, does that demand respect, that he has a heart? Just wondering why the respect. Respond please
@@michaelkahn8903
You sure seem like an asshat when I look at some of your other comments on this video.
This guy did a great job articulating this. ..So true.
This man's demeanor and eyes immediately let the viewer know that he experienced something very difficult
While at war, I hate the very essence of it. I questioned my very presence in Iraq. I couldn't wait to go home and just leave it behind. To me, it was all a waste of life, time, and money.
Now, I miss it. I have spent now 10 years in the world beyond the uniform. In that decade, I often stated I missed that miserable experience. This guy points out what many in hindsight would consider is pure misery. War is a simplistic concept with complex experiences. Something I can't even put to words. Yet, I long for the very experience that no realm in the civilian world can mimic. Not only that, the bond that you create from that experience. My co-workers will never forge that connection that I forged with so many in war.
It truly is hard to realize that nothing will be the same. That entire experience will never be emulated. War was both the most painful and most joyful experience at the same time for me, and I will never understand why. That's why I miss it.
War is a simplistic concept with complex experiences. Well put together.
Much respect bro, you get it. From a combat veteran.
There is a nursing home in the U.K for British ex-servicemen primarily who served in WW2. The home is regimented to emulate a loose/accomadating barracks style of retirement and bring back the sense of service compatriotism in these men. So far it has had great results, emphasising the importance of military camaraderie.
tgillies101 that's bcz they love their vets in the UK in the USA no fucks whatsoever are given abt vets
The VA Hospital system had care homes for elderly vets, usually attached to a VA hospital. Not sure if its that's an option that's still available.
I've said it time and time again..
When you come home, it's like the world has lost all of its color
Pleasantville the movie only it is a reality
Amen
W1cked RcL goddamn that’s the best way I’ve ever heard it put
Sport bikes.
Brought me to tears 😭 Marines 2000-2011
Sgt O’Neil
Brilliant speech .. actual as ever .. thank you Sir
it's the most human instinct. you become a tribe. your survival depends on the survival of the tribe.
Spongeworthy
Pretty much. Tribalism happens is plenty of places. Including high schools.
@@AmericaEnjoyer23 it's why we delude ourselves into thinking we've moved on from our base instincts. To have those at your back your group, tribe, etc. those you know you will fight to protect. Tribalism, combat we are carnivores more than omnivores the idea of hunting is something we suppress to behave what we call civilized.
Civilization only creates more tension, look around you today. Everywhere you go, gossip, drama, reclusiveness, no real-life social skills, hidden hatred towards one another just by one small miniscule disagreement, so on and so forth. Why is it do we live like this? Is it because we are afraid to fight and conquer? Are our leaders using peace to rule over others unchallenged? Or maybe, we care too much what others think?
Spongeworthy, Yes!
LOL
One also misses the narrowing of reality. There's no past, no future, only the now. It's a reality that is stark and brutal, but in those moments you are more real than at any other time.
You may enjoy skydiving.
Yes!
100% focus. If you are not fully aware and 100% focused you will get blasted and let your guys down.
Even doing everything perfect it can still happen.
The one thing that is tearing vets apart is family. I found a group of vets who we all just play video games together and check up on one another. When one has a bad day, we're there for each other. We realized together, we needed each other. We mourn losses for those still in, we mourn for those who lose loved ones here at home. We celebrate together for our successes. Semper Fi, and much love to all my brothers and sisters in all branches. Stay strong, and call or text a battle buddy if you need help. You're not alone. ♥️🇺🇸
I was almost moved to tears more than once from watching this. I can definitely see why someone would miss that kind of brotherhood.
Brotherhood is different from friendship
Brotherhood and purpose
No man left behind
LoL, ok jr ok
@@bobbobb2322 ?
No man left behind.
Wow, you've nailed it. As a, Combat Medic (medically retired), I remember I was almost floating just about 3 feet over my own head supervising myself and calling out threats and injuries along with the proper response/treatment in what felt like slow motion. taking casualties (solo) during fire-fights I can attest to the accuracy in the statements by Mr Junger.
It seems there is some loop holes in your story. "As a medically retired combat medic" ...?
"7 house mini village" You cant disclose where this mini village is or where you fought?
"Nearly every villager was wounded, including 10 insurgents"
Ok, im almost positive you're lying in false chivalry. Although, it is the internet for crying out loud.
A combat medic wouldn't start of a persuasive essay like that. Atleast, I dont think.
ComboDombo i dont see why he has to lie & that's kinda disrespectful
ComboDombo He edited his comment so he might be lying, but we'll never know. However, there's nothing wrong with starting off by saying he's a medic. That's relevant information. If it's a 7 house village chances are it doesn't even have a name, and if it did it wouldn't mean anything to us so there's no reason to say it. As far as I can see there's nothing unfathomable about what he said, and since you've never served (and seem pretty uneducated) it's kinda disrespectful in this case.
It seems odd to me because as of 2003 (and maybe earlier) medics were supposed to neutralize (fight) the threat before administering aid? Maybe he was in a different military.
"Medically retired combat medic" probably means he got a medical discharge, aka he got an injury that deemed him unable to serve.
Best TED talk I’ve ever seen. He speaks from passion, pain and experience. Thank you for sharing your story.
Thank you for your brutal honesty Sebastian and for sharing. We need more of it. This is how life threatening situations and close and critical teamwork really is, and shows the practical application between a small group action in relation to love of neighbour.
Just found this video by chance. May I say thank you to all of you gentlemen who have served our country, it is greatly appreciated. Some of you have spoken here regarding how you are still affected by your experiences in war/combat. I remember as a child and even into my teenage years my father's hands shaking, his signature was always a scribble. When my mom would say, ' go wake your dad up dinner is ready, I would always dread it. I dreaded it because of how he would react to being touched and suddenly awakened. If you did not stand back, tap his shoulder and move away quickly he would deck you. My mom always said it was from his time in the Marines and being in war/combat. All those years later having been in war still affected him that way. Again my heartfelt appreciation to all who have served our country. I wish you all the best......
Those experiences never leave you. To you it was years since your Dad returned home from war but to him he never really left. Even after almost 28 years since I returned home I still have nightmares of it, when I'm awake I still see, hear, smell, and feel it playing out. There is no cure for it only treatment to learn to cope with it. Best way is reconnecting with buddies that have similar experiences, no one else can really undertand.
We shouldn't be there in the first place, we were fighting for whom? For what? Don't count me wrong, i love america but we count it wrong by invade and destroy in the name of some business? The old greedy send some young people to the grind, and what they get is thank you and a pat on the back? Something wrong with America today.
I remember I was on the freeway once. My friend was in the car and we were talking. Suddenly the car just turns left at about a eighty feet from us, perpendicular to the road. I've always been a crappy navigator and only a decent driver. If I had the time to predict myself, I thought I would panic and throw the wheel to the right, possibly getting us both killed. Instead, I felt my heart jump only a little, my vision sharpened, and broke slowly and turned to the right at just the needed angle to avoid colliding with other cars while avoiding the errant vehicle in front of me. I carefully corrected myself to the left to get back in lane, and made a joke about it. I had no time to even feel the fear. I just acted. And with more competence and control than I ever would have credited myself with. My friend said only minutes later that he felt better about me driving, seeing how he'd dealt with that situation, and I have no shame in admitted that I still feel proud of myself in that moment. If that three or four seconds of perfect clarity was anything like what these soldiers go through in combat, and the positive reinforcement of a friend's confidence...who can blame them for wanting more of it?
Sean Shepherd You are spot on, my friend.
Sean Shepherd youve seen it...in a different way, but you've definitely seen it. And thus you can understand their depression.
There's definitely a bonding that goes beyond anything that I've experienced before or since! Over 40 years ago I was in a long range reconnaissance platoon and I can still see everyone's faces and I can hear their voices as if it was yesterday. Black white Hispanic we were brothers! Would I go back if I could? In a heartbeat! Recon 1/505
I rewatch this video periodically. Thank you for your work.
Two things struck me with this. First Junger really hits an important point about brotherhood, devotion, and trust. Knowing beyond a shadow of a doubt that those around you would die for you is a difficult benchmark to measure any civilian interaction. In a sense other relationships can seem hollow or false. Moreover after experiencing the brotherhood in war the domestic cut-throat back stabbing shallowness of politics, gossip, and manipulative relationships becomes intolerable. Upon returning from war, a Soldier can find they need to reassess a world they thought they knew and discover that it is broken.
The second thing to hit me with this piece was the expressions and behavior of the audience. The shock shown by some is a good thing, it could turn into a glimmer of understanding. But the pity shown by many in the audience turns my stomach. It saddens me that even after hearing such an articulate speaker as Sebastian Junger in person, some people still don't get it. They completely miss the point, because they've decided to fixate on preconceptions of war taught to them by people with an incomplete understanding of it.
Fantastic piece. The brotherhood is without a doubt a big part... So is the adrenaline and the "hunt" or the predatory satisfaction of seeking out those who would do you and your brothers harm.
Clay Chase you have expressed the most important subjects and poignantly expressed the fact that "pity" and pre-conceived "understanding which is missunderstanding war and warriors" is one of the biggest problems.
"Restrepo" was a great documentary (as was "Korengal") and I'm pleased to see Mr. Junger continuing to sharing the combat experience of soldiers to help the rest of us better understand and assist those who have served.
It was a good one
I hope that it helps him too. Sometime I step back to help myself. But sometimes.
They took Korengal off of Netflix and I’m very upset. I’ve watched it about 5 times. Never got old hearing and seeing their experiences trying to grasp a slight understanding on what it is they go through over there.
Rock Island Auction Company I read the book, such a great story
Tim Nelson read Stryker The Siege of Sadr City by Konrad Ludwig
Incredibly courageous TED Talk. I was so moved by what Mr. Junger talked about and I gained just a small bit of understanding about what a person goes through in combat and now know that I clearly do not understand at all the sacrifice of these men and women. I do have a bit of understanding about what it is like to feel disconnected from all of those around you in the "normal" world where it appears that no one would sacrifice a moment for you never mind give up their own life for you. This is clearly something that needs to be studied because too many soldiers are coming home only to be cast aside by those who should be sacrificing to help them feel whole.
Wow, that was a very powerful presentation.
I am a Vietnam Vet 45 years removed from the war. When Sebastian was talking about the sand hitting him in the face I have relived this many times.
Ambush sight along riverbank. It is the we hours of the morning. It is not my watch so I have completely covered my head with my poncho liner to stave off the mosquitos while I try to catch some sleep.
No sound that I can remember but I peek out from under my poncho liner and the sand is exploding in small fountains mere inches from my face.
To this day I can not remember hearing the gun fire that woke me only the sand exploding in front of me all in slow motion.
And yes I would not want to go to war again but I do miss it. Never before or since have I ever felt as alive
Farscryer0
I have had many jobs. Here is whst happens. I take a challenging job spend nNy hours at work solving problems fixing issues then when things get under control I get bored and move on.
Still working with the adrenaline high and the lows after words.
+JOHN SILVEY I am developing a project heavily inspired by this video. I DESPERATELY need your support, and I would really appreciate a donation - even if it is one cent haha! Please donate through the link below:
www.indiegogo.com/projects/a-new-wave/x/12431789#/story
Thanks so much :)
+JOHN SILVEY Robert Servis wrote a poem called the Men who do not fit in,.,..some of ur are adventurere and some are not,.
JOHN SILVEY u
Respect sir. Welcome home
PTSD is not a mental illness. It is a matter of trust and commitment left behind. We have spent a year or more in a traumatic situation far away from home. All we had was our brothers in arms as a family. The bond was like no other. When things went bad overseas you had no doubt that your military family would be there for you. Then we are dropped back home and there is a profound lack of trust and commitment in your civilian life. Close friends and relatives could not understand what you went through. Many gravitated away leaving us with a deep to the core emptiness. Marriages and relationships broke up. Your children were taken far away by their moms. We were thought of as crazy. Isolated and alone with our thoughts and horrible images. The VA did not know or equate PTSD with stress fatigue. So they put you in a locked ward for observation and feed us psychotropic drugs then sent us home. PTSD is not what happened over seas it is what happened when you got home. Dave Keough E-5 US Army
Viet Nam 66-67
CaptKeo No history of PTSD but I agree, man! I've always thought that there's nothing wrong with being incredibly affected by combat. In fact, I would be concerned if a guy DIDN'T get at least a little messed up.
If it's not a disorder, then why does Post Traumatic Growth also happen? People don't talk about it as much, but it is in the literature, too.
I do get that people abandoned you for no good reason. Perhaps the DSM should include something like Disconnection Trauma. People can go through that even with no military experience behind them. I'd even argue that is the root cause of most mental illness, involuntarily undergone disconnection from other people.
We've all heard men become better men around other men, but sounds to me a lot like what it feels like to have a cheating husband you thought you could trust: "trust and commitment left behind". Profound emptiness. Rocks your world. Peels away everything you have dreamed about and worked to build. The things that underpin and give meaning to your life are gone. You never trust again. An innocence lost because senses become sharpened and you never see the world the same. You see truth. You see how many people really do not see beyond themselves. People you thought were friends "choose the other side". Rose-colored glasses are removed. You learn to look our for and protect yourself. There is no one to trust. No one who truly understands or cares. Psychologists are starting to realize and treat this as PTSD as well. There are similarities. Not "life-threatening", but everything else is there. So maybe that can help some cheaters who see women as disposable know what it feels like to be betrayed. The most solemn vow a man can make... broken. I thought life/marriage were a "partnership". Partners don't sell out, betray. Not real men. So I wonder if men who've been in combat are able to build deeper relationships, trust, with their life partners because they truly understand loyalty and trust? Or do they hold it all in. Is it all about the combat that gives them the intensity without emotion and commitment?
That’s essentially the crux of his book, Tribe. His book goes on to explain our society in general, but it’s very relatable and profound in explaining why we’re miserable in a wealthy society. I urge every vet I meet to read it.
Before labeling someone with PTSD, mental health care professionals should watch his presentations.
I'm a civilian, but after hearing this, I can understand why someone misses being at war. It's probably something like having played a team sport in your past and finding an identity through that, but then no longer having that. Soldiers have a very demanding and intense job with life and death consequences. They depend on each other. There's a real sense of purpose. I don't judge any of your soldiers for feeling this way.
When I fought in Afghanistan for 9 months the world kept going. It felt weird but at the same time I loved it because I didn't have to deal with the rest of the world .
That was one of my favorite parts. A simpler life.
Yes
That poor veteran who took his own life on Facebook echoed similar things. He missed feeling like work was important, whereas civilian life seemed trivial--even if it wasn't in reality. Still, I wish some kind of solution would have been proposed in this talk.
Just bringing all of this to light can be part of the solution. There's certainly no easy or simple fix.
coffeescup damn, i had the same feelings for a while, everything went numb, felt like life had no meaning anymore, if it wasnt for my wife id be pushing daisies rightnow.
poor murderer
Timos Philosophie shut up.
coffeescup
Congratulations on being a huge part of the problem. The solution WAS proposed in this talk and it hinges on YOU. You do not want to accept that. You are so focused on the triviality of civilian life. You place an inordinate amount of emphasis on bullshit that you cannot recognize is meaningless.
I supported JTACs in Afghanistan, during our deployment a few of them got hurt (none of them terribly badly fortunately) and got sent to hospitals. Without fail, they would sneak out of their beds, find the one secure phone in the hospital and start coordinating air support for their teams from that phone. They would always call my number because it was the easiest one to remember (it ended with 1234), and I'd connect them with whoever they needed to talk to.
It was incredible to see the dedication they had to their teams, even if I only saw it second hand.
Thank you everyone for your service!
I've read a couple of his books... seen the documentary 'Restrepo'...
I have the utmost respect for Sebastian Junger.
He is a real man... no question. A real complex and injured man as well.
I do not know him, yet it seems that he is clearly quite intense...capable...traveled...experienced...and human.
Mr. Junger, if I could say something to you, I would say::
Thank you for sharing your incredible work... now it's time to take it easy, get yourself a sailboat, and enjoy traveling in it to the most beautiful and amazing places.
Life is quite short really, live well.
☀️😎🇺🇸☀️
I served in Iraq twice and currently stationed in Eastern Europe, all while in the National Guard, and this hits home. I have tremendous respect for Mr. Junger. Thanks for putting this into words.
Try not to murder any more innocents while your back home.
@@blargblarg-jargon9607 oh stfu.
Blarg Blarg-Jargon don’t blame the soldiers because they just follow orders, blame the politicians.
@@aidanmoretz2722 Yes, that's exactly what the Nazis said at the Nuremberg trials... smh.
@@medicinally Why, you sound butthurt and triggered. Hahahaha
As a veteran I miss WAR , not the death not the destruction not the loss of inicence
But the loss of being part of something greater then my self the commitment to ones who you served with to the nation that you believe in ...
That makes perfect sense. Would you go so far to say that due to the overwhelmingly amount of purpose and brotherhood, soldiers are more content with the idea of dying, esp for one of their brothers?
What's the point serving your country if it means invading a country and killing people who are defending themselves against you the intruder
@@imenefleurbleue4461 if only it was that simple
that's normal mechanism of human.We need times that when we were mighty and great.When back to the boring reality.But war itself is bad
What an incredible TED presentation! Thank you, Sebastian!
If PTSD was a person i would expect it to look exactly like this man. thank you for you service, Sir.
They say that soldiers in many ways have more in common with their enemies than their friends and families and countrymen theyre fighting to defend
That because soldiers on both sides have to deal with many common difficulties, the most common problem: Their freshly-graduated 2nd Lieutenant with a map and compass
@Ken MacDonald I think he's talking about experiences. The solders on either side are experiencing war, very different from the civilians they are fighting for at home. In this respect, I agree. No need to jump down anyone's throat even if you disagree. Just state your case respectfully.
Wars are fought because people want to fight wars. Politicians want war. Civilians want war. Even soldiers want war. Economic interests are part of it, realpolitik is part of it, but there's an instinctual urge. Look at sports and tell me it's not a war surrogate.
Your right,I have more respect for the Taliban's discipline then the civvies.
@Ken MacDonald A former recon marine said almost the same thing on a marine documentary on PBS. In fact, if you just type in "marine PBS" you'll find the video. around the 1 hour 12 minute mark is when he says it.
Seen this a thousand times. He hit the nail on the head. I like to remind myself why i "really" miss it. I was deployed with the british army the same time as Sebastian, 2007/2008. In Musa qala. Was mental. Loved it.
I was a civilian contractor working on a recovery team in Baghdad. We worked outside the wire escorted by M.P.s bringing back vehicles that couldn't make it back on their own due to either enemy fire, IEDs or just mechanical failure. We were shot at on a regular basis, had RPGs fired at us and even had a grenade dropped on us from a bridge once while working a truck that was hit.
I miss the life. I miss the closeness, I miss the simplicity of it. No Bill's to pay, nothing to worry about but what is going to happen that day.
My first time coming home I sat on the back porch drinking a cup of coffee and smoking a cigarette and it was so quiet you could hear the crackle of the cigarette when I took a draw. My hands started shaking because it was too quiet. There was no noise of any Humvees, trucks, generators or of course gunfire in the distance.
I was also a civilian recovery operater out of Ramadi. We'd run with the Marines doing various types of missions with TF MP. I spent 2 years out there and I miss it everyday.
5150bhc I worked out of Fob Rusty with the 95th MP battalion.
We also had the 95th MP Battalion at BIAP. We had the 21st company a lot of the time in 2004 and early 2005. There was an NCO we just called Pablo, he and his people were the best. We also cleaned up the convoy that got attacked where Leigh Ann Hester and two other soldiers earned their silver stars.
Our society is waging war against the regular guy and women and we are all pitted against each other, while the elite laugh and swim in luxury in their ivory tower. Individualism, narcissism and perversion is what we have instead of unity, self-sacrifice and morality. The elites have thought us well...
@Einherjar I hear you. When I lived in Charlotte I was behind a fuel truck on the freeway. I zoned out and followed it 10 miles longer than I should have. I forgot I wasn't in a convoy.
I also miss running the wrong side of the highway at night with the lights out.
I actually really needed this right now. Thank you
Very impressive. Probably the best speech in war/conflict category. And things that Sebastian is talking about is what we continuously forget when we get bored of building peace. The peace isn’t a one single answer, peace is what we always remembering of.