If I deploy to Iraq and some of my buddies die in front of me and I kill a total of 24 iraqis will I change?

Question

How will I change?

Answer 1

yes...trauma will have an effect.

Answer 2

Are you f*cking kidding me? What are you a moron?

Do you think you can kill one person, let alone 24 and not be affected? This isn't some video game with a reset button, get real.

I fought over 30 years ago, and killed a few people during the course of my tour. Yes, it changes you and it affects everyone differently.

Questions like this really piss me off.

Most times, their posted by people trying to be cute and clever. They fail at both.

Join up, if you can pass standards. Ask this question again after you've been in for a year. But after a year you won't post this question, because you'll gain some valuable insights.

Answer 3

The first rule in combat is that people die.
The second rule in combat is that bullets aren't selective.

General Patton said, "No ever won a war by dying for his country. He won it by making the other poor dumb die for his country."

People react to combat differently. Some seem to see it as a necessary evil. They want to kill you... if you don't get them first. They just do their job. They want to come home to heart and home alive and whole.

Some seem to get fixated only on the bad. They no longer seem capable of seeing any good whatsoever. It sours their opinion of the military... certainly of war... and sometimes of life in general.

A very few seem to get to like it... just a little too much. These can present a danger to the folks back home when they return.

Some seem to just get fed up with the endless treadmill of killing often seemingly with no end in sight. These can go around the bend and, in a knee-jerk reaction, do something that makes the world look down on the military in general, and their service in particular. They/re the ones who wig out and cap 24 Iraqis.

But, I believe it really depends on you. I think that if you possess a strong character, if you're intelligent, if you're well educated, then you probably won't change much. Most over there possess these qualities, and come home a lot older, a lot wiser, more focused, and possessing a hardier personality.

I believe the mind needs time to cope with the realities of war. It takes some longer than others. Sadly people turn to the pseudo-sciences (psychology, psychiatry, sociology) for help. In general, in my experience, these people haven't the foggiest notion what they're talking about. Their "cure" is to medicate the poor guy into oblivion where he never has to deal with reality again... and he's never cured... this is what they call treatment.

I was talking with a Korean Vet the other day. He says he has PTSD. I asked him why he thought that. He said loud noises behind him make him want to dive for a foxhole... after more than 50 years. That's not a problem... that's training. As long as he doesn't scream, "INCOMING!!!" and hit the dirt dragging people within reach with him, what difference does it make? Personally, I stay away from 4th of July fireworks displays The sound doesn't bother me as much as the concussion. If a blast is close enough to feel... that's a little too close for comfort. I don't think of it as a problem. I live a normal life. I go to church, work out at the gym, visit the elderly (more elderly than I am), I've taught high school and college... I just stay away from the park on July 4th. I don't need to see more rockets going off, thank you.

Most guys coming back just need time and love/support. They need to work it out themselves. The state of California has a program wherein guys returning from the Middle East will be housed in a military retirement community. There they will have access to guys who've been there and done that... and can let the new veterans know that it's ok...

Something is only a problem if it makes you a danger to yourself or to others... or if it is debilitating. For example, if a certain sound induces the reaction to kill everybody in sight... that's dangerous. If one cannot cope with crowds, that too could be debilitating. Anything else... look at it as a newly acquired character trait. You'll live longer and happier. And it's a lot better than spending hours talking to some moron try to figure out some syndrome applies to your "symptoms"... or makes one up.

Answer 4

No one can say if you will or not. It may change some people and not change others. It all depends on the individual, you never know what you are going to do before, during, or after an engagement weather it's your first one or your hundredth one, each one is different. So the answer is no one will know until it happens.

Answer 5

I dont know if u will change for better or change to be not so good. It will be hard my man is over there now he just lefted wednesday and it was hard i am 9 weeks pregnant and this is his 3rd time over there he is in special forces so he sees alot. It is always hard when he comes back he is very quite and he dont like to be around alot of people. I dont know everyone deals with the problems different so it all depends on u.

Answer 6

Again the "IF" question and why stop at 24 Iraqi's??

Is it some kind of magic number??

Will the Iraqi's be armed, or unarmed civilians?

"IF" never did it sonny!!

Answer 7

It is definitely likely. Like he said, trauma will make a difference. Also, if you were too attached to those buddies, or feel guilty about killing Islamic extremists, suicidal thoughts may creep into your head.

Answer 8

Killing one man changes you. It all comes down to how you handle the change that makes a good solder.

Answer 9

It all depends if you can take it or not, all lot of vets develop PDSD, when they see stuff like that, my dads got a small case of it, he fought in DStorm, DSheild, and DCalm.

Answer 10

Your question is not worth an answer! Semper Fi to all my brothers.

Answer 11

Yes if you want to learn more about it go to medical and ask about PTSD.