Civilians do not understand the isolation that Veterans feel. How can they? What possible comparison can they make in their life to what its like to do even a peacetime hitch in the Army, let alone go to war. I have nine medals and ribbons for 6 years. Even explaining an ARCOM or an AAM is grating, or why I take so much pride in a piece of ribbon and brass. They can't understand how I laugh at the ASR out mandatory Gay Pride awareness ribbon. To them its just a bunch of pretty colors. To me it is quite literally blood sweat and tears. Nor can I easily explain what the CMB is, let alone how much that little badge means. Long after I am gone, I will still be apart of 225th Brigade Support Battalion's history, being one of the first in that unit to receive a combat badge of any kind. Long after I have gone to senility I will still have been recorded on the rolls, of 2-16 in the hellish time that was the Surge. With all that in mind, is it any wonder so many civilians just don't "get" me?Read the rest of the story about a soldier's departure from the Army and the feelings that come with that separation. Those feelings fade very little over the years.
Trust me.
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