WOT: VA study

[Thumper]

This is a new one for me...

 

I was at the VA recently for a check-up, the PA introduced me to a staff psych who asked me to participate in a longitudinal study of retired vets.

 

Apparently, I'm a bit of an anomaly. In 20+ years Regular and Guard time, I served on five operational deployments. I collected some grenade fragments in Honduras, got IED'd twice in Iraq, none the worse for the wear other than some hearing loss and some interesting scars on my hip I can't even show off in public.

 

Staff psych: 'I'd like you to take part in a study of how retired vets adjust to post-service/post-combat transition. No offense intended, but you ought to have a lot more issues that you do. You seem remarkably resilient...'

 

Me: 'Me? Sure, no problem. Um...do I get a free lunch or t-shirt or something?'

 

Staff psych: 'Um...apparently your sense of humor has helped you compensate...'

 

Me: 'Sense of humor, hell. I'm looking to score a couple cheeseburgers out of this deal...'

 

I feel a bit honored and a bit freaked out. Apparently, I'm supposed to be way more f*cked up...

 

[Optimus Prime]

Haha. Good for you.

 

EDIT: There's some very obvious parody material here.

[Kindness]

I'm sure you're supposed to be way more {censored}ed up. If they can learn something from the way you've handled all you've been through and it helps other vets and vets to be, that'd be awesome.

[y-o-y]

Sounds like they are fishing for DNA samples to use for the cloning of the uber soldier.

 

glad to hear you aren't all f'd up like a lot of your fellow soldiers/veterans

[Optimus Prime]

I'm sure you're supposed to be way more {censored}ed up. If they can learn something from the way you've handled all you've been through and it helps other vets and vets to be, that'd be awesome.

Did you really just say {censored}?

[t3ch]

I'm sorry you aren't more screwed up

 

 

 

[Thumper]

I'm sorry you aren't more screwed up

 

No sh*t. All I get from the VA pharmacy is meds for cholesterol and blood pressure---none of the fun stuff...

[bassman1956]

Me: 'Sense of humor, hell. I'm looking to score a couple cheeseburgers out of this deal...'

 

 

 

CLASSIC!

[bassman1956]

According to an old prof of mine, throughout history all vets have been a problem for Society and the Establishment, whichever wherever, to deal with. And those that have seen significant action (I'll go out on a limb here and say I think you qualify) are significantly more of an issue to reblend into the civilian world. He even had info from like 3000 BC and such. Interesting that you rode it out so well. I have known some that did, but most of those have only like 2 years in and make it sound like 10. I was in for 5. There were some tight times, and talk and rumors and threats and jokes of going to war (middle east, 75-80 timeframe) but no war. And I can say I can tell their brutal methods of leadership left marks. Combat would clearly have left more. I was Navy. If I had been through some of that {censored} i saw on TV, I'm sure I'd be {censored}ing bent for life. A co-worker's son was Navy, lost his legs in a catapult accident, sheared off by the blast plate, but seems well-adjusted. They should talk to him too. I'd be wrecked for life after something like that.

 

This brings up a huge general issue of how people deal with significant trauma, and ass-kicking dibilitating accidents or occurances. I'm always blown away by those that seem to enter an almost hallowed look on the event. I'd like to know how they do it, but I do not want to know first-hand!!!!!!!!!