To get this out of the way, and so that I don't have to go forward into TS repeating anything from my history that isn't a funny story... Ask Me Anything about what it is like in Combat, and what is like to be in a kill/be killed environment. One rule, Don't ask me how many people I have killed.... I despise that question. Background: Rifleman, USMC for the past 6 years 1 x deployed to Afghan 1 x deployed in support of Embassy Security Europe/Africa, responded to 2012 Bengazi attack in Libya. Here goes nothing....
Oahu is okay, The base is pretty run down, and the units are unorganized. But life isn't terrible. 49 days left doesn't hurt.
First I'd like to say you are very brave to put this type of thing up. It must be hard to bring something like this up and relive parts of it. My question is in those types of scenarios did you ever have to pause to question morals or consider if what you are doing is right or wrong? Or is there no time for those types of things to cross your mind and its purely survival instinct and keeping you and your allies alive? If the 2nd one is true then have there been any times after the events that you have looked back and thought that there could have been another way to have dealt with it? Or do you know and feel that there was no other way and that it had to be done. Ps. I also live on Oahu
1) In the moment, not really, it's an adrenaline fueled shitstorm. 2) There isn't a day goes by that I don't think about some of the things I saw and did, and yes there are bad kills, I will say, that of all the iffy and messed up things that happened the Taliban and some of the Libyan Militia were worse.
Congratulations to you and your fiancé. My last question is has it ever been easy to pull the trigger? Any scenarios or amount of time that goes by to make it an easier thing to do? Is it and will it always be a difficult thing to do? Or in that point in time there's no time to feel, just to act.
Depending on the situation, it's instinct. Like I said, feeling is secondary in the moment. Not implying that the weight of human life is less, just that the motivations to keep yourself and your friends alive is stronger. It's never easy however, hell if I hadn't known for certain the first time I shot at anyone that they were trying to kill me at that moment, I may not have fired...
I can see what you mean. Thank you for answering my questions and serving the country. I wish you and your fiancé the best and hope for you to one day find peace within yourself.
