My Good, Bad, And Ugly Experience With Combat Veterans

An older photo of historic aircraft located within the hangar
of the Pacific Aviation Museum - Ford Island, Oahu, Hawaii

Just yesterday, I crossed paths with a spouse of a combat veteran (her husband had lost his leg). She was a very nice lady, who just randomly started telling me that if I were to ever have the opportunity to live, work, and study overseas--do it.

A few minutes later, I ran into a combat veteran who had gotten shot at and landed on an Improvised Explosive Device (IED). He limped his way to the door with a walking cane on one hand and insisted that I walk ahead of him while he held the door open for me.

Truthfully, I wanted to be the one to hold the door open for him, but it was clear that he still wanted to be a gentleman despite his condition. Sadly, there are men out there who no longer want to make the effort to be a gentleman--and they could walk on both legs perfectly!

I thanked him for his kind gesture as well as his service, to which he replied,

"It's been fun!"

Soon, he will be receiving his discharge papers for his medical retirement.

I had just gotten through with telling my husband about these stories today--and how I felt that these combat veterans' family members deserved ample attention as well because they, too, could be suffering from Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

Moments later, while I was driving around the island without any bits of road rage brewing within me, I decided to let a school bus and another car cut right in front of me as we were approaching some relatively heavy traffic. Just then, I saw a huge Dodge Ram speeding from behind, the driver trying to squeeze her way in front of me as well. She could've waited from behind, especially since I had already allowed two other big vehicles cut in front of me, and I was already at the top of the merge.

But, no! She pushed her way in, rolled her window down, flung her arm as if she was in great disbelief, then proceeded to bully her way ahead of me while relentlessly shaking her head.

"How dramatic," I thought.

While waiting for the traffic light to turn green, I noticed that her license plate was proudly labeled, "Combat Veteran".

Now, I am not sure if she's actually the Combat Veteran herself or if she's the spouse, friend, or other family member. I must confess, though--for a second, I began to wonder what would constitute a "Combat Veteran"--could it be someone who actually came back as a Wounded Warrior, someone who fired some rounds at the adversary, someone who served in a designated combat zone?

...And the list goes on...

After managing to get rid of the tug of my fleshly bitterness, by God's grace, I decided that how these Combat Veterans got their designation didn't really matter in terms of how I would disperse my compassion, patience, and understanding. I didn't want that driver's behavior to taint the experience that I had with the gracious people whom I had just met the day before. I didn't want that person's bad attitude to negate the hard work and sacrifice of those who have served--and continue to serve--to protect and defend the United States (and its allies and partners).

Bullet holes from World War II at a historic building on Ford Island (now the hangar of the Pacific Aviation Museum)

I do not want such a negative experience to decrease the compassion that I have for the returning servicemembers and their families.

After all, they could be acting in such a way because they are suffering. I once heard in a message preached at church,

"Hurtful people are hurting people. Love them, anyway."

What an important lesson to remember, especially as I begin my journey into patient care. I'm sure that I'll be running into noncompliant patients, demanding family members, and the whole gamut pretty soon; this is but a glimpse of what's to come.

An older photo of a Rescue Helicopter parked in the hangar of the Pacific Aviation Museum
on Ford Island, Oahu, Hawaii

DISCLAIMER: I am by no means affiliated with any of the organizations listed in this blogpost. For the most accurate and recent information on any of these organizations, please visit their website or contact them directly.