Vasudus posted:

That's largely how reintegration/re-socialization works. The more indoctrinated you were (either drinking the kool-aid, or simply being in long enough for it to consume your original identity) the more effort it takes to reintegrate you and the longer it takes. It's actually very much like prison, much more than regular people ever realize. There's a lot of caveats about that statement but I'm talking broad strokes.

It took me roughly 6-7 years to deprogram, though to be fair I didn't have the best environment to do so and didn't make a lot of active effort. Now my military experience is just an important component of my identity, rather than the core driving feature.

edit: to expand on this a little, there's intermediate steps that you take to reintegrate - like a goldfish in a bag put in a tank of water. One of which is associating (or attempting to associate) with people of similar backgrounds, so you can essentially group therapy yourselves back into society. But the kicker is that you have to want to do it, and society has to be willing to accept you back. Vietnam era was a lot harder on both of those regards, particularly with people that were drafted or "volunteers" (dad was drafted, but volunteered for the Navy instead) because society didn't exactly welcome people back. So the creation and continuation of veteran groups is a reactionary social defense mechanism - allowing groups of society's outcasts to develop parallel to mainstream.

Thump! posted:

Vasudus posted:

It's highly unlikely that any of us will ever be considered truly 'reintegrated' in the sense that most people would consider. There's always signs, like some kind of hosed up and really lame military Voight-Kampff test. But that's not necessarily a bad thing either because our experiences drive us one way or the other. But one of the luxuries of reintegration, much like an immigrant that chooses to fully assimilate, is that you get to selectively pick what parts of your past life you want to incorporate into your new one. Sometimes it's mannerisms, traditions, a speech pattern, or a particular hobby. Sometimes it's a conscious decision, sometimes not. Everybody does it differently and at their own rates, but like an immigrant in a new land, resisting change can lead to isolation.

When I compare myself to my peers of my age group / experience level, I don't fit in at all. But I acknowledge that, and I don't care.

UP THE BUM NO BABY posted:

Tell that kid to enlist

mods changed my name posted:

hmm that could use some alternate wording

Syrian Lannister posted:

Second one is dope as gently caress

Time Crisis Actor posted:

Just started reading “Battle Born” by Terminal Lance creator Max Uriarte. It’s a very different graphic novel than “The White Donkey” and I’m not sure what to think of it yet. However, it’s lovingly-illustrated and really brings out the beauty that I saw from Afghanistan during my time there.

Anyone else pick it up?