Friendships

Friendships in the military can differ a bit from those in the civilian world. For the most part they are similar, but there are noticable differences. One example would be that in the military it is not uncommon to goes days/weeks without seeing people in your own squad/platoon/company due to operational tempo and mission requirements. Take this week for example, I've only seen Blue and OP twice since we got back to post on Sunday night. Military friendships can also differ in the aspect that it is not uncommon for members of the opposite sex to be close friends without any sexual tension/attraction existing. Granted people are still people and might talk when males and females hang out a lot, especially if they are comfortable enough with each other to exchange the military standard "dirty jokes". That doesn't mean anything inapropriate is going on though.

Military friendships can be strained however due to rank. The DOD frowns upon any relationships that are between upper and lower ranks/enlisted and officers that is anything other than purely business. For friends who may have joined at the same time and then taken different career paths that can put some stress on things later on when promotions and leadership assignments are made. For the most part though I have never seen it become much of an issue in the units I've been with.

A friend both military and civilian sent me the following this morning. I find it tends to hold true in many ways:

CIVILIAN FRIENDS: Get upset if you're too busy to talk to them for a week.

MILITARY FRIENDS: Are glad to see you after years, and will happily carry on the same conversation you were having last time you met.

CIVILIAN FRIENDS: Never ask for food.

MILITARY FRIENDS: Are the reason you have no food.

CIVILIAN FRIENDS: Call your parents Mr. And Mrs.

MILITARY FRIENDS: Call your parents mom and dad.

CIVILIAN FRIENDS: Bail you out of jail and tell you what you did was wrong.

MILITARY FRIENDS: Would be sitting next to you saying, "Damn...we screwed up...but man that was fun!"

CIVILIAN FRIENDS: Have never seen you cry.

MILITARY FRIENDS: Cry with you.

CIVILIAN FRIENDS: Borrow your stuff for a few days then give it back.

MILITARY FRIENDS: Keep your stuff so long they forget it's yours.

CIVILIAN FRIENDS: Know a few things about you.

MILITARY FRIENDS: Could write a book with direct quotes from you.

CIVILIAN FRIENDS: Will leave you behind if that's what the crowd is doing.

MILITARY FRIENDS: Will kick the whole crowds' ass that left you behind.

CIVILIAN FRIENDS: Would knock on your door.

MILITARY FRIENDS: Walk right in and say, "I'm home!"

CIVILIAN FRIENDS: Have shared a few experiences...

MILITARY FRIENDS: Have shared a lifetime of experiences no Civilian could ever dream of...

CIVILIAN FRIENDS: Will take your drink away when they think you've had enough.

MILITARY FRIENDS: Will look at you stumbling all over the place and say, "You better drink the rest of that, you know we don't waste...that's alcohol abuse!!" Then carry you home safely and put you to bed...

CIVILIAN FRIENDS: Will talk crap to the person who talks crap about you.

MILITARY FRIENDS: Will knock them the hell out for using your name in vain.

CIVILIAN FRIENDS: Are for a while.

MILITARY FRIENDS: Are for life.

CIVILIAN FRIENDS: Will ignore this.

MILITARY FRIENDS: Will forward this.

So there is brief look into friendships in the military. I hope everyone is following orders and staying safe.

(P.S. - I wrote this on a military friend's computer...so no spell check.)

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