The Best Thing About The Military is The Camaraderie

The sun is beating down on your body, blanketing every square inch of the desert. You have sand in your face, sweat dripping down your back, feeling fatigued, and dreading the long journey that awaits…

You probably feel like there’s nothing to appreciate, but it’s actually the incredible people you’re surrounded with.

This is what it’s like being in the military.

According to a story by The Washington Post, “Like so many vets, they missed the camaraderie.”

It’s tough being somewhere far from home doing things far out of our comfort zone, but it’s our duty as soldiers to put the mission first and have each other’s backs.

We All Need Friends in Life

Spending a year away from home comes with challenges such as self-doubt, depression, anxiety, and sometimes a lack of fulfillment. Thankfully, we have each other.

We have a phrase called “embrace the suck” where soldiers know that sometimes things are going to suck, but we’re going to maintain a good attitude throughout all of it.

In the beginning of my tour, I stayed in my lane and didn’t really focus too much on my Army friends. But after a couple of weeks of adapting to this new lifestyle, I learned that my relationships will set the tone for the rest of the deployment.

The most drastic change since I’ve returned from my one-year deployment is that we need quality friends in life. I have friends here on the civilian side, but nothing will ever come close to comparison to the bonds I made in the Army.

It’s the tough times that bring people together. We had days where none of us wanted to be there and wished we were back home living out our regular lives. But we were called on to do something that asks a lot of us.

It is our duty to genuinely care about the well-being of our brothers and sisters next to us — probably the biggest takeaway from my entire experience.

We are Part of a Very Elite Group

Active military personnel in the United States is less than 1% of the entire population (Council Foreign Relations).

Knowing that not a lot of people have done what we did put things into perspective. Firstly, you identify with less than 1% of the people in the entire country back home. Secondly, you recognize that you’re doing something far out of your comfort zone.

Waking up to meet my buddies for “breakfast chow” before we started our days was special. Their energy matched mine, giving me something to look forward to. Relatability plays a giant factor when you’re 7,000 miles away from home with people you just met.

I am proud to wear the Army uniform because it represents the sacrifice and courage that many of the veterans before me endured as well.

People Can’t Be Taken For Granted

Luckily, we didn’t lose any people from our deployment. We had a few injuries, but everything was minor and manageable. Not a lot of veterans have that luxury, but I did, and I’m grateful.

To even think about losing a battle buddy from heavy fire or an IED would have ruined me for the rest of my life. The Army teaches you to protect the people serving beside you at all costs.

Since returning home, I’ve started to look at my family in a different light. I see them as people I must protect. Your friends and family are the ones we need to check in on in order to get through the harsh obstacles in life.

We all need somebody to lean on.

Actions speak louder than words, and when someone would stay out late with me to finish a task or cover down on a project showed me that they care. The reciprocation from your peers helps to give you immense reassurance.

Final Thoughts

After one year of deployment, I have learned how to become a quality friend and how meaningful relationships are.

The main points are:

• We all need friends in life
• We are part of an elite group
• People can’t be taken for granted

A person only becomes extraordinary by doing extraordinary things. In the twelve months I was away from home, I accomplished so much.

The best part about all of it is that I get to share these memories and successes with my battle buddies — the friends I’ll have for life.