Last night we were talking about when he gets deployed (hopefully it won't be for a while). I really don't like how he talks about killing. He said his sergeant came up to him yesterday and said are "you ready to kill some terrorists?" and he replied "yes sir". He said he hopes he gets at least one kill while he's over there. What the crap? Then he mentioned something about taking a picture... I told him the way he talks about it sounds like they're hunting deer or something. He said that's basically how it is, that you can't think about it too much or it'll make you crazy. Which I get that, I can see how you need to dehumanize them so you don't go crazy if you have to kill someone. It just seems like they get the guys pumped up to kill, like it's an accomplishment.
Then he told me about Blue to Green, where he could go from the Air Force to the Army and that he had thought about it. I told him I didn't want him to do that since the deployments are longer. He said he wouldn't do it, but he just thought about it because they get to use bigger and better weapons.

it sounds like he's trying to normalize it and get okay with the idea so it's not so traumatic kwim?

it sounds like he's trying to normalize it and get okay with the idea so it's not so traumatic kwim?

That's exactly what he's doing. They have to do what they have to do to keep themselves sane. It makes no sense to us, but it does to them.

They do pump them up. They get them all gung ho about it all and it is like hunting deer for them. Kill or be killed

Killing terrorists is what they do, plain and simple. They hunt and kill terrorists before the terrorists hunt and kill them. I'm sorry he has to talk to you about it though if it makes you uncomfortable. He really shouldn't tell you things like that.

P.S. If you think about it its alot better for him to be in that mind set then be like...well ummm I dont know if I want to kill anyone. If they are unsure and hesitate that can lead to really big issues when in a fire fght

Killing terrorists is what they do, plain and simple. They hunt and kill terrorists before the terrorists hunt and kill them. I'm sorry he has to talk to you about it though if it makes you uncomfortable. He really shouldn't tell you things like that.

:agree

It HAS to be second nature to them...

Thats how I did it when I got deployed, I just stopped thinking of them as people but as something I hated so I would come home ok

Is he National Guard or reserves?

my DH likes the whole gun thing..but I don't think he could ever kill anyone. If he had to, maybe, but just thinking about it upsets him......I know what your thinking, "and he's in the Army?"

Is he National Guard or reserves?
He's in the Air Force.

You all are right. I guess it is good that he's trying to think of it this way. This whole mindset is just new to me, and I was a little taken back hearing it from him. I don't really like talking about deployment with him, but I know it's something we can't avoid. After our phone call, it was on my mind and I couldn't shake it. I called him back and woke him up telling him I didn't want to fall asleep thinking about his deployment because I didn't want to dream about it, so he told me other things to think about.

They can't think of them as humans in their minds. In their minds they have to hate them, otherwise, how could they kill them? But, he needs to censor the way he talks to you about it.

that is actually really sad... i know that they have to think like that in order to survive, but i feel like they are just being brainwashed. =( thats what messes them up when they get back.