PANEL 5
EXPERIENCE IN SERVICE
SURVIVAL
When it comes to experience during service, a common thread is the question of "What will the future hold?” Much of the future is unknown and when an individual enters the service, the bottom line becomes survival. Veterans’ accounts are impacted by what was happening nationally, where they were sent, and what they were required to do while in the military. At the end of the day, whether serving in combat or non-combat, wartime or peacetime, the future is always subject to change.
“…if you go into combat, war is not good. You know, a lot of times, guys are ‘Oh, I love that. I can’t wait for the glory.’ Glory, my butt. You get going, you’re going to see what it’s like.” – Ed Garza (U.S. Army, served 1967-1969).
"There were no Sundays, there were no Mondays, there were no Tuesdays, there were no Wednesdays. It was all about trying to stay alive. You know, the mindset was, ‘get to the end of this.’ And that’s it. There are no days of the week." – Ralph DeJesus (U.S. Army, served 1967-1969).
“When the time came for us to get out of high school, all my friends – they were all joining the service. I couldn’t see joining the service. In fact, when I got my draft papers, I think I left my handprints on the walls, yelling ‘Hey I don’t want to go, I don’t want to go.’ But I went and yet, the service taught me how to take care of myself. I would recommend it to anybody. Only because it made me a survivor.... And I’m glad it was peacetime." - Raoul Ceja (U.S. Army, served 1958-1960).
Michelle Garcia (Ohio Army National Guard, served 1988-2000 and 2016-2017) recalled "We would have our annual weapons training at Camp Perry in Sandusky. And it was always in September, and it was always when it was cold and windy. And when we were in our foxholes, there was one incident where you put your weapons down. It was in between – I think they were changing our magazines. I’m not sure what happened. But someone’s weapon was discharged to my right. And I saw the bullet. I saw the bullet go right past me. And the guy that was in the firing range tower yelled some expletives. And it was a sergeant that didn’t secure his weapon. And he was removed... But I didn’t know you could actually see a bullet move. But I saw it."
Antonio Baez (U.S. Marines and U.S. Army Guard/Reserves, serving 2004-present), “So you’re thinking about that, you’re thinking about going to war and how it is, how it looks on TV the whole time. And then when you get there, you’re like, all right, this is not how it is. It’s even worse. But it’s also just this mental – just this mental game. You’re waiting. Felt like you’re waiting to get killed..."
