The biggest truth of modern war, at least from the US side, seems to be that there are massive differences in what the experience is like based on your job, whe

The biggest truth of modern war, at least from the US side, seems to be that there are massive differences in what the experience is like based on your job, where you're based, luck, etc. I think people don't realize how extreme the two ends are. It can be surreal when the two experiences are in close proximity. I recall returning from a particularly nasty patrol where we were hit pretty hard and almost lost some guys. When trying to enter a dining facility on a big base some POG officer chewed us out for our messy uniforms. His uniform was neatly starched. I have no idea how he managed to do that, we were grateful for electricity and running water. I recall tanks/APCs pulled up in front of a convenience store on one camp, like taking the car up to CVS for some snacks. I recall showing up to one large base to drop of a prisoner. We were particularly dirty and smelly. It had been a messy week out in our sector and there were perfumed young girls in PT uniform (shorts and t-shirt) wearing makeup and giggling and frolicking amongst the fast food joints. I could smell their perfume. They looked at us like Sasquatch had wandered in from the woods. I knew guys that had our AO before us, and described a World War Z type battle with bad guys crawling over the walls. I remember our battles there, not seeming as bad, right after we left I heard how that same camp received a nasty VBIED attack. Years later I met some younger guys who'd been on that camp and they complained how boring it was. Some people were mortared every night, some people spent their deployment missing family and bored to tears. Some people passed out candy, some put parts of their buddies into body bags. All within 20 or 30 miles from each other.