Beyond deep-seated feelings of patriotism and growing up in a military family, Bob Bach’s initial desire to join the military began as a young boy in the mid-1960’s. Moved by the often-glamourized scenes in movies and television shows about wartime heroes, Bob’s desire to serve his country grew more intense as he entered - and graduated - high school. At the age of 17, Bob enlisted in the Marine Corps, serving 18 months - serving 10 months overseas during the Vietnam War era.

Bob joins me today to share his experiences while serving his country through the Vietnam War era. He discusses how television and movies often glamorize the true colors of war, often leading to unrealistic expectations for young military recruits. He shares his experiences of being on patrol while under enemy fire and how coping techniques like controlling fears and anxiety played a role in surviving the Vietnam War. He also shares his experiences of returning home after serving in the military, how his expectations differed from reality, and why he felt disoriented and confused when transitioning back to civilian life.

“In order to survive in Vietnam - I had to learn how to deny reality. I needed to learn how to fool myself.” - Bob Bach

This week on the Stigma Free Vet Zone Podcast:

How watching episodes of the 1960’s television show, Combat, piqued Bob’s desire to join the militaryBob’s initial expectations prior to entering the military and how they compared to what he experienced once he enlistedHis first experience of being on patrol while under enemy fireWhy Bob felt ill-prepared for the paradoxes of warDenying reality, learning to numb your emotions, and controlling your fear as a coping mechanism to survive the brutality of warWhy he began feeling betrayed after a few short months of being deployedWhat Bob’s initial expectations of returning home after the Vietnam War were like and how it differed from realityWhy Bob felt disoriented and confused while transitioning back to civilian life after serving in Vietnam and how he coped with these feelingsHow Bob’s friends and family treated him after coming home from warHis wife’s Bob’s transitioning back to civilian life

Helping Veterans & Their Families Transition to Civilian Life

Thanks for tuning into this segment of the Stigma Free Vet Zone podcast, the show dedicated to helping veterans and their families make the transition from the military to civilian life and culture. If you enjoyed this episode, please head over to Apple Podcasts to subscribe to the show and leave a review. For more stories, insight, and resources on coping with military-related trauma and PTSD, visit our website and follow us on Facebook and LinkedIn. Don’t forget to share your favorite episodes across social media to help us raise awareness and help our brothers and sisters and their families transition to civilian life.

DISCLAIMER: The information and content shared in each episode of the Stigma Free Vet Zone are for informational purposes only. The Stigma Free Vet Zone hosts, Mike Orban & Bob Bach, are not, nor claim to be, medical doctors, psychologists, or psychiatrists and should not be held responsible for any claims, medical advice, or therapy/treatment recommendations mentioned on this podcast. Any advice mentioned or shared by Mike Orban, Bob Bach, or their guests is strictly for purposes of bringing awareness to t...