Recently, I met a very young man at the Dr. I visit. Joking, I was intending to engage him in conversation, I suggested that he was a vet, recently boots on the ground in Iraq, or Afghanistan, and that he was probably special forces, specifically the rangers. Later, I decided that he was probably a medic. Later, as I considered his reaction, intuition and all that, I was almost certain I was right.

Talk to him today and guess what. 100% hits on all counts. He just got out of the Rangers, after duty in Iraq and/or Afghanistan, AND was a medic.

I told him how much I admired what he had done upon immediately his eyes started tearing up; after giving him a solid handshake I left him alone.

How many other vets on TWeb experience this ability to detect another vet by just looking at them?

Any related stories?

Don't know what to do about Alex. I know he's really seen the crap (a euphemism for another word) vets use for seeing severe action and injury. Medic's always see the worst, as you all know.

I feel very fatherly toward this guy. If my intuition is correct he is "dealing with it." I don't want to hear about him blowing his brains out.

There are professional boundaries too as he is an MA at the clinic I go to. So I've just decided to be friendly to him, call him brother, and maybe if I get the chance talk about how hard its been for me to adjust to having seen the "crap."

What say ye all, Bothers and Sisters?