It's not just the leftover ink stains from all those times the pens in his uniforms exploded in the dryer, or the precision with which she folds her underwear. Living with a military veteran comes with a slew of telltale signs. Here are a few of them.
You Know You Live with a Veteran When ...
1. He's still wearing old combat boots. They aren't just for combat. Now they're for lawn mowing.
2. Profanity with precision. There you are, having a perfectly normal conversation, and she drops the F-bomb with exacting eloquence. Because veteran.
3. It's not for your information. It's for your "SA." That would be "situational awareness," by the way.
4. He has facial hair -- because he can.
5. Making a plan? Nope. You're making a COA. And if you have only one, you're doing it wrong. Because why wouldn't a trip to the grocery store require a full-blown course of action development?
6. Why respond "yes" in a text when you can simply respond "C." That's "C" for "copy," by the way.
7. Spidey senses like a CIA agent on speed. Do you know what's going on in the far corner of the restaurant? Nope. But your veteran does.
8. Vet-'dar. She can spot a fellow vet from a mile away -- and know what service and maybe even unit they were in, all without saying a word.
9. He used to make fun of unit gear, but now he owns all of it. And I mean all of it. Gone are the days of talking crap about the guy with all the Army bumper stickers. Now he is the guy with all the bumper stickers. Hooah.
10. Just because you aren't in, doesn't mean you don't need the gear. You thought getting out would mean getting rid of all that military gear. You were wrong. That's because this issue stuff is super useful for your new civilian life. Exhibit A: the woobie. Exhibit B: very worn cammies. Exhibit C: crappy canteen cup. ... And so on.
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