Posted by Jack (167.206.58.39) on April 02, 2000 at 20:34:10:
In Reply to: Praying for each of you. posted by Dennis P. on April 02, 2000 at 20:09:44:
I was a SWAB at the US Coast Guard Academy in the late 60s, back before the service academies became tamer places. The hazing back then lasted the entire first year and included loads of yelling, pushups on fingertips and all that kind of silliness.
The guys in the field in Vietnam were the ones enduring the real stuff. No quality of life and the terror of combat.
My father spent 4 years in WWII. North Africa, Italy, D Day, right through to the liberation of Germany. Did not go home once in his 4 years.
Hazing at the service academies is silly shit compared to a lot of other stuff in this world.
However, no physical pain I have ever experienced compares to the pain of a full blown cluster.
And while I am pontificating I would also add that the worse emotional pain I have ever endured was watching a loved one go through a bout of clinical depression.
I'll go away now.