Caveat: I know every soldier is different.
Do soldiers typically avoid anything war-related - such as watching violent movies, playing Call of Duty, playing paintball, etc., while on leave at home (say, back from Iraq or Afghanistan?)
Not in my experience, although it obviously varies (which you posted in your question).
One thing I’ve known of a lot of soldiers who’ve been to war, including myself, is that they don’t enjoy 4th of July fireworks.
I suggest there’s an inverse relationship between the amount of combat a soldier has taken part in and their interest in war-related entertainments while on leave.
Hell, after I came home, I eventually had issues walking through wooded areas with my girlfriend.
Well you have to remember a lot of soldiers are not in a combat MOS and may never leave the FOB, aka fobbits so for those guys especially if they were in a place that never saw many attacks they aren’t necessarily gonna be PTSD candidates or stressed out more so than the fact of being stuck in a shitty place. I don’t think many guys are going to waste much time playing video games on leave, a lot of time is already spend downrange playing video games, more likely enjoying time with their families or if single going out partying and trying to get laid, or even taking a vacation elsewhere than their home or duty station.
No. This would not be typical at all.
I wasn’t happy with them the first time after I got back but was fine with them after that.
Although I was always in a combat arms MOS when I was deployed I was sent in a non-combat role. I was home on leave from Iraq and played violent video games with no thought. Video games don’t feel like real life.
No; almost the opposite. For most of the ones I’ve known I wouldn’t say its violence they crave so much as the rush of adrenaline. One friend hated rollercoasters until his return from his first tour in the Big Sandbox. After that he couldn’t get enough and the wilder the better. After his third tour he was a flat out American Coaster Enthusiasts junkie sometimes doing 3 parks in a day, running from one thrill to the next. Way back when my cousin came back from Vietnam it was racing cars; and he did damn good at it. I know some others who moved into extreme sports. Yeah - I would not be surprised if some get into video games or hunting (for examples) but what I’ve seen myself is more sorts of self-inflicted violence than simulated combat.
My dad’s a Vietnam combat veteran. He really likes war movies but it seems like he enjoys them in a melancholy sort of way. He watched MASH a lot when we were kids.
His main job involved getting dropped from helicopters so he does get tense when choppers come near. He is also sensitive to fireworks.
One time we were at a hibachi restaurant and the chef at our table was Vietnamese. THAT was awkward… (oh, because dad is a drunk, too. He made it awkward not the chef.)
I haven’t even set foot on a military base, but from my talks with US Marines, Navy guys and flyboys over the interwebs ; *Call of Duty *and the like are just as popular in the barracks and among the “I’m never enlisting ever again ! Sucks to be you stuck in the mud at that FOB ! (I’m so bored, please don’t let me re-enlist you guys)” crowd as they are in any other kind of frathouse.
Also (as suggested above with the fireworks), trauma works in the weirdest ways. Things you expect to tip you off won’t, and then you struggle with the most simple thing.
I was a victim of a sexual assault in a military gym, but didn’t have an issue until I was posted, then all of a sudden, military gyms freaked me out (also that chlorine smell). .
So does running alone - even though it didn’t happen when I was out running. I haven’t been able to complete “Murph” since it requires two mile runs. My first time running outside since I ran a half-marathon in 2012 will be today (go me!). One guy I know did not have any issue with anything military, but a car backfiring when he was driving scared the hell out of him.