If I caused someone’s death by accident, I think I would be haunted and taunted by it for a long long time. That my error had somehow caused pointless and senseless loss of life would gall me with bitter albeit useless regret.
On the other hand, if I was to kill someone purposely, it would be because I have what I deem good and sufficient reasons, so I’d have no grounds for remorse, guilt or sorrow about it --assuming, of course, that I didn’t have to be worried about exterior sanction (ie the state finding out that I’d done what I’d done, dismissing the validity of my reasons for doing so, and setting its machinery of legal punishment upon me). Fear of unpleasant repercussions is not at all connected to guilt feelings. To put it bluntly, if I meant to do it and got by with it, it wouldn’t bother me much at all.
Just because you don’t have ground to doesn’t mean your mind won’t mess you up.
I think a lot of people are underestimating the tricks your mind can play on you.
Most vets will probably not feel remorse, guilt or sorrow about killing an enemy combatant.
Still lots of them do suffer from long term psychological damage.
Please clarify. Because of your actions or just because wear the uniform. If it is the former I’ll take your word for it. If it is the latter then I would say that is ridiculous.
I actually don’t know the Airman’s MOS (in fact IIRC his rank is not even Airman) but it’s not inconceivable, even in the modern Air Force. Say he’s a mechanic that works on bombers, over a career such a person could easily be “indirectly involved” in the deaths of thousands.
Obviously guys from World War II who served on bombers probably were very directly tied to many, many deaths (especially the crew of the Enola Gay and Bockscar.
I understand that, that’s why I was asking for clarification. I was in Germany during Panama and Desert Storm. I was in Fort Hood during Somolia. I have not yet been deployed to Iraq or Afganistan. I have not participated in any activity that even indirectly helped in any combat action even in a support role. That’s just how things worked out, not through any cunning plan on my part. I feel absolutely no responsibility for any deaths that occurred in combat just because I happened to be in uniform in some other part of the world at the same time.
ETA: I am not asking him to go into details, none of my business. Just wanted a clarification on that one point.
If I got people killed by being stupid or lazy then I honestly think that I would take that guilt to my grave.
As to feeling bad about killing people for a good reason I’m very,very sure that I wouldn’t.
Of course the bleeding heart liberals who agonise over every death caused by soldiers defending their (As in BHL)right to slag us off most likely wouldn’t agree with me .