Like you, I was unscathed and never fired my weapon in combat.

However, I've been on the receiving end of mortars and rockets, I've convoyed in unarmored vehicles, I suffered through nasty GI infections while wearing body armor in 115 degree heat, I've gone more than 48 hours without sleeping at all. I have pointed my weapon at hundreds of people including women and children. I have come within a second or less of killing someone, but I never did. I was just a kid when I did all this.

I guess I sacrificed, but I know that my experience was nothing compared to the experience of many other veterans. I got a just a little taste of combat and it was enough to respect how bad others have had it. I feel like an imposter when compared to those who served in WWII, Korea, Vietnam, and the many who were in worst situations than me in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Many of these guys never got the help they needed and they still haven't.