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riverrat66 · February 8, 2006, 10:43 PM

It's called PTSD (Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder) which many Vietnam veterans suffer from and is often associated with soldiers who cannot shake terrible memories of battle. But there are many other people who get PTSD, such as victims of violent crimes like rape or assault and survivors or witnesses of an accident, natural disaster, or terrorist attack.

But there is a point that I've always wanted to address and that is the willingness on the part of some people or at least the perceived willingness to shoot someone.

As ISP2605 states in his post about the guy who "was always the big talker. He would shoot anyone who came on his property, then the night came when his back was against the wall. He froze. When telling me what happened he still shook and cried. He admitted he didn't know what to do. He had the guns, but he didn't have the mindset."

I have not read this book but can understand what the posters are talking about. There is a hugh difference between carrying a firearm and being prepared to use it. Many times when one "straps" on a firearm it makes them feel like a "big" man and they can venture into even the worst part of town but do they actually have the "mindset" to use it? Or are they actually to anxious to use it? There was a guy here in town that was attacked by another after a minor fender bender and he shot the guy once in the chest but shot him twice in the back as the attacker ran away. Those two shots in the back got the shooter 25 years to life in Attica. His name is James Pennington and he's still in Attica today.

How many times I have read posts about how someone would blast away or wouldn't hesitate to shoot the bad guy dead all along thinking to myself if only they knew how much more difficult it was to shoot a person then it was a paper target. A lot of these guys are what I call "armchair warriors and keyboard commandos" who have never experienced combat or even seen another man shot let alone shot someone. No one can predict how they will react unless they have "been there and done that" and once you have you know that when you draw your handgun you will use it. Unfortunately, I do not know how one prepares for the "moment of truth".

My "moment of truth" came when I was 19 years old in Vietnam. After having been shot twice, stuffing many of my buddies into body bags and personally killing many of the enemy all by the ripe old age of 20, I can honestly say that after 30 years of carrying concealed I have never needed to draw my weapon but if the need arises I am indeed prepared to use it.

February 8, 2006, 10:43 PM	#20
riverrat66 Senior Member Join Date: December 23, 2004 Location: Western New York Posts: 394	It's called PTSD (Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder) which many Vietnam veterans suffer from and is often associated with soldiers who cannot shake terrible memories of battle. But there are many other people who get PTSD, such as victims of violent crimes like rape or assault and survivors or witnesses of an accident, natural disaster, or terrorist attack. But there is a point that I've always wanted to address and that is the willingness on the part of some people or at least the perceived willingness to shoot someone. As ISP2605 states in his post about the guy who "was always the big talker. He would shoot anyone who came on his property, then the night came when his back was against the wall. He froze. When telling me what happened he still shook and cried. He admitted he didn't know what to do. He had the guns, but he didn't have the mindset." I have not read this book but can understand what the posters are talking about. There is a hugh difference between carrying a firearm and being prepared to use it. Many times when one "straps" on a firearm it makes them feel like a "big" man and they can venture into even the worst part of town but do they actually have the "mindset" to use it? Or are they actually to anxious to use it? There was a guy here in town that was attacked by another after a minor fender bender and he shot the guy once in the chest but shot him twice in the back as the attacker ran away. Those two shots in the back got the shooter 25 years to life in Attica. His name is James Pennington and he's still in Attica today. How many times I have read posts about how someone would blast away or wouldn't hesitate to shoot the bad guy dead all along thinking to myself if only they knew how much more difficult it was to shoot a person then it was a paper target. A lot of these guys are what I call "armchair warriors and keyboard commandos" who have never experienced combat or even seen another man shot let alone shot someone. No one can predict how they will react unless they have "been there and done that" and once you have you know that when you draw your handgun you will use it. Unfortunately, I do not know how one prepares for the "moment of truth". My "moment of truth" came when I was 19 years old in Vietnam. After having been shot twice, stuffing many of my buddies into body bags and personally killing many of the enemy all by the ripe old age of 20, I can honestly say that after 30 years of carrying concealed I have never needed to draw my weapon but if the need arises I am indeed prepared to use it.