I get it. You meet someone who’s got prior military listed on his or her résumé or introduces himself or herself by military rank or who you know to be a veteran, and you immediately get intimidated. You don’t want to say the wrong thing or appear insensitive or offend the person. In a fluster of hesitation and social cues, you blurt out, “So, have you ever killed anyone?”
Estimates are that 98%–99% of the American population has not served in the military. That means that more than likely, civilians have a limited understanding of why people join the military, what happens when they’re in uniform, and what it means to transition to the civilian sector after a career of military service.
