Ever get flashbacks?

[Jeff L]

We have Air National Guard Hueys and Cobras that fly over occasionally. My former next door neighbor was a medic in Viet Nam. He said the chopper sounds would give him flashbacks sometimes. Does this ever happen to you?

[SMOKEY]

Certain sounds and smells in the winter always remind me of boot camp at Great Lakes

[joem]

Only once that I remember. I was being tested for sleep apenia and had not had a good nights sleep for months. I would even fall asleep driving. After they put on the CPAP mask I was out quick. And there I was in VN and couldn't wake up. I don't know how long this lasted but it seened like hours. SCARED TO HELL OUT OF ME.

[mike24d20]

As Smokey said, certian smells or sounds plus the lack of bug sounds. At night when the bugs are loud-then no sound I go into a almost combat mode with the shotgun coming off safe.

[Fred]

The smell of diesel takes me back to my days in Armor (tanks).

[cplnorton]

Whenever my wife gets mad at me and goes off, it reminds me of Drill Instructor Sergeant Bowman. They are both equally mean.

[broom jockey]

The whop whop of Huey helicopter blades especially when I'm in the middle of wherever. At times I smell those smells from 'Nam.

[Dan Shapiro]

When I first came home from 'Nam, I really didn't believe the 'flashback' thing. I lived near a USMC base. Heard cannon fire and Hueys all the time, day and night. Never had a problem.

Then one afternoon I was walking down an empty isle in a Safeway store doing some shopping. All of a sudden I heard people speaking in Vietnamese. I broke into a cold sweat and started shaking. One isle over, Mama-san and Papa-san were doing their own grocery shopping.

That's the only occasion that I can recall. Although I do get pissed off when I come across documentaries involving LBJ or McNamara.

[Big_Al]

To me, a "flashback" is different than a memory, and what the VA terms "intrusive thoughts".
Dan (above) had what I would consider a flashback. I have never had one of those, a sort of out-of-body experience. One that is so real it is overwhelming. Although I was in treatment at the VA with some who have.
I have had certain sights, sounds and smells trigger memories that have lain dormant for years, yes.
And I have had intrusive thoughts of the war come with no stimulus, out of the clear blue sky. Things I had forgotten about, repressed.

[Ron James]

Not anymore and not for a long , long time. As stated some sounds and smells will trigger a memory but I don't register that as a flashback. Only twice can I think of a " flash back reaction " , once , just back from my first tour from Nam and on leave, late night, just went to sleep, a car passed by on the near by high way, muffler was dragging, sounded just like a M60. I woke up on the floor shaking, I remember I was trying to find my gear and was getting frantic about it. There was one other time, my wife knows about it, no one else does, when I had a flash back about the flight my friend ( as those who serve know, friends become closer than blood. ) was killed. That was triggered by believe it or not a police radio next door. sounded just like the FM radio in flight operations. Other wise no, I grew up very hard and very little bothers me.