What's the benefit for a tall soldier who's involved into a gunfight?

Question

I think being tall is quite a disadvantage for in a gunfight...

Easy target, long nerve conduction, strong inertia interfering direction changing etc....

If I were forced into a gunfight I think I would have huge mental pressure due to my tallness....

Answer 1

1.  Your climbing ability is a lot better.

2.  You can see over walls which is another angle to direct gun fire.  

3.  Your legs are usually longer which means a larger stride in running.

4.  Intimidation factor.  The U.S. purposely stations very tall soldiers on the Korean border to scare N. Korean army into believing we are a nation of giants.

5.  Being tall wouldent matter much as your target area is usually reduced in a gun fight.  I think you would find yourself behind cover or laying flat on your belly in a pinch.

Answer 2

huge mental pressure..........Yao Ming?

Answer 3

take your boots of if your that worries youll be about 1 or 2 inchs smaller, that the best your gonna get unless you find a way to shrink youself

Answer 4

you'd be a big *** target. Im 6'4

Answer 5

Hi,

I think, this is not an issue, except this is your first set of battles. I have never heard of any issues with this, although, I have only seen this question for the first time. (Now, I have both battle fatigue, and what they like to call PT SD. Mine is from civilian activities. Yes, defending, the innocents from those who feel and do otherwise.)

I an my com-padres, are part of a large group, in which we deal with the after effects of "Being in Combat." It can either be from pulling the trigger, or seeing the trigger pulled. Yet, it is so much more inclusive, than that.

For a combat soldier, who has  done combat, the issues are getting over those items which you were aware and prepared for when in combat. NOW, here is a big item. Once a combat veteran, (civilian or military or domestic), you are always a combat Veteran. This is a benefit to others. For you, those trigger issues, will always be trigger issues, unless you can somehow, remove yourself from all possibilities of the trigger issues. (I am defining trigger issues, as those which occurred for which you did combat for, or protected yourself, or others.) So, for me it is armed robbers, and hot-prowlers, it is also the criminal element, organized or not, which forces itself on innocents. It is unique and different. It is as unique and different for each Reluctant-Warrior. It is as unique and different as each Reluctant-Warrior is different from each other. It is also the same as each of us it the same as each other.

Now, back to your tallness issue. If you are in combat, whether you die or get injured or do not, has actually little to do with you. It has to do with what happens. Yes, what happens has little to do with you, it is just what happens. I work with a tall combat veteran, and he is alive. He is also, 70years old. He still works in a regular job. I am 60 years old. I still work, yet I am not tall. There are many times each of should have by our thoughts been killed. We see many others, and wonder why them and not us? At some point the question is incorrect to ask. I, nor does any of us, know the exact reason we are alive, and others are not. And, just in case you are thinking, that life as you know it, is everything that counts, it is not. Many of us, many times wished it were us, who had 'bought it', rather than being alive. Sometimes, it takes months to recover, from the frustration of still having to soldier on. It is not dying as you or most people think, that is to be feared, yet it is, even by me sometimes. There are many items more fearful than dying, and yet even those are not really. When, the fearful event which is dreaded happens, it is time, and trying, that works. My worst one took several years. In the beginning, it was intense enough to make me think I was going to go crazy. No one can live like this, I thought. Yet, it was not the first time for me. Nor, I think is it the last for me or anybody.

Okay, with much experience, it is possible to give you more, yet I need to end this and still give you what you asked for. First whatever does or does not happen to you, you will survive. PTSD, is as simple as telling another, personal-one-to-one-combat-only veteran, your story or listening to his or hers. This has worked for the past 30 or more years for me. I got it formally, explained, from a guy from IRAQ, who actually got it from his uncle. As, the Iraq combat-veteran, was still reeling from his changes to himself and his experiences, state side, his uncle came up to him one day. (Real story, it works, and I use it for others. It works for them.) He says: "You are feeling angry, agitated, confused. Let's go fishing! (And yet fishing is not what happened.) The next day his uncle pulls up in his pick up truck. There is beer, whiskey, camping gear, and no fishing poles. No questions are asked. At the camping spot all is set up. His uncle sits down in a chair and pop's a beer. He says: "I did Korea. I never told you or most anyone this. (not that actual set of words I don't recall, so that is what I think he said.) This is what happened." When the uncle was done telling his story, he looked at his nephew and said: "You feel better now, and you don't know why!" This nephew, who is telling me this story said: "Yes." He did and he does not know why. This works for me and I am a civilian Reluctant-Warrior. It works for combat veterans of wars and domestic issues and I don't know why."

Always remember, do what you must, die if need be, live if need be, yet do it for others. It is not you who are or will ever be more important than anyone else most of the time. It is putting yourself on the line, sometimes kicking, yelling, and maybe cursing, yet doing it for what ever reason you must, that in the end allows you to live and live with yourself. Although, you may need to live a life of self hatred, and learn from that. No matter what choice you make, it is probably the correct one.

Do know, fear is you friend and your foe. It is a friend when it makes you think. It is a foe when it hurts you or others. Everyone, almost, is afraid. I asked an old combat veteran, as I have been afraid, and was worried if I could perform, I asked, How do you do it? How, do you overcome the fear, and still do what you need to do? How? He says the other guys are just a 'scared shitless as I am'. I just do it. Somehow, that non answer was an answer. For, me every time, I have been afraid, to terrified, I have been worried. I have fretted years later over what could have been or what I should have done, and then many years later, I realized that what could have bee and what should have been is what happened. It is only the moment and the years of turmoil trom being now changed into a warrior forever that clouds clear thinking for a few years, and it is also the really erroneous press, politicians, and the un knowing public that make is think un clearly. Later it is all okay.

It is later, that if you do combat, you will know your worth and the worth of every combat veteran you know. Both civilian, domestic, and military combat veterans are there for everybody, always. Yes, you are and will be different than non combatants, and you will eventually come to admire and like the non combatants for who they are. They are fun, silly, shallow, and love all there is in life, and it is you, and I, and every other Reluctant-Warrior, who makes this possible. They are a joy. It is up to us, to keep them from turning into us. And, you, and I and all the others like us, or what you will be, are their benefactors in that way. It is not all bad.

Bye,

...Curt...