Many people have things that they won't share with even their wives or husbands, but only with the people that they've served with. Talking about life 'over there' or even more trivial things like the mobilization station, food, friends, foes, etc., are oftentimes impossible to talk about with people that didn't share the same experiences. This unspoken trust that forms because of these things creates a bond that is hard to break.
Another interesting thing is the difference between a bond with all military members and a bond with people that you were actually with. Certain things like food, living conditions, other service branches, weapons systems, bases, MOS's, basic training, deaths, injuries, pay, spouses, etc can generally be brought up and discussed with ease amongst nearly anyone in the military, much as weather is discussed between civilians.
Other things, such as a particularly bad Lieutenant, a 'bad day,' regrets, wishes, embarassments, mistakes, or other unit-specific areas are more closely guarded and generally only talked about with people that went through those same things.
The best example of a bond formed for me is the bond I have with Robby due to having served overseas together, then running RSP, going back to the same unit, going to nearby colleges in similar degrees, and being friends throughout it all. With all of these shared experiences, anytime we talk there's always something to reminisce about.
Looking to the future, it will be weird forming new bonds with people in a new unit, and it makes me wonder how much the old bonds will fade.
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