Veterans describe what it’s like to kill in this powerful video series

What do you say when people ask if you killed anyone? This question is almost inevitable when civilians find out you're a war veteran. How do you explain that feeling to someone who never fought in a war? "I …

What do you say when people ask if you killed anyone?


This question is almost inevitable when civilians find out you’re a war veteran. How do you explain that feeling to someone who never fought in a war?

I know it’s not right to do this, but I have to. If I focused on it for one minute, I would lose my mind. So I didn’t.

Most people, even many veterans, will never know what it’s like to kill another human being, especially in combat. A video series, On Killing, produced by Cut.com, asked six war veterans of various eras and countries the difficult questions about killing in warfare.

I didn’t give a f*ck who he was. I was trying to keep me alive.”

One minute you have somebody walking along and the next it’s just a lump of flesh.

Six war veterans discuss their experiences in the series. This includes Lonnie, an infantryman during the Vietnam War:

Josh, a sniper in Operation Enduring Freedom:

Daniel, a machine gunner during the Vietnam War:

Qassim, an Iraqi who was forced into Saddam Hussein’s army during the Iran-Iraq War:

Lance, a 3rd generation Army veteran and veteran of the Kosovo War:

Jonathan, an Operation Iraqi Freedom veteran:

Blake Stilwell Avatar

Blake Stilwell

Editor-In-Chief, Air Force Veteran

Blake Stilwell is a writer with degrees in Graphic Design, Television & Film, Journalism, Public Relations, International Relations, and Business Administration. He is a former combat photographer with experience in politics, entertainment, business, military, and government. His work has been featured on ABC News, HBO Sports, NBC, Military.com, Military Times, Recoil Magazine, Together We Served, and more. He is based in Ohio, but is often found elsewhere.


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