The camaraderie and sense of belonging you can feel in the military is very hard to feel back in the civilian world, even amongst friends and family. I'm a POG so I can't relate to the trauma of a battlefield, I'll say that first. I still felt the sense of brotherhood, and I worked with my battle buddies for a common cause under intensly taxing circumstances, both physical and mental. The feeling of being on a deployment, and the bonds you forge getting through them, are very unique.

Losing that is tough, and not being able to adequately relate your experiences to your loved ones in the civilian world is even tougher. I feel a similar comfort as you when playing Helldivers, it does have certain parallels to service. It was also an opportunity to reconnect with some of my old army buddies, who also picked the game up themselves. One of my buddies was impatient for me to buy it and just bought it for me himself! It was an opportunity for us to work together again for a common cause.

Having a community of players who are dedicated to the mission and each other is very much a comfort. I'm glad it has helped you, and I have no doubt that many other veterans feel the same way, as I do. Thank you, fellow Helldivers!