I never served my country but I have sprained my back picking up a textbook at the old age of 20. It happens. Be more careful. Use your knees lol

"He's spent years training, survived a combat tour unharmed, and you want to trust an outside party to take him down?" "I'm quite confident she's the woman for the job. She… has incentives of her own." "What the fuck does that even mean?" "She's his /mother in law/."

It could have been the straw that broke the camels back.... pun intended. Thank you for your service, sir.

My father once threw his back out leaning over to spit toothpaste into the sink. At least since you're discharged, you might get something other than 800 mg Motrin and Flexeril for treatment.

See that's why you're supposed to lift with your back in a jerking twisting motion

That's how it always happens brother. 10 1/2 years in and a tour in the Middle East with no injuries, only for me to get injured my 2nd week back in a training exercise... where I was the instructor.

Sorry, OP, that sucks. On the plus side.... at least you have great mother-in-law joke material for the rest of your life?

Messed my back up by having sex. I mean wtf??? So bad I had to have back surgery last year!! Worth it? Hell yeah

That is really really unfortunate. And ironic.

That's not uncommon with back injuries. They can take on little strains and tears that have no effect until one final push brings the whole shebang down.