i have a friend going to iraq in a few days

he's going to be there for a year, if all goes as planned and he stays safe enough.

recently married, too.

he's been in the army for a few years now, but he's going to be among the last additional people to be sent to iraq....

he leaves in a few days, but he leaves town tomorrow.

hope he's all right.:cheers2:

 

that sucks, but, the soldier deaths are going down

what rank and mos does he hold?

 

Live by the sword, die by the sword.

 

Army sucks.
That's why most people here in Romania have been avoiding it for years.
Now it's not even compulsory any more...

 

That has to be the most stupid and insensitive things that I have heard you say. Grow up.

Nesta, I hope he is alright too.

 

Sucks for him, but yeah... hopefully he won't get shot.

At least he'll get some college money out of it or whatever... it's just sad that people have to choose the path of the military in order to be able to achieve success in life.

 

You sure? Rat's been our forum downer, keeping happiness in check, recently.

Sorry, Nesta...I don't have any friends stationed overseas, but I have friends whose husbands are. It makes me so sad to talk to them, because a lot of them have babies growing up without their daddies. But at least he only got a year, a year goes by in no time. :cheers2:

 

I would be too if I believed the world was about to topple over on me.

 

Do your friend a favor. Get one of your best friends to get a camera, put on a skirt and take a picture of you kissing him. Send it to all his commanding officers.

 

We're at war. That won't work.

 

really? i dont think so. i think he's pretty right about it.

i mean, this guy is my friend and all...but fuck, he knew what he was getting himself into.

he never did well in school and he participated in a lot of illegal activities...the army was one of the few places he could get a legitimate career that paid somewhat well and would let him persue at least some of his interests. i like the guy, but hey, he's uncle sam's hired muscle.

if he didnt want to take the risk of getting killed in the line of work he pursued, he didnt have to. theres not a draft going.

he's bettered himself in a lot of ways in the army, learned a LOT....but hell, i like him and hope he survives and comes back in one piece, but fuck it...if he doesn't, then such is life. he chose his path

 

yeah, i think he'll be ok.

i dont know about your question though, he's explained that stuff to me but i am so oblivious to military stuff that i can never remember what it all means.

i dont know his rank. i know he isn't too high ranking, but i also know there are some people who answer to him.

 

Good friends go gay when all the other cards have been played.

 

On further consideration it was not my call to say it was insensitive.
But, I try and stand by what I say.
If you feel the same way, fair enough.
I just read it and thought: "Oh, for fuck sake."

I didn't know how you felt about the military etc or those that joined up.
I can see you kinda have the attitude a lot of people have around here.

 

It seemed an opportunistic thing to say.
But, hey ho...seems I was a little ott.

 

its a time of war. he joined the army WILLINGLY during a time of war.

if he gets killed, its all in a day's work. nobody forced him to join the army. he just thought it was a better career choice than working at some fast food restaraunt or selling drugs forever. while he has the capacity to do well, he isn't the type to consider university - and then there is paying for it. so he joined the military.

i dont blame him. i might have done the same thing in his shoes. and i hope he remains safe.

but its not like he's there to pass out food and clothing. he's there as a soldier. he's there as a fighter. and not everybody can always win every fight.

i'm not going to worry too much about it. and if he dies, it will disappoint me, but who knows how many deaths he may have caused? this will be his first time in iraq, but he served a lengthy tour in korea patrolling the DMZ, has been in firefights, among other things.

out of respect i do not ask if he's killed anyone. its very disrespectful to do so. but some of the stories he's told...he's never made it explicit, but i'm pretty sure he's filled his role as a hired gun. he's done well with it.

so what makes his life any more valuable than some dude in south korea who happens to stock up a spare room in his house with weapons and north korean propaganda? or an iraqi person against which there is the slightest suspicion? or anyone else?

anyway, i am concerned. i hope he comes home alive and in one piece. i also hope he doesnt see much fighting there. i wish all the best for him - especially being recently married.

but hell...i have to be realistic about it, too, thats all.

 

I guess it boils down to the fact that we choose our own poison in life and your buddy chose his. Hopefully he'll emerge a year from now physically and mentally intact. Remember, being wounded and killed is only part of what one risks when being deployed into a combat zone. Some folks grow from the experience but others won't fare as well. I wish him the best.

 

honestly i'm less worried about him getting physically injured than i am worried about him ending up too fucked up in the head to cope with regular life when he gets back.

 

You get my point exactly. In a sense being KIA would be better in the sense that everyone would likely be able to be past it after a respectful time but post traumatic stress is the gift that keeps on giving. I hope that neither happens to your buddy and his family.

 

so far his handful of years in the service have probably straightened him out a bit from what i can tell, and he seems a bit less fucked up in the head than when he signed up.

but who knows what this year will bring?

iraq may be a whole different animal, depending on what he ends up doing there.