from a soldier

I know I posted this somewhere else but i noticed a lot more people come to the random thoughts board so I want your advice.

I have been seeing a lot of posts on the forums putting the war down and putting the soldiers down for going to Iraq. Spooner you are one of the people I'm talking about. I just want to say that I'm a member of the national guard and my unit is going to Iraq December the 13th. Theres a few people from my unit who are dying to go to Iraq. They want to blow stuff up and kill people. The rest of the people seem like they are eager to go as well. My unit has a lot of rednecks who are pro Bush, i'm from eastern Kentucky so you probably get the picture. But there are a select few like me who don't want to go, we don't support the war and we think that it's a waste of time.

I joined the military when i was 17 i'm 20 now almost 21. I was a completly different person then than I am now. When I was 17 I was living at home I had an abusive step dad and we were very poor. I was naive then and saw the military as way to get out of the house and a way to pay for college. Well after being in for a couple of years I changed I knew that if it came down to it I could'nt go to war or shoot someone. I hated the army and I now no longer support war. I finally wisened up and figured out that I could get a part time job and get financial aid to pay for college. I just wish I had thought of it when i was younger. So over a year ago I went and talked to my unit commander and told him everything. I told him that I was a dumb kid when I signed up and didn't know what I was getting into. I told him that I would not shoot anyone and i told him that I wouldn't go to war if a war broke out. I also told him I wasn't army material I told him I wasn't into all the things the other soldiers enjoyed doing I also don't fit in with any of the people in the unit. I don't share any of their interests. I just told him i wanted out.
He told me that I signed the contract and I was going to stay in the army until my contract expired. I begged and pleaded with him but he told me that was the end of it.
So over the last year or so i've been trying to get kicked out. I don't show up for drill and other such things. Nothing seems to work. As I was still trying to think of ways to get out I get a call right out of the blue from my army unit. Thy told me 2 or 3 months ago that our unit just got activated.
We got activated for an unjust war. Now i don't know what to do. I know I signed the contract but can't someone change their mind over time? The army is the only proffesion where it seems like you can't get out of it no matter what. I don't want to go for moral reasons alone.
So yeah I see plenty of people on here put soldiers down for going to Iraq but it seems like no one will give any advice on over what soldier should do. Should I go to Iraq, should I just refuse to go and go to jail, should I run to Canada, or should I try somthing else?

 

What about if you say your gay, they have the don't ask don't tell policy, but I heard somewhere that if you come out as openly gay they can discharge you.

 

wow, my heart bleeds for you. what a tough spot you are in.
unfortunately none of us can tell you what is best for you. whatever decision is made will affect you not us.
what is most important to you? your morals? or not getting into trouble?
what a tough freaking spot?

by the way....i disagree with the war but i would never put our soldiers down for being there. though i dont believe the right course of action was taken, it is how it is and the soldiers dont have an option of where they end up and besides....poor bastards are brainwashed.

i wish you peace and clarity. meditate or pray about it. if you need a friend or a shoulder, pm me...
namaste, god bless and peace

 

My doctor told me I was crazy and that they wouldn't draft me or even allow me to volunteer. So maybe you should eat your hand. Then they would let you leave.

 

id go with the gay thing or else start seeing a psychiatrist and pretend like you have severe anxiety and see if that will get you off.

you could also hurt yourself purposely.

btw, this is a great thread. very thoughtful...thanks for posting it.

this is something that i wish many young kids could see before they becide to sign that contract.

 

Please do the gay thing. Its the best option you have. If your not going to pull the trigger your going to get someone killed. People count on you to pull the trigger.

 

or you could dress up like a woman.........

you know I hear more stories about this from different people. like they want to get out because they didnt know when they signed up for the army that they would have to kill people. geez. its your own fault. you get money for going to college, or you get money because you sign up for the national guard, but when the country goes to war and asks for your assistance you dont want any part of it. all you did it for was the money.......

its like selling your soul to the devil....... you sold your soul to uncle sam, deal with it.

I had options of going into the army too, but I was smart enough not to do it.

 

M*A*S*H

 

canada won't dop you much good. we've singd a deal with teh states to hand over all draft dodgers and the like so you'd only end up getting thrown back into the states. most likely in jail.
sorry man, looks like your stuck between a rock and a hard spot

 

he signed up for the national guard - not full time active duty army service. I have a big problem with members of the national guard being sent overseas - it contradicts the purpose in my opinion. They should be utilized stateside for security purposes - though of course dubya would crack back at me that 9/11 changed everything.

 

If none of your options work you can take you M-16 put it on simi-auto and aim it at your leg and BANG. You just got your self out of the war.

 

shit, just go awal the day your soposed to leave. whats the worst theyll give you in the US, maby a month or two hard labour? and if your lucky youll get a discharge.

 

A disonerable discharge. Try getting a job with one of them.

 

how would that afect getting a job elsewhear. just dont put it on your resume.

 

Cant they look that shit up?

 

yeah, but they get a check every week for being part of the national guard...... do they expect to get a check for doing nothing???????? if they are going to get paid, they might as well be doing something useful. my tax dollars are not going to go to people sitting at home because they signed up for national service.

 

I dont know im in Canada.

eather way I'm probably not he best person to take advice from . I dont think Id last verry long in a military setting.

 

uhh a dishonorable discharge is not a good thing. yeah you can probably get a job, but it will be a shit job.

 

I have plenty of friends that were/are in the national guard and do many things - national disasters -they're there helping out, boarder duty, airport security - there are many useful areas stateside that they are not being utilized. I just feel that overseas combat should be reserved for those signing up for active combat services. for most of them, the checks they receive are nominal, reflective of the part time nature of their positions.

 

Madcrappie I know I made a mistake when i signed up after turning 17 I was naive. In my post I said I've been trying to get out for the last year. Which was months before my unit got activated. I even missed drill a few times and quit recieving college benefits. You know how much you get for your monthly service in the national guard about a 150 bucks. It's not like i signed my soul over to the devil (if he even exists) for all kinds of riches. I personally think that you should have to be 21 to join the military. I made a mistake people change over time. I just wish others would realize that. If anyone is planning on joining the national guard please don't do it.