Bring our boys and girls home, the US troop situation

aeallison, this post wasn't against you just to make it clear, but when I read your post it made me think. I had heard this many other times.

To answer your question yes I have served in our armed forces. I'm serving right now in the Air Force with the guaranteed contract that you speak of. I'm sorry if you thought I was posting in a negative manner towards you as that was not my intent.

I have spoke with people that have served in Iraq, although no army infantry, or marines who have been much closer to the combat that is going on right now. Its a bad situation I agree for everyone involved. But we simply cannot back out now, because it would be leaving the job undone and the people to fend for themselves. I agree with Relyt, and unstable Iraq would lead to a much more unstable middle east.

While there may be some truth to the politics of oil and capitalism, I honestly belive that our administration thought that there was a strong enough threat from Iraq to do what has been done, and lest not forget Afghanistan. I will support the administration irregardless as its what I swore an oath to do.

Nihil,

The Vietnam situation was widely different, and that alone could be a never ending post. But the main thing that sticks out to me is the all volunteer military. And I agree with you 100%, God bless them all. I hope that some day I can do my part to help as well. And I have much respect for the UK for sticking with us through thick and thin, and there are others helping as well. God bless all of them indeed.

aeallison, this post wasn't against you just to make it clear, but when I read your post it made me think. I had heard this many other times.

To answer your question yes I have served in our armed forces. I'm serving right now in the Air Force with the guaranteed contract that you speak of. I'm sorry if you thought I was posting in a negative manner towards you as that was not my intent.

I have spoke with people that have served in Iraq, although no army infantry, or marines who have been much closer to the combat that is going on right now. Its a bad situation I agree for everyone involved. But we simply cannot back out now, because it would be leaving the job undone and the people to fend for themselves. I agree with Relyt, and unstable Iraq would lead to a much more unstable middle east.

While there may be some truth to the politics of oil and capitalism, I honestly belive that our administration thought that there was a strong enough threat from Iraq to do what has been done, and lest not forget Afghanistan. I will support the administration irregardless as its what I swore an oath to do.

Nihil,

The Vietnam situation was widely different, and that alone could be a never ending post. But the main thing that sticks out to me is the all volunteer military. And I agree with you 100%, God bless them all. I hope that some day I can do my part to help as well. And I have much respect for the UK for sticking with us through thick and thin, and there are others helping as well. God bless all of them indeed.

Thadbme, I didn't take this thread as a personal attack, nor was I offended by it. I do have a tendancy to to use catch phrases. To me, our troops are just kids. Highly skilled and trained, but kids none the less. I have no problems at all with putting my life or the lives of my family in their hands. I have a great respect for everyone in our armed forces. I guess I shouldn't have judged all of the millitary on the performance of a handful of jerks that I had to deal with. But as a father of two children (ages 22 and 20) I am familliar with the basic attitudes of the troops that are now engaging in battle overseas. Most of them joined to "see the world" or "to be all that they can be". An easy out for a child who is tired of the day to day drudgery that is life in our United States. As a service man yourself you should be most familliar with the propaganda and social engineering tactics that are in use today. How hard is it, really; to convince a young man or woman, aged between 18 and 27, that they are doing the right thing, and that they truly love doing it? In the short time I was in the service, I can still clearly remember how they told us what to write home to our parents, and why we should write our letters just that way. They didn't want our parents getting any wrong ideas of how we were being trained or treated. I could go on.

Conf1rm3d_K1ll, don't take me wrong on this, but I think my above statement covers your post too. I just can't believe everything I read, especially with my experiences in this matter.

Thadbme, I didn't take this thread as a personal attack, nor was I offended by it. I do have a tendancy to to use catch phrases. To me, our troops are just kids. Highly skilled and trained, but kids none the less. I have no problems at all with putting my life or the lives of my family in their hands. I have a great respect for everyone in our armed forces. I guess I shouldn't have judged all of the millitary on the performance of a handful of jerks that I had to deal with. But as a father of two children (ages 22 and 20) I am familliar with the basic attitudes of the troops that are now engaging in battle overseas. Most of them joined to "see the world" or "to be all that they can be". An easy out for a child who is tired of the day to day drudgery that is life in our United States. As a service man yourself you should be most familliar with the propaganda and social engineering tactics that are in use today. How hard is it, really; to convince a young man or woman, aged between 18 and 27, that they are doing the right thing, and that they truly love doing it? In the short time I was in the service, I can still clearly remember how they told us what to write home to our parents, and why we should write our letters just that way. They didn't want our parents getting any wrong ideas of how we were being trained or treated. I could go on.

Conf1rm3d_K1ll, don't take me wrong on this, but I think my above statement covers your post too. I just can't believe everything I read, especially with my experiences in this matter.

They're still running ads on the radio here for the national guard. one weekend a month, two weeks a year, help with your tuition, military training, learn a new skill.....

A lot of people joined the national guard believing they would be helping in their own state in case of local disasters... that is still the way the guard is advertised.

Of course not many people would sign up if they advertised the truth... "you're going to be shipped off to a warm place..."

They're still running ads on the radio here for the national guard. one weekend a month, two weeks a year, help with your tuition, military training, learn a new skill.....

A lot of people joined the national guard believing they would be helping in their own state in case of local disasters... that is still the way the guard is advertised.

Of course not many people would sign up if they advertised the truth... "you're going to be shipped off to a warm place..."

There are advantages to the guard however. When everything is going well, such as not a war in Iraq or Afghanistan its all good. However the way our current military system is working is heavily using our guard and reserve forces to bolster the numbers. This results in your being sent to a warm place.

People join for varying reasons, and its always interesting to hear what they have to say. Alot of people join to "get away from home" because there is nothing to do. Well I hear that story from people all over the place. Also you've got the big one, education. The current recruiters story is 100% of tuition paid. And thats a true fact, but you need to understand whats behind it. Somewhere around $4600 a year is available for tuition. And there are things that you need to get out of the way, such as upgrade training before you can use the education benefits you get. Also there is the Mongomery GI Bill, which at last time I heard is around $40000, but you can only use this after you have been in the military for 2 years. And if you want to use it when you get out you must be honorably discharged. Ok that being said, I may very well be a more aware Airman (Gen Jumper has declared that airman is to be capitalised from now on, interesting story... ) than average, but I know whats going on.

I'm not sure what kind of TI you had or the squadron you were in, but when I was in we were lucky to get to write at all. Atleast for two weeks we were barred from doing so. Everything that they did had meaning, even some of the subtle things in basic were to get you prepared for things later on. But I never remember being told what to write home. Now there was the 30 second phone call to where you were only allowed to say that your ok, and here is my address, but thats again a different story.

I believe on my own accord that I've done the right thing for myself by joining the military. I've grown both physically and mentally, and I'm pretty darn self confident. At the same time I believe that our military is ultimately a good thing, and that we are doing good things. Now keeping that in mind is that the function of the military to kill is a balancing act, but I have the upmost faith in our leadership, both military and administration wise.

I'm just stating my case, I know that you never denied anything about our military, but thats my spill!

There are advantages to the guard however. When everything is going well, such as not a war in Iraq or Afghanistan its all good. However the way our current military system is working is heavily using our guard and reserve forces to bolster the numbers. This results in your being sent to a warm place.

People join for varying reasons, and its always interesting to hear what they have to say. Alot of people join to "get away from home" because there is nothing to do. Well I hear that story from people all over the place. Also you've got the big one, education. The current recruiters story is 100% of tuition paid. And thats a true fact, but you need to understand whats behind it. Somewhere around $4600 a year is available for tuition. And there are things that you need to get out of the way, such as upgrade training before you can use the education benefits you get. Also there is the Mongomery GI Bill, which at last time I heard is around $40000, but you can only use this after you have been in the military for 2 years. And if you want to use it when you get out you must be honorably discharged. Ok that being said, I may very well be a more aware Airman (Gen Jumper has declared that airman is to be capitalised from now on, interesting story... ) than average, but I know whats going on.

I'm not sure what kind of TI you had or the squadron you were in, but when I was in we were lucky to get to write at all. Atleast for two weeks we were barred from doing so. Everything that they did had meaning, even some of the subtle things in basic were to get you prepared for things later on. But I never remember being told what to write home. Now there was the 30 second phone call to where you were only allowed to say that your ok, and here is my address, but thats again a different story.

I believe on my own accord that I've done the right thing for myself by joining the military. I've grown both physically and mentally, and I'm pretty darn self confident. At the same time I believe that our military is ultimately a good thing, and that we are doing good things. Now keeping that in mind is that the function of the military to kill is a balancing act, but I have the upmost faith in our leadership, both military and administration wise.

I'm just stating my case, I know that you never denied anything about our military, but thats my spill!

Quote:

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I never remember being told what to write home. Now there was the 30 second phone call to where you were only allowed to say that your ok, and here is my address, but thats again a different story.

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30 second phone call?? I don't remember that at all... hmmmm

I enlisted in 1977, when did you enlist?

Lets hear the one about the 30 second phone call. :D

I am really glad that you feel the way you do. No body told you what to write in response to my last post did they. j/k ;)

Heh heh heh......this is interesting. A kind of look back at 40 years and the differences that have occurred.

I am a bit older than most of you. I joined the service almost 40 years ago (June of 1965) and was in untill Feb. of 1973) ( 7 years 7 months and 23 days to be exact) As I was in the Air Force, I joined (volunteered) of course. But, in that day and age I had a choice.....join and get what I wanted or be drafted and be a grunt (Army or Marine -- and yes they were drafting for the marines in those days)

I spent 18 months in Viet Nam.....1 year volunteer and 6 months as a temorarily deployed personel. I was very gungho when I went into the service and was planning on making a career out of it. Viet Nam and other things changed my mind. But I will not go into that....differing times and cicumstances.

Our young people serving overseas now, are for the most part volunteers, and certainly knew they would probably be sent overseas. Except for the Guard. Alot of them joined, and did not ever expect to leave their home towns except for basic and two weeks a year. They would not have planned for this, or set up their families to be able to accomidate this hardship.....and I do feel for them (but they should have know it was always a possibility).

Do I support our troops....of course. Do I support our administration.....only when I have to, as I don't trust our administrations motivations anymore.

Do I think we should pull out of Iraq.....yes, but I also know we can't.

My answer to the problem of terrorists......Kill them all (but again I know that we can not just do that, although I am not sure why[sic])