Honorable. A "commo dawg" as we used to call them. Always had them in our gun (Artillery) units. Great guys. I was 13b. You once were discussing (still hard to accept, but...) with gworld about my enlistment. 1983-1990 First enlistment: 3 years. (Guaranteed Europe as first assignment) was the option I took. I wanted out of po-demption small town Texas. So they made me a gun bunny. First tour. Nuremburg (actually, Fuerth just outside of Nuremburg), Germany. Spent more time in Graffenveur (sp?) in the winter than I ever want to remember. Spent 18 months there. Second tour. For Sill, Oklahoma. Made E-5 just before three years/reup time. Had a family with kids, wanted to avoid Korea at all costs (unaccompanied tour), so when I re-enlisted, I went for four years. The idea (eventually flawed) was that I can re-enlist with the option of "guaranteed duty assignment" at FS for another year. Figured they would send me back to Germany, which was a three year tour with family, and I'd have exactly three years left, so surely they would send "us" there. Wrong. They kept me there another 18 months. Orders came. Korea. Due to leave two weeks before my youngest son's birth. Got an extension for two months. Son was born, shortly after, I left for Korea for a year without family. Missed my youngest son's first year. It got worse. Was selected for Recruiting duty while in Korea. Returned for thirty days leave, then off to Fort Ben Harrison for three months of school. Came back to the hell of Recruiting. Got a bedroom community outside of Dallas that two previous Recruiters before me failed in. Upper middle class. Was E-6 promotable when I got out. Did not want to continue with recruiting, but had no choice. Once in Recruiting duty, it was a four year gig. If you re-enlist, the only option is to finish out the four year Recruiting gig. I'd have rather been back on the gun line, but didn't have the option. That's it, in a nutshell. Nothing as glamorous as what you did. For some reason, gputz believes being a Corporal is a dishonor when he insults the military. I tried to explain to him that Corporals are very rare. Most are SP4. Making Corporal is usually in a combat unit and usually in extreme circumstances when there are not enough NCO's. In Germany, rather than awarding Corporal to SP4s when NCOs were short (and it happened a lot back then), they would make them "active E-5s" Not sure if you ever experienced that. I only saw it in Germany. We were short NCOs bad there and they would hold a ceremony and give the rank of "acting E-5" on orders from the Battalion Commander. They were always E-4 promotables anyways, but it sure went to their heads.
That's a tough break with your first kid... A years a long time, even when you don't have anything to come back to... Nothing glamorous about OIF... I think I know what you mean, but some people might take the term literally... A lot of people have the "rambo" perception of the war, and it's just not the case... That's a weird rank, because it can either be a person that worked hard to get to a leadership position, then became too lazy to work on promotion points to earn their e5... or it could be a person that worked their way into that position, but just doesn't have enough time in service or grade to get their e5... From what I saw, it's normally just skipped... Specialists become Sergeants... No, but it doesn't surprise me... They don't need to do that anymore though... A few months after I went to my e5 board, the army came out with a rule that after 4 years an e4 is automatically promotable, and doesn't have to go to any board, or leadership course to get their e5... Kind of bugs the people that did go to the board... but then again, i'm sure WWII vets would be bugged at how easy we get our e5's even with the board... After basic/ait I got sent to an airborne unit... So went to jump school... within a few weeks of airborne graduation I left for my first of 4 tours... I got my e5 in just under 3 years, and saved up enough leave to get out over 2 months early, with pay... I learned a lot about the world in only a few years, and got to see a few countries in the process...
"What do you mean "play by those rules"? In a debate? You think your "mentality would overrule" because of, what seems to be, an anger issue?" It is an anger issue. I try to stay away from politics as long as i can, but it's like crack i gotta get some more of it. Sure alot of the things i say don't sound like they make sense but i think outside the box. People try too hard to sound normal, smart, amazing, etc. in my opinion and it gets monotonous. I speak what i feel and i hope someone doesn't like what i have to say or else i wouldn't be saying it. In a debate? no i wouldn't stand a chance in a debate cause i get pissed off too easy. arguing with you and guerilla was fun though, you're reasonable people. the other dude, ablyaa w/e, well you're just too fuckin smart for me man. i shoulda just stayed in my mom's womb so i wouldn't have to live for the one day i get so owned on DP. jeez what an embarrassment.
I agree with that. I have not been interested in politics for a real long time either. So I'm still a virgin with it. But even compared to Bush's first four years and his last four years, it's like black and white. I don't know wtf happen to him.
Great post GTech, sometimes I spend so much time reading your Bush supporting bullshit that I fail to imagine that you were a squaddie like me. This is certainly one of your better posts by a very long way. We were in at almost the exact same time too (both coming out in 1990.) I was in Germany too at the same time as you but I bet I wasn't as loved up as you were about old man H.W Bush.
What exactly does America stand for now?... and, ...(don't forget, please) how does modern America "display to the world" what we stand for??
Well we are on 'page 5', and I'm sorry I missed your earlier effort: What exactly does America stand for now?... and, ...(don't forget, please) how does modern America "display to the world" what we stand for??
want the true answer bud? we stand for every right that every other country wishes they could have. we live in a country where if you are gay you are protected by the ACLU. if you are a minority or immigrant you are also protected by unions and if a crime is to be committed against you, the criminal in that case (if he is white) will get slapped with a hate crime. if you're a women, you can join the feminist movement. if you are an environmentalist you can lecture the 'uneducated' and fly a private jet across the country with al gore. you can be a celebrity, and be a social icon to the country while abusing drugs, violate laws then go into rehab and have it all be forgotten. you can write blogs on the internet about how bad you hate your country and get paid for it all in the same day. you can go to anti-war rallies and burn an american flag in the streets of new york while lecturing hate speech. you can drop out of high school, live in your mom's basement or in your friends house and collect unemployment. you can have the government make every difficult decision you'll ever need to make in your life. in america.. you can be whatever you want to be and be fully protected by the government while you do it (unless you're a white, Christian male) but who cares about them, they are bible-preaching pieces of shit just wanting you to convert to their religion and they also killed indians and made blacks all slaves. how does that make us look? you decide.
You view people as part of a group; I view people as individuals. America has room for both points of view. You also are (obviously) aware we have a very large government. Since you are against 'liberals', maybe you support the idea of less government. ~~~ Back onto the main topic: The Bush Administration Is Trying to Provoke Iran: "All options must be left on the table" Many Americans are willing to accept the idea of a 'pre-emptive strike' which uses Nukes against Iran. This is, IMO, 101% insane, and it's time to "enjoy every day just like it might be our last day on Earth."
Let's correct this for honesty: Iran is trying to provoke the US and Israel by repeatedly calling for both to be wiped off the map. "All options must be left on the table" Many muslims are willing to accept the idea of a 'pre-emptive strike' which uses Nukes against Israel or the US. This is, IMO, 101% insane, and it's time to "enjoy every day just like it might be our last day on Earth." We now return your regularly schedule "programming."
I don't think the the administration actually wants to invade Iran. Iran's population is over 71 million and most Iranian reside in densely populated urban areas. Iraqi population is only 27 million. So based on the math we would need 500,000 troops and 150,000 coalition troops.
to get the other side of the story visit http://www.presstv.ir it says that if the US attacks, then Iran will airstrick american bases in Iraq and kill the 200,000 us soldeirs there, u gotta hand it to them, they are playing the big red angry giant well
Let's correct this for accuracy: Quoted from CBS News (this is just one example): "Iran warned the United States on Wednesday it would feel the "pain" if tough measures were imposed against the Islamic republic for its nuclear program by the U.N. Security Council. -source Your claim the leader of Iran specifically threatened "calling for both to be wiped off the map", is one I've not seen proved. Can you provide a source??? ~~~ GTech: You have the world's most effective propaganda machine 'on your side' you might as well quote them more accurately.
Search the forum. Please don't be lazy. We've covered it here. There was a slapnuts by the name of akula, and of course AGS, who viciously defended the putz. Thanks for proving my point with that quote from CBS. I don't think I could have anticipated anything better. Like I said, the truth is, Iran is provoking the US and Israel. You did say you were an American, right? muslim American? It does make a huge difference, you know?
I showed you were dead wrong. Prove your BS...Please don't be lazy. ~~~~~ I am a real American who has what it takes to understand this accurate, verified quote: "Naturally the common people don't want war; neither in Russia, nor in England, nor in America, nor in Germany. That is understood. But after all, it is the leaders of the country who determine policy, and it is always a simple matter to drag the people along, whether it is a democracy, or a fascist dictatorship, or a parliament, or a communist dictatorship. ...Voice or no voice, the people can always be brought to the bidding of the leaders. That is easy. All you have to do is to tell them they are being attacked, and denounce the pacifists for lack of patriotism and exposing the country to danger. It works the same in any country." -Hermann Göring (A Nazi and true expert on this subject)