No drama I just hugged my boys a little harder this morning

About how to survive a nuclear war.

She asked me to show her how to shoot one of my rifles. I always wanted her to come shooting and hunting with me someday, but not like that, ya know? 😢

The annihilation of Hiroshima and Nagasaki cast a huge shadow of doom over everything we thought of trying to do

I used to think what a bright future he has…now I worry about him going to war. I lost my brother to Vietnam….damn war.

And I’m in fear if this young generation is called up

I don't see how anyone can deliberately bring a child into this world with the rapid climate change. What kind of life would they have??

Neither wants to have children.

My granddaughter, 21 and graduating this year from college, just announced she will not bring children into this world.

Sad times we are living in……

These fine young humans will change their minds once they meet that special someone.

Oldest grandson is planning to marry his sweetheart of 3 years. Let’s see how this unfolds. 😕

So you refrain from sex, always use a prophylactic condom, or are otherwise sterile. Have not gotten any to respond yes to that. I respond, oh then you left the choice to your partners. Funny how many have them within a few years have children.

Those memories that lay dormant now crowd forward again.

Nuclear experts, and negotiators, who worked tirelessly during and after the Cold War with their Russian counterparts, are now being contacted by the media to voice their opinions on what might happen next.

Fearful days indeed.

Im 56 yes frightening

but to be honest, it was mostly because I was often able to manage to be huddled next to my kindergarten crush Christine Duncan.

The Cuba Missile Crisis was bad enough.

Now a second one.

NATO forces vastly outnumber the Russians and NATO equipment is superior to Russian equipment as well. The quality of NATO personnel is superior too. One benefit of a volunteer military is motivation. I spent roughly two years as OIC (officer in charge) of all Infantry ranges at the largest live fire training facility in Europe, at Grafenwoehr, Germany. Even amongst first rate militaries, conscripted militaries lag behind volunteer forces - mostly because of the motivation of personnel.

A big thing is “power projection”. Russia essentially has none of those capabilities once it gets far beyond its borders, as is demonstrated by their inability to support their current assault on Ukraine (which it even shares a border with).

Launching nukes is the only thing that worries me, but selfishly my kids and I live close enough to a major manufacturing center that’d we’d be killed by the first salvo. We wouldn’t even know the war had begun.

Even if China allied with Russia, it’d still be no contest. Like Russia, China doesn’t have the ability to deploy much of its military power significantly beyond its borders. The Korean Peninsula would be a mess, but to attack Taiwan and Japan, forces would need to conduct an amphibious landing, at which point our superior naval power would come into play.

I believe because of economic reasons alone we’d never see a war with China.

Never knew you was war college material I only am still a corporal.

I've been to Grafenwoehr, too. 2 years in Germany, and I thought I'd never survive, for during my tour; Russia invaded Afghanistan, hostages were taken in Iran, riots were going on in Poland and the Bonner-Monhoff (sp) Gang was going around Germany bombing banks. We were a part of NATO forces and I went on exercises with them. (Interesting fact, the most fierce fighters at the time: the Canadians. During exercises with NATO, whoever had them on their side, won.)

What worried me most was the attitude by most around me then, which pertained to Russia at the time. Nuke 'em till they glow. Everyone kept saying it over and over again. I always thought it was just a lot of bravado, you know, because once you start down that road, it's end times.

I sure hope that's changed now, 'cause with nukes, there are no winners.

I loved the area, some of the best years of my life were spent there.

Neither of us would recognize Graf anymore. They were in the middle of a roughly $8 billion base expansion when I was there. Most of the smaller bases around Germany were being shuddered and the remaining ground forces were to be stationed mostly at Hohenfels and Vilseck/Graf. They completed building the largest PX in USAER on Graf, a huge gym and were finishing up building countless barracks buildings as I was getting out of the Army. When I first went to Germany in 2003, 1 ID and 1 AD were there. When I left in 2007, they were talking about there only being 2 brigades left in Germany.

Much of the same bravado was in the army when I was in too. I heard over and over again that we should “just turn the Middle East into a glass parking lot”. I found that much of that same mindset was prevalent in civilians back in the states too. How were we supposed to build successful modern democracies in Iraq and Afghanistan when a large portion of our society believes that?

Anyways….

I agree, Germany was so beautiful and I was so young; best time of my life, looking back, though at the time, with all that going on around us, it was hard to enjoy.

... the sub-mounted missles do. I fear we are not dealing with a rational leader. At least we shunted our irrational leader off the board, the Russian people do not have that option.

Two questions:
1) can the Ukrainians hold on and last longer than Putin?
2) How far down the nuclear path is Putin willing to go?

Your sons, the musicians who can really wail on guitars.

I was in Key West during the Cuban missile crisis, started school there at 5, I'll never forget it or the "drills" we had in school there and in Maine where we were before and after. My dad was a fly guy in Navy and had followed those weapons from origin to Cuba, it was a very tense time. The difference is that we didn't have dissent among the citizens of the country. We were all well aware of what nuclear conflict meant, it was all so new back then. I think that time was one of the things that has contributed to my lifelong PTSD.

Right now I feel numb about it all and I'm glad I'm old. Talked to my nephew yesterday about having kids, told him that this is not a good time for that. He's already forty and his fiancee is a bit younger, I hope they pass on kids, sadly.

I hope that your sons will be safe through all this.

For the kind words.

And I wonder how the world can keep maniacs from holding so much power?

I fear for our young folks, too.

Don't know what the hell is really going on. Don't want WW3, but also don't want to just roll over and let Putin take what he wants.

They are in Canada now.

We talk every day.

My oldest Granddaughter is calling it WW3 already.

Wish I could hug her.

Kids know.