A friend of mine just joined the Army.

[Cascadian]

I met up with a friend of mine recently and she informed me she was joining the Army. I was shocked to say the least and I tried to convince her that she will most likely be sent to Iraq. Hell! She may end up heading for Afghanistan with the way things are going there. She leaves for basic training on July 15th for South Carolina and she is joining Airborne. I cannot help but think it is a bad idea and she seemed like the most unlikely person to join the military. She is a punker and anti-establishment or at least I thought she was. I don't know what the hell she is thinking. All I can do is wish her the best but I also want to just stop her but she would get pissed off. What is really scary is that she cited one of her reasons for joining as "I will be fighting for those same rights of freedom of speech that you love so much...." I don't know if she saw the recent local big armed forces day torchlight parade and got "inspired" or what. I can only think she is on her way to get further brainwashed and send to the Middle East as cannon fodder. ARGH!!! She got her GED recently and she could have gone to college if she wanted too! I don't know. I am frustrated though! :shrug:





John

[rwheeler31]

1. I am very sad for you.

[Cascadian]

16. Thanks n/t

[notadmblnd]

2. I had a partying friend in highschool. he joined the Marines

and was never the same. last time I saw him he was living in West virginia, working in the coal mines and looking like the Mountain Dew Man. It was scary.

[frogcycle]

3. I wish her the best

[msedano]

4. congratulations to her and support

her because now that she's signed the contract it's all over now, baby blue. the military isn't for everyone but it is for some. suitable. appropriate. affirming. whether she's made a stupid decision for the wrong reasons, or a good decision for the right ones, only time will tell.

airborne? now that is outlandish. and incredibly tough. sounds as if she is already a hard-ass, so this will be right down her alley.

good luck and success to her.

mvs

[Cascadian]

18. She was a runaway as a teenager.

So living out on the streets gave her a sort of edge. It's a shame she could have used those street smarts for something else.




John

[Thothmes]

36. A well reasoned post.

[Tangerine LaBamba]

5. I'm sorry

Somewhere, someone got into your friend's head. Sold her a bill of goods that you and I both know is bogus.

If we'd stop glorifying the military - "big armed forces day torchlight parade" - and, instead, just get them the hell home, it would be a whole lot better for everyone.

I hope your friend will be safe.

[Cascadian]

8. I live in a conservative town with an Air Force base. Spokane, Washington

The parade is one of the biggest events that happen here. Any opposition to the war and even Bush is met with great anger and hostility. I do support the military but not for going to other countries and playing like an empire. If we used our armed forces for actually defending the "homeland" within our own borders, than I would not feel so bad. I still care about my friend but I think that she is making a huge mistake.





John

[nadinbrzezinski]

25. You know I live in a Navy town

and I have had even ACTIVE DUTY Military personnel tell the yahoos from the right to raise their right hand or shut the fuck up

Then again, this is a navy town, and the navy has not been penetrated that far by the X'ian right

Hell even the Marines have told some of these yahoos off

Of course never officially if you know what I mean

[ismnotwasm]

6. Maybe she'll meet my son

Except he leaves for basic July 10th. I'm not happy, and I completely sympathize.

[razors edge]

7. She got her GED

but how would she have paid for college?

[Cascadian]

11. She could go to a community college like me.

I think she would have gotten financial aid.




John

[Olney Blue]

9. She needs your friendship and support, and your judgement won't help.

I went through the same experience with my beloved nephew who is now in his second tour of duty. :(

[Cascadian]

12. The only judgement I have is that it is an awful idea

I won't shun her though.






John

[Olney Blue]

15. It's hard, I know. I hate this war.

[Cascadian]

17. As a friend, she will have my support.

I really think the Army recruiter really sold her a bill of goods and got into her head and now she will go to basic and then either to Iraq, Afghanistan, or maybe Iran. What she will see and experience when that happens will affect her for the rest of her life and I hope to Creator she comes back alive. Yes. She will need the support of her friends and family. I will do my best to help her out.





John

[mitchtv]

10. Good luck to her but,

don't let her get away with saying that anyone is fighting for our freedom in Iraq. That annoys me every time I hear it.

[Cascadian]

13. It made me cringe too.

Like I said, something must have just snapped in her head to make such a radical decision.






John

[JohnyCanuck]

19. Tell her the oil companies will also be very appreciative that she

is risking her life and well being for their profits. But she shouldn't expect them or Uncle Sam to do much for her if she comes back from deployment feeling somewhat sick.

These wars are about oil, not democracy

By ERIC MARGOLIS

PARIS -- The ugly truth behind the Iraq and Afghanistan wars finally has emerged.

Four major western oil companies, Exxon Mobil, Shell, BP and Total are about to sign U.S.-brokered no-bid contracts to begin exploiting Iraq's oil fields. Saddam Hussein had kicked these firms out three decades ago when he nationalized Iraq's oil industry. The U.S.-installed Baghdad regime is welcoming them back.

Iraq is getting back the same oil companies that used to exploit it when it was a British colony.

As former fed chairman Alan Greenspan recently admitted, the Iraq war was all about oil. The invasion was about SUV's, not democracy.

Afghanistan just signed a major deal to launch a long-planned, 1,680-km pipeline project expected to cost $8 billion. If completed, the Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India pipeline (TAPI) will export gas and later oil from the Caspian basin to Pakistan's coast where tankers will transport it to the West.

SNIP

Energy is more important than blood in our modern world. The U.S. is a great power with massive energy needs. Domination of oil is a pillar of America's world power. Let's be realistic. Afghanistan and Iraq are about oil, nothing else.

http://www.torontosun.com/News/Columnists/Margolis_Eric/2008/06/22/5953041-sun.php

[AndyTiedye]

14. It Really Sucks When Someone You Like Drinks the Kool Ade

[flewbye]

26. A few corrections

You guys have a pretty distorted view of the military. I am a college educated (UNC) Marine and there are plenty more like me, and the military didn't pay for my college. I have fellow Marine friends who went to Harvard, UGA, Michigan, Stanford, Berkley, Yale, Wake Forest, Duke, UVA, USC, Florida, Florida State, LSU, Tulane, Arizona, Auburn, BYU, Boston College, and on and on.... I know its easy to stereotype a group of people when you have never been exposed to the members of that group, but try to resist, because all of my fellow Marines that are ready to wage war at the orders of YOUR elected officials are really an awesome group of people. The are intelligent, hard working, sneaky, patriotic, brave, athletic, and dedicated. They are not what is wrong with this country. I promise if you spend any amount of time with some Marines you will agree with me. So wish your friend good luck and support her for deciding what she wants to do with HER life. Oh yeah, and she's not going to an airborne unit. Airborne is a combat arms and won't have any females. She may be in support of an airborne unit, but she ain't airborne.

[mahina]

28. Word.

Thanks.

[tabasco]

29. You don't know what the fuck you're talking about.

There are lots of combat support and combat service support troops who are Airborne. They jump out of planes just like the grunts and have silver wings just like the grunts. Their life is much easier than a grunt but they are just as Airborne as anyone else.

I'm an infantry combat vet myself and and Airborne Ranger.

You come on this board saying "you guys" have a pretty distorted view of the military. There's lots of vets on this board with more experience than yourself. You obviously don't know what the fuck you're talking about regarding Airborne troops. Take your attitude and stuff it. This is a place where people are allowed to express different opinions.

I generally encourage young people to join the service but that's when there is a responsible CINC and a competent administration. I discourage people to join up until we have responsible leadership in this country. When we have an AWOL frat boy and shitheads like Rumsfeld and Wolfowitz running the military, it's best to stay out.

I love military people and love the Army. But I'm mature and intelligent enough to tolerate different opinions. Try it sometime.

[Jackeen]

31. I disagree with your advice.

"I generally encourage young people to join the service but that's when there is a responsible CINC and a competent administration. I discourage people to join up until we have responsible leadership in this country. When we have an AWOL frat boy and shitheads like Rumsfeld and Wolfowitz running the military, it's best to stay out."

I think this is a fairly dodgy attitude, frankly. One doesn't get any younger when waiting to see if a suitably acceptable President is elected. (And besides, by the time she's deployable, the next election will be over and Bush will be pretty much out of office anyway). Much as I know nobody who's planning on getting out if Obama is elected (most military are conservative, after all), I think it's just as foolish to stay out if you don't like the current President. The military is supposed to be non-aligned and obedient to the office of the President, regardless of if the holder of the office is Republican, Democrat, or Pastafarian. There are many benefits to military service, and I think it's foolish to stay away from them because of what I consider to be a petty dislike. A decision to enter the service or not should be made on the merits of the job, not the politicians.

But then, what do I know, I'm just a DAT.

[tabasco]

34. Most military contributions are going to Obama.

Hate to burst another bubble for you.

You think the CINC is a "petty" issue for someone in the military. Tell that to my friend in 10th Mountain who is on his FIFTH deployment. You strike me as someone who has no military service. Tanker or not, you definitely got the "DA" part down.

Dodgy attitude? I have two combat tours, jackass. When you have two infantry combat tours and a Ranger tab, you can talk to me about my attitude.

[Jackeen]

37. Got to love civil discourse.

"Jackass?" I mean, really. Then again, you did say "infantryman with a Ranger tab," which could explain it ;)

I'm leaping here, but I'm assuming that when you signed on, you weren't really all that concerned about who was in office at the time as opposed to what the Army could do for you, and what you could do in the Army. Perhaps it was a sense of socio-moral responsibility, sense of service. People who chose to stay in do so because either they love the job or the people they work with, more than because they care about who the person holding the office of CINC is. At least, this is my impression over ten+ years. Not all-encompassing by any means, but I think it's valid enough.

The Army is always going to need good personnel. Where would it be in five years from now if there was a wave of 'no-recruits' today, and there was suddenly what you consider a more acceptable use for the military? Where would be the capable trained and experienced first- and second-line leaders? Yes. I do believe it's petty to base a decision about your potential future career, and the country's security forces, because you happen to take a dislike to the person currently sitting in the oval office who is certainly not going to stay there for the duration of your obligation.

[flewbye]

38. hypocrite?

tabaco posted

But I'm mature and intelligent enough to tolerate different opinions. Try it sometime.

Take your attitude and stuff it. This is a place where people are allowed to express different opinions.


Wow, the irony is thick in these posts. No explanation needed.

[samplegirl]

20. I've got two words for her

DUMB ASS!

[Jackeen]

32. Why?

Nothing wrong with putting up your hand and wearing a uniform, as far as I know. Rather couragous and honourable, I would have thought.

[nadinbrzezinski]

21. Three squares and a roof? Read she was a runaway

did you think about that one?

For the record when the economy goes to hell, some folks at times join the military

[Cascadian]

22. she WAS a runaway but not anymore.n/t

[nadinbrzezinski]

24. It is still three squares and a roof

and I wish her all the luck in the world. Army life is not for everybody

[Alcibiades]

23. That's completely understandable

The part about jumping out of perfectly good airplanes that are not even about to crash, however....

Now is certainly the time to get the recession-proof job, before everybody realizes how bad it is and will be.

[mahina]

27. The Army is a great job. We just need a rational commander in chief.

Why the sorrow? Especially airborne, that is wonderful.

/Army family
/I'd nudge my own kid towards it after college, nothing to be sorry about!
/better get to work on that rational commander part though.

[Cascadian]

30. That's the whole point.

The current make up of the Executive Branch is the problem. I will not be surprised if Bush attacks Iran before he is due to leave office. My friend could be on the front lines.


:scared:


John

[mahina]

33. Hi John, I understand, have hugged family goodbye to go to Vietnam,

when we knew it was for a lie. So much is sacrificed.

If it's not for her, she'll wash out. Bush will be gone soon. Lots and lots of good people are happy in military service. She may be one of them. If you don't know any military families, let me tell you, the recruiters lie about a lot of stuff, but it is possible to make a very happy life in the service.

And lots of the guys I know who've been in for 6-8-10 years make way, WAY more money than I do.

We just have to restore sanity. She'll be one more reason for me to do my best to that end, but the rest of them are always on my mind too.

Aloha~

[LeftyMom]

35. That's unfortunate.

Nonsense about reliable work and whatnot upthread aside, joining up means participating in the killing of innocent people. There's just no justification for that.

[JoePhilly]

39. Give her your support ... and hope Obama gets her out of there fast.

[mitchum]

40. After a summer in Columbia, SC, she'll be glad to be in Iraq

[Karenina]

41. Death wish. Passive suicide.

In my old age, I wish for people what they wish for themselves. If they change their minds on a moment's notice, I'll support that too.

[Super Soaker Sniper]

42. Probably One of the Best Decisions She is Ever Gonna Make

I served in the Army and got out right after Desert Storm. My wife served as an Army Officer in Desert Storm. My son is currently on his third and final tour in Iraq as he will be ETSing out in the fall. I have a Nephew and a Cousin serving in Iraq right now. My Brother retired last year after 27 years in the Army. He actually served in Iraq with his son (the afore mentioned "nephew") his last tour.

I loved my time in the Army. I was drifting from town to town working in the Texas oil fields, shacking up with a woman for a while then moving on again. Then one day struck up a conversation with a recruiter outside a Check Cashing place. His recruiting station was next door. He talked me into taking a practice ASVB. I did well so he convinced me to take a real one the next night a the local National Guard Armory. I thought about it and signed up. Most important thing I ever did in my life was my service.

I wish your friend the best in her decision. If she makes it through jump school she will considered very special as there are very few female soldiers wearing those wings.

[NNN0LHI]

43. Did you ask how committing genocide against the Iraqi people protects our right to free speech?

I don't see the connection.

I have never felt the Iraqis were trying to stifle my freedom of speech.

Don