Military opinions and war experience

Originally posted by SportyMB
I agree

and good reasons that you listed!
SOI (school of infantry) is still an all male MOS so the school is all males.

It's nice to know I'm not alone in my thinking. When you're going through such life or death training, your focus has got to be laserlike. If you're hot for somebody, you might miss something that could get you or someone else killed down the road.

Originally posted by EastCoastKid
To be fair, it started under President Bush after we came home from the Gulf. My last year in ('92), I saw the program to buy people out begin in earnest. But Clinton kept that going. And going.

I thought it was stupid at the time. I believed threats were still very much alive. Just because we said the soviet union is now a Democracy! Hooray beer!" It didn't mean the threat was gone. All those missiles were still aimed at us, and vice versa.

I saw a lot people at lower ranks buy out, earning eternal bars to re-enlistment, only to probably get out and wind up wellfare.

We weren't saving any money by doing that.

And all the bright young officers and NCOs came home, got out and went to work in phat jobs with great companies. Or came back to work with us as contractors.

G'day guys. Ex 1, 2 and 3 RGJ, Brit Army. After Gulf 1 i had to buy myself out, damn shame they didn't pay me. Decided to leave England and moved to Australia. Never looked back. Enjoyed the Gulf, and the Army.

Originally posted by Kidfinger
It has come to my attention that a large number of the people who support the war in Iraq and the global policies of Bush have not served during war time. Of course I am strictly referring to members of ATS. Cargo made this astute observation during a thread which turned into the usual mud slinging match.

It seems that those of us who have experienced war and all its repercussions are the ones against this fallacy of a war. The people who have served in the military but have not seen a single bit of action seem to support Bush and his plans with blind abandonment. What do we make of this?

I served during the Gulf War. Operation Desert Storm. I have seen things that still keep me awake at night. I have nightmares at least three times a week about the horrors I witnessed. I have seen thousands of bodies just floating in the gulf. I have seen things that WILL make a grown man whimper like a child. I have served a president I believed in, fought a war that I was not ready (maturity wise) to be in. I believed. So why is it that I and many others like me here at ATS are against this war and Bush’s international policies, yet the members of ATS who have served and not seen one day of war support this with a ‘patriotic fervor’?

I am attempting to delve deep here so lets keep this civil.

I may have missed it, but who did you searve with during desert storm?

Originally posted by Darth Griff



I may have missed it, but who did you searve with during desert storm?

Well, I was attached to the USS Tarawa (LHA l) during the war. Its sort of an aircraft carrier for helo's and amphibious assault. 'Slappin the water with the soles of our boots!' Its an amphib thing.

Originally posted by Kidfinger
Well, I was attached to the USS Tarawa (LHA l) during the war. Its sort of an aircraft carrier for helo's and amphibious assault. 'Slappin the water with the soles of our boots!' Its an amphib thing.

What was your rate/rank?

Originally posted by KidfingerWell, I was attached to the USS Tarawa (LHA l) during the war. Its sort of an aircraft carrier for helo's and amphibious assault. 'Slappin the water with the soles of our boots!' Its an amphib thing.

Ah a gator freighter.........

Originally posted by Darth Griff
G'day guys. Ex 1, 2 and 3 RGJ, Brit Army. After Gulf 1 i had to buy myself out, damn shame they didn't pay me. Decided to leave England and moved to Australia. Never looked back. Enjoyed the Gulf, and the Army.

Damn man, you should have hopped over and joined the Airborne! We'd a been glad to have ya.

Originally posted by Kidfinger
Well, I was attached to the USS Tarawa (LHA l) during the war. Its sort of an aircraft carrier for helo's and amphibious assault. 'Slappin the water with the soles of our boots!' Its an amphib thing.

Hey Kid, was your group in on the big feint b4 the beginning of the war? (I think it was right before the air war.. could be wrong.) You know what I'm talking about.. when Schwartzkopf faked EVERYONE out? (Off the Kuwait shore)

Originally posted by COOL HAND


What was your rate/rank?

DC1 at the end of my stint. I also cross trained in HT and BT.


[edit on 6/11/05 by Kidfinger]

Originally posted by EastCoastKid


Hey Kid, was your group in on the big feint b4 the beginning of the war? (I think it was right before the air war.. could be wrong.) You know what I'm talking about.. when Schwartzkopf faked EVERYONE out? (Off the Kuwait shore)

Nope. We were the battle group that took advantage of the opportunity

Originally posted by Kidfinger

Originally posted by EastCoastKid


Hey Kid, was your group in on the big feint b4 the beginning of the war? (I think it was right before the air war.. could be wrong.) You know what I'm talking about.. when Schwartzkopf faked EVERYONE out? (Off the Kuwait shore)

Nope. We were the battle group that took advantage of the opportunity

Gotcha!

What was the most unnerving experience you had over there?

Originally posted by edsinger


Ah a gator freighter.........

The Tarawa hauled more than just marines. Cant exactly say who, but we hauled em'

Originally posted by EastCoastKid


What was the most unnerving experience you had over there?

Hmm. there were a few moments that were difficult to overcome, however the hardest thing I dealt with mentally was the sight of thousands of bodies floating around me while I was waist deep driving to the shore. Cant really give much detail about why, but the bodies were just something out of my nightmares, or part of them now anyway. All decomposed and bloated. The one image that has never left my mind about that day was one particular body that had gouges of flesh chewed away from the sea critters.

*im standing in a field of daisies im standing in a field of daisies im standing in a field of daisies im standing in a field of daisies im standing in a field of daisies im standing in a field of daisies.*

[edit on 6/11/05 by Kidfinger]

Originally posted by Kidfinger
The one image that has never left my mind about that day was one particular body that had gouges of flesh chewed away from the sea critters.

*im standing in a field of daisies i

This round's on me, Kid.

I know how that feels. My grandpa, God rest his soul, 79 years-old, was fishing off Steamboat Bridge (Oly., Wa.) one hard, gray November afternoon. He reeled in a nice catch and went to reach for it. His heart seized and he fell off the bridge into the icy water below. His body was sucked under by the currents and trapped under a shelf below. When the divers finally recovered his body (three days later), the sea creatures he had harvested all his life from that water had turned and eaten away all his flesh from the hands, face and feet.

I was with my grandmother when she read the final report. One more shock for her to absorb.

When they pulled him out they told my stoic uncle not to look. It was him. And they handed him Grandpa's wallet and huge Master Mason ring.

I can deal with it. At least he died doing what he loved.

Originally posted by Kidfinger

Originally posted by Darth Griff



I may have missed it, but who did you searve with during desert storm?

Well, I was attached to the USS Tarawa (LHA l) during the war. Its sort of an aircraft carrier for helo's and amphibious assault. 'Slappin the water with the soles of our boots!' Its an amphib thing.

On a boat huh? Well i'll tell you, it can't have been that bad for you when you compare yourself to those who went through the breech in the sand. Oh, a thank you to the big red one.

Originally posted by EastCoastKid

Originally posted by Darth Griff
G'day guys. Ex 1, 2 and 3 RGJ, Brit Army. After Gulf 1 i had to buy myself out, damn shame they didn't pay me. Decided to leave England and moved to Australia. Never looked back. Enjoyed the Gulf, and the Army.

Damn man, you should have hopped over and joined the Airborne! We'd a been glad to have ya.

Much respect to the American Airborne forces, good blokes one and all. Oh, and a big hi to my homies at Fort lewis, i like em because they lost very graciously during our wargames.

Originally posted by Darth Griff


On a boat huh? Well i'll tell you, it can't have been that bad for you when you compare yourself to those who went through the breech in the sand. Oh, a thank you to the big red one.

I said I was attached to the Tarawa. Whats up with all the attitude? Is the NAVY not made up of sea, land and air forces? Do we not also join in combat operations alongside our other military counterparts? My entire time in the gulf was NOT spent on the ship. Please take the attitude and reread some of my post on this page and then others. You may begin to realize that I may have just done something over there.


Now please. If you have somthing to add to this discussion besides beratement and basically calling someone a liar, then by all means, post your opinions. Otherwise I and the rest of the posters on this thread would appreciate it if you posted elswhere. Thanks. bubye now.

Originally posted by Kidfinger

Originally posted by edsinger


Ah a gator freighter.........

The Tarawa hauled more than just marines. Cant exactly say who, but we hauled em'

Well of course you had some SEALS, who is going to protect the Marines???

Originally posted by edsinger

Well of course you had some SEALS, who is going to protect the Marines???

SSHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH! I officially never witnessed the transport and subsequent pickup of Navy Seals over seventeen times aboard the Tarawa. That is my official statement that I am bound by oath to uphold.

Originally posted by Darth Griff
Much respect to the American Airborne forces, good blokes one and all. Oh, and a big hi to my homies at Fort lewis, i like em because they lost very graciously during our wargames.

Hoowah.

Ft. Lewis.. It's hard to be up when it rains so much. Gotta love my state of birth (Wa.) Honestly for all the hell I went through in the steamy south w/the Airborne, I am so glad I never had to serve out yonder.

I always dreamed of landing a Huey in my grandad's backyard tho. He woulda been in heaven.