Soldiers Squabble to Deploy to Iraq.
Published on December 22, 2004 By greywar In Current Events

     Well here is a story you won't find Peter Jennings covering any time soon. Ever since I volunteered to deploy and was selected to actually do so a group of my fellow soldiers have been quite vocal about their jealousy. Yes thats right folks we want to go. This is why we joined the Army, to deploy and protect our nations interests as directed by the Commander in Chief.

     Everyone from SGT Tumult, SPC Hillbilly Goat-molester, the Pokekorean (his motives for going are suspect though ), SSG Hot Chow, to SGT 1059 have expressed their frustrated desire to go in my stead. This is usually expressed in manners so profane that even on my profanity laden blog I would be too scandalized to post but one notable was SSG Hot Chow threatening to "give me a gilooly" so he could deploy in my stead:)

     While the media loves stories of Guardsmen who are confused about what they signed up for voluntarily and were paid for,  they never like to talk very much about the vast majority of soldiers who did not sign up just beacuse we are all low-income minorities forced into military slavery by the white man ala Al Sharton and Charlie Wrangell.

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on Dec 22, 2004
Why do they want to go?
on Dec 22, 2004

For myself personally a big reason is to feel like I have done my part. I don't want ever have to have this conversation with my daughter:

"Dad, what did you do during the War on Terror?"

"Well honey I stayed safe and cozy in Texas while other people put their asses on the line."

 

on Dec 22, 2004
You are the true hero. I wish I was young enough.
on Dec 22, 2004

You are the true hero

Thanks, but the heroes here are the guys going house to house kicking in doors without knowing who will plug away at them next. I am just the guy who tries to figure out which doors to kick

 

P.S. Idly curious as to how old you are? I am 31 as of November 20th of 2004.

on Dec 22, 2004

P.S. Idly curious as to how old you are? I am 31 as of November 20th of 2004.

48 a month before.  How else would I have been in the draft in 74?

31?  Damn you have lived a lot, and learned a lot as well.  from me to you, thank you!  My Brother and sisters are but 33 and 35 (My mother was very frisky!). Note the plural.  Yep!  Twins!

on Dec 22, 2004

(My mother was very frisky!).

lol mine was a nun

on Dec 22, 2004

lol mine was a nun

Bless her!  You do not want to PO a nun!  My Aunt is the same way!  Bless her!

on Dec 22, 2004

You do not want to PO a nun!

Advice I needed when I was 20:)

on Dec 22, 2004

Advice I needed when I was 20:)

But never to late to learn!

on Dec 22, 2004
The same thing was happening during all the "brush fires" during the late 80s and 90s (especially the press heavy ops like the Gulf War, Panama and Somalia). The motives ranged everywhere from jealousy to fear. Jealousy for much the same reasons you cite, and fear because it was thought that if you didn't "get your card punched" in a real world op then you might as well get your resume ready.

As it turned out, when it came time for promotion boards and point tallies, a combat patch didn't mean diddly-squat. The troops who made E-5 and E-6 when I was shooting for it on Active Duty were mostly NCOs who didn't deploy and took advantage of the time they had and took correspondence courses and college classes. To tell you the truth, I commend those who had the foresight to at least try to make up for what they thought would be a hinderance to their careers. However, from a training and experience standpoint.... At least a lot of us were able to continue our missions and share our knowledge and experience with the National Guard and Reserve... right?
on Dec 22, 2004
SPC Egregious and SPC Chat Bunny wanted to go, too. (CB's motives = also suspect)

Personally, I'm wrestling with my feelings over any prospect of me going. I mean, I'm not going any time soon, not with this unit, ever, probably. Still, I could probably arrange to go, later.

I'm proud of you for going, grey.
on Dec 22, 2004

Personally, I'm wrestling with my feelings over any prospect of me going. I mean, I'm not going any time soon, not with this unit, ever, probably. Still, I could probably arrange to go, later.

If I was to pick a guy to be on a trigger next to me you would be the first friend.

on Dec 22, 2004
You don't want the crazed curmudgeon next to you? Boo Hoo! I am hurt ! Deeply.
on Dec 22, 2004

I know a coupla people who want to go too.  I think that some of it is due to them feeling that they're going to be doing what they were trained to do...no exercises, no games, no make believe.


I am very, very proud to be able to call you my friend, Greywar. 

on Dec 23, 2004
Oh goody GW...now the whole world knows my past. I am proud of it, however.
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