Where do we get such men?
I spoke with Soldier who not long ago completed his second tour in Afghanistan. I knew him as a teenager who was unsure what direction to take his life. I know him as a man for whom I have the greatest respect and admiration. I have seen first hand the growth and the pain he and his family have endured by his decision to become a Soldier.
Six years ago he was sitting in his Grandmother’s house watching a video on YouTube. The end of the video asked what have you done to support our troops? Within a few days he had been to see a recruiter within a few months he was in the Army. His first day of Basic was also his 20th Birthday, He celebrated his 21st in Afghanistan. He wears his CIB with pride, he can also wear a Purple Heart that he does not think he should have been awarded, you see he was in an explosion and spent a few days in the hospital and a few weeks recovering from TBI, but, in his opinion that’s not the same as getting shot or otherwise wounded in action. These are the facts verified and vetted. The facts don’t always tell the truth of events.
We live in a nation that has been at war for 13 years. The average recent high school graduate has no memory of our nation at peace. Anyone joining the Army in the last 13 years knew they were going to war, but they still joined. They knew that there was a good chance that not only could they be asked to give their life for our way of life but to take lives as well, But they still joined. We tied yellow ribbons around tress and gave parades for those going to war and for those returning, in time our nation at war became our way of life. The ribbons were not as prominent and the send offs and return were not as well covered by the news. They still came and went. The truth is we have grown weary of war. Most people don’t understand why we still have troops deployed. Public opinion changes with the political wind, but the truth remains. Our sons and daughters are fighting a war.
The Soldier with whom I spoke had nightmares when he came home, he relived time and again the pain and suffering he witnessed as well as endured. When he spoke to me about the injury and death he had seen, it was with barely restrained tears. The emotion in his voice transcended time and space, he could have been any Soldier speaking about any battle in history. But he was not just any Soldier and it was not just any battle. He was talking about the death and injury of his people, while they may not be brothers in flesh, they are brothers in arms. I know that sound cliche but I cant think of any other term.
He thinks that the people at home look down on him and his fellow Soldiers. He thinks that admitting he has bad dreams, or no longer likes loud noises or crowds makes him weak in some way. He told me a few stories about friends getting injured by IED’s. He told me about how he coped with taking a life. He told me about the reality of war. The whole time he talked I kept thinking to myself “how do we get such men?”
He talked about “getting blown up” – his words. He has survived 3 IED explosions in close proximity. He was injured slightly “took some shrapnel, bot not bad enough to worry about” the first time and suffered TBI the last time. The second he doesn’t talk much about. While he was not physically injured he will carry the emotional injuries for a long time to come. I still ask myself where do we get such men?
I know his experiences are average for any Infantry Soldier with two deployments. They are not what the average 25 year old American males has dealt with. I know I spoke with a professional soldier. He believes in what his nation stands for. He doesn’t see himself as anything but a soldier, he cannot grasp how anyone could see him as a Hero. I cannot grasp how anyone could see him or anyone else that has answered the call as anything but Hero’s. I thank God we have such men.
Category: Real Soldiers, Reality Check
E4U …. Outstanding. Foggy here today in the Big City.
Keep it coming.
And as long as we can continue to ask such a question, our great Nation will survive.
I hope we can continue to ask that question for generations to come.
You and me both, Brother!
Great palate cleanser because just this morning was venting about some of the 20 year old bums here that are totally useless and quite content to live in the basement and let the folks feed them and draw welfare. No ambition. No pride. No future…self inflicted wound.
I have the privilege of training entry level infantrymen immediately after they graduate bootcamp. While I bemoan the idiocy of these young Marines, I remind myself they are young, and I was more than likely just as stupid at their age. I also think about what they volunteered to do, they chose to be infantry in a time of war, where their chances of seeing comabt are exponentially higher than their peers in other MOS’s, when I think of that it makes me feel better about the future of this country. It is not all doom and gloom, there is an entire generation waiting in the wings to step up and help guide this nation through these growing pains. I think we are going to be alright, it is going to be painful and tough at times, but we will come out the other side ok.
” … there is an entire generation waiting in the wings to step up and help guide this nation through these growing pains.”
That hope is what I cling to with bleeding fingernails.
Fine article as usual, Enigma4you. And the friend you wrote about is indeed a fine young man, worthy of praise.
But I have to disagree with you on one key point.
The US military has indeed been at war for the past 13 years. The nation? No – not really. Not since about late 2002.
For all of America except the military, by and large it’s been life as usual vice wartime. To all but military family and friends, “American Idol” and the latest tweets from the Kardashians have been far more important that what’s been going on in Iraq and Afghanistan. Most Americans neither knew nor really cared what was happening in the AOR – hell, I’d guess half couldn’t find either place on a world map. And I’d hazard a guess that many if not most Americans still don’t personally know anyone who’s served there.
In short: the US military went to war. Meanwhile, the rest of America went to McDonald’s and the mall.
In a way, that’s preferable and as it should be. It shows the military has done its job, protecting our nation and way of life. And it’s far, far better that war’s destruction and horror fall on foreign soil vice our own – as 9/11 showed us all too clearly.
Still, it would be nice if the rest of the nation would wake the hell up and realize that the world isn’t a nice, safe place. There are violent, evil bastards elsewhere who would slit our throats in a second without remorse. And wishing things were different . . . does absolutely nothing to make it so.
McDonalds and the mall are only safe because those evil bastards are not here today. And it’s the US armed forces that have kept it that way.
^^^ +1000000 ^^^^^^^^^^
Hondo,
Our involvement in GWOT started Sept 11, 2001.
Troops and assets were already engaged as early as Oct 2001 (others say days after 9/11).
Now, OP ANNACONDA did not really start ’till after incident of “Robert’s Ridge” on 3 – 4 Mar 2002 …
So please deconflict as I am just a former BT always looking for edjumikashun.
VR
MCPO: IMO, the US as a nation was at war from 11 Sep 2001 through some time in 2002. I’d put the break point during the summer-fall of 2002, after Anaconda and before the winter set in in earnest. Before then, the US public was involved. But some time that summer or fall (or maybe early winter), IMO the US public “tuned out”.
During Iraq, with the possible exception of the invasion itself (Mar-Apr 2003), IMO the nation was never actually “at war”. Only our military forces were.
We went to war as a nation in Afghanistan – for a short time. Then the nation went back to the mall, while the Army (and USMC and USAF and selected personnel from the USN) stayed in the field and fought a war. And IMO that was also pretty much the case start to finish in Iraq.
Rog. I see point now.
However, we NYer’s both blue and red know (for the most) we are stiil at war.
I do see you point!
Would agree with your timeline, Hondo. Yep, unfortunately. Sure, there were many communities that took longer to tune it out, but the process definitely began as you said it.
Too many communities are only reminded when there is a military funeral. It does continue to speak well of this country that, for the most part, those funerals produce the proper displays of solemnity and gratitude that they demand, as they serve as a reminder that we are still at war.
I think with the passing of time Main street America has gotten very good at ignoring the fact that we are at war. I dont think for one second they have forgotten.
We have an entire generation that has no memory of peace. To them the airport has always been TSA and full body scans. Meeting a loves one at the gate is something that only happens in movies.
The american people have done a fantastic job of isolating themselves from the reality of war. Only when tragedy hits close to home are they forced to remember that it is still there.
I almost with that their had been the rationing and war bond campaigns or WW2. At least then it would have stayed in the for front.
We have a VA system that has broken the promise that we made to Veterans. We have a congress that is constantly looking at ways to cut military benefits. The academic world thinks it is progressive but in reality spews the same rhetoric from 50 years ago.
The fact is or military is and has been the backbone of this Nation. Those young men and women are the ones who make fading words on parchment into the soul of our nation. They continue to bring the Ideas of our forefather to life. God help us when they stop believing.
Enigma4you: a nation is involved in a war when its military deploys. In contrast, a nation is at war when its population is intimately involved in the conflict. I do not believe you are quite old enough to have strong memories of Vietnam. I grew up during that conflict, so I do. The US was indeed a nation at war during Vietnam. Approximately 1.5% of the US population served in-theater during that conflict – approx 3.1M out of an average population of around 202M or so. US demographics and the relatively short period of major involvement (1965-1971) meant that group formed a big fraction of the US 18-25 year old population. Due to the draft, that group was also quite diverse, and spread throughout the US. Pretty much everyone knew someone who’d served there. And the US population cared about that conflict – quite deeply – with some in favor and some violently opposed. In short, during Vietnam the US was indeed a nation at war. The Gulf War was similar, but for a different reason. A smaller portion of the population fought there, but due to the widespread mobilization of RC support units the US population was similarly involved. The population was involved – and due to the huge spike in oil prices, shared a bit in the pain. The conflict was too short (and too overwhelmingly victorious) for much opposition to arise. So during the Gulf War, the US public was also at war – but to perhaps a lesser extent than during Vietnam. Thus the US was also a nation at war during the Gulf War – but IMO, to a lesser extent. The same was true for the first roughly year of the current GWOT. Due to the 9/11 attacks, initially the US population was deeply involved – more strongly than at any time in my lifetime except perhaps during the height of the Vietnam war protests – and was united. We were indeed a nation at war. For a little while, anyway. And then . . . we “won” in Afghanistan (summer/fall 2002). We’d routed… Read more »
I was born in 1968, while I do have a great memory my first hand memories of Vietnam are limited how a child perceived the evening news in the 70s.
Enigma, and even back then the evening news was slanted, although not nearly so bad as now. Back then it was a more subtle bias and the phenomenon of simply not reporting news events unfavorable to the Left as we see now, had not yet become a regular event.
And it is partly this media bias that explains the growing disconnect between the public and the war. During the eight years of the Bush administration the liberal media kept the nation informed of every combat death almost on a daily basis. Since Obama took office, that has disappeared. Is that mere coincidence? I think not.
“Uncle Walt” and the evening news (along with specials like “The4 Selling Of The Pentagon”) may have had the most impact by reaching the most people, but Time Life was doing its part,too.
http://life.time.com/history/faces-of-the-american-dead-in-vietnam-life-magazine-june-1969/#1
Enigma4you: US ground combat operations in Vietnam ended in 1971 – when you were 4. The major antiwar protests occurred in 1969 and 1970. Don’t know about you, but I have not much recolleciton of TV news when I was 2 to 4.
And Poetrooper is correct. The news was already biased by 1970 regarding Vietnam. By 1975 (when Saigon fell), that bias was very obvious.
And, frankly, I can understand that to some extent.
LBJ and the other liars in his administration led us into Vietnam via deceit. They then systematically lied about how well the war was going. In retrospect, it’s enough to freaking gag anyone with a sense of honesty.
As liars, Nixon and his cronies were pikers by comparison.
“I almost with that their had been the rationing and war bond campaigns or WW2. At least then it would have stayed in the for front.”
I expected there to be a national call for conservancy of war essential material, increased industrial production, and etc. My Dad was born in 1935 and I grew up on stories about rationing, saving gum wrappers, etc.
Instead, President Bush told us to go shop. I don’t blame Bush for saying that and I don’t think he came up with the idea all by himself.
So instead of conserving and sacrificing materials for “The War”, we all consumed instead. I saw a lot of consumption going on in theater too in terms of wasteful methods of maintaining and repairing MRAPS (and everything else). It did not make any sense to me then, nor does it now.
I am not a tin foil hat kind of guy, but with some years of perspective, I think being told “to consume” tells the story. The enemy to fear most is the ponzi scheme economy we have created… she’s a demanding bitch. Your MRAP needs a new power pack.
BTW, the DOW hit a record high last week. Beers all around, on me.
Well said, and true.
Enigma4you…Thank you. It is a little dusty in the house today.
They(the young Men and Women)are all around us.They just need some guidance to become the these where do we get these Men. While living in the very small town i just moved from.I talked with my Grandsos’s about I did not sugar-coat it.I tell them how it was a chance to learn a trade and mature as a man. My Grandson Matt is now a tabbed ora scrolled Ranger Medic. They are out there, needing some guidance. Joe
I apolize for the Missing words my Grandsons’s friends.About the militaryWhich is it after one gradutes from Ranger School? The pain and meds are kicking my butt Today. Semper Felidis Joe
Joe,
TAH sounds like a recovery dorm in an old school military hospital sometimes.
I skipped the offer of Oxy yesterday after hand surgery so I could make weigh with my faculties intact so I could kill the pain with Jameson.
I was born in 1955 and watched the war on TV as I grew up and remember a lot of it very well.
I volunteered in 1974 and went off to Alaska instead of Vietnam and served in what little was left of the US Army after that war.
I served with many Vietnam war veterans and remember that some of them had many medals when they put their khaki’s or dress greens on.
I remember getting spit on in O’Hare and getting into a scuffle with the hippie that did the spitting. I also remember fondly the Vietnam War MP Veteran O’Hare cop talking to me and informing me that I had nothing to worry about and that they hippie would probably need a dentist when he got downtown…
I know that we won that war on the ground, I served with those that won it and heard many talk about their experiences and how they felt stabbed in the back by the press, politicians and many members of American citizenry.
And they were…
I know that this country is in the best of hands as these young men and women come home and become the leaders of tomorrow.
Once again it is the politicians that have no spine that have wrecked this war, there are lots of us that still remember these men and women are off in a distant land fighting for us to keep them busy over there so they can’t come over here.
The troops are often applauded when they come through the airports, given first class ticket upgrades for free, bought dinners and a lot of other things that never happened when I was in.
I was in Fairbanks Alaska in 1975 when we left Vietnam and sat on the tarmac at Eilson AFB wondering if we were going.
I am proud of my service, but I am even more proud of these men and women that serve today.
Relax friends, the country really is in the best of hands, these hippie fucks ain’t going to be in charge forever.
Enigma; Excellent post! To the point.. I have to agree with you. Where do we get such men.
We don’t find these men so much as we make them. We start when they are children. We impart our values to them thru demonstration. We infuse them with our sense of duty and patriotism in both small and large ways. My father was a career Army officer, I was a soldier during the 65 to 69 period. Both of my younger brothers escaped serving, one by physical anomaly and the other by age set. My father told us of our forbearers who had served the nation from it’s founding. My own mother is very proud that she built ammo bay doors for P-47’s while my dad was touring europe with General Patton’s Third Army. My brother with flat feet and a blown knee raised one of the young men you spoke of. He is currently serving as a First Lt.(AirBorne, Ranger) with the 101St. He has done one tour with them and a short tour with the Second Rangers. It looks like he may be headed back. He will make Capt. in Oct. unless the Army really screws the pooch. As a trigger puller he is one of the men we will need in the very near future.
I fear for this country with the likes of Obama, Biden, and Hagle in charge, but as long as we have men like my nephew we will surely have the men we need when we need them.
As young Veteran, I Deployed when i was 19 and green returned 6 days after my 21st birthday
One thing that always kept me going was that guys have done this before me. My own father deployed to Iraq in 2004-2005 and we have grown closer due to our service
But one of my most treasured mentors is a An Artilleryman who served in Vietnam that lived across from me when I was in High school, he told me of all the great things the army taught him it was grand and after my tour of the great land of Afghanistan. He told me how he dealt with burying a friend, and how to keep getting up the next day
Now a days he is a farmer who spends his days with his wife, but any time i need we spent an afternoon in the woodshop and talk shop.
So thank you older guys, it means to world to have someone to talk to that has walked the walk even if it that walk was 40 years ago