What are your thoughts on Troops across seas?

[ReynaM]

I was suppost to deploy in Feb. But with matters at hand, I am no longer in the military. With Bush requesting that more troops are to be sent across seas, there is gonna be more soldiers being in road side accidents and more casualties... What's your input?

[Immichaelski]

So you left the millitary because you were about to be deployed?

[ReynaM]

no, I had to take a leave of absence, but a long term one.... I am going back in 3 years

[Lifting_Taurus]

It's not as bad over here as the media outlets lead you to believe.. It's not all rainbows and riding unicorns either... but it could be much worse..

I'd rather be back in Hawaii drinking a corona on the beach... but I'm not, and I won't complain... What we are doing over here is important.. and like it or not, it's changing history... How it will all end is still up in the air.. but I'm proud of myself and all my fellow suervice members for what we do everyday.. Deployed or not..

[ReynaM]

Originally Posted by Lifting_Taurus

It's not as bad over here as the media outlets lead you to believe.. It's not all rainbows and riding unicorns either... but it could be much worse..

I'd rather be back in Hawaii drinking a corona on the beach... but I'm not, and I won't complain... What we are doing over here is important.. and like it or not, it's changing history... How it will all end is still up in the air.. but I'm proud of myself and all my fellow suervice members for what we do everyday.. Deployed or not..

dont get me wrong, I wanted to be over there! My MOS was a 15U..... I worked on CH-47's....

[Lifting_Taurus]

Originally Posted by ReynaM

dont get me wrong, I wanted to be over there! My MOS was a 15U..... I worked on CH-47's....

Chinook mech right...

I could have used you about 3 months ago when they had to cancel my flight cause of some damn red light....

I've got some beautiful pics of the mountains covered in snow from when I was in northern Iraq a couple weeks ago....

[ReynaM]

Originally Posted by Lifting_Taurus

Chinook mech right...

I could have used you about 3 months ago when they had to cancel my flight cause of some damn red light....

I've got some beautiful pics of the mountains covered in snow from when I was in northern Iraq a couple weeks ago....

yeah that's right! Well too late now huh? lol...I would love to see those pics!

[Lifting_Taurus]

Originally Posted by ReynaM

yeah that's right! Well too late now huh? lol...I would love to see those pics!

You'll just have to owe me one...


Shoot me a PM with an e-mail address and I'll share later tonight...

I have to get going now... I have a mission in about an hour and I gotta PMCS my truck... Still gotta get the protein drink too...

[The Experiment]

I'll be joining once I graduate school.

As for casualties, right now its snowing outside. I look outside and as snow falls down, I see people driving regular speeds, sliding on the roads as they take a turn. We all drive on the same roads as these people. Point is that casualties will happen anyway. I can look at the contract, change my mind at the last minute before signing and some drunk ass will run me over, killing me. People die. 40,000+ die from car collisions each year. I'm not any more worried about death in Iraq as I am about driving.

I have friends in the USMC in Iraq right now. I have family who was in the military (one remained, one is retired). I'd like to see my deployed friends come back alive but they know the risks and chose to go in anyway. It is their choice and I have the utmost respect for them and anyone who is overseas right now. They are taking the risks and shaping history. I hope to be a part of that soon.

[ReynaM]

Originally Posted by The Experiment

I'll be joining once I graduate school.

I hope to be a part of that soon.

I have mad respect for you there..... Not many people are willing to admit that they are willing or ready to do this... alot of people think that it's ok to go bacause of the money yet there are others that are willing because they know they will be making a diffrence.... I wanted to go because I wanted to go to make a diffrence

[shootjamesagain]

a waste of time and lives. most don't even know what they're fighting for.

[dead_by_the_gun]

Originally Posted by shootjamesagain

a waste of time and lives. most don't even know what they're fighting for.

Only when you've been in a fight do you know what your fighting for. It could be money, fun, pride. The list goes on. Everyone has there reasons but I respect that cause atleast I know I have a few good battles to my left and right that when a day comes when we really do gotta fight for this unappciciated country we will while the rest is in the backgorund looking up at us and wishing they had the balls to do what we do day in, day out.

[jmonty]

Originally Posted by ReynaM

dont get me wrong, I wanted to be over there! My MOS was a 15U..... I worked on CH-47's....

just remember: Tangos are better.

[Lifting_Taurus]

Originally Posted by The Experiment

I'll be joining once I graduate school.

As for casualties, right now its snowing outside. I look outside and as snow falls down, I see people driving regular speeds, sliding on the roads as they take a turn. We all drive on the same roads as these people. Point is that casualties will happen anyway. I can look at the contract, change my mind at the last minute before signing and some drunk ass will run me over, killing me. People die. 40,000+ die from car collisions each year. I'm not any more worried about death in Iraq as I am about driving.

I have friends in the USMC in Iraq right now. I have family who was in the military (one remained, one is retired). I'd like to see my deployed friends come back alive but they know the risks and chose to go in anyway. It is their choice and I have the utmost respect for them and anyone who is overseas right now. They are taking the risks and shaping history. I hope to be a part of that soon.

I look forward to having you on my side one day...

To the poster who said most don't know what they are fighting for..

We all know exactly why we are here... It may or may not have anything to do with what the Commander and Chief used as his reasons for this war.. Frankly I don't care... I know my Soldiers, and I know they have their reasons, and I know we are all looking out for each other.. I don't fight for what other people believe in.. I fight for the people I am charged with leading everday.. I fight because I believe in them.. I fight because I will not be the reason they don't make it home to their families. I fight because I love them for their courage and their willingness to sacrifice their personal freedoms to ensure that each american gets to exercise those freedoms...

[UltimateNYC]

i wholeheartedly support our troops, both of my grandfathers and two of my uncles served in the military, however i do not support the war.

[efini84]

Originally Posted by The Experiment

40,000+ die from car collisions each year.

right and there's also 200+ million drivers in this country. what's your point?

[Geno]

I am proud to share the name and mantle of warrior with them. I thank each and every one for what they are doing and truly hope each and every one come home safely.

[lionheart21]

Originally Posted by The Experiment

I'll be joining once I graduate school.

As for casualties, right now its snowing outside. I look outside and as snow falls down, I see people driving regular speeds, sliding on the roads as they take a turn. We all drive on the same roads as these people. Point is that casualties will happen anyway. I can look at the contract, change my mind at the last minute before signing and some drunk ass will run me over, killing me. People die. 40,000+ die from car collisions each year. I'm not any more worried about death in Iraq as I am about driving.

I have friends in the USMC in Iraq right now. I have family who was in the military (one remained, one is retired). I'd like to see my deployed friends come back alive but they know the risks and chose to go in anyway. It is their choice and I have the utmost respect for them and anyone who is overseas right now. They are taking the risks and shaping history. I hope to be a part of that soon.

Originally Posted by Lifting_Taurus

I look forward to having you on my side one day...

To the poster who said most don't know what they are fighting for..

We all know exactly why we are here... It may or may not have anything to do with what the Commander and Chief used as his reasons for this war.. Frankly I don't care... I know my Soldiers, and I know they have their reasons, and I know we are all looking out for each other.. I don't fight for what other people believe in.. I fight for the people I am charged with leading everday.. I fight because I believe in them.. I fight because I will not be the reason they don't make it home to their families. I fight because I love them for their courage and their willingness to sacrifice their personal freedoms to ensure that each american gets to exercise those freedoms...

You have given out too Reputation in the last 24 hours, try again later.

[nutsy54]

Originally Posted by efini84

right and there's also 200+ million drivers in this country. what's your point?

Running quick statistics, a military member's chances of dying in combat are roughly 2½ times greater than the average driver's chances of dying in a car accident this year. In other words, the risks & dangers are blown way out of proportion in most people's minds.

Is the cost, in both lives and dollars, worth it? That's a decision for the elected leadership (the President and Congress) to make. We go where they tell us, and I don't think anyone wants to consider the outcome of a military that selectively ignores orders and assignments. . .


In general response to the original post: Almost everyone on active duty today knew what they were getting into when they enlisted or re-enlisted. There are very few 6-year contracts out there, which means almost every one of us signed on the 4-year dotted line well after mid-September, 2001. Hell, most signed after combat operations in Iraq began. The old "I'm just here for college money" line isn't valid anymore.

If we didn't want to accept the risks, we wouldn't be in uniform today.

[Immichaelski]

Wow, quite interesting. Good luck. My life is in a strange place now, and ive been looking into the services. It looks allright, a sacrafice for a prize.

[TheBlueDevil]

Could you explain this 3 year leave of absence? Just curious as to what happened at your age to require a 3 year leave...

[ReynaM]

Originally Posted by TheBlueDevil

Could you explain this 3 year leave of absence? Just curious as to what happened at your age to require a 3 year leave...

Very long story that I really do not wish to go into great detail about. But one of the reasons is that I have been trying to help my mother out of a rut.

[jmonty]

family is most important.

my mom's house burnt, and i couldn't get leave to go help her out.