Military life.
Thankyou.
You stay up for 16 hours
He stays up for days on end.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
You take a warm shower to help you wake up.
He goes days or weeks without running water.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
You complain of a "headache", and call in sick.
He gets shot at as others are hit, and keeps moving forward.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
You put on your anti war/don't support the troops shirt, and go meet up with
your friends.
He still fights for your right to wear that shirt.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
You make sure you're cell phone is in your pocket.
He clutches the cross hanging on his chain next to his dog tags.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
You talk trash about your "buddies" that aren't with you.
He knows he may not see some of his buddies again.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
You walk down the beach, staring at all the pretty girls.
He patrols the streets, searching for insurgents and terrorists.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
You complain about how hot it is.
He wears his heavy gear, not daring to take off his helmet to wipe his brow.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
You go out to lunch, and complain because the restaurant got your order
wrong.
He doesn't get to eat today.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Your maid makes your bed and washes your clothes.
He wears the same things for weeks, but makes sure his weapons are clean.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
You go to the mall and get your hair redone.
He doesn't have time to brush his teeth today.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
You're angry because your class ran 5 minutes ove r.
He's told he will be held over an extra 2 months.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
You call your girlfriend and set a date for tonight.
He waits for the mail to see if there is a letter from home.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
You hug and kiss your girlfriend, like you do everyday.
He holds his letter close and smells his love's perfume.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>_
You roll your eyes as a baby cries.
He gets a letter with pictures of his new child, and wonders if they'll ever
meet.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
You criticize your government, and say that war never solves anything.
He sees the innocent tortured and killed by their own people and remembers
why he is fighting.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
You hear the jokes about the war, and make fun of men like him.
He hears the gunfire, bombs and screams of the wounded.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
You see only what the media wants you to see.
He sees the broken bodies lying around him.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
You are asked to go to the store by your parents. You don't.
He does exactly what he is told even if it puts his life in danger.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
You stay at home and watch TV.
He takes whatever time he is given to call, write home, sleep, and eat.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
You crawl into your soft bed, with down pillows, and get comfortable.
He tries to sleep but gets woken by mortars and helicopters all night long.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
You stay up for 16 hours
He stays up for days on end.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
You take a warm shower to help you wake up.
He goes days or weeks without running water.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
You complain of a "headache", and call in sick.
He gets shot at as others are hit, and keeps moving forward.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
You put on your anti war/don't support the troops shirt, and go meet up with
your friends.
He still fights for your right to wear that shirt.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
You make sure you're cell phone is in your pocket.
He clutches the cross hanging on his chain next to his dog tags.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
You talk trash about your "buddies" that aren't with you.
He knows he may not see some of his buddies again.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
You walk down the beach, staring at all the pretty girls.
He patrols the streets, searching for insurgents and terrorists.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
You complain about how hot it is.
He wears his heavy gear, not daring to take off his helmet to wipe his brow.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
You go out to lunch, and complain because the restaurant got your order
wrong.
He doesn't get to eat today.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Your maid makes your bed and washes your clothes.
He wears the same things for weeks, but makes sure his weapons are clean.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
You go to the mall and get your hair redone.
He doesn't have time to brush his teeth today.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
You're angry because your class ran 5 minutes ove r.
He's told he will be held over an extra 2 months.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
You call your girlfriend and set a date for tonight.
He waits for the mail to see if there is a letter from home.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
You hug and kiss your girlfriend, like you do everyday.
He holds his letter close and smells his love's perfume.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>_
You roll your eyes as a baby cries.
He gets a letter with pictures of his new child, and wonders if they'll ever
meet.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
You criticize your government, and say that war never solves anything.
He sees the innocent tortured and killed by their own people and remembers
why he is fighting.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
You hear the jokes about the war, and make fun of men like him.
He hears the gunfire, bombs and screams of the wounded.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
You see only what the media wants you to see.
He sees the broken bodies lying around him.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
You are asked to go to the store by your parents. You don't.
He does exactly what he is told even if it puts his life in danger.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
You stay at home and watch TV.
He takes whatever time he is given to call, write home, sleep, and eat.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
You crawl into your soft bed, with down pillows, and get comfortable.
He tries to sleep but gets woken by mortars and helicopters all night long.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
0
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Thanks for this moving post.
My son, 34, is on his third tour. He called his wife the other day when we were there and just as she answered his 7 month old said "da da." He was so choked up he couldn't talk. He'd just got the news that his tour was extended. There is no way that anybody could understand unless they've been there. No way to understand how it feels to miss birthdays, anniversaries, those first steps. The Jane Fondas of the world can eat feces.
God Bless our troops, God Bless America.0 -
God bless our troops! 0 -
Jacob2008,
Thanks, fine post, and that's the short list. Some of the reasons many don't want to serve, and why the draft is sometimes necessary.
Whompuss,
Many thanks to your son, his buds in arms, and all who serve.0 -
http://forums.gunbroker.com/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=194909&SearchTerms=military,life
This lead to such a friendly exchange of opinions the last time around I felt it was worth another look.0 -
quote:Originally posted by whompuss
Thanks for this moving post.
My son, 34, is on his third tour. He called his wife the other day when we were there and just as she answered his 7 month old said "da da." He was so choked up he couldn't talk. He'd just got the news that his tour was extended. There is no way that anybody could understand unless they've been there. No way to understand how it feels to miss birthdays, anniversaries, those first steps. The Jane Fondas of the world can eat feces.
God Bless our troops, God Bless America.
+1, whompuss! Give him my thanks. I've been there and can sympathize. Hope he comes home to you soon and in good health.0 -
Jacob,
I'd really hate to run into the "you" referred to in this post.0 -
Jake,
You left out:
AND HE VOLUNTEERED FOR ALL OF THIS.
Amazing, isn't it?
It would be one thing if there was a draft going on, another thing entirely that it's an all-volunteer force.
Takes a certain type of person to sign up for that brand of hell. May God watch out for them and their families.0 -
God bless 0
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