Thanks for AH Community Warriors in Service Overseas

[Hangtime]

It's just been brought to my attention that a fellow AH community member and squadmate is serving in Afganistan.. the situation is not unusual in itself; but it brings to light and focus the bitter truth that our fellow community members are putting thier tulips on the line.. and that it's our tulips they serve thanklessly with distinction and honor. I beleive they should be recognized and thanked publicly. If you know someone from our community, post about him/her here, and send 'em an email link to this thread. Please keep their actual emails and identites private for the time being.. wouldn't want them abused by spammers.

I'd like to kick this off with a big and thanks to FDB squaddie Argyll.. now serving in Afganistan. His unit was jumped and ambushed last week.. it was in the news. This from his after action email to fellow FDB squaddie and close personal friend Skernsk.

We gave way worse than we got, one LAV had 6 RPG hits on the armour, 3 on the mantlet/sight and 3 on the hull, none penetrated , most skipped off. I was dismounted the whole time, and was recieving fire from behind while firing on muzzle flashes, I felt the wall to my left crumble and thought the fire was from the front, as I half turned I realized the rounds were being fired from behind me. I had to run out on the fly using G-Wagons as cover as I fired on the move over the hood. I had to organize the withdraawl from the rear as the ANA and the FOO's veh were not moving fast enough, they were in shock,and I had to encourage them to reverse as it was a bottleneck road and there was nowhere to turn about.  It was an ambush from 3 sides, and the fire was heavy, how no one else got hurt I will never know. Luckily we were about to depart when the intital attack came and most troops were mounted, or it might have been deadlier. The 4-5 ft mud walls also saved a lot of troops from fire. We had 3 wounded ANA, one dead ANA, and our own cas which is all over the news.

I am just in from the op and havent slept in 2 days, I need a shower but I needed to get this off my chest. It was all out chaos and war yesterday.

Argyll is a sergeant  serving with Task Force Orion, Canadian Forces. He has my respect and wholehearted support.. and I'd hope the respect of this community for his service to kin and country. He serves proudly in the fight for democracy and against terrorist and taliban objectives. He's there, we're 'here'.. Lets show him, his nation and the cause they serve the respect they deserve.



If you have a personal message you'd like to send Argyll, please email it to this address I've set up as a holding screening box, I'll review it and forward it to him; if he can; he will respond to your directly.

aeroworks@optonline.net

Again; If you know someone from our community, post about him/her here, and send 'em an email link to this thread.

Thank you all...

[straffo]

I wonder if it was near the place we lost 2 COS last week.

Just say him to take care.

[skernsk]

Good post Hang, I don't know what Argyll will think when he reads it, he is a very humble person.  I have heard from him since that AAR and he has been on several other patrols since then.  No details other than that.

And one last thing, Argyll is 332nd Flying Mongrels now, and a 'former' FDB.  

[Hangtime]

What? You don't quit the FDB's.

There's a poster somewhere with creamo in a ****-kicker hat wearin eye make-up and sayin 'You can't quit us... '  

That boy done good that night. Hope he stays safe.

[Hangtime]

Sparks,

Thanks for the kind words, we have been getting lots of good, kind support for our mission here. I appreciate the time ou have taken to e-mail me. Life here has been hard, not the conditions as soldiers always lead a spartan lifestyle, but hard on our psyche, as we see young, vibrant people, our comrades, reduced to casualties, and sometimes to death.

This is not a being called a war by our press at home yet our fellows still die nonetheless. I am proud to be here, we are doing a worthy job, for a worthy cause, many americans , dutch, brits, french, romanian, and others are here by our side. Thank you for your support, I would write more but I am only in to our rear camp for a day before heading out on ops once more.

Your e-mail means alot, thank you and Hangtime for your suport,

Cheers,

Rob "Argyll" McCue

Kinda saddens me. One guy... just ONE guy responded to the original post, sent me an email to forward. You sweetheart bags got all the time in the world to post on this BBS.. yet not a second to spare for a guy we know in service over there?

"thanks for your support"

[Mini D]

The only thing I know about Argyll is that his brother is gay. I've seen his name come up a couple of times as someone serving over in Afghanistan with the Canadian armed forces.

I don't feel right treating him like a hero or celebrety because of where he is or what has hapened to him. Don't confuse that for meaning I don't truly appreciate it, because I do. But I appreciate his efforts as much as anyone that served in the military with any kind of integrity.

Thanks to Argyll and everyone else that's serving in the armed forces. I'm pretty sure he'd be the first to tell you that it doesn't merrit any special recognition, but I do know that any military member loves to hear from friends and family. Those that have friends and family serving should always take that to heart.

[midnight Target]

We've had 3 members of our squad serve in Iraq and Afghanistan...

in Airwarrior, Blackbird in AH was (I think he recently retired) an MC-130 nav and served from day one in Afghanistan.

Pyroman and Capt.A both serve with the Michigan NG and both recently returned from tours.

to all of them and all who serve.

[Nifty]

Hang, the Mongrels have already given Argyll their support on our internal squad BBS.    

to everyone protecting freedom, regardless of nationality.

[Mini D]

PS...

There are some things that I learned while I was in the military and seem to have been echoed by those I know that served in "real combat":

It is better to tell the person you're writing to about your life than to ask questions about what it's like over there. If they want to tell you they will, no need to ask. But letters are great for remembering places other than where your at rather than reminding you where you are. A paragraph on the sheer stupidity of the O'Club goes farther than a " WE APPRECIATE YOU!!!" At least... it did for me way back.

Home is better than where you deploy too and reminders of that are always nice.  Of course, a "dear john" letter from SOB is always crushing no matter how much it reminds you of home.

[Hangtime]

Originally posted by Mini D
 Of course, a "dear john" letter from SOB is always crushing no matter how much it reminds you of home.

I know. I've got three of 'em. Last one he signed '..i cain't quit yew'.

I many never be able to get over the pain.

[AquaShrimp]

Argyll has certainly earned my gratitude.  He truely is on the front lines of the War on Terrorism.  I'm sure hes probably not getting as many men as he needs, nor the best equipment (due to Iraq), but hes fighting the people who were responsible for the 9-11 attacks.

Argyll is serving so that I don't have to.  He is a true Patriot.

[Ripsnort]

Hang, you know, if I'd have posted this about 3 years ago, the Fat Drunk Bastard minions would have been all over me like a fly on crap. Guess they've changed their tune on patriotic types, eh? LMAO!

[Mini D]

That may be because we understand that Hangtime didn't do this to be self serving.

[Mr Big]

Originally posted by Mini D
That may be because we understand that Hangtime didn't do this to be self serving.

The only thing an unregistered user has access @ your site is your "bird" forum. How self serving is that?

Why not make it a nice military salute instead of the bird pics?

[Ripsnort]

Originally posted by Mr Big
The only thing an unregistered user has access @ your site is your "bird" forum. How self serving is that?

Why not make it a nice military salute instead of the bird pics?

Birdy man is afraid of opinions on his website that are not that of the FDB's. He was banned from here once (similar to being stripped of rank in the service ) and he now hides in the FDB forums with people that will actually listen to him. If they get out of line, he gets to play skuzzy.