Thoughts? Deployment

[Penguin]

Wow...

Also, can I see the statistics for amount drafted for Afghanistan and Iraq?

By draftees I meant those drafted in WWII and Vietnam.

-Penguin

[BlueJ1]

Marine,

I did a tour there at the same age. Changed my life forever. Completely changed me as a person, you think you grew up fast joining the military. Just wait. No going to tell you either way what to do, its not my place. But something to think about, you do a tour now or later. Either way you are going to change. Ive seen a lot of relationships end not only because of the tour, but because how different we are when we return home. So it may be in the best interest to do one now. That way upon returning your significant other will be able to handle you as a new person. Not trying to sound depressing, a lot of relationships are strengthened by tours. But just another aspect us in the military have to deal with. The choice is truely yours, You probably already knew the answer to your question way ahead of posting it. You just didnt know it yet.



The draft still exists. It just goes by a different name. Individual Augmentation. Basically all service members in the Air Force and Navy has a little blurb in their contracts that states in a time of need a sailor or airmen can be chosen to be sent to the Army to support them. Currently there are a few thousand sailors that are filling this role in Iraq and afghanistan. Biggest difference from keeping it a true draft is it does not effect civilians. Each command is given a number of sailors they need to give to the program every so often and usually the spots are filled by volunteers. Im some cases a sailor is randomly picked to go. In my case I was picked. Trust me, being in the Navy for all of a year and unexpectedly handed orders that said afghanistan was a moment where Im not afraid to say I almost pooped my pants. But in the end it was well worth the experience minus a few life long side effects. Sailors sent to fill these slots are first sent to Army bases and given a condensed version of Army basic, then sent to training for their specific jobs they will be doing overseas. Jobs differ from EOD, Detainee Opertions, PRT Teams, Convoys, etc. Basically almost any job the Army has Sailors are trained to fill in.

[eagl]

Well you had good advice posted here for you. It was inevitable that you would get the other end of the spectrum. The real far end.

That wasn't the far end...  That was probably mainstream, except the little snippy bit about officers.  Guess what - a bunch of officers think we "won" in Iraq and Afghanistan several years ago, and we're wasting lives and money there for no good reason.

The far end is occupied by rats like the westboro "church" lunatics, people who go after soldiers instead of the policy makers, and traitors like Hanoi Jane and that Manning kid.

I'm not going to mention my own thoughts on the subject of volunteering to go to Afghanistan.  But if someone is going to go then they ought to have their affairs in order because there is a good chance they'll be leaving, at the very least, some blood in the sands and mountains of a country known for for resisting outsiders regardless of the outsider's intentions.

[eagl]

And don't kid yourself about any progress we're making there or what our objectives really are...  We just wasted a bunch of kids collecting firewood while trying to get some bastages who were lofting rockets at a US base, even with fairly restrictive ROE in place.  My guess is that the guys launching the rockets used the kids as cover, knowing full well that a log of firewood probably looks like a rocket when viewed from a helicopter. My point is, that's one hell of an unfriendly place and it doesn't seem like it's getting any better.  The people we went in there to get are gone, and the longer we stay the more hostile the place will get because no matter how tight the ROE gets, we're still going to occasionally kill a group of innocent people.  It's a bad scene no matter how you look at it and no matter what perspective you view our "mission" there from.

[Yossarian]

And don't kid yourself about any progress we're making there or what our objectives really are...  We just wasted a bunch of kids collecting firewood while trying to get some bastages who were lofting rockets at a US base, even with fairly restrictive ROE in place.  My guess is that the guys launching the rockets used the kids as cover, knowing full well that a log of firewood probably looks like a rocket when viewed from a helicopter. My point is, that's one hell of an unfriendly place and it doesn't seem like it's getting any better.  The people we went in there to get are gone, and the longer we stay the more hostile the place will get because no matter how tight the ROE gets, we're still going to occasionally kill a group of innocent people.  It's a bad scene no matter how you look at it and no matter what perspective you view our "mission" there from.

If you haven't seen it, you should check out episode 5 of Ross Kemp's "Return to Afghanistan" on youtube.  I agree with most of what you said, but that video still offers some interesting perspectives on it.

It isn't my place to decide such matters, but as you have asked:

Don't go!  You're just a kid!  Enjoy your youth, do it for all those to whom it was denied (Draftees); marry that pretty girl you love.  Trust me, you'll come back a changed man, and you will know what you truly have to lose.  You need not die, be maimed or go mad. Don't let those sick "patriotic" ba****** they call officers get in your way!

I don't agree with the way you said that...but I do agree with your basic point.

[TOMCAT21]

In the end, it's HIS decision to make. For myself, my family hates when I deploy, but the understand that it is the chosen career that we made as a family. Loss of life is expected, accpeted but never liked. It has been an all volunteer military since the mid 70's and there is not a single person who made the same choice I did and the thousands before me did. Those of us in uniform took an oath and we are expected to live up to that no matter what the situation is. If you have not been to either Iraq or Afghanistan, you do not understand nor could you possibly comprehend the notion that it is matter of duty to go there( if that makes any sense)... Westboro Baptist Church are scum bags and it makes me sick to my stomach the trash they spew out, but unfortunately it their freedom of speech which I took an oath to protect ad much like some of the crap that is posted it, I do not have to like it but I have to repsect it. None of us asked for this war but we are going to finish it. Service members do not start wars, thats what politicians do, we are the instruments of peace and war and we are prepared for both. Everyday I walk into my Battalion, I am reminded of why I still keep doing this: the ones who did not make it home.please feel free to quote me and if you like , you can pm me and I will give you my cell number and we can discuss it further and in the language I prefer.  TC, out

[Belial]

I'd say no, if you have any second thoughts you should stay with her.  If you go and come back chances are SHE will have changed too.

Thats just my opinion, I'd rather be with a girl I loved then fight a war we can't win.

Theres no easy answer people are dying over there

[dedalos]

She has already said she'll support whichever decision I make, I just wish it wasn't so hard.

What would you guys do in my situation?

Its not so hard.  It comes down to why you joined.  Did you join for the paycheck or did you join because you believe you will be serving your country that is under attack?  In the second case, if you go you will be serving your country and protecting the woman you love.  In the first, well, get another job.

So, which one is it?

[JunkyII]

Its not so hard.  It comes down to why you joined.  Did you join for the paycheck or did you join because you believe you will be serving your country that is under attack?  In the second case, if you go you will be serving your country and protecting the woman you love.  In the first, well, get another job.

So, which one is it?

Very well put...

[TOMCAT21]

my wife will tell you that being a military wife is the toughest job out there but she has stood by my side for all my deployments. Sometimes things are not meant to be.

[Penguin]

As was once said in the Navy: "Sail a desk"  It looks great on a resume when you have both served your country and done it while getting valuable job experience (without the nasty part about getting shot to pieces). 

I have nothing against soldiers, I just think it's not in the best intrests of survival to join.

-Penguin

PS: However, I make an exception for astronauts; if they need volunteers for space exploration, I'll be the first one in line.

[MarineUS]

Its not so hard.  It comes down to why you joined.  Did you join for the paycheck or did you join because you believe you will be serving your country that is under attack?  In the second case, if you go you will be serving your country and protecting the woman you love.  In the first, well, get another job.

So, which one is it?

Only a moron joins for the "check". Everyone knows uncle sam pays ya a 100 bucks and takes back 99.

[JunkyII]

Only a moron joins for the "check". Everyone knows uncle sam pays ya a 100 bucks and takes back 99.

Not really its a steady paycheck, healthcare, housing, and food......economy for civilians is terrible right now.

[Penguin]

Except that you'll be in there so long that you'll either take a bullet or lose your mind.

-Penguin

[Ten60]

The faster you leave, the faster you return