Message from Classmate in Iraq

[gojujay]

Tell your friend thank you for me.

[Army Fencer]

Couple of quick things.

DFP... you may want to consider something General Patton once said: "I don't want you to die for your country, I want you to make the other dumb, poor [expletive] die for his country." Also, ancedotally, I've heard that some of the bravest (most hooah) guys in stateside turn out to be the biggest cowards out there. If you do decide to go out into the military, be sure that you are doing it because you want to defend the country, not because you want to get your butt shot up.

TheOne... that was one of the reasons I decided to go into the medical corps, because of the moral angst I had at being required to kill another person. But I still wanted to serve and defend the country. I decided the best way I could do that was by being a frontline doctor for our soldiers.

Noah... that's about the rate of getting killed. Fortunately current technologies, particularly the body armor our soldiers wear, keeps that rate down. Body armor only protects the chest and back, though, so the chances of a limb threatening injury is much higher. (That's something else you have to think about, DFP)

Everyone else... unfortunately, I don't know which one of my classmates wrote this piece. The Association of Graduates is trying to find out, actually. But he's not the only one of my classmates that is out there. I have classmates that graduated only a year ago in Iraq, Korea, and probably Afganistan. Please keep my classmates and all our soldiers out there in your prayers. Regardless of what you think about the current wars, those men and women are the people that let you safely go to work and school everyday.

[Artisan]

...thanks for the posting. I'm speechless.
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DFP: You are on ignore - so I don't have to see what you've written - but I can guess anyway. And - know what? Stop talking. This thread isn't about you this time.

[Epee_Pox]

Thanks for posting this, and when you find out who wrote it, thank him as well. Whatever people may think about the politics leading to the war, you have to admit that those kids on the front lines are doing a fine job. Exercising amazing judgment and discretion while being shot at, making instant decisions that second-guessers back home would have a hard time making at leisure, preserving life and dignity rather than laying waste. I'm proud that we've raised a generation that is this skilled, this intelligent, and this compassionate.

[Masterurethane]

I wasn't to keen on the whole iraq thing initially.

But wonderful, wonderful post, thank you so much.

[epeefencer74]

Thanks for the post Army, I hope and pray that whoever wrote that gets out alive, physically and psychologically intact. From the looks of it he's seen alot of nasty s**t out there.

I pray that I never have to face combat. Heck I pray all the time that no one has to duck to the sound of gunfire and mortar rounds, that no one has to pull a dying comrade into cover, that children will never be caught in crossfire or step on mines, that women don't have to face the prospect of losing husband, son or borther. I pray often that there will be no war ever, however unlikely that prospect seems, I pray.

[labouche]

Wow, thank you for posting.

[Mergs]

Issac,

Thank you so much for sharing your classmate's experience. Even though I work at the center of what is happening there and the rest of the Army, we seldom get the opportunity to really hear from the tip of the spear. If you don't mind, I am going to share this with my folks. Hopefully we will get to find out who this LT is and get him some of the recognition he and his folks deserve.

To the rest of you, thanks for your comments. If you only knew what it meant to the folks that are putting in the long hours and lost weekends and holidays to know that you support them as you do. It truly means a lot.

Again, thanks. and God bless all of you.

[gulebukser]

Very moving.

[Army Fencer]

Mergs--

I have not problem with that.

Isaac

[glowstix]

yeah, good one. i actually know someone over there myself. always a feeling of relief when i get an email response. all of a sudden, fencing and ratings and tournaments seem insignificant.

[Zelda]

I have just realised that even though I myself may not know people over there, I know people who know people over there. One of my friends friends just got airlifted to Germany due to his injuries - apparently he came out of the wrong side of an arguement with some shrapnel and has tendon damage or something. When you see how it affects your friends, knowing a friend of thiers is hurt, you stop and think. That piece is even more poignent (sp?) now, then when I read it the first time.

[swordsen]

Been briefly in Iraq and longer in Afghanistan. And I am very happy to say that despite being in the right places for it several times no one ever made a personal effort to kill me and I never had to pull my trigger at anything but a target.
I'm glad to be back.

[Army Fencer]

Glad to hear that you're back safe, swordsen.