Any combat vets here?

[ReUsAbLePhEoNiX]

Hello,
Any war vets here like to share their thoughts and expereinces on war.
How combat has changed your views on war, how the expereince has influenced your life and views.
Whats your opinions on the morality of war?
In what ways do you think american culture has distorted the combat expereince...your opinions on violent media. How you felt after your first kill and the first casulties on your side.
Do most vets have a disgust for war expereince, or it an expereince some vets see as positive?

Anyway, thanks for repies, dont feel like you have to answer every question.
War is an experience I cannot comprehend.

last important question is if you think popular media ( john wayne. rambo, etc) phycologically influences the way soldiers approach the experience of war.

 

[Job24]

well I am a Vet but not a war one...so I am writing this to say Thank You for risking your lives and doing something that many would not. I commend you and just realize that there are many who would say that war is wrong but without courageous people such as yourselves, we would be in a different place in the world.

POW/MIA

 

[WarSong]

My base in Kuwait got shot/bombed by Scud missiles throughout Iraqi Freedom, so if you want to call that combat, fine.

From that experience, and most my friends in the military (ranging from AF MP's and Spec Ops to Navy SEALS and Corpsman) I can say that we feel what we did in Iraq was right. Seeing a little girl's head caved in by Republican Guard because her parents didn't support Saddam did not endear me to their military, or make me feel the least bit sorry for rolling over them.

Our casualties were relatively light, a couple of jets and aircrew and some ground crew lost in something I'm not allowed to talk about. I will say that we all believed in our cause and we all knew the risks when we signed up.

I'm glad I went. The weather drove me batty (the desert is the worse of everything) but I can look back with pride and say that IO did my part to defend my loved ones when my country needed me.

Civilians here back in the states who make all this fuss and noise about the war being a waste didn't see how happy the Kuwaitis and Iraqis were to see us, and if they don't have first hand eperience here (which none of the hippy/tree-hugging/jumped on the Bush-hating bandwagon DON'T) then they should do something with their lives instead of sitting in their parents basement in their underwear.

 

[SiteCR2]

Yes, Afghanistan and Iraq.

Did it change me yes. I view things a little differently. I hope I'm taking more time to smell the roses.

Did it change my opinon of war. not really, war isn't nice and isn't pretty.
its just there and unfortunatly will be for a while. Pray one day it goes away.

seeing what a 500# bomb does to a human body makes you think. It also makes me realize when i call in the airstrike I need to be as accurate as possible.

 

[alonesoldier]

Just Iraq, war sucks. But I believe we did the right thing. I spent Operation Enduring Freedom in Kuwait but we were never sent into Afghanistan for that one.

 

[datan]

I'm glad I went. The weather drove me batty (the desert is the worse of everything) but I can look back with pride and say that IO did my part to defend my loved ones when my country needed me.

gimme a break.
defend your loved ones from whom exactly?
is that how the military brainwashes its soldiers into fighting "we're fighting for freedom"; "we're finding to defend your children" blah blah blah?

 

[AndOne]

WarSong, AloneSoldier, and SiteCR2:

Thanks to all of you for the outstanding job you did over there. WarSong - thanks for the added perspective. God bless and take care...

 

[WarSong]

gimme a break.
defend your loved ones from whom exactly?
is that how the military brainwashes its soldiers into fighting "we're fighting for freedom"; "we're finding to defend your children" blah blah blah?

A little bitter?

Did my remark of civilians back in the states whining get under your skin?

I'm not brainwashed. I'm not particularly into politics, but since so many anti-war activists seem so ignorant of a lot of facts combined with no experience, it gets annoying. If you want information about Saddam providing haven and funds to terrorists, I'll be glad to provide. Besides, it's one less place and regime that can base for terrorism in the future.

Not only have I participated in Iraqi Freedom, but Noble Eagle as well. Our squdron, along with fighters from Shaw and Langely, flew Defensive Counter Air missions along the east coast of the U.S. If flying armed missions over your own country (quite a shock to many of us) isn't defending your country, then I don't know what is. At least for us airmen

Finally, I'm not a soldier. My Service Tape does not say Army.

 

[datan]

A little bitter?

Did my remark of civilians back in the states whining get under your skin?

no, but the part about fighting a war to "defend your country" did.

I'm not brainwashed. I'm not particularly into politics, but since so many anti-war activists seem so ignorant of a lot of facts combined with no experience, it gets annoying. If you want information about Saddam providing haven and funds to terrorists, I'll be glad to provide. Besides, it's one less place and regime that can base for terrorism in the future.

sure...provide those links and show how they were a threat to the United States.

Not only have I participated in Iraqi Freedom, but Noble Eagle as well. Our squdron, along with fighters from Shaw and Langely, flew Defensive Counter Air missions along the east coast of the U.S. If flying armed missions over your own country (quite a shock to many of us) isn't defending your country, then I don't know what is. At least for us airmen

nice try; but you were referring to the war in Iraq, not CAP over the eastern seaboard.

 

[Room4all]

Let me add my thanks to eachof you. I owe you..My children owe...

 

[alonesoldier]

I won't debate in here, but I will give my opinion. Under stronger leadership we would have gone into Afghanistan prior to 9-11, maybe using one of the multiple occasions we were attacked before 9-11 and the fact that jihad or war had be declared on us. That was a mistake we won't make again. Now we have Saddam, a man vowing vengeance who sponsors terrorist who have declared war on us and who has used Weapons of Mass Destruction and would have no second thought of using them again. Those who don't learn from history are cursed to repeat it. Saddam Hussein was a 9-11 waiting to happen, I went to Iraq for my family and I am proud of the service to my country. Had we removed Hitler when he started making his threats their would be Germans to this day claiming it was unnecessary warmongering. Saddam Hussein sponsored the terrorist that attacked us, he sponsored other terrorist groups as well with the same goals, he had weapons of mass destruction programs and the intent to use weapons of mass destruction. The President called this a 'gathering danger'. Nay Sayers want it to be an 'imminent threat' before we act. Is that why their leader passed up the chance to arrest Bin Ladin in 1998. He wasn't an imminent treat yet? Imminent means to late.

 

[ReUsAbLePhEoNiX]

a few days after posting this, I met a veitnam vet at a church conference, I was outside smoking a cig, he comes walking out visibly shaken and really nervous, shakey voice, with shifting eyes all over the place like he is paranoid....after talking with him for a few minutes he tells me he has post tramatic stress disorder from 2 years in nam. This guy has an extreme fear of crowds, loud noises, no eye contact, he owns no guns, and he hates violent media...

thought I would just share this.

 

[datan]

Saddam Hussein sponsored the terrorist that attacked us,

proof?

he sponsored other terrorist groups as well with the same goals

proof?

he had weapons of mass destruction programs

you must have missed Bush's state of the union address.
He had "weapons of mass destruction program-related activities"

 

[daidhaid]

Datan
the thing I want you to consider is that soldiers do not determine policy.
Their opinions on gov. policy are just what they are, opinions.
with one difference they earned the right to their opinions the hard way.
In this forum for added confusion religion gets added in too.
Most often soldiers will tend to stick together, even when their opinions on war are different.
Because they value some things you cannot understand.
those thing bind them.
Vets aren't dealing with some abstract dislike or vague fear of war, most likely that is your issue.
Calling us brainwashed and being generaly disrespectful to soldiers is not effective or smart.
You may be talking to people who gave far more than they will ever get back.
You're most likely frustrated at the way this war is being conducted, so am I.
I have to go back a ways to find wars that aren't suspect to me.
Still
It is not useful to harangue and insult Combat Vets, about their war.
They stuck their necks out for you, even if you didn't want them to.
Better to make your points in a general less personal way.
The politicians and the *******s who buy them are the guys we should be angry at.

My war was probably one of the stupidest wars this country ever started. And it was a nasty war.
I was an infantry medic.
Believe me I am anti-war.
I have associated with a lot of anti-war people who take the same approach as you.
I can accept just about any anti-war sentiment as well intended, but I would appreciate the same in return.
Soldiers are not your problem.
Consider their duty was well intended.

in conclusion:
The basic reason soldiers perfom in combat isn't politics, that is for the rear echelon.
Probably only students and REMF's have time or energy during a war to focus on the political.
And certainly not brainwashing.
Nope
It is for each other.
You can't possibly understand without the experience.
It's a pretty exclusive club, you probably don't want to join.

 

[phoebe_spa]

I truly admire people who are brave enough to risk their lives. I worry about their health when they come home, though. Gulf War Syndrome from depleted uranium, which was also used in Iraq, as well as PTSD, which often affects Vets from any war, are really horrible to live with.

I believe that Vets' health care should be greatly increased -- not given cuts as is currently happening. Also, VA hospitals that specialize in GWS and PSTD are rapidly shutting down because of budget cuts to social services.

Can someone send their opinion on this? (Especially a Vet)

 

[daidhaid]

I truly admire people who are brave enough to risk their lives. I worry about their health when they come home, though. Gulf War Syndrome from depleted uranium, which was also used in Iraq, as well as PTSD, which often affects Vets from any war, are really horrible to live with.

I believe that Vets' health care should be greatly increased -- not given cuts as is currently happening. Also, VA hospitals that specialize in GWS and PSTD are rapidly shutting down because of budget cuts to social services.

Can someone send their opinion on this? (Especially a Vet)

VA Doctors are calling the alarm it's gonna get worse. probably not as bad as it was after Nam.
but underfunding and shutting down outpatient centers is pretty shortsighted.
Bush talks but he doesnt do. Just what you might expect from a Nam era Guard weenie.

 

[SiteCR2]

what we see now days from protestors is nothing like my friends and their older brothers experienced from Viet Nam. they took **** and many were not even volunteers. so wrong.

datan what ought to clue you in on how we react under pressure is something you need to see first hand.

If you can't come in the mililtary so be it,

come as a missionary. see the world experience life, 3d world countries and weird bugs that I had no idea existed.
plus see how people really are first hand,

military personnel are microcosm (sp) of society. we're not all good nor bad.
we just do, and get this... many actually have multiple civlian degrees,
MBAs, MAs, MSs, and PhDs.

 

[WarSong]

no, but the part about fighting a war to "defend your country" did.

*shrugs* Deal with it.

sure...provide those links and show how they were a threat to the United States.

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,77248,00.html
Granted, this link may open up yet another debate concerning Israel and the Middle East.

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2003/09/16/iraq/main573517.shtml

http://www.weeklystandard.com/Content/Public/Articles/000/000/003/527uwabl.asp

http://www.weeklystandard.com/Content/Public/Articles/000/000/003/378fmxyz.asp

nice try; but you were referring to the war in Iraq, not CAP over the eastern seaboard.

Are you trying to imply I was attempting to steer the conversation AWAY from Iraq-Osama Bin Laden? Since you aren't very forthcoming about your experiences (or lack thereof), I'm listing mine.