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Today at work, a young man came in. He was missing an eye, and had no patch over it. It was an empty socket, surrounded by crusted eyelids and perfect, beautiful eyelashes. He had a dreadful, healing scar on the back of his head.
Because I work at the US Military Academy, I know what this means. Iraq. War. And I am an eavesdropper. He was a USMA grad, 2003. I probably sold him a Mountain Dew at some point. He was telling a cadet that after OBC (officer training school after USMA graduation), he was sent directly to Iraq. And so were his classmates. And so were the graduating classes after him. He told him this very calmly, and without drama or opinion. Just the facts.
Paul (Waldoff, graduating class of 2004), who has been in my home and eaten my food, played with my dog AND my kid, is in OBC right now. Paul has two perfect brown eyes. For now.
I don’t know how to feel about the war in Iraq. I don’t know how to feel about Policy, Diplomacy, and Bombs. But I held onto Chuck tonight and told him about my day at work, and begged him not to get shot.
Posts: 1545 | Registered: May 2002
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Man, that's tough. I'm in the same boat with you - my little brother, who's been stationed in Japan for the pst few years, is going to Iraq in February.
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My baby brother is going to Iraq. I'm proud of him. Maybe he gets killed, though it would be hard to find a single day of actual battle during the civil war with fewer deaths than the entire Iraq war so far. We will have a lot more wounded vets due to the quality of medical care we have now (That is, someone is more likely to survive a serious injury).
Posts: 2010 | Registered: Apr 2003
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I have a friend in Iraq. If something happens to him, I have to say that the world will have wasted one of the most brilliant minds of this generation. And for what?
I will be very very mad at the world if something happens.
Posts: 22497 | Registered: Sep 2000
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My friend joined the Guard and volunteered to go to Iraq to be loyal to his company, most of whom were already over there. (He got deployed late, as a replacement for wounded/dead.)
He's scheduled to come home in about 7 weeks, and if something happens to him now, I will feel incredibly cheated and mad at everything.
Posts: 1592 | Registered: Jan 2001
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*hugs to all who have friends and family in the service or otherwise occupied in dangerous places*
mack--I talked to him (AIM) the other night and told him that I fervently wished he were an English professor at a small liberal arts college, instead. He laughed at me, but couldn't you see him teaching English? He's so passionate about literature. *le sigh*
Taberah--I hear ya. Chuck's facing retirement in about four years, but I wonder if he'll even be eligible at that time, because of the stop/loss in effect. I'm already resigning to myself to at least six more years of Army spousehood. If you talk to your friend, let him know my thoughts are with him and I pray for him. If he's still around West Point next week, ask him if he would come in to the Bookstore (ask for Jen) and I'll buy him a Mountain Dew (or 'poison' of his choice).
The big thing about seeing an actual wounded soldier is, I'm used to seeing folks in Desert Camouflage and assuming that they are on their way to or back from Iraq. But until yesterday, I had never seen the actual physical effects of war. I just wanted to hug the heck out of that young soldier. I'm too sappy, huh? He probably would have been very confused, had I done that. Heh.
Posts: 1545 | Registered: May 2002
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On a positive note, 2 bus loads of troops came home to my hometown yesterday. I was working, but my dad took my son and went out to the main street in town, right in front of my drugstore to wave them on in 5 degree weather. My dad even videotaped the event. I am very proud to call both of them family.
But regardless of all the negative things being said and done in this war, the troops can and will come home. All we can do is continue to offer our support and show them we care.
Posts: 1870 | Registered: Mar 2003
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It's amazing to me just how many lives are touched by all of this. I thought that the closest it would come for me would be friends' siblings or Hatrackers. I guess not, though; my cousin--formerly a comms (then avionics) technician in the Air Force--is in Kirkuk right now guarding civilian transports. He left just over a week ago. What a crazy world we live in.
Posts: 4534 | Registered: Jan 2003
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Jexx, don't quote me on this but my understanding is that stop-loss often does not include most retirements. The people who are most affected are ETSing soldiers in critical MOSs, although that net can sometimes be cast pretty wide. And generally, the more money the Army has paid to train and retain you, the more difficult it is to jump ship. Your husband is an engineer, right? Hmm. I know the civil engineers are in high demand, but I'm not sure about the rest of the branch.
Anyway, I'm sure you'll be fine. Hey, at least you've had a good period of stabilization at West Point. It really is a great post . . .
Posts: 224 | Registered: Aug 2002
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Heh. That's what everybody keeps telling me. I think I just hate the geography of the place. And the surrounding road system. Oh, and how much everthing costs outside of post.
I just got very spoiled in Alaska, THAT was a great post.
As far as stop/loss goes, if they keep sucking eggs with their recruiting processes, they're going to stop/loss even the lower enlisted! One of my neighbors is a recruiter for the National Guard, and he is having the roughest time.
Alucard, I read about the parade for the returning troops in your area. That was very cool.
saxy, it is a crazy world, isn't it?
Posts: 1545 | Registered: May 2002
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