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I found out this afternoon that one of my friends, who just graduated from basic training, will be deployed to Iraq soon. He'll be training here in the states for six months, and I'm hoping that things will have calmed down by the time he actually gets there.
I'm worried about his safety. I'd like him to come home in one piece and preferrably without emotional scarring (though he doesn't seem the type who will be fazed by combat). Any advice to pass on to him?
Posts: 3546 | Registered: Jul 2002
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i can't begin to imagine how to cope over there, so no advice from me, either. i've got a friend leaving december 7th, though. good luck to them both, as well as the rest that are getting ready to leave.
Posts: 1090 | Registered: Oct 2003
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If he wants to be in the military and carry out their wishes, which in this case means going to Iraq, my advice would be to spend every available second he has stateside learning to be the very best soldier he can. Excellence won't prevent death, but it stacks the odds in his favor.
If he wants to not see battle or risk his life in the service, my advice would be to get what's known as an "entry-level separation". For the first six months of military service you can file for and by filing be awarded separation from the military. The send you home and run your military record through a paper shredder. It's as though you were never there.
His superiors will not tell him about this. In fact, they are very likely to outright lie and say it isn't possible. The option does exist and he can use it if he simply sticks to his guns and accepts nothing less.
Like I said though, it's only available for six months from the date he entered service (which is the date you went to boot camp, not the delayed entry program).
I wouldn't presume to tell anyone that they should or shouldn't be in the military. I was and I didn't enjoy it much at all, but I wouldn't be the same man I am today without it. My biggest "problem" with the military is the amount of lies they tell their people, such as denying the existence of the entry level separation until after it is too late to get one.
In fact, I can't think of a single thing that my recruiter told me that was not a bold-faced lie.
Posts: 55 | Registered: Nov 2003
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I have a friend who will be coming back the second week of December, although he was 'officially' stationed in Okinowa, Japan, his company (is that the word for a group of Marine troops?) was occasionally sent out for humanitarian efforts. Whether or not this sent him to Iraq, I'm not sure, as he hasn't been telling us much of what he's been doing over there as of late.
I do have some advice for you, if you are his close friend, to help you deal with him going, and to help him deal with having to be separated from home.
My advice is to write as often as you can, giving him updates on how things are at home. Although these guys are soldiers, they still get home-sick, and miss people, and wonder how thier friends and relatives are doing. James (my buddy), who has more or less stayed in contact with me via email, gets down-right hissy with me when he gets to his email and finds that I haven't sent him anything in a couple of weeks, as I am also good friends with his Mom (for those of you who remember, his Mom is keeping my cat, Freyja, for me).
When (or if) you can get in touch with him, let him know how much he is appriciated for what he's doing for his country. Even if you don't agree with why he's been sent over there, let him know that his service is appriciated and respected.
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