S~
These are my mates from my mounted section, before the last Iraq deployment, I am the jughead with the dark green belt (from the first initial invasion of Iraq)in the back. Behind us was my Bradley B23, which has since, gone to the great fighting vehicle heaven in the sky, she was blown up near Baghdad, 2008.
S~
Yeah, I was a good ole BC, had to be the easiest job I had in the army, once you get the kinks out of the ODS Brads. Sorry to hear about your shitty day mate, it isn't because of ole whacko jacko passing is it??
"A democracy will continue to exist up until the time that voters discover that they can vote themselves generous gifts from the public treasury." -Alexander Fraser Tytler
S~
Oh I'm sorry for the misunderstanding, it's all these narcotics the VA has me on... they tend to bend my head a bit. Back in the rear, that is, not deplyed foward, Monday-Friday was basically nothing but pure terd polishing, even though you see all these commercials on tv of how advanced and technically superior we are, the facts are we are still rolling with ODS Brads (Operation Desert Storm) and a great amount of time is spent putting parts on the buggers. I think the Airforce gets all the cool guy money, my beliefs in this being, we have AF ground combat guys attached to us, and they get paid extra to have to live on an army post, but anyways, back to the good day versus bad day, a good day in the rear was one that started out with no 7 mile run for PT, followed by no parts to hang in the motorpool, on the NCO side, it was not having the lieutenants up in your face, the platoon sergeant not on your ass, and ALL counseling and NCOERS done, pretty mundane stuff huh. Now as for deployed time, the quicker we got out of Kuwait, the better, because once foward your proverbial deplyment clock began, which these days consists of SASO (support and stabilization operations), winning of hearts and minds, and dodging IED's and such, having to go on dog and pony missions because some Major or above wants to fast track his star status and fluff out his OER. I, like a vast majority of our ground forces actually liked the feel ing of getting to do what we have been training to do for years. I have been retired since May of this year, and I truly miss the army, I guess thats why I really treasure getting to participate with you guys in this virtual squadron, it really is about having friends who you know when the shit flys, they got your 6. Now as far as combat stories go, one night when were on teamspeak and I have had a few beers down me, I maybe can give you some down and dirty stuff, but to write it out , I don't think I can do that right now.
S~
If it hadn't been for the incompetence of an army surgeon,(an officer ) I would still be there... just so everyone knows 98.5% of ALL service members are there because they want to be, I will always cherish my service for our nation, and if at times I get long winded about it, I do apologize, but it is the one thing in life, besides my wife and kids that I feel is the best thing that ever happened to me.