SavannahMann
Platinum Member
- Nov 16, 2016
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Sure! I enlisted in 1991 while the Gulf air campaign was going on. The ground war kicked off while I was in Basic; our TI would give us updates in the evening. I came in Open/Mechanical, so I had no idea what my AFSC would be. I could just as easily been assigned to be a jet maintainer or weapons specialist, which would have had me deploying soon after technical training.
As it was, I was assigned 3E0X2, Electrical Power Production. Generator mechanic. I deployed numerous times to the Middle East, operating and maintaining prime power plants, (always a target of the bad guys), portable electric generators, and aircraft arresting systems. Of the 9 years I spent in deployable units, I was in the Middle East for a total of 2 years. And that doesn't include a year at Kunsan AB in South Korea. I retired in 2011 with 20 years in uniform.
Thank you for your service.
Then you have seen the Elephant. I don’t know about the fellows you served with. But my friends in the 37th Engineers didn’t die for Bush’s war. They died fighting America’s war.
Troops in Afghanistan didn’t die fighting Obama’s war, or Bush’s war, or Trumps war. They died fighting America’s war. Our war.
I voted for Trump in ‘16. I didn’t vote in ‘20. Because both candidates were full of shit. I’m sick of pretending that one pile of shit smells a little less worse than the other.
Right now. A Brigade of Paratroopers. Men and Women who aren’t too dissimilar to how I was are in Poland. They didn’t volunteer to fight for Trump. They didn’t enlist to fight for Biden. They enlisted to fight for the same reasons we did. It was right, for us, to do it.
I walked up to Boobie Trapped bunkers and pitted my wits against the enemies. Not for Papa Bush. Not for Republicans or Democrats. I did it so the Infantry would live. My unit rigged Talil Airfield’s munitions to explode. Not for any Politician, but because the Lieutenant told us to.
The troops join because they have their own reasons. College, limited choices, or desire to serve. They don’t join because of who is President. They don’t walk away because a President they don’t like is elected.
We joined for our own reasons. I stayed for nine years and walked away when my term was up. My DD-214 shows an Honorable Discharge. I’m sure yours does too. I have the scars and tattoo from those days. I get the small amount for my injuries from the VA every month. You probably do too.
We didn’t do it for money. We didn’t do it for politics. We did it because others mattered. Freedom for our families. Taking care of the troops around us. We did it for the same reasons that have always caused young people to enlist.
Don’t be one of those idiots who denounce the troops who serve claiming they are stupid for joining to fight Biden’s war. It’s wrong. Morally and truthfully.
Biden didn’t start this. Putin did. Biden warned us it was coming. And people bought the stupid claim it was propaganda.
I know people you knew died. Don’t dishonor them this way.