A military veteran on a rant...

[sanctus]

Originally Posted by IrishEyes

Niv, that was really awesome. Thank you so very much. It is not often that I hear those sentiments from someone that is not in the service.

I also never was in service but I don't know if you will like my answer as Niviene's.

To start I live in Switzerland and not in Italy because my grand-grandfather (= grandfather of my father) deserted WWI (or WWII?? Thinking that my grandfather was born in 1926 I tend to think it was the first) and came by horse (if I remember right) from Greece (where he was at the front) to Switzerland. My grandfather on my father's side then joined the grenadiers (don't know the english) which in the Swiss army are about the most crazy...My father did the army because he didn't enough courage to go to prison (the choice of army service or civil service exists only since 1996), instead he made them live difficult (= an order not said in the proper way = order will not be executed). And eventually me, who does civil service. On my mothers side my grandparents where quite poor people living in south-italy working on the field with only three years of school (about), they often where hiding in the woods from the fascists during WWII.

Originally Posted by IrishEyes

I think you're assessment is very correct though. I knew the risks, and that is exactly where I wanted to be. We were on the USS Enterprise when we first dropped bombs on Iraq back in '98. It was frightening, and exciting, and sad, all at the same time. My mother was glued to the tv every day, sending me "I saw your ship on CNN" e-mails every night. It was a very itneresting time of my life. And to be honest, except for missing the heck out of my (then only) 4 children, there is no place on earth that i would rather have been.

But irish, what was it that you liked so much? The companionship on the ship and the belief in doing something good if I get you right. if I'm right then I've got no problem with that. I agree the companionships built inside an army in a dangerous place must be great. You I do not critique people who join the army believing to do something good, I just think they ignore something while they on the other hand they think I ignore something. I though criticise the existence of the army itself and the idea that violence might help to solve conflicts, but that is another discussion.

Originally Posted by IrishEyes

Anyhow, thanks again for your words. It's nice to see that someone appreciates what it takes, and that you support your brother (and by extension, I'm guessing other vets as well), even though you may not support the war. I agree that the signs are beneath him, but they don't quite reach the 'yellow ribbon' campaign fromt he first Gulf War. Those really made me angry too!

You know I've got as well some riends who believe the army is great and so on. If they show that they don't just go for adventure without thinking about what they are doing a bit more profoundly then I still support them in their choice even if actually I'm against the war (any war). it's a question of respect the others.

Hope I rested on topic.

[Boerseun]

My father was in the Navy, back when there was still a draft in place in SA.
When it came to be my turn, a picked the Navy as well, because I love ships and sailing and the ocean in general. That was where my choice stopped, because a few years after my dad served, the draft got replaced with conscription as the South African scene deteriorated and the war in Angola escelated. I went, got selected, and served exactly one week - then the law changed, scrapping conscription. The Armed Forces became completely voluntary. I was presented with the choice of carrying on for my two years, or go home. I picked the latter. And today I can kick my own butt for not finishing! I think it must be an awesome experience.

BUT...

I think that there should be a much higher lower age limit for entry into the armed forces. At least thirty, would be my guess. I've run into a few new recruits at my step-brother's office (he's a Major in the SA army, at logistics support), and their seventeen/eighteen year old pimply faces unsettled me for months afterwards. We train 'em up, give 'em guns, and ask them to go and shoot some people. Granted, their might be a justifiable reason for it, but do these kids 'get' it? Do they actually understand the situation? Do they understand that pulling the trigger will actually kill someone, someone with a mom and dad, a wife/husband and kids? I think the only people to be allowed to serve in the Armed Forces must be someone older than thirty, with at least a Master's Degree in Political Science. Yep - that's my idealistic side speaking...

Like TS Elliot said about war:
And if they ask you why we died,
it is because our fathers lied

Peace...