Another letter from the Iraqi Front (Warning: raw language)

Vietnam Navy buddy's son on the front lines in Iraq | 11/13/03

[pabianice]

I have a little story about the triumph of human spirit and the intestinal fortituide of our soldiers. I was very hesitant to share this with you, but it is an example of true courage and heroism:

Two days ago, a vehicle convoy was replacing a combat outpost on the eastern part of Mosul. The soldiers that were coming off shift had been on the platform for 24 hours; a very long time to be in an outpost. While the squad was loading the front vehicle, two islamic extremists fired an RPG round from a hill behind the upload point, and then followed it with small arms fire from their AK-47s. The RPG just missed the trail vehicle, and then somehow ripped through the cab of the center truck without detonating, the round then impacted on the front vehicle that the soldiers were loading. The round impacted the drivers seat and instantly killed a great NCO from our BN. One soldier who was manning the gun, lost both of his legs in the blast, another NCO had his right hand blown off. 5 other soldiers were wounded and knocked out of the truck. Somehow, these soldiers managed to get to the radio and send in a SITREP...

>From an outpost approximately 2 kilometers away, one of my squad leaders heard the first radio call for help. Disobeying a standing order not to leave his post, and with total disregard for his own personal safety, he and another soldier ran over 2 kilometers down a busy street to help his brothers in need...performing buddy aid, he never left their side until the MEDEVAC was completed and everyone was safe...he saved lives that day.

Yesterday in the combat hospital, my 1SG visited the wounded soldiers; all the soldiers had been in his Platoon during An Najaf, Baghdad and for the initial air assault into Mosul. This is the conversation he walked in on...

The soldier without both legs kept complaining about how bored he was,"We haven't done dick in 14 hours, I'm bored." His friend without a hand responded," Will you shut the fuck up all you do is complain, what do you want to do, go running?" In reply, the soldier laying in the hospital bed said,"No, do YOU want to box?!" As they both shared a laugh, the Commander asked them if he could get them anything, and the soldier lying in the bed replied,"Yes sir, a pair of legs and a Pepsi, cause these fuckers can't get me either..."

Young men doing heroic things in horrible situations...It is hard to feel sorry for yourself when faced with something like this...the memorial service for our fallen comrade will be tommorrow, please take time in your busy day to think about those who we have lost and for their families.

Respectfully,

[pabianice]

"Where do we get such men?" -- James Michener, "The Bridges of Toko Ri"

[Britton J Wingfield]

Damn. Thanks for posting that.

[Sender]

How sobering. And I complain about my job.

[cake_crumb]

Thanks for posting and BUMP!!

[Kudsman]

Somewhere there is a leftist crying his/her free speech has been violated because someone is mocking him/her. This sobering excerpt gives things a little clearer perspective IMO.

[Travis McGee]

There are no words. Thanks. Some days I think this nation doesn't deserve men like these. Most days. God Bless them all...

[patton]

Amen.

[Eagle Eye]

...where uncommon valor is a common commodity...

[Jim Robinson]

Prayer bump!

[river rat]

The Democrat/Marxist bottom feeders, would squander the sacrifices being laid down by our warriors - by pulling out...

The only pull out that would have been desirable in the case of most of the "Democrat" congress critters - would have been if their fathers had practiced it..and prevented their birth...

Honor our dead and wounded.....vote a Democrat OUT OF OFFICE!

Fight this war to WIN...
Even if it means leveling Islamist terrorist supporter's major assets/targets...
If that was good enough to bring Germany and Japan to their knees --- we owe the Arab militant Islamists an "equal opportunity".

It must be made the case - that Arab governments destroy the terrorists they nurtured....or we will, with ever lessening regard for collateral damage....


Semper Fi

[ExSoldier]

"How sobering. And I complain about my job."

Indeed, I understand. I was discussing this conflict for freedom with my senior students today and I brought up that the draft might have to return so we can meet our manpower requirements. I did this to ignite the discussion, and to judge their responses. Now, remember I teach in a large metropolitan inner city high school. Most of my kids are black (as is 90% of the rest of the school) and most are also HAITIAN.

The response was deafening and ranged from "I'll go back to Haiti, before I serve in the military"

So I instantly replied "Why not go NOW? Be sure not to let the door hit you in the butt on your way out! You want to TAKE and not give back? I've got news...NOBODY HERE NEEDS YOU!!!" That got their attention. I don't think any of them had ever had a TEACHER speak to them that way, before. In fact, knowing the liberals I work with, I'm sure of it.

Another comment was: "Oh that would be for US CITIZENS....right?" My day deteriorated from there.

[cgk]

Wow. Thank you for posting that...

And Thank You to Every Troop fighting for us now and before.

[holdmuhbeer]

well did they kill the sonsofbitches who did it?

[Eaker]

"I'll go back to Haiti, before I serve in the military"

Disgraceful!!!

Thanks for trying to set them straight!

[Mark]

I got this in an email-- not known if true:
These are actual comments made on students' report cards by teachers in the New York City public school system.
All teachers were reprimanded but, they, are funny!!!

1. Since my last report, your child has reached rock bottom and has started to dig.

2. I would not allow this student to breed.

3. Your child has delusions of adequacy.

4. Your son is depriving a village somewhere of an idiot.

5. Your son sets low personal standards and then consistently fails to achieve them.

6. The student has a "full sixpack" but lacks the plastic thing to hold it all together.

7. This child has been working with glue too much.

8. When your daughter's IQ reaches 50, she should sell.

9. The gates are down, the lights are flashing, but the train isn't coming.

10. If this student were any more stupid, he'd have to be watered twice a week.

11. It's impossible to believe the sperm that created this child beat out 1,000,000 others.

12. The wheel is turning but the hamster is definitely dead

[cake_crumb]

So I instantly replied "Why not go NOW? Be sure not to let the door hit you in the butt on your way out! You want to TAKE and not give back? I've got news...NOBODY HERE NEEDS YOU!!!"

Thank you sir for standing up against the rhetoric of the left to defend our country where it counts: in the CLASSROOM. Thank you for continuing to serve your country.

I hope you don't lose your job over this.

[bc2]

I'm just a 23 year old punk kid who wants to read about politics, drink beer, get tattooed and play guitar but Goddamnit if they seriously consider the draft I will leave that at home and do what's neccessary.

regards and stay out of trouble at your job.

[mathluv]

>>This sobering excerpt gives things a little clearer perspective IMO.

This should be on every news show, and in every newspaper. .........Of course, it won't be.

[ibheath]

Bump to remember.........

[akbaines]

Yikes, Thank God for teachers like you! I did not know they existed anymore except in the home. You are also an American Hero.

[Slip18]

Thanks for the article, pabianice. I'm sorry for the two soldiers, but glad they have kept their sense of humor.

May God bless them.

[ExSoldier]

Actually, I saw this list a few years ago....but it pertained to army officer evaluation reports given by raters of lieutenants. I was a captain at my last rank before the Clinton RIF...but I remember the horror of being a lieutenant and basically stupid..so I had to laugh. STILL I will share this with other teachers I know who are also conservative and ex-military. You have just brought loud laughter to many teachers. I thank you.

[ExSoldier]

"I hope you don't lose your job over this."

Thanks, but I doubt it. I was teacher of the Year a couple years ago. It would look very bad for them to can one of those over this, especially now.

I'm much more worried about the pending gang war between the Jaimaican and Haitian gangs. The Haitians are more numerous, but the Jaimaicans are much more violent, heavily armed and confrontational. Mark my words if something is not done fast a teacher at my school will get killed this school year.

Probably NOT me. Probably none of the ex-military folks. It'll be some poor liberal democrat who is the touchy-feely whining liberal who can't stare the kids down and make them feel the fear they always seem to be dishing out. Teachers at my school are always being assaulted or beaten. I've been there seven years and not the first incident like this. Not one.

[ExSoldier]

Thank you all for your kind comments. bc2, I salute YOU for your patriotism. YOU are the future of this country and you make me feel safer by your comments. God Bless you all.

[Ancesthntr]

How sobering.

Sobering, indeed. It is a very good thing that people be reminded, at least every once in a while, what is necessary to preserve our freedom...what and WHO. It is a great privilege for this nation to have young men like the 2 discussed in this article, who think little of their sacrifice and much of the cause that they have sacrificed for. Without men like this, we'd live in another Dark Age.

And I complain about my job.

I used to, when I first started working. That was a few months before the '87 crash. On that day I (like everyone else who had money in the market) lost a lot of money. I was feeling very sorry for myself (I had lost more money in one day than I had earned since I started working) until shortly after I started my trip home. I got on the subway (I worked in NYC then), and about 30 seconds after it left the station some "bum" came through asking for money. I usually ignored beggars, but this guy had one leg and a deformed hand that looked like a lobster's claw. I gave him a buck, but he gave me something invaluable: a good kick in the rear (figuratively) whenever I felt sorry for myself. I thought then, and have ever since when I've been depressed about something, that I had to have my head up my butt in order to be able to feel sorry for myself when there are so many who are far worse off.

This story is of a similar nature. How dare we feel sorry for ourselves over some trivial issue, when young men with their entire lives ahead of them have been maimed and can joke about it? It gives one a good sense of perspective.

[Rays_Dad]

Ping for required reading

[Sender]

Amen to that. I'm recounting my blessings.

[Mel Gibson]

Thanks for your post and the sacrifice of the U.S. Military Men.

[Kudsman]

This should be on every news show, and in every newspaper. .........Of course, it won't be.

It's here. And the ones that are gonna do anything about it are here. The old geezers (bless them) like my Pops are just going to keep watching the propaganda machine anyway. You got a printer? If so print it and stick it in their hand. They might actually read it. If that works, I got one other golden oldie thread that is a must show.

[Matthew James]

bttt