Nonsense, I am a military brat, and have brothers that served as well - my biggest regret in life is NOT enlisting - there wasn't an active war going on, and I wanted combat experience. So I decided to get a degree and join as an officer, but marriage changed a few things.
Nonsense, I am a military brat, and have brothers that served as well - my biggest regret in life is NOT enlisting - there wasn't an active war going on, and I wanted combat experience.
That is without a doubt the lamest thing I've ever read.
But only a psychotic wants combat experience.
I guess everyone in the military has stories from people who said, "oh, I was going to join up, but my knee was bad, or I just got a new job", or whatever. I certainly heard it often enough. I did join up. You couldn't or wouldn't take the plunge to give yourself over to something larger than yourself.
Walt
The reason there wasn't a war on for your enjoyment was due to the hard work and dedication of those professional military men and women, like Walt and my humble self, who joined and served to help prevent wars from happening. I had 22 years commissioned service, active and reserve, in the Navy and never once heard a shot fired in anger. And I don't feel slighted or the slightest bit of regret, either.
This remains probably the most ludicrous thing I have ever read.
When I went on Desert Storm I realized that no possible outcome could provide me an "experience" of the type you apparently crave which could be worth the loss of even one of my Marines.
But, to use your logic, I couldn't "validate" any combat experience I might gain unless --somebody got killed--. Isn't that right? If one goes on an operation that was so benign that there were no casualties, that wouldn't -be- combat, would it?
I was thinking on Pearl Harbor Day that you must have shed a tear, not for the 2,000 + U.S. servicemen who lost their lives that day, but for the fact that no similar event had happened in your lifetime that would validate -- for you-- a chance to have some glorious "combat experience."
I watched last night on the "Discovery" channel the special about the dive on the Bismarck. Seems like the Brits rescued 119 survivors out of a crew of @ 1,400. The Hood had a crew of @ 1,400. There were three survivors from Hood.
Just think what a glorious thing it would have been for you to be in that fight!
And surely worth the death of almost 3,000 other people, right?
I bought the "Band of Brothers" DVD set. One of the veterans was Lieutenant "Buck" Compton. He was medevacked with combat fatigue after watching two of his close friends each lose a leg in a German artillery barrage at Bastogne.
They interviewed the real Buck Compton for the production. He's white headed now. He still couldn't talk about that day 50 years ago.
But I guess it wouldn't faze --you-- if someone else lost a leg -- as long as YOU got combat experience.
It's just too weird. Your callous comment belittles the sacrifice of every American veteran.
Walt