'I'm No Hero' -Former Iraq Captive Jessica Lynch

MaconAreaOnLine ^ | 11/6/03

[RISU]

The question is if the gun jammed, how come she said she did not shoot "not one round". Takes one round shot to jam up a gun, doesn't it?

[CWOJackson]

Exactly. PFC Lynch has become a symbol for this country and for the Army.

[#3Fan]

This society makes me sick sometimes.

The jealous, insecure, and perpetually angry make me ill.

[CWOJackson]

No, the weapon can jam when you feed the first round into it.

[cyborg]

I agree

[RISU]

So, I guess the Wshington Post is a liar? I mean, who knew?

[Poohbah]

The question is if the gun jammed, how come she said she did not shoot "not one round". Takes one round shot to jam up a gun, doesn't it?

You've never had the weapon jam when you tried to chamber a round?

[#3Fan]

Exactly. PFC Lynch has become a symbol for this country and for the Army.

Uh oh, that statement is going to rile up the cavemen (by "cavemen", I don't mean the ones who have honest concerns about having women near the front lines, but the perpetually angry cavemen). lol

[CWOJackson]

Good. I've never been a fan of women in uniform and never will, but as long as a woman wears the uniform voluntarily she is due no less respect than any other soldier, sailor or airman.

[Print]

She is no hero. And it was an absolute waste of time and money to have her in US Army.

[Cacophonous]

This is probably the only time the 507th will see action in it's history...

Probably wrong.

The 507th is part of the 5/52 ADA Regiment (ADA = Air Defense Artillery), which is part of the 11th ADA Brigade. The Imperial Brigade.

While not a CA unit, the 11th stands ready to deploy - along with their sister unit, the 35th ADA Bde - within 72 hours notice. The 11th and 35th comprise the 32d Army Air and Missile Defense Command (AAMDC). They are a non-divisional unit with the specific mission of rapid deployment.

The unit was initially constituted in 1907 in New York as the 133d Company, Coast Artillery Corps. Like many Army units, it changed designations throughout the years, but has combat streamers from WWI, WWII, and Operation Desert Storm and of course, OEF. They have, in their history, rapidly deployed to Korea and SW Asia as needed.

So count on them seeing more action.

[ImpBill]

Never has anyone who received any type of medal to include the Bronze Star, nominated themselves for the accolade. First Point. She didn't ask for the medal.

Unit commanders initiate the action and it is passed up the chain of command, receiving endorsements along the way or stopped, until it reaches the Pentagon, where someone, acting on behalf of the CINC approves the awarding of the citation.

I have a Bronze Star for actual combat service in RVN and to mind my did nothing "extraordinary" to receive it. No special act of heroism. I simply did my job as trained. And it took me a long time to get to the point that I accepted it, mentally and emotionally.

I don't think, based upon her own words, Pfc. Lynch believes she earned the Bronze Star, but others did and it was awarded to her. I just hope and pray that it doesn't take her as long to accept the fact that others believed she deserved it and that she can wear it with pride.

You might be advised to understand there is a great difference between a Bronze Star and a Bronze Star with "V" device attached. A great difference. The bar for receiving a Bronze Star is much lower than that for receiving one with "V" device attached.

Perhaps that might clear things up for you a bit.

[CWOJackson]

I'm sure an Army Recruiter would be glad to assist you in taking over her position.

[RISU]

I am a lot more inclined to believe her than the press.

If her weapon had failed to chamber a round, I think she might have reported that "my gun didn't work", or soemthing like that. But, what she says is "I didn't fire not one round", which is a lot different than an expression of frustration like "the damn thing wouldn't work" ,which is what you would hear if she had tried to return fire and couldn't do it.

She is probably telling the exact truth, and she impresses me as a good kid from a decent family, and someone with respect for the "truth" - unlike the Washington Post apparently.

I believe the "Jessica" story is just another example of American media and Hollywood BS. Pretty good gig for the Hollywood types when you think about it. Latch on to some unfortunate, make em into a big hero, then do the movie on them. Guaranteed 20 million at the box office from people who can no longer seperate reality from the truth.

In panic or surprise situations these weapons work pretty well. You often see three or four unexpended rounds on the ground where some soldier repeatedly chambers rounds to be sure it is loaded after being surprised like this.

Who knows what happened? Who really cares? She survived. That is the important thing for her, and for her family.

[#3Fan]

By "action", I meant direct angry fire with the enemy.

[#3Fan]

...but as long as a woman wears the uniform voluntarily she is due no less respect than any other soldier, sailor or airman.

True.

[#3Fan]

I believe the "Jessica" story is just another example of American media and Hollywood BS. Pretty good gig for the Hollywood types when you think about it. Latch on to some unfortunate, make em into a big hero, then do the movie on them. Guaranteed 20 million at the box office from people who can no longer seperate reality from the truth.

That's a pretty big stretch. Whether or not she killed nine Iraqis makes no difference, the rescue is what made everyone get to know her. She was our lone rescuee for a ten days. Lone rescuees get famous, like Anderson and O'Grady.

[templar]

But ultimately, the liberal media wrote what it thought best served itself. When does it do otherwise?

That's basicaly true of almost everyone and every political organization. Conservative, liberal, Good, Bad, or Ugly. Truth has little, if any, place in American politics, and honesty is almost unheard of.

Still ... some person did the story, and that person was given information by some person in authority. Whether the information was missinterpreted or embellished is important in knowing where the false story originated. Judgment should lie on the person or organization actually at fault, not the entire media in general.

[templar]

The heroism mistakenly credited to Jessica Lynch belonged, instead, to a young, blond male soldier who did die fighting as described ... The record was later corrected.

That pretty much removes the story from the 'lie' category.

[ought-six]

"Brave, patriotic, and modest. God bless you PFC Jessica Lynch. Welcome home."

My sentiments exactly.