My nephew has, was, and is still serving in Afghanistan/Iraq and stories like this really piss him off when I email them to him. He's not pissed off at the whiners, he's pissed off at me for believing such BS.
He always, always tells me to look at the name of the newspaper and/or the area of the country from where the story emanates. He's in the Special Forces so they've interacted with all branches of the military from the cook to the generals and he swears the whiners are a DISCTINCT minority . . . even in the Reserves.
"Dammit to hell," he wrote in his last comment about this subject, "9-11 is my generation's Pearl Harbor. We won't . . . WILL NOT . . . lose this war. Some candy-ass citizens in Eugene, Oregon or Washington, D.C. might . . . just like they did during Vietnam . . . but no one will be pointing any fingers our way. We see on a daily basis how we're helping the folks in this turd-infested part of the world have a brighter tomorrow than they have today.
"Dad," he calls me Dad I explain as I start to tear up, "These folks live in 1st Century conditions, they've cooked bugs and rats over open fires, then eaten them with their fingers, they have nothing, absolutely nothing. But you know what? The lowliest of the low here has never failed to offer us food, water, and shelter. Their last grain of food, their last cup of water, their best blanket at night . . . they know what we're trying to do for them.
"I've lost seven friends here, seven brothers . . . We will not let their deaths be in vain. Now, if you're going to read the bullshit stories from the Eugene scumbags, first of all, don't believe them. I know for a fact they're lying. And for those who do believe the whining assholes, tell them from me that . . . 'Both them and the whiners can kiss my ass. We're going to do our duties in spite of them.'"
He sent me this in October, 2003. I won't be forwarding this story to him. He's just in his early 20's . . . but that boy already has more courage and maturity and dignity than I'll ever have. I think I'll take his advice.
Your nephew is doing great work -- he deserves a huge thanks.
And I gotta say that stories like this really piss me off too. I don't know why so many people (even some Freepers) feel so comfortable with putting down the valor and sacrifices of soldiers in the Guard and Reserve. It makes no sense. Guard and Reserve service has its own unique difficulties, and it's kept this country strong since the 1600's. You'd think the Guard and Reserve would have earned a little more respect after 400 years of successfully defending liberty.