[ExSoldier]

Going to war, more than job opportunities and money for college....

Heck that's the reason I was commissioned as an officer in the army infantry after college in 1980! I missed my chance by being in the wrong unit for Grenada and Beirut and I was in the IRR by the time Panama rolled around and now I'm too old and too slow and they said so....after thanking me for volunteering yet again on Sept 12th 2001. I told 'em they wouldn't even have to promote me....I'd happily go back as a captain. You see, captain is the last officer rank in the US Army where you actually get to pull a trigger as a main part of your job.....

[THEUPMAN]

Thats sick.

It's one thing to do your duty.
It's a totally different thing to run around looking for someone to shoot at.

Any one who can take someones life and not feel regret over the greater issue of man's struggle should be in an institution not on a battle field.

[Gondring]

I was in the IRR by the time Panama rolled around

Well, I do think it's ridiculous that we are now having to reactivate IRR troops for this current conflict. My brother finally settled down and now has a wife and new daughter...and just got the telegram sending him over there. Although he'll go, he's not enthused about it like he might have been in earlier days, and he's lost two friends in the war already.

I hope our victory is swift and we can get our troops home ASAP, and I think we need to take a hard look at how our country goes about fighting a war, IMHO.

[Diana in Wisconsin]

"You see, captain is the last officer rank in the US Army where you actually get to pull a trigger as a main part of your job..."

I love it! (Retired Platoon Sergeant, E-7.) I always envied the side-arms of my officers. ;)