Posted on 07/28/2005 12:23:29 PM PDT by Former Military Chick
I am very skeptical of shows that portray the military, from way back with the series Call to Glory, Tour of Duty, M*A*S*H China Beach, JAG and my personal favorite Band of Brothers. I always look at the shows through the eyes of a person who has been around the military. When I was younger I did not take much action, but, now when I see something portrayed as fact and instead is fiction I voice my concerns.
I have always felt of my republican party as those with independent minds. That we have the same core beliefs but that we do not follow other's blindly, but more often I notice that not to happen.
There were folks who saw this show, and decided to put a bad note in folks minds. Those who already detest Hollywood, various actors or the like use their bully pulpit to sway the thoughts of those WHO HAVE NOT HAD THE CHANCE TO SEE THE SHOW AND MAKE THEIR OWN DECISIONS TO DECIDE IF IN FACT IT SHOULD NOT BE WATCHED. Then to take action if it is a bad show buy avoiding the show, boycotting the products during the show, actions that should be taken based on one's personal assessment of the show.
So, just to put myself on the line here folks, I was a wife of a soldier during the first Gulf war, it was hell. Ft Campbell, a wonderful town became a ghost town. Wives while most are very loving and do not cheat, some cannot help themselves but many honored their loved ones. Some who squander the pay of their beloved and just destroying the life of the soldier once they return. As folks returned during the first war, the suicide rate was staggering with returning GIs, those that could not cope, those that found their spouse with another and those who just shot themselves. WAR IS HELL. None of that get's published nationally.
I had shared many of my beloved's (Dave) letter's and he never HID anything of the dirt, the heat, the frustration, lack of showers, having a beer or the fatigue. The amazing Iraqi children, the loss of the driver/medic returning to camp, being hit with a bullet and killing him. That the few moments to have the chance to get mail were the highlight of the day. BTW, Ft Sill was no different from the first Gulf War. Same issues with spouses and finances.
I know service member's who DID not want to go to Iraq. You all know my thoughts on the subject from previous threads so I will leave it at that, not all in the military are pro war but some choose to handle their thoughts much better than others.
War is graphic, I imagine many Freeper's can attest to that and I can only repeat from my first hand friends.
Now I am not a big wig writer, whom has a following like all the folks that wrote about a show before it was shown nationally so I suppose you can discount my thoughts but come on, I am as close as one can get to a first hand account and frankly it was well written and has potential. I have to wonder, would my thoughts only matter if it were in a nationally syndicated paper/online publication? Even so I would not offer until after said reader's can watch it themselves so they can make an informed decision.
I cannot say how future episodes will fair but will certainly let them know if I have issues of how they portray the war. Frankly as I have said, I am not sure folks want to watch show about the war while we are at war.
So, skip the thread, ask me anything but please know in the end, if this can remind American's that we have wonderful men and women serving in places like Iraq and Afghanistan, than I pretty much say OORAH and ask that you send care packages to the troops.
Jumping off my rant.
Dave (No Longer Free State) was unable to watch it, the hotel he was at did not have that network, so he will watch it with me when he returns from this trip and can equally off his observations for discussion.
I found that odd, it is most difficult to discuss, complain about something if you have not watched it.
I certainly am not advocating watching the show but should you decide to do so, you might be surprised.
Another friend sent me the following:
OK, here is my take,
1) Started a bit antiwar mode, moved to smooth that out.
2) Pushed a racial divide a bit. But, having been in similar situations, I can buy that part.
3) The chat, though rough in content, was I remembered in war but using today's lingo.
4) Pushed the hardliner Sgt. too much and the do whatever it takes officer image just a bit over the edge. But, I served with both types in Nam.
5) War footage was graphic, cheating wifes back home common, the pain of leaving family at home realistic, the pain of watching your brothers get blown up or away realistic enough.
My Bottom Line on the whole is:
WAR IS HELL and by God we should be everything we can do for troops over there.
So with that in mind I look forward to my fellow Freeper's observations on this show.
Thanks for the contrarian view, I have not watched the show yet, but I have it programmed to record in my TiVo, and will find time to watch it, especially now having read your review.
Someone is showing their youth.
Rat Patrol, Combat will take you back a few more years.
I'm sure that folks with more experience that I can go back a decade or so before that.
If it is anything like Band of Brothers, I will love it.
Thanks for your input.
I am a Marine Desert Storm and Somalia vet.
I did not like the dope smoking scene in the beginning, it seemed to me like they were portraying the 60's stereotypes of the military. Societies rejects, (College and high school dropouts, dope smokers, hotheads etc.)
Hollywood has no idea about what it is really like "Over*There"
I am watching with an open mind and to know what the average sheeple might "learn" from this show. I will re-evaluate each week.
Semper Fi
I thought it was joke... had to turn it off after about 10 minutes.
came back to it later - had the same opinion - I gave it a chance - but won't waste my time again.
course that's just me.
We have family visiting and I doubt we'll get to watch tonight, but the review I read on FR by some soldiers was NOT good.
That wasn't an RPG, it was a 40mm grenade fired from an M203 grenade launcher. And it was a great shot. :)
I'll watch future episodes and put my 2 cents in down the road.
I just watched it on my DVR this morning. It is NOTHING like "Band of Brothers." Nothing would've made me happier had that been the case, but instead it was a Vietnam cartoon thrown into the present day. It's obvious these guys didn't even try to get it right.
Hey LT
I thought it was a 40mm, shot from a MK-19 mounted on a HUMMER.
I thought the show to be balanced, the men were new to the theater and this explains a lot of their errors. The women should not have been there, and clearly the men would have moved them out if it were at all possible.
The beer run which ran into a IED is probably true as far as it goes. But one could hope that essentials (like beer) were handled by logistics and did not need a special "run".
Clearly showed the duplicity on the part of the enemy, made some political statements like "generals calling the shots based on how it will look", and questions over orders like "hold you fire" when the men were fired upon. Close up aspect of kill or be killed was probably correct for new recruits.
No, the Humvee had a .50-cal mounted on it, and the Soldier who had just dismounted put a 40mm into the haji-in-question. The walking legs thing was pretty cool, too.
Whatever it was supposed to be it was a heck of a shot. Don't know how realistic the walking legs were, but for entertainment purposes, it was pretty good.
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