U.s. Military Man

[boonovies]

The average age of the military man is 19 years. He is a short haired,
tight-muscled kid who, under normal circumstances is considered by society
as half man, half boy. Not yet dry behind the ears, not old enough to buy a
beer, but old enough to die for his country.

He never really cared much for work and he would rather wax his own car
than wash his father's; but he has never collected unemployment either.

He's a recent High School graduate; he was probably an average student,
pursued some form of sport activities, drives a ten year old jalopy, and
has a steady girlfriend that either broke up with him when he left, or
swears to be waiting when he returns from half a world away.

He listens to rock and roll or hip-hop or rap or jazz or swing and 155mm
Howitzers.

He is 10 or 15 pounds lighter now than when he was at home because he is
working or fighting from before dawn to well after dusk.

He has trouble spelling, thus letter writing is a pain for him, but he can
field strip a rifle in 30 seconds and reassemble it in less time in the
dark.

He can recite to you the nomenclature of a machine gun or grenade launcher
and use either one effectively if he must.

He digs foxholes and latrines and can apply first aid like a professional.

He can march until he is told to stop or stop until he is told to march.

He obeys orders instantly and without hesitation, but he is not without
spirit or individual dignity.

He is self-sufficient. He has two sets of fatigues: he washes one and wears
the other. He keeps his canteens full and his feet dry.

He sometimes forgets to brush his teeth, but never to clean his rifle.

He can cook his own meals, mend his own clothes, and fix his own hurts. If
you're thirsty, he'll share his water with you; if you are hungry, his
food.

He'll even split his ammunition with you in the midst of battle when you
run low.

He has learned to use his hands like weapons and weapons like they were his
hands. He can save your life - or take it, because that is his job.

He will often do twice the work of a civilian, draw half the pay and still
find ironic humor in it all. He has seen more suffering and death then he
should have in his short lifetime.

He has stood atop mountains of dead bodies, and helped to create them.

He has wept in public and in private, for friends who have fallen in combat
and is unashamed.

He feels every note of the National Anthem vibrate through his body while
at rigid attention, while tempering the burning desire to 'square-away'
those around him who haven't bothered to stand, remove their hat, or even
stop talking. In an odd twist, day in and day out, far from home, he
defends their right to be disrespectful.

Just as did his Father, Grandfather, and Great-grandfather, he is paying
the price for our freedom.

Beardless or not, he is not a boy.

He is the American Fighting Man that has kept this country free for over
200 years.

He has asked nothing in return, except our friendship and understanding.

Remember him, always, for he has earned our respect and admiration with his
blood.

[YLW400]

:) I like that

[spincr4hire]

my buddy sent me this pic...someone's house close to where he lives in between Perryville and Lebanon, KY.

[QuadTrix6]

nice thread guys :)

[ThorChick]

Reading that gave me chills and gives me even more respect for our troops.

[400exdad]

That is awesome boonovies!

[pgv916]

Very well said!

SUPPORT OUR TROOPS!!!

[forum]

Bringing som canadian news to you guys to the south. I'f you havent heard Our prime minister has decided to not fully support the United states war on Iraq.. SOme americans are mad for this desision. I personaly believe we will and should help the american forces in Iraq. Although we have said we arn't in full suport we are still assisting american efforts.. The following are what the canadian government has promised and or is doing so far..

- curently-Escorting american warships and cargoships accrss the atlantic ocean into the Gulf

-curently- canadian generals are stationed in Iraq and are helping with the planing and battle tactics for the war.

-proposed- after the war in Iraq is over Canada has promised to do humanitarin relief in Iraq, such as food, finacial other human needs.(Canada has done this after almost every war scenario)

So basically all we arn't doing so far is sending our troops rite into action. IMO the reason our prime miniter (Jean Chreiten) is doing this is to prove that Canada is not the fifty first state and that we are independent. Plus We are strongly influenced by U.N. descions. This said I hope we do Start to further help the american ground,air forces in Iraq and i personaly think we will. We as a country are not turning our backs to our closest friends. We just have some isues to take care of with the U.N. Because since we are not such a powerfull nation as the united states its harder for us to just do something the U.N. tells us not to do. Also,, Most people in canada actualy suport the war efforts. sorry my post was long but I just want to make sure you americans get the whole story cause usualy your media don't tell the whole.

[300exTJjeeper]

I see your point fourm,

I just some comments for which I speak for myself, I bielve more than what you said is going to come out with others country's weater it's good or bad.

But at the end every country will be wanting to jump on the band wagon and help to do some kind of support for Iraq. Because they don't want to be left out, in which in returns really hurts me, because in the beginning they wish not to support any actions for any of the country's that first started in the action.

I got to this statement from all the polls I see and read about. About how America and other country's went up alot ounce the war started, i think it's just the feeling these people get, of being left out of something that will turn this world into a better place.

Nice statment ontop for the first post up, I'll be printing that out for future ref.

And Like that picuture says alot in very little words and makes a huge statement.


Support the Troops.
William

[DEAL]

Originally posted by forum
Bringing som canadian news to you guys to the south. I'f you havent heard Our prime minister has decided to not fully support the United states war on Iraq.. SOme americans are mad for this desision. I personaly believe we will and should help the american forces in Iraq. Although we have said we arn't in full suport we are still assisting american efforts.. The following are what the canadian government has promised and or is doing so far..

- curently-Escorting american warships and cargoships accrss the atlantic ocean into the Gulf

-curently- canadian generals are stationed in Iraq and are helping with the planing and battle tactics for the war.

-proposed- after the war in Iraq is over Canada has promised to do humanitarin relief in Iraq, such as food, finacial other human needs.(Canada has done this after almost every war scenario)

So basically all we arn't doing so far is sending our troops rite into action. IMO the reason our prime miniter (Jean Chreiten) is doing this is to prove that Canada is not the fifty first state and that we are independent. Plus We are strongly influenced by U.N. descions. This said I hope we do Start to further help the american ground,air forces in Iraq and i personaly think we will. We as a country are not turning our backs to our closest friends. We just have some isues to take care of with the U.N. Because since we are not such a powerfull nation as the united states its harder for us to just do something the U.N. tells us not to do. Also,, Most people in canada actualy suport the war efforts. sorry my post was long but I just want to make sure you americans get the whole story cause usualy your media don't tell the whole.

He said what I'm too lazy to type.
Well said

[Sparks425Ex]

Personal Opinion Right here:

If ya old enough to die for our country then ya old enough to drink a beer...

That is one thing that I really don't understand....

[nick23]

war-storm brewing

[forum]

ya thats one american law i find funny. actualy there are afew.

21 drinking age!!! wtf! its 19 were i live and 18 just over the border in quebec.

so in the states you can own a gun, drive a car, go to war, star in a Porn film but can't have wine a dinner! ........ Not dissing you guys just that one law! i was ticked cause for spring break i was in florida and would always get kicked of the beach for not being 21!. plus up here hardly ever to liquor stores I.D. you unless you look young. My mom got I.D ed in florida for god sakes!

[400exdad]

I really don't mean to flame you Canadians, but we happen to discuss it at lunch. The general opinion at our table was that Canada DEPENDS on the US for military defense. Just like all the other pacifist countries that don't have real militaries.

[forum]

defense against what?? we don't get into anything for us to need defense. The only thing is that we have many natural resources that people might want but war has yet to be over that. ALso. Most of our natural resources get sold to your country, therefor The united states doesn't want us to go done in war.

So what exactly do you mean by depends?? explain yourself with some historical events. And don't even mention ww2! I agree that without the USA we were all looking bad. but the only reason USA got into ww2 is because they got hit at pearl harbour, prior to that they wernt supporting canada britan etc. Even when we were so close to going down.

[400exdad]

Bingo! How about those natural resources? Or, more importantly, the freedom that you have? That could be taken very easily if the US was sharing a property line with you. The military is a neccesary part of any nation who wants to be self sufficient. The US is blessed to be able to be the "cop of the world"... I guess we're kind of like a super hero! :) We take care of the world and are hardly thanked. No, I wasn't going to bring up WWII, but thanks for reminding me. If we had not stepped in, Europe would be TOTALLY different and maybe the entire world. You sort of just mentioned it... because we have natural resources... the United States will protect us. BTW, we were already at war when we went to WWII. I may be wrong, but if my memory serves me correctly from my old history classes, we were in the middle of signing a treaty with the Japanese when they ambushed us at Pearl Harbor. Like I said, I wasn't flaming, but you have to believe that countries with no military would be begging for help if they were attacked. Some of those same countries are the ones that are not with us in the UN.

[forum]

What do you mean in the U.N.?? the U.N. is against what america is doing. I believe that the majority of our government supports you too. THats not the point i was making. All im saying is that we are actualy in in to a degree. although we should be helping more. Im not justifying any other countries descion.(france) only my countries. because France should be helping you! The owe you big time. ALso im not disagreeing on the fact that you americans saved the day in ww2, because Im sure you did!. all i was stateing is that the only reason you got into it is because america got hit, not because other nations needed your help. Again your right. america is the cop of the world and dosn't get the recongnation you should for the work you do, but thats just the way shiznit happens it sucks I know. this is what i was saying.... not 5 seconds ago i heard on the news (im watching it now) that Canada has promised to spend atleast 100 million in humanitarian relief after the war in Iraq. So although we are not sending in our boys to Iraq, we are doing quite a bit to help our closest friends. thats all i was stating. And yes. We do realy heavily on being situated next to the USA. But we are still an independent country. Are military is actualy getting better but still not very good. thats why we try to make it up in humanitarin relief etc. lets remmeber our population is like 1/30 of yours. one thing i'd like to mention tho. Im sure all of your remmeber how canadian soldiers got shot and killed in afganistan by americn POWS. that also could have a factor in it. I understand friendly fire is going to happen but it really hurts relationships. I'd also like to mention another thing. You guys also most likely remmeber our soldiers wareing those solid green 1940's still fatigues in afgahnistan.. Since then Canadian developers have designed and created the most advanced military fatigues in the world and is selling the copyright to many nations, posibly the USA.. It works on the princeable of pixelization to blend soldiers into there soroundings.

[phatswinn]

i hate how poeple say canada doesent ever do anything, to me we should be more like canada, you never hear of school shooting and terrorists up there because they dont get into ever disagree ment they can and paint a target on there arse, but in another way i do support our troops and war effort 110% and i will not be saddend or dissappointed about there being a draft if it comes to that because the little things like saddams inhumane treatment of people needs to be stopped, just like adolf hitler, he is a terrorist himself, and terrorism needs to stop now before it gets out of hand, because the threat now isnt countrys invading other countrys, this one is about his support of terrorism and his own practice of terrorism on his own people, at least every civilian that mentions a bad word about him gets executed through torture treatments. and stopping him and groups like him is a long stride towards world peace....i just wish the UN would take this into concideration instead of being against war itself.


but there are a few things i still dont get:
-one is the drinking age and war thing
-what the hell happened with osama bin ladin, we forgot about him and aphganistan all togather
- and why is it that they can find a person anywhere in america within a year no matter where they are, and they cant find saddam in his bunkers
-one last one...... and the only way i am against the war,i believe it is absolutly stupid for america to be so against guns being used and try stopping it in every way they can, yet its the only way the government can settle anything, which is by blowing up stuff and killing people

:huh

well if that made any sense to ya sorry about writing so much

[derekhonda]

i wish i had more time to throw in my 2-cents but you guys have some facts correct, some arent though. ill type my thoughts tommorrow, night

[speedjunkie]

2 things:
No, we have not forgotten Bin Ladin. In fact we have just launched a big strike against them as well. It just is not "big news"

This thread has turned into a huge argument about other countries support of this war. If other nations dont want to help thats fine. It is thier decision. I feel like the WORLD depends on the U.S. to be "cops". Those nations(France) just need to understand that when they need help DON'T call the U.S.

I say we stop all this bickering and just re-read the first post on this thread, It says it all

[Bean]

all i can say is, every whining little mexican group of countries in the UN b*tching about us whoopin @ss would be singing a different song if 3 jumbo jets flew into the most important buildings on the eastern side of their country

canadia, i dont have a problem with them, but i personally would rather be like america, we have our problems, but we have a big army to fix it to

[400exdad]

You're right this thread has kind of strayed from what it was for. I guess I am partly to blame for that. My guess is most of you guys are probably in your 20's and to be in touch with current events around the world is saying something for your generation. When I was 20, I doubt I was as knowledgable about the world events. My hat... uhh helmet, :) is off to you guys.

God Bless our troops fighting for freedom.

[speedjunkie]

bump

[Chef]

http://www.photoreflect.com/scripts/prsm.dll?eventorder?photo=0399002E010004&start=0&album=0&adjust=-1

The picture in the above link has my cousin Ben in it. He is 19 years old I think, and that picture was taken during training in California last year. He is on the left with the assault rifle. He is on the FRONT line of the front lines. There isn't anyone closer to the fighting than him. He is the guy who kicks the door down and storms a building, he is the first guy to get shot usually. It is kill or be killed for him. boonovie's post describes him perfectly. No one has gotten a post card from him for a week, but thats about normal anyway. He was the feature on CNN's soldier profile a couple nights ago. He is trained as a Sniper and Infantry, he is the guy to kick ***** if you were to need someone to walk down the street with you. Hell, he even ran over my other cousin with our jet ski a couple years back...

[dingo]

boonovies
That was cool and well said
For the U.S. Military
"Now I want you to remember that no ******* ever won a war by dying for his country. You won it by making the other poor dumb ******* die for his country. Men, all this stuff you've heard about America not wanting to fight, wanting to stay out of the war, is a lot of horse dung. Americans traditionally love to fight. ALL REAL Americans, love the sting of battle. When you were kids, you all admired the champion marble shooter, the fastest runner, the big league ball players, the toughest boxers . . . Americans love a winner and will not tolerate a loser. Americans play to win all the time. I wouldn't give a hoot in Hell for a man who lost and laughed. That's why Americans have never lost and will never lose a war. Because the very thought of losing is hateful to Americans.
General George S. Patton, Jr.
3rd Army speech
England, 31 May 1944
6th Armored Division

SUPPORT THE TROOPS

[400exdad]

Salute!