FC Posted April 23, 2006 Report Share Posted April 23, 2006 A GS worker who was in the Guard in Iraq ate lunch with me about Wednesday. He was in my Human Resources course. He said the GS workers at the loading dock didn't welcome him back, thanks, nothing... They just complained they had to figure where he would work since they had to take him back, and had somebody else doing his job. Pretty poor form. He told me that he was one of the first out of the gate when an IED went off around a bunch of people at the gate wanting day jobs. He said hands were dangling from the telephone wires. He said a car had a silhouette of somebody in the seat holding the stearing wheel. I guess the bomb going off left an outline of the person's body. One guy in my Sunday School said an IED went off on the civilian vehicle in front of him. He was glad he was wearing tactical earplugs. I'd never heard of those. I was in Austin today and saw a car at Kohls. It had two bumper stickers that are typical of the all-feeling dummies there, "I'm against the next war too", and, "Some may say I'm a dreamer, but I'm not the only one". I wish I had seen the person who owned that car- we'd have words. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Guest_karlunity_* Posted April 23, 2006 Report Share Posted April 23, 2006 "Some say I am a dreamer". Those maggots crawl out from under their rocks once they think it is safe. Tell your friend I said "thank you" and assume him that twenty years from now, all the lefties will have "Manhood issues" and whine about "missing their chance". (that is much safer than TAKING the chance, I told a fella that and was called "insensitive" : ) . HE will be able to look back and KNOW he did the right thing. Karl Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
usmc0332 Posted April 23, 2006 Report Share Posted April 23, 2006 When I came home in '91 I was expecting to encounter protesters or other vermin. I just figured that there were things worth getting in trouble over. Instead I was overwhelmed by the yellow ribbons everywhere. I did not feel intitled to a heros welcome, as I missed the war. I was off the coast on amphibious assault ships, we were the decoy force, 27 ships worth. We were angry and felt cheated, after spending 10 months mostly just a heliocopter ride away from doing our job. When greeted with thank you's I was not very good at receiving them. I said I didn't do anything-Go thank a Vietnam vet, they fought in a war. It took a while, but I got most of my issues sorted out over time. I just hope that these guys are healthier than we were when we got back. I fought with persian gulf syndrome intensely for quite a while. I found some vitamins that helped me quite a bit. The VA didn't want to spend the money to help us get better. I appreciate everything that these guys do in defense of this country of ours. I just wish we had done it during my time. I didn't join the Marine Corps Infantry to watch a war on CNN. Sorry for drifting so far off topic. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Guest_karlunity_* Posted April 23, 2006 Report Share Posted April 23, 2006 I didn't join the Marine Corps Infantry to watch a war on CNN. Sorry for drifting so far off topic. no-sweat Marine, we all do what the Corps tells us to do. You guys did a hell of a good job back in 91. take care karl Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jimro Posted April 24, 2006 Report Share Posted April 24, 2006 My activation in 03 sent me to California, we were tasked with supporting the 4th Infantry Division for the Turkey mission to provide a northern front for Iraq. That didn't happen, the 4th ID stayed in boats in the Med. for a long time, and those of us supposed to be airlifted directly to Turkey were on standby all around the states. What nobody bothered to tell us is that we were a decoy force. Over seven Iraqi divisions were pinned in place north of Baghdad waiting for the heavy mechanized force to come through Turkey, or Jordan (the spooks were feeding disinformation to Saddam's forces pretty heavily). Those Iraqi divisions got pounded by precision munitions to the point they were non-mission capable. I only found this out by reading Gen. Franks biography, "American Soldier". I had issues, feeling like I was less of a man because I didn't go to war, watching my buddies go and come back while I did equipment recovery for a mission that never happened. But I've learned being on a decoy force isn't a bad thing, it keeps our buddies alive. A decoy only works if the decoy is a real threat, or you can get the enemy to think that it is a real threat. In todays world of mass media the threat has to be real or some punk reporter would spill the beans. Jimro Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
usmc0332 Posted April 24, 2006 Report Share Posted April 24, 2006 Well we were several Special Operations Capable Marine Expeditionary Units sitting on boats. Most of us had done 90+ days at sea without liberty more than once. Over half of us had been scheduled to be home before Christmas, January found us still making square circles in the Persian Gulf. Desert Shield had cancelled our trip to Australia for nothing. Probably 1/3 of us were on involuntary extension(held beyond end of active duty) or close to it. I think we might have been a valid threat. When they said it was time to head for home, CHAOS shook the ship for about 10 or 15 minutes. There were fights, stuff was flying, even a few tears, it was amazing. There was no celebrating going on with those in green. Until then there was still hope. Then I dug out my short-timer calendar that had been buried in my locker. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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