I went to our neighbor's change of command today, where he said something that struck me: he thanked the families for their support during OIF and told his soldiers that they can't understand what it was like to be left behind. I remember I got a taste of this when my husband was home on R&R and CPT Sims was killed. My husband was quite taken aback by everything we wives knew about life insurance and death gratuity. He was surprised that I knew things like how long I would be able to stay in quarters, and he was surprised at the string of phone calls we wives began to send. He said that he had never thought about things from the family end; he had never realized the worrying we did, because he always knew if he and his men were safe.
My job during the deployment was significantly different from his. Mine was nowhere near as hard (though I imagine wives who stayed back with three or four kids might think otherwise), but it was something he couldn't quite grasp. And unless you've lived the homefront lifestyle, you just don't quite know what it's like. Soldiers don't know what the homefront feels like.
(I was mulling over what my neighbor said when I realized we're back to the chickenhawk garbage. I think the two thoughts are related. I don't think you have to live through something to have an opinion on it, though I think it helps to know someone who has gone through it so you can talk about it and learn more. But not everyone can live every experience; the chickenhawk argument is bogus.)
Okay, that's weird. I think I was reading your Major Patti post when you were reading the Chicken Post at my blog...
Posted by: Blackfive at July 6, 2005 05:33 PMBetter a chickenhawk than a chickens**tchicken.
Someone wrote that if you believed in universal health care but your daughter did not dedicate her life to nursing you were a chickennurse.
Look if your 18 to 32 and you cheerlead this FUBAR mission, and you do not wish to enlist then maybe you should have yourself a nice steaming cup of STFU. I did my 6 years, I can chose to cheerlead or I can choose to criticize, as to Iraq I absolutely believe we do not belong there, and I said so from the get-go. Afghanistan I supported, I felt that was a correct decision. To go get Bin-Laden "dead or alive" as the president said. Iraq other than serving as a retirement home to Abu Nidal had zero to do with sponsoring terror (as said by both the 9-11 comission, and the Senate Intelligence Comittee Report) in the United States. I don't want to hear some specious right wing garbage about "Ansar al-Islam" either, they were operating under the northern no fly zone where Saddam could not project any power to remove them from his nation.
Anyone out there remember what happened to Yugoslavia when Marshall Tito died?? Same story in Iraq after we removed Saddam. The complete lack of understanding of history about this topic just astounds me.
But, Bubba, you did your six years decades ago...if you're not doing the fighting and dying *right now*, then why does your voice matter more? Just wondering...
Posted by: Sarah at July 8, 2005 08:17 AMSarah: somehow I doubt a genetically-altered laboratory mouse would ever meet the minimum requirements for any branch of the US military.
Posted by: Patrick Chester at July 8, 2005 01:51 PMSarah, I'll tell why my opinion matters more than some 18, or 20 year old yuppie larvae's. I SERVED, THEY DO NOT WISH TO, seriously I use the term chickenhawk to describe those that are generally 18 to 32, single, and reasonably fit. They cheer for the revenge killing of "all them f--king Aaaaayyy Rabbs", yet they refuse to consider enlisting to help the cause. Let me tell you it sure feels like I wasted 6 years of my life, when I compare where I am vs. some of my highschool classmates. While I was doing my duty as I saw it, those people were establishing their "networks". Ask your husband how he would feel if after his service these same yuppie larvae treat him with the disdain they reserve for the "hired help". Which in fact if Cheney is any example, they will. See they don't really give a rat's ass if we kill 1700, or 17,000 American troops in this "war" as long as they aren't the ones dying. These are the people that you will approve of as long as they say they are conservative and vote republican. Real nice crowd. At least the progressives, and moderates aren't hypocrites about the war.
See while this mal-administration mouths platitudes about "supporting the troops", I have put off paying bills to send supplies to the troops, it has caused financial grief, and while I may think their mission is FUBAR, I think the "ground pounders" (I use that with the utmost respect) are performing very well. It is the senior leadership I think sucks for the most part. For those reasons and many more, are why my opinions matter more than the chickenshit-chickenhawk's, OK?
Posted by: Bubba Bo Bob Brain at July 9, 2005 03:51 AM