So this guy and his lady came to the farm today. . .

[stellanoir]

to buy fruit. I dutifully waited on them.

We were shooting the breeze for a while.

He was telling a tale about having just got back from Iraq.

I said, "You served. . .?"

He said, "Yeah and it was great. I got to fly around all over the place. I loved it."

I said, "Are you military or a contractor ?"

He said, "I'm military"and gave me his rank.

I said, "I'm glad you had a good experience. I've heard that the experiences of others were not so pleasant."

I didn't thank him for his service though as I think it's totally FUBAR.

His lady friend and he walked away and she said, "Yeah I know.."

Sorry but he's probably amongst the best our military has. Yet he seemed brainwashed and like a clone.

One of my dearest friends lost her only son in this conflict. Don't think he thought it was "great" at all.

[MissWaverly]

1. my frinend was also over there, won't talk about it

except he calls it a hell hole and says we would have never gone there if not for the oil, he says that we are justing fighting
over a pile of sand in a scorching hot desert. It was 130-140 where he was during the "hot" part of the day.

[aquart]

3. Yah. The difference between real vets and fakes

is the real ones don't talk about it. Not sober, anyway.

[MissWaverly]

10. yes, and my friend is a good person

he was over for Operation Desert Storm, which he thought was worth it, but this no.

[TheWraith]

2. Was he Air Force?

The Air Force has been pretty much spared the biggest chunk of things.

[stellanoir]

5. Didn't press him on it so dunno.

One would assume the Navy has as well since Iraq is pretty much land locked. Heard a "This American Life" Episode that sounded as though the Navy kids were on the "Love Boat." It's the National Guard that's gotten totally screwed. Or as a couple of them put on their Humvee on a piece of cardboard "One weekend a week. . .my butt." They signed up for moving sandbags in a hurricane and ended up in this shitstorm.

Not fair at all.

[lonestarnot]

11. So far.

[Desertrose]

4. Just the kind of guy the rw media want to interview

Just shows how one's experience can be completely subjective, doesn't it?

Damn scary.

DR

[FLSurfer]

6. You are absolutely right.

"I've heard that the experiences of others were not so pleasant."

I saw a couple of friends last week, a couple in the Army.
They were in town for a few days after finishing 12 months in Iraq.
Spent less than a week here and are already back for 6 more months.

Speaking to them was very difficult. I have known the girl since she was a child.
Their eyes showed such emotion, I just wanted to cry. It's an indescribable feeling.
Such sadness in their faces.
They had a camera and they were posing for pictures with all of their friends.
I couldn't help feeling they were creating a memorial.

But let me tell everybody...They are angry. Angry for what they are being put through.
Angry they have to give up their youth to this occupation.

[karlrschneider]

7. He gave you his rank? What was it? It's not a matter of homeland security...

:eyes:

[stellanoir]

8. He said what it was but I had some other customer's with some little ones incoming.

So didn't retain it. Though he did say he was going back and looking forward to it.

I, as a total pacifist, bit my tongue.

[karlrschneider]

9. Okay

...

[Xithras]

12. It's a mixed bag. Not all of it sucks. Some of it is hell.

Depends on the branch and where you're stationed. A family friend is over there stationed near Arbil right now, and he pretty regularly reports back that it's quiet and peaceful in that part of the country. Heck, they walk down to the citadel in the city and explore without weapons in their off-time. There just isn't much going on there.

Likewise, most air guys don't have a bad experience in Iraq either. A few choppers have been shot down over the past few years, but their overall losses are small and most never see any kind of combat or even direct threat.

On the flipside, my brother-in-law spent a couple of years in and south of Baghdad. He doesn't talk about it much, but he's downright genocidal when you talk to him about it. It really screwed him up.

[Chemical Bill]

13. It was great? He loved it?

I bet he knows less KIAs than you do, Stella.

Bill