|  xRight-Is-Rightx | Apr 10, 7:02am | 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. |
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|  guitartwin | Apr 16, 6:27pm | | brilliant!!!! cheers to you.... |
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Sponsor |  Laukev7 | Apr 16, 8:10pm | | At 19 years of age I was well aware of how corrupt the Bush regime is. If they joined up to support Bush's wars, they can go die for all I care. |
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| | PassionatePuppy | Apr 19, 11:50am | | There is something wrong with someone wanting to kill torture and maim others.Unfortunately 19 year olds are usually naive with suppressed spirits and probably poor. They are still trying to fit in. We can excuse some of them but certainly not their parents. |
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Sponsor | | Laukev7 | Apr 19, 2:27pm | | If that's the reason they joined up, they would have lost their illusions about the war and stopped supporting it. Those might be the ones who commit suicide on a daily basis. But that image of US soldiers obviously doesn't square with the propaganda spewed out by that retard who started the thread. |
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| | Goatboy77 | Apr 19, 8:41pm | 
The war in iraq was executed through lies but it's necessity was never in doubt for those in the know. It has nothing to do with terrorism (no formal charges have ever been filed against Osama bin Laden for the events of 9/11/01, FYI) and it has nothing to do with weapons of mass destrution. It has nothing to do with tyranny or human rights. It's about one thing. Persain sweet.
Americans have told our leaders, through our actions not our voices, that the one thing we will not tollerate is an interruption to our convenience.
The way we live our lives speaks louder than our votes ever will.
Sure, the military industrial complex has made billions and so have the politicians and the contractors. War profiteering has exsisted ever since man was first inspired to slay his fellows in the name of a 'greater good'. I'm not saying it's right, I'm just saying it's fact.
My question is this:
What would you be doing right now if the war in iraq had never happened and you couldn't buy bread or milk because diesel is over $10 a gallon and the truckers are all either on strike or out of work because the freight companies are going bankrupt?
Would you be protesting? Rioting? Killing eachother for food?
Make no mistake. Our country runs on diesel. You can't even imagine a life without modern convenience. Who are you to judge the thieves and killers who are willing to tell you comforting lies while they murder and steal so you can have what you want? |
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