Last night, I met a young man who is an enlisted veteren of the Afghanistan campaign. He is a member of the 161st Light Infantry, and was recently split from his platoon, and is being deployed to Kuwait>>Iraq.

He he gave me rather depressing account of war-time experience, and explained the slackening morale of American soldiers as a growing problem.

If you have anything to say, please state it. It is a sensative subject, but I think publication of veteren's can only help to fix America's current situation.

With due respect, I feel for all veteren's and whole-heartedly support them.

well ive been to iraq and afghanistan twice. all people ever hear about in the news is the death and destruction but its what they dont hear about. iraq isnt much different then america in a sense that everybody lives the same basic day to day life. but when the life stops is when you need worry. when the streets clear out and people act weird. najaf, fallujah, tikrit, ther're all the same. but afghanistan is the real bulk of harsh fighting. i was in the convoy that got hit in operation anaconda. i was riddin shotgun in the number three humvee when we took an rpg to the left and were almost turned over. i got out to give cover when an rpklmg opened up on me. he fired a burst and missed but it shook me up. i used the armored door to keep me safe. the difference between life and death is your body armor. it smells like shit if you dont wash it but when i came out around to the two humvee to be driven out with them i was knocked over by the force of a 7.62 mil bullet. my sergent pulled me to the truck and threw me in. the armor stopped the bullet. the guys we fight arent newbees. most of them are extremely experienced from the afgahn war in the eightees. i could talk all day but i wont. i will say this, ive seen men die and ive heard the screams. i go back time and time because nobody else seems to want to. getting a man to comeout of the battle is easy, getting them to go back in is the hard part. constitutions are written in blood.

thanks for takin notice abstract.

1st sgt. Brandt
sfod a-team 14
former member of task force panther

I have great respect for you my friend. Please, tell all you want, this is my thread, and you can say what you want. If anyone gives you shit, I'll have their crap deleted.

I was at a very low point in life a couple years ago, kicked out of college, and with no hope. I was about to sign papers for the Marines, and my pacifist father told me the consequence of that would be my disowning from his family. I ended up choosing to complete my degree, and maybe go in as an officer, but not a day goes by that I don't regret my decision not to go...It's my life's dream, and I want to do what I feel is right. The more I've learned about the war and the reasons we went are influencing me a lot, but I don't want to teeter away from service...I believe I am destined to be out there.

All respect to you, and my God bless you and your comrades.

I look forward to more postings from you and other veterens.

when i graduated from highschool i signed up for the army. i never tetered from it. that was 2001. 9/11 was still fresh in my head when i entered rangerschool, i went through rangerschool and the army sniper school. i was in a few major operations like operation spear and anaconda. i fought for my country at the beginning but now its different. anyone who has been with somone through combat will tell ya the first time you see a hadji kill one of your freinds it changes. everyfreind lost is a brother. when you fight with somone for years you all grow closer. we go back to make sure that there wasnt a thing in hell we couldve done to protect one another. ive been fragged, ive been shot, ive been hit by three ieds, but ive never been broken.
somthin youll never reallize unless youve been there is there is no greater adrenaline rush than a fire fight. for the record ive been through twenty-seven actual firefights, been shot in the hand once, been fragged once, had three sets of broken ceramic tiles and been in two ambushes. but that stuff only happens 3% of the time. the war cant be over like people want it to. we cant just leave. we need to box not race. the only win is gonna be by knock out.

I couldn't have said it better myself. Semper Fidelis Brother.





PS: A.R.M.Y. Aint Ready to be a Marine Yet

Just a little interservice jeering.

ive always wanted to join the marines or comandos.
i give yu guys my full respect, for wat you do over there.

Join the army.
See the world.
Meet new people.
Kill them.

HAHAHA!

Hilarious, but insensitive.

Yeah, i get that one all the time..lol
Travel the world, meet lots of interesting people, then kill them.

well youd be surprised how over capible i am to be a marine. nothing against the marines but i am specops capible, have my jump wings, ranger tab as well as seven two man recon teams under my belt. i have more experience than any marine currently serving. but i have respect for marines as ive gone to combat with them on several different occasions. but i am being deployed at the end of the week to join the task force that is responsible for hunting down the insurgents who are kiddnapping the soldiers.