Thread: Be a soldier and never see a war?

Mike Pence Tells West Point Graduates They Will Be In Combat: ‘It Will Happen’

“Some of you will join the fight on the Korean Peninsula ... where North Korea continues to threaten the peace,” the vice president said.

Vice President Mike Pence warned West Point graduates on Saturday to expect combat at some point during their service in a “dangerous” world.

In a commencement speech, he said grads might have to fight against forces aligned with North Korea or China, or in Afghanistan or Iraq, as well as possibly face an unidentified foe in “this hemisphere.”

Read more (video)
https://www.huffpost.com/entry/mike-...3?guccounter=1

Originally Posted by Klondyke

as well as possibly face an unidentified foe in “this hemisphere.”

Congress ?

Originally Posted by Klondyke

as well as possibly face an unidentified foe in “this hemisphere.”

Read more (video)
https://www.huffpost.com/entry/mike-...3?guccounter=1

probably Russia and the EU next

what a sad nutter,

Originally Posted by baldrick

Congress ?

yeah, that too, but I think they did the job already

Perpetual War. Are they running out of enemies yet?

Originally Posted by baldrick

Congress ?

What for?

No "outrage" by "international community"?

no, too busy with the EU election disaster

Originally Posted by Klondyke

the fight on the Korean Peninsula

Eh? When was the last time a US soldier fired in anger or defence in Korea? 20 years? 30? Or the last time a US soldier was wounded or killed?
It's hardly a fight. A competition of stolid stares maybe.

sometimes I just cant take the military seriously

Originally Posted by Klondyke

Be a soldier and never see a war?

Nothing surprising in this statement. The vast majority of armed forces never see combat. Average, 7 support troops needed for one combat troop.

I served in the US Army in the early 90's in the Infantry and never heard a shot fired in anger. I was stationed in Germany during the first gulf war. The rest of my friends joined the Marine Corps and saw combat fighting in Iraq. At the time I was gutted that I missed out and was very jealous of my buddies but as I got older I was able to get over it. As some of my buddies still have PTSD I feel lucky not to have anything like that. I spent my time in the Army cleaning grease pits in the motor pool, painting rocks white and chasing frauleins in town. All in all it was a great part of my life.

I spent my time in the Army cleaning grease pits in the motor pool, painting rocks white

that explains a lot.

Originally Posted by taxexile

that explains a lot.

Better than spending my time sniffing Smegs asshole.

Originally Posted by bsnub

All in all it was a great part of my life.

I think many ex military feel the same. 10 years in USN. 1964 - 74. No doubt set the course of my entire life.

Originally Posted by Norton

1964 - 74

A crazy time in the world that was Norts. I can only imagine.

'67-'70 for me. Gave me my first trip to Thailand in '68.

Originally Posted by Davis Knowlton

'67-'70

Both of you in service during height of the Vietnam war and I know that you were a grunt too. My father did three tours but I am not sure of the years. Only time he ever talked about it with me was the first leave I had I came home and he sat down with me on the porch and we cracked beers together for the first time. I guess it was his way of acknowledging that I was not a kid anymore. He had only just retired from the Army himself the year before I joined.

Originally Posted by bsnub

I served in the US Army in the early 90's in the Infantry and never heard a shot fired in anger. I was stationed in Germany during the first gulf war. The rest of my friends joined the Marine Corps and saw combat fighting in Iraq. At the time I was gutted that I missed out and was very jealous of my buddies but as I got older I was able to get over it. As some of my buddies still have PTSD I feel lucky not to have anything like that. I spent my time in the Army cleaning grease pits in the motor pool, painting rocks white and chasing frauleins in town. All in all it was a great part of my life.

The 1st "Gulf War" wasn't exactly a "war", was it? "Turkey shoot" was the description of it by a lot of the soldiers that were ordered to murder retreating Iraqi soldiers and civilians.

Originally Posted by kmart

The 1st "Gulf War" wasn't exactly a "war", was it? "Turkey shoot" was the description of it by a lot of the soldiers that were ordered to murder retreating Iraqi soldiers and civilians.

Retreating Soldiers are retreading soldiers they are not "surrendering soldiers" they are fair game. Do you think that Montgomery stopped attacking German troops because they were retreating? The idea is absurd.

As far as being ordered to murder Iraqi civilians that is complete horseshit.

Originally Posted by kmart

n the infamous "road of death" out of Kuwait, thousands of fleeing soldiers, prisoners and civilians were indiscriminately slaughtered by the coalition forces. That was where is famous "Turkey shoot" quote came from.

That was done from the air mainly. There was no prisoners and if there were civilians they were most likely Iraqi government officials who were in Kuwait causing terror on the civilian population there. Like I said before if you are in a tank going backwards you are still a threat. Most of the troops on that road were in fact Republican guard. A real nasty lot.

That said I am not going to stand up and defend the wars of either Bush administration as I may have supported the first war as 19 year old grunt fresh out of basic I was still a kid really. I was gung-ho and still wet behind the ears. Today my feelings on those wars are nowhere close to how I felt back then.

^Yeah, no worries bsnub. I remember being glued to the CNN footage live on tv at the time also.

RIP Bill Hicks. Went way to young.