I Miss Iraq. I Miss My Gun. I Miss My War

[CybrSlydr]

It's a pretty impressive sight when you hear munitions are incoming (JDAM), see an F16 fly past at about 15k and then a few seconds later... this hissing/buzzing and BOOOOOOOOOM! The area about 500ft away from you just erupts. Especially when it reveals that of the 6 or so guys shooting at you there are only enough parts to put together about half a person.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k42t9IRpaAE

 

[glh]

When I begin to see/hear of memorials such as those in the link below built to honor the sacrifice of our troops and those of other NATO countries being built, maintained and NOT desecrated, I will start to believe we made a difference. There will not be any cemeteries because I believe we now return all our dead to the CONUS.

http://www.abmc.gov/memorials/memorials.php

If I see/hear of a LOCAL memorial such as that built by St. Mere-Eglise in France to honor the troops of the 82nd Airborne who jumped into Normandy on the night of 5/6 June 1944, fought it out with the Germans on the ground and began to free the European continent, I will start to believe we made a difference.

But I was a USAF veteran of Vietnam from 1968. I don't see/hear of any memorials built to honor my fellow vets -- IN VIETNAM -- so I don't see we made any real difference there. I'll change my mind on Afghanistan and Iraq when they honor the troops who died helping to free them. But I'm now 67 years old and I'm sure not holding my breath.

 

[Jagdflieger]

Making a Difference

Perhaps our contributions at the "macro" level are diluted by the contributions or failures of many...

At the "micro" level though, our contributions are immediate and noticed. Having started my wars in VN, I was tempered to think at the "micro" level of my squad and platoon and later of my team, company or the foreign units that I advised or trained. At that level, putting bombs on a plane, shells in a canon, putting rounds on target, watching your buddies six, consoling a friend at a time of sorrow or helping men understand their losses or achievements was always more important to me than the stated US policy for the region or conflict. By everyone making a difference at the "micro" level, the "macro" level in theory should take care of itself. Sadly, not always true, but that's how it works.

We used to sum it up when referring to a soldier that was of value by saying: "He does/did his job." Nothing further was needed and it was a compliment that outweighed decorations or official ceremony.

Cyber, I think that you did your job and then some. You paid a price that will haunt you forever; both physically and as so many here have noted, in your memories too.

A salute to the brethren.:salute:

 

[TeaSea]

I don't miss any 'Wars', be they large or small, based on my experiences spanning the years between Asia all the way to the Balkans, with operations through the intervening years in more countries than I can mention.
I believe most long serving 'Regulars' in my circle of mates think much the same.
Have we made a difference??
Depends on how you analyse the question and I'll keep my thoughts to myself.

I don't think anyone misses a war. That's not what cyber was saying.

If you are still keeping up,with your mates, then you really know what he meant.

 

[wombat666]

TeaSea,

We keep in touch.
Always were a tight unit and we will always remain so.
View attachment 83074

 

[T Square]

You know for awhile I kept up with the old crew, but I found myself living more and more in the past, many have taken their last flight, and I miss them more then they will ever know. I can see my last flight coming as well, I get to depressed wishing for the old days. I have Grand Children now and hope to see them earn their wings. I have seen a couple of wars survived heart problems and cancer, and I just ain't ready to give up yet. After my last hospital stay I overheard my son tell my doctor, that I'm to tough to die so God is just taking me a little piece at a time.

CybrSlydr

It's a pretty impressive sight when you hear munitions are incoming (JDAM), see an F16 fly past at about 15k and then a few seconds later... this hissing/buzzing and BOOOOOOOOOM! The area about 500ft away from you just erupts. Especially when it reveals that of the 6 or so guys shooting at you there are only enough parts to put together about half a person.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k42t9IRpaAE​

Cybr

When training for ICT's (Integrated Combat Turns) I would always try to re-enforce the idea in our crews that safety and speed were essential, somewhere there is a "Grunt" whose life depends on how fast we can delivery these weapons on target. This is why we practiced ICTs weekly,in and out of full Chem Gear, rain or shine.

 

[CWOJackson]

Oh and to add....
Again as I prep for retirement, a few weeks ago the following realization dawned upon me...and that was:

For the first time in 24 years, I will be doing things for me.

You veterans know exactly what I'm talking about. For 24 years, my life has been wrapped around what can "we" do & what can we do for "them".....

First thing I did after retiring from active duty (both times) was take all my black socks and throw them in the trash.

 

[CybrSlydr]

Cybr

When training for ICT's (Integrated Combat Turns) I would always try to re-enforce the idea in our crews that safety and speed were essential, somewhere there is a "Grunt" whose life depends on how fast we can delivery these weapons on target. This is why we practiced ICTs weekly,in and out of full Chem Gear, rain or shine.

It's a good thing you do - those guys helped us out in a big way that day.

 

[HouseHobbit]

As many here when I did my time in uniform we soldiers were well hated in America..
Got spit on and asked how many babies I killed too many times..

Now I see our boys returning home to cheers and welcomes I never knew..
And I am Grateful..
We who have served have a chance to develop friendships many never know, I am blessed to have several folks in my life still from my Army days.
And we all shall a bond the civilians, often don't understand..
I am Grateful for the men and women that have served and will yet serve..

And that in a small measure, I do believe We did make a difference, if not to the world, but to ourself's..

 

[CybrSlydr]

Seemed like this would be a good addition to the thread.

http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/lookout...share-memories-perspectives-10-220825809.html

 

[Panther_99FS]

Seemed like this would be a good addition to the thread.

http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/lookout...share-memories-perspectives-10-220825809.html

Holy Frack 10 years already - My how times fly!
That was the last major operation that I participated in - very moving memories for me since we were there are the start of the war.....

 

[Cazzie]

Cybr,

I almost hesitated writing. Combat vets, in toto, regardless of whom they fight for, all experience horrors that civs never see or hope to see. Sure we have the media and the reality shows, but like most events on TV, nothing can replicate being there. But the horrors effect different people in different ways, some never recover. You are one who loved the adrenaline rush, the constant situational awareness, the spirit of combat, the highest essence of sports there is, kill or be killed. But I was more the introverted lot, who came from a dirt poor county in North Carolina. I was naive to the point of not knowing. It hurt, it still hurts. Watching napalm bombs being dropped from air-conditioned cockpits onto grass huts in searing 100 degree heat, seeing young children running from those huts screaming while they burned until they dropped. It was then I became anti-war, it was then I became Buddhist. The horror lives with me today, I cannot go on with this, it is too vivid.

 

[CybrSlydr]

Cybr,

I almost hesitated writing. Combat vets, in toto, regardless of whom they fight for, all experience horrors that civs never see or hope to see. Sure we have the media and the reality shows, but like most events on TV, nothing can replicate being there. But the horrors effect different people in different ways, some never recover. You are one who loved the adrenaline rush, the constant situational awareness, the spirit of combat, the highest essence of sports there is, kill or be killed. But I was more the introverted lot, who came from a dirt poor county in North Carolina. I was naive to the point of not knowing. It hurt, it still hurts. Watching napalm bombs being dropped from air-conditioned cockpits onto grass huts in searing 100 degree heat, seeing young children running from those huts screaming while they burned until they dropped. It was then I became anti-war, it was then I became Buddhist. The horror lives with me today, I cannot go on with this, it is too vivid.

Vietnam is a wholly different ballgame than Iraq/Afghanistan. I can easily see why Vietnam vets wouldn't see this the same way. Our equipment is orders of magnitude better today, our body armor is more effective, our vehicles more protecting (were I in a Humvee, I'd be dead), etc. I do not envy Vietnam/Korea/WWII vets one bit - I had it 1000000x better than you guys did. Not to mention that while the wars don't have the support of the public, the troops do.

 

[Naismith]

Holy Frack 10 years already - My how times fly!
That was the last major operation that I participated in - very moving memories for me since we were there are the start of the war.....

Truth be told it's 20+ years since Gulf 1 and nothing has changed much in that sorry nation.

 

[PRB]

Cyber, I think I see your point, up to a certain point. I have nothing to add, personally, when it comes to combat. My service was done on aircraft carriers in the 1980s and 90s. But still I think it might be oversimplifying a wee bit to suggest that the different emotional experience between you and Cazz can be attributed to equipment improvements between his war and yours. After all, there are soldiers who fought along side you who were (are) affected similarly to Cazz, and if Tom Blackburn of VF-17 is to be believed in his book The Jolly Rogers, war in the Pacific was simply more fun than Disneyland. He couldn't get enough of it. I've never read any experience of an RAF pilot in the Battle of Briton expressed in quite those terms... And even Boyington, in his book, flying the same planes during the same time, in the same place, related a vastly different experience. It depends on the person, and on the experience. Still the feeling of close comradeship you experience with those you serve with, that I can relate to. It's like nothing I've ever experienced in civilian life.

 

[T Square]

Well said PRB.

Still the feeling of close comradeship you experience with those you serve with, that I can relate to. It's like nothing I've ever experienced in civilian life.

I think that close comradeship comes from the fact that at some point either in training or in combat the individual next to you holds your life in his hands or you hold his in yours at some point. Weapons load crews are made up of 3 personnel, I spent more time with the other two men on my crew then I did my wife and kids for a lot of years. There are very few civilian professions where this is the case.