Regarding *some* of today's young officers.

By The Armorer on April 2, 2008 | | Comments (5)

The Courtney Massengale types, vice the Sam Damons.

An auld soldier offered up his opinion in email:


I almost posted a comment on your blog regarding all the whining coming from the troops in Iraq. They are the best paid, best supported (including by the public at large), least uncomfortable; and at least statistically for combat arms folks, at the lowest risk of death of any wartime army in US history. Not that I am unappreciative of what they are doing, but danger & discomfort are relative & it would help if they had a better sense of what troops endured at places like Gettysburg, Meuse-Argonne, The Ardennes & Okinawa, the first six months in Korea, Ia Drang Valley & War Zone D in the 60's.


This Auld Soldier is a veteran of both the mostly un-noticed war of the last century and of the most contentious war of the last century - who has more stitches for one of his seven Purple Hearts than a Certain Politician required for all three of his, along with a Silver Star and just under three years of combat exposure...

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5 Comments

By Kathy on April 2, 2008 11:11 AM
Hey, Auld Soldier, Happy Birthday! [S'true - 'tis the Auld Soldier's Natal Day today... -the Armorer]
 
By John of Argghhh! on April 2, 2008 11:35 AM
BTW, sis - sent him an Omaha Steaks package, which he then said SWWBO should come cook. There are four steaks, four pork chops, four potatos and a buncha burgers... you can prolly get him to provide dinner sometime soon. Gettin' pretty lazy, is the Auld Soldier, if grillin' some steaks and microwaving some 'taters is too time-consuming!
 
By YatYas on April 2, 2008 10:01 PM
I greatly respect the Auld Soldiers' service in Korea and Vietnam. He should go look at the Vets for Freedom Website though. Most of us, who have served in Iraq or Afghanistan are not whining. I served with veterans of WWII, Korea and Vietnam...some of them also bitched about things.
 
By John of Argghhh! on April 3, 2008 7:02 AM
I'm thinking the Auld Soldier was speaking to some very specific individuals featured herein, vice to the soldiery in general. He sent it to me in email - so, really, *I'm* the one your comment is truly aimed at, as I'm the one who made it into a post. That's why we have comments - I'm under no compulsion to always bring up both sides every time I discuss a single issue - you guys can do that. If you read the linked post, I think you'd agree that in context, the Auld Soldier's comment is apt.
 
By Mike on April 4, 2008 9:38 PM
John, Your reply to YatYas was spot on! However, your "Omaha Steaks" giftage value would've been much more valuable and enjoyable to Auld Soldier if it'd been a gift certificate to a steakhouse in his zipcode. I've done the Omaha giftage, and have always regretted it! Meat giftage, go here: http://www.venisonworld.com/