I am with the 368th Engineering Battalion out of Somersworth, NH. I just got home from AIT a week ago and I am a 21W Carpentry/Masonry specialist. My unit came back from Iraq two years ago as of this comming January and I am worried about being deployed. I like being home and all I want to do is go to school, do my ROTC and take it from there. I am aware of all the ROTC programs that make you undeployable however I am not officially accepted to my school yet and I am starting to get antsy and paranoid about leaving... not neccessarily out of fear but more so out of being gone from my life for another year doing some stupid job for the Army. I personally think my MOS is retarted and I just sign on with it to get my foot in the door and do ROTC and get a commission in something I really wanted to do. Our unit as of now has about 80 personel and our equiptment is crap... I wouldn't even want to go using the shit they have. Should I be worried, and if not what can I use to calm my ass down I really like being home and maybe the Army isn't for me after all.

 

welcome to the real world. You obligated yourself to the Army in return for something YOU wanted. You can hardly expect to get everything the way you want in the armed forces - they often need people to do the things no-one else wants to do.

Take comfort in the fact that it really isn't as bad as the nightly news, the same way living in Chicago isn't as bad as the evening news makes it sound. You'd be stupid if you werren't a little scared, but don't over do it.

I have several friends that have gone and come back, from more intensive, combat-type situations. I don't know anyone who has died, and I'd say chances are greater than you would come back safe and sound than from a trip to East LA. If you were going over to man a Hummer's gun and shoot at people, you'd have a very valid fear, but since you are likely going to be building schools and hospitals and such, I'd say you are probably as safe or safer than the Iraqi civilians who deal with life there every day.

It's natural to fear the unknown, but the reality is far more mundane than the imaginary.

 

You remind me of all those guys that joined the reserves when there weren't any incidents going on that they actually needed to respond to. They all exhibited the behavior of "I get to play soldier once a month and go camping for two weeks a year with guns." It was all cake with a nice supplementary paycheck and easy promotions, but now that someone has put them in harms way they are all crying. You signed on the dotted line knowing full well what was to be expected, now you just have to pay your dues.

 

Been beaten to death a million times..... why are we there? Do you honestly think Iraq is better off now? I would guess parts are, but I would also bet people are living in way more fear right now. At least 4 years ago they could go outside of their house without getting blown up.

He signed up to fight for his country if there was a ligimate reason. Invading a country for DADDY (and oil and Haliburton) doesn't seem like a good reason.


[QUOTE=THEOLDMAN,Oct 23 2006, 08:26 AM]You remind me of all those guys that joined the reserves when there weren't any incidents going on that they actually needed to respond to.

 

Nope. When you sign up, you fight for whatever reason they tell you to fight. You don't get to debate whether you like the administrations policies or not.

 

I guess you (the person who signs up) make the assumption (ya ya ya) that you will be doing something that is legit...

Hopefully for the original poster everyone will be coming home soon and let anyone who is left in Iraq kill each other to see who will become the new Saddam.

 

 

Yeah all that oil we're getting from them

 

Once again that's YOUR interpretation. However, as others have said, when you sign up for the ARMY or any other armed forces, you don't get to debate the merits of ANY military actions prior to being deployed.

Does it suck to put your life in harms way? Hell yes. However, these are things you need to think about before making such an important decision as joing the military.

 

MY interpretation is the only one that counts.