Post by Lews Therin Kinslayer on Aug 26, 2021 3:51:24 GMT -5
Good morning from foggy Edinburgh!
I thought I'd make a thread for veterans to share their service, stories, or anything else they feel like talking about. With all the news about Afghanistan, watching the ground we took with sweat and blood being retaken by the enemy in a matter of days, it brought up things that I thought I had thoroughly repressed.
I was a US Marine infantry rifleman (0311) from 2007 - 2011. I served in Helmand Province, Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom, conducting COIN ops (counterinsurgency). I spent a lot of my time as a gunner on a MATV, manning a M240 in turret, as part of the QRF (quick reaction force).
These days I spend too much time wondering why we were there and what the hell we actually accomplished. Young men dead, old men rich.
And as part of this morning's reflection... Balkan mix in the Sav with a cup of Yorkshire Red
I thought I'd make a thread for veterans to share their service, stories, or anything else they feel like talking about. With all the news about Afghanistan, watching the ground we took with sweat and blood being retaken by the enemy in a matter of days, it brought up things that I thought I had thoroughly repressed.
I was a US Marine infantry rifleman (0311) from 2007 - 2011. I served in Helmand Province, Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom, conducting COIN ops (counterinsurgency). I spent a lot of my time as a gunner on a MATV, manning a M240 in turret, as part of the QRF (quick reaction force).
These days I spend too much time wondering why we were there and what the hell we actually accomplished. Young men dead, old men rich.
And as part of this morning's reflection... Balkan mix in the Sav with a cup of Yorkshire Red
We are never appreciated until theđź’© hits the fan. Coming back in the Sixties from South Asia was not a good welcome home. It took years for me to bear the hurt, it spilled out when my Son jumped with the Old Timers for the 50th Anniversary, he was in England doing HELO jumps, they asked him if he would jump with them, HELL YES, was his answer, he called me and told me to watch the TV when they did it. When they marched on the Streets of St Marie Eglise and people would cry, throw flowers, my heart broke with joy, I cried like a baby. A big weight was lifted out of my heart. My Son had made it all right for me.
