The 48th goes to war

By a soldier's dad

October 3, 2005 09:27 PM | Link to this

Looks like a great serve! Now, off the subject of Tennis a bit, but can anyone confirm the that the Pentagon is supposedly going to reimburse the families and Troops for all the equiptment they have purchased?? Sounds to good to be true!? My family alone for one have spent more than 4,000.00 on spotter scopes, surveilence equiptment, and fire-resistant gloves…and many more items that our solider should have been issued to begin with! If it’s true…where do we sign up?

By A Veteran of Both

October 4, 2005 02:42 AM | Link to this

I was in Yusafiyah, I lived through the mud and the rain and the IED and the rockets and the mortars and the small arms fire. I was there in Mahmudiyah when the rockets and the mortars came in during the transition from my unit and the 1-108th. I was there when OUR medics handled the situation and when we tried to give as much guidance as possible, passing on what we had known, espeically when a young officer from the 1-108th told me how “his” unit was going to be nice to people down there. A lot of good it did, right? Now I am in Taji, and despite what you think, there is the same war going on. Our units stay out in sector for 48 hours at a patrol base, in the middle of no where. They then rotate to a out in sector retrans site where they spend 48 hours on security for that, the conditions exactly like that of Yusafiyah, add a day of maintenance and refit, yes in a little better conditions. All the families and Soldiers who consistently complain about what others have, get over it, it is the Army, you signed up to do a job and not pick where you go. Fight the fight and take it to the enemy, canalize him, fix him, and destroy him and take care of YOUR Soldiers the best you can, that is your primary mission. I am from Georgia, I am an active duty officer, and I am amazed at some of the things you people complain about. This is not NTC, this is not a weekend drill, go win your battles, we have won ours!

By gary

October 4, 2005 07:52 AM | Link to this

Amen to the last posting. I too am the father of 2 US Soldiers with combat experience, (82nd 1st Armored Division), and a retired Regular Army First sergeant from Georgia, enough with all the griping about trivial and minor stuff. We’re at war. When at war as a soldier you make the best with what you have and adapt, improvise and overcome what ever obstacle you face. Our soldiers of previous generations were never given all the niceties that we have given these guys, including my 2 Sons. Our soldiers of previous wars were never given body armor or armor reinforced Hummvees. I am actually glad that we have all that available because it saves lives. But if we didn’t have it we would still have to take the next hill just like previous generations. We all support our men and women wearing the uniform and wish them the best. But lets face it they’re at war, it’s going to be horrible at best, and all we can do is pray for them, and do our best back here to keep their morale up and wait for their safe return.

By A proud mom of a Soldier

October 4, 2005 09:04 AM | Link to this

To By A Veteran of Both and Gary. AMEN !!!! AMEN!!! AMEN!!! I am so glad someone is finally making some sense.

By To: A Veteran of Both

October 4, 2005 10:59 AM | Link to this

“Fight the fight” is a comment that some one makes who doesn’t leave the wire. Check the numbers, the patrols and the IED’s have increased since you left. Certain platoons were doing the majority of patrols for your unit, you didn’t cover all of the AO and things have changed considerably since you left. When laying next to the pool at Taji, considering what flavor of ice cream to eat, you may want to re-think the NTC comment. The ” weekend drill ” soldiers our have out paced your operational tempo in this AO. Let’s go for a ride, let’s see your “tuff guy ” reaction when the IED hits you.

By Pam: all American

October 4, 2005 11:58 AM | Link to this

Hey Guys… This is still America and i can complain all i want to… that’s right,that fight has already been fought. I say it takes a voice to make right ,the wrongs of this world…”sit down and shut up” does not cut it for those who care enough to want to make the lives of our troops better. Where would we be if everyone left everything as is over our past four major wars. You see it as complaining…I see it as trying to make a difference.Thank God I’m in America ,I could probably be executed for thinking that way in another country .God Bless This Great Country and MOST of all Bless the BRAVE troops it has birthed!!!

By spc nemier

October 4, 2005 01:26 PM | Link to this

I am currebtly deployed with the 48th. I just wanted to say, i appreciate all the support back home,and the ajc showing the lighter side of minor combat. There is more going on that death and car bombings. We are doing alot of good over here, its hard to be away from family, but we will be home soon. Thanks for every thing GA and ajc.

Sincerly Spc nemier

By a wife of a soldier

October 4, 2005 03:43 PM | Link to this

My husband is at the potato factory. He can not even sit on the toilet without worrying about getting hit.
Some people must be lucky, so they can play tennis because they are at the big base.

By A Platoon Leader

October 5, 2005 01:00 AM | Link to this

I appreciate the idea that Taji has a pool. But I have been here since June and I have not been to it once. I am lactose intolerant so I do not eat ice cream, and my unit allows one day out of 5 for refit to even be in Taji. But as a platoon leader I am quite sure I have left the wire quite a bit. And while at St. Joe in Yusafiyah, the old St. Joe (I am not sure if they in the potato factory yet or not) I endured my own personal hell of IED, small arms fire, and rockets and mortars. I had my stomach knotted in fear while driving down Sportster road, and I know the hell of losing Soldiers. Yes, I am quite sure I have left the wire. But my resume and accolades are not up for your review, I live with those every day. The point that should have been driven home was that my Soldiers are professionals. They fight the fight on the ground that they are on, they are not concerned with what others have, it does not do any good. But then again, my Soldiers were the ones who fought from the berm in Kuwait to Baghdad, went almost three months without a shower, and lived like animals for months on end. But this is their second time around. Back then, there was no wire.

By Dawn

October 5, 2005 03:26 PM | Link to this

I was just wondering if there could be some coverage for the E Troop 108th CAV out of Griffin GA.

By A proud American

October 5, 2005 04:09 PM | Link to this

It never ceases to amaze me how some people take any reason to start discussing who has the better post no matter what the story is about.

This story is merely a story about a man doing anything that he can do to keep his mind off his surroundings.

Everyone talks about “in the wire” “outside the wire”, these men and women are in danger NO MATTER WHERE THEY ARE!!! They are in a war zone.

My soldier has been in and out the wire his whole time there, his MOS doesn’t “require” him to go most of the time, he volunteers to do it so that others can stay in and get rest or as in one instance attend a memorial service for their fallen comrades.

Just once, it would be nice to see positive comments on a blog without having to hear “your soldier has it better than my soldier, because they are at _____ (insert name of base here)”.

:::stepping off my soapbox:::::

By wow

October 5, 2005 04:40 PM | Link to this

Never ceases to amaze me when someone wants to compare one duty to another. I grew up during the Viet Nam war and seeing my father go there 2 times. Gosh…does that mean my father had it worse then “wife of a soldier ” has it??? I’m tired of wives who are whining for there husband…like they are children and they can’t do it. I say if a soldier wants to whine..do it to your superior officers…and quit your belly aching!!!

By mom of a 108th cav. solider

October 5, 2005 08:51 PM | Link to this

I WANT THE WORLD TO KNOW HOW VERY PROUD I AM OF MY SON, HE IS IN THE TRIANGLE OF DEATH, SO THEY CALL IT. I THANK GOD FOR PEOPLE LIKE HIM THAT WILL STAND FOR OUR COUNTRY AND OUR PRIDE AND FEELS THAT ALL THE WORLD IS EQUAL TO FREEDOM. THERE ARE ABOUT 10 KIDS IN IRAQ THAT WENT TO EAGLES LANDING HIGH SCHOOL ROTC, I THINK THAT SHOWS ALOT FOR THE PROGRAM THERE. MY SON HAS A LITTLE GIRL, 4, AND A WIFE THAT IS ALSO MILITARY WITH NATL. GRD. HE GETS BLOWED UP ALL THE TIME, SEES HIS BUDDIES HE HAS BEEN WITH FOR YEARS GET BLOWED INTO PIECES, BUT HE TELLS ME THAT THE OLD FOLKS AND LITTLE KIDS LIKE THEM THERE, THIS CHILD IS MY BABY BUT IF GOD CHOOSES FOR HIM TO GIVE THE GREAT SACRIFICE FOR HIS COUNTRY AND THE TRYING TO GOOD OTHERS LIVES, I WILL HOLD MY HEAD UP VERY HIGH, BE SO VERY PROUD OF HIM, AND NOT BLAME OUR PRESIDENT AND ACT STUPID ON T.V., THAT TO ME WOULD SHAME MY BOY, HE AND ALL THE OTHER SOLIDERS DESERVE BETTER THAN THAT. I AM A PROUD MOM, AND I LOVE HIM VERY MUCH.

By my name is faith

October 6, 2005 01:25 AM | Link to this

A comment was made by “A Veteran of Both”,… the body of the comment was sound, but the final few words were not so. The term “weekend warriors” no longer exists. A large majority of these “weekend warriors” are seasoned combat vets who have lost brothers, and are continuing to do so.

They are former active duty soldiers, and they are now,too, despite their name.

Do not dishonor them, for many of them have been to NTC as active duty soldiers, and have only recently gone, again, as National Guard.

I am sure the words written, were based in frustration. In that emotion, you are not alone.

In my words.. I thank you, as I do all the American soldiers fighting this war. A war that I cannot fight..Thank You

By Ronda Roaderic

October 6, 2005 02:48 PM | Link to this

In response to “WOW”….Are U in IRAQ?!… Are you a SPOUSE? (male OR female)…Caring… Loving and worrying IS NOT “whinning”……Are you juggling…any morgages?…. Your spouse’s affairs why they are away?…Trying to comfort others..while your heart is torn apart? Or are you Just female bashing? There are some very strong…”WIVES OF SOLDIERS” as you phrased it… But. WE do have real caring …loving and strong hearts also. Shame on you for using this blog to bash some females… Females that I have tons of respect for… I AM A VERY PROUD ARMY “WIFE!”.. If you are not in our “SOLDIER’S BOOTS…. or our..”soldier’s wife shoes”….Or you can’t put your self in OUR place. You have no place on this blog. It was offensive!

By Ronda Roaderick

October 7, 2005 01:29 AM | Link to this

To. wow…. I guess I really needed to ask you 2 more things. Have you ever been a SOLDIER? If so… were you in a war zone? You are the child of a Vet. If your answers to the 2 questions are “no” or even “no” to 1 of the questions..what makes you think that you know what any of us are going thru.. and you have ANY right to find fault with any Soldier or their “SPOUSES?”I am imagining..(forgive me if I’m wrong) You stay online.. I think you should find maybe a blog where they support sensitivity, compassion and understanding for things you know nothing about. Every WAR is different..every FAMILY is different. You WERE A KID when your Dad went to Vietnam.Have you ever really thought what your MOM had to do to maybe “COMFORT YOU?” Have you thought that if she could do anything to make things better for you Dad that she would? Were you too young to see…or did you just not want to see? I’m sure your Mom went thru hell while he was gone..she must have been one of those Proud Soldier’s Wives…That I have “TONS of RESPECT” for! I wish she could read the entry in the blog that you wrote. I think you don’t know what your DAD went thru.. and it’s obvious to me.. You are “CLUELESS to what she went thru to make your life as a child as normal as possible while he was away. It’s a tremendous job. Try..(if you can) to put your self in a SOLDIER’S Boots… and the “SPOUSE’S Shoes.(NO MATTER MALE OR FEMALE)I truely hope that if you can’t do that…. that you find something better to do than to make entries on a Blog that is made for support of our BRAVE SOLDIERS and the people who LOVE them.

By wow

October 7, 2005 01:42 PM | Link to this

Actually what I said was “I’m tired of wives whining for their husbands…let their husbands whine for themself. I do see where I have touched a sore subject..but until we ALL can respect ALL SOLDIERS that there is going to be aggitation and strife going on. One soldiers job isn’t any worse then another. There are cooks in the military…are you saying that the cooks don’t have it just as bad? There are radio men in the military..is there job any less then a foot soldier?? There are mechanics..is there job any less then a foot soldier?? NO….all I’m saying is…lets bond together..and form a bonding family. I don’t mind when I read how bad a soldier might have it..but don’t compare him to another soldier..they are AN ARMY OF ONE!!!

By Ronda Roaderick

October 7, 2005 05:30 PM | Link to this

Actually… I just happen to spot your entry… all I got out of it was exactly what you wrote. Maybe… like I did..you should think hard about what you want to say and word it carefully. No one has to tell me anything about any jobs our SOLDIERS do. They are ALL very BRAVE and very RESPECTED… what ever they are tasked to do. YOU NEVER ANSWERED MY QUESTIONS… That was the main reason for my entries.I just wondered where you all that KNOWLEDGE of the Military came from. Hey… Just asking..WHAT BRANCH… not that it matters… Just thinking… You Have NEVER been a Soldier.. Please correct me if I’m wrong.ON ANOTHER NOTE… TELLING THE TRUTH ABOUT LIVING CONDITIONS AND DANGER IS “NOT” WHINING.”I would hope that my husband could let me know if things aren’t as they should be.We all know that CNN.. MSNBC all those… are not going to report how our soldiers have to live in the FOB. My husband is on a FOB. The only time Ive used this BLOG was to support him and send Love. That was until now. I really felt that you were talking about something that you have never had to endure and are clueless. As my MOM use to tell us…”THE TRUTH WILL STAND WHEN THE WORLD IS ON FIRE!” Thus…. the TRUTH….IS NOT WHINING! GOD BLESS ALL OF OUR SOLDIERS (no matter where or what the jobs they do!) and GOD BLESS THE FAMIES AND LOVED ONES HERE! I’m Done.