shooting people hell of a hoot - general

I speak for myself and I relate to the readers what other infantrymen have demonstrated to me personally. I don't speak for anyone else and of course I have no idea what anyone else thinks.

I didn't extrapolate anything nor do I present any conclusions in my anecdote other than what I know to be fact. Where any conflict and confusion is concerned speak for yourself.

No idea who you are. Makes no difference to me whether you take my post seriously or not. That is for you and anyone else to decide. I am merely participating in a forum. I accept criticism, I do not claim to know other peoples minds unless they tell me what's on them.

Obviously you are not in agreement, probably not in the infantry, probably not in the regulars although your avatar sports cammies.

Any other constructive criticism snood?

How does being among them qualify you to know what they may or may not carry with them? And how many people do you have to be among to know the percentage total of all in combat that carry things around with them? Were you a military psychologist as well as an infantryman?

What are you a wise guy, sassy kid, just like splitting hairs kickycan? Of course I am a military psychologist as well as an infantryman.

Lol - gotta be careful what you assume about who you are talking to round here, Jack Webb!

Oh - those WERE pretty much my uncle's last words, by the way. They were inhis suicide note.

You see, it wasn't ok to talk about not dealing with the killing in his generation....

Webb and Snood - Care to brawl? It'll be a hoot!

(btw, my money's on Snood)

Seriously, I have twin cousins, both Special Forces out of Bragg, and both deployed to Afghanistan and Iraq. They have certainly not indicated in any way that it's a "hoot" to shoot people. I'm hoping there are more Powells, Snoods and men like my cousins in our military than those that have presented callous disregard for life.

Squinney, I certainly cannot speak for "Special Forces out of Bragg" I was a mere psychologist-infantryman.

Unless it happens to be a topical point, such as this forum, if someone asks me a question like "What was it like?" I just shake my head or defer to something else. Especially if an adult guy asks me because what they are really doing is taking a quick, self inventory of their manhood. I don't give anyone, any guy that has not been in infantry combat the satisfaction of thrill. We keep it off the record among ourselves you see. Otherwise it confuses some people. Even here on this thread so I've been told.

How would you like our infantry guys to be squinney:

A. Prefer not to shoot.
B. Be willing to shoot.
C. Be glad to shoot.
D. Particularly desire to shoot.

Mine were solid "Ds"

I think I have to admit that my position on this one isn't where it needs to be. After doing some reading up on Lieutenant General Mattis, I have come to some different conclusions. It seems that he was the same commander who, when confronted with the photographic evidence of a decimated wedding party in western Iraq, said this... "Ten miles from the Syrian border and 80 miles from the nearest city and a wedding party? Don't be naïve. Plus they had 30 males of military age with them. How many people go to the middle of the desert to have a wedding party?".
As a commander of signal importance to the US military forces in Iraq he should have had some knowledge that the area they were bombing is home to thousands of families, settled and nomadic, who have relatives and friends in villages, towns and cities, and that these people come to visit on occasions of celebration or grief. He seems to show an alarming mixture of indifference and ignorance and hubris.
Although I had originally chosen to defend this man who holds the lives of so many marines in his hands, I now have to agree with those who have castigated him here.
It is sad and frightening that this is the kind of attitude a man this powerful in our military has.

And the experience you base this sterling opinion of yours upon snood? Regular Army? 4 stars? What?

My opinion isn't any more "sterling" than anyone elses' - nor have I held it out to be. The information I've gathered is available to anyone who's curious and has internet access.

This is the second time you've attempted to cast aspersions on the status of my service. I have no idea why you'd do that - perhaps some deep set insecurity on your part, or just a juvenile need to pick a meaningless fight.

But for anyone else who's interested...

I post an avatar in military garb because it just so happens that in all the recent pictures I have of myself that you can see my face clearly, I am in uniform. That's because for over 16 years I've been in the Army - yes Jacks, the "Regular Army". I did basic at Ft Leonard Wood, and have served with the 93rd Evac Hospital (Desert Shield/Storm), at Eisenhower Medical Center, at Tripler Medical Center, at Walter Reed Medical Center, at General Leonard Wood Army Hospital, and presently at Ft Sam Houston, where I teach soldiers right out of boot camp in some of the more basic pharmacy skills.

My 36th month here at Ft Sam comes up in November, at which point it wouldn't be totally unexpected if they sent my butt to the very sandbox the other 150 thousand+ of my comrades are.

Good luck, Snood.

In this discussion, or my career?

Oh - I doubt the discussion can kill or maim you.

In the sandy portion of your career.

yeah, good luck, snood.