Fresh word from JEFF

[dbodenheim]

You may hate me. You may love me. (muhahah) My contract at Centcom runs out in 7 months. I have put serious thought into this and today I will ask my boss what is available in Iraq.


Before you judge me. Listen to me. I missed the first gulf war by 2 months in 1991. I retired from the Navy in 2001, 10 years of service and missed the second war. My life has been really weird the last two years thinking I missed something somewhere. I make 70 grand a year now being a donkey, why do i want to do what i am typing here?

I dont have an answer for that. Its just something that is and there isnt much of an explanation for it. My grandparents ( ww2 vet) said abandon this nonsense, my fiancee too, and daughter.

There is no correct reason I could give them for wanting to do what I want to do. Afterall, this isnt TV or a videogame. Its just in the heart. Ill let you know what is up.


Sorry Ryan.

[karl_58sow]

Do what you feel is right. I feel the same way you do sometimes and I get the same reactions.

[Persephone]

But Jeff. Think of all that young just barely legal ass back home in america..wait..okay that started off wrong..

No but seriously my great grandfather was a vet in ww2 and I have a friend who is a marine over in iraq and its really not pretty at all. It'll make you a completely different person if you have to have the blood of another human being on your hands. Just consider that part and consider how it'll change you around your kids before you make your choice.

But whatever you decide to do is your choice..and if you go i'll miss ya dave.

[moldykorn]

Im not here to keep you, though I dont particularly support the war, I give my full support to the men and women we have over there.



Do what you feel is right. Im not too good at expressing what I want to say in this posts\forums in general, but here it goes.


Imagine yourself when your an old man, your grandchildren are asking you, "Grandpa, what did you do for a living?"


Do you want to reply with "Oh! I played Couterstrike and Battlefield a lot!"


Or do you want to say " I got bored with what I was doing and I went to Iraq"


If I had the chance to go to Iraq as anything, I would definitely go, it has to be a huge life experience just to go to a foreign\third world country. Especially in the mess thats over there now.


Eh, im tired and it probably doesnt make a lick of sense, but I tried.

[atomicbob]

I'll say this....what the hell happened to, "I'm bored with my gravy job and I think I might take a chance as a stand up comedian".

If you want to be patriotic, I'm gungho behind you dude, but I must say you are kind of tard with bigger balls than brains. The "war", or whatever they want to call it, has become little more than a police action, IMO. We kill the dicks when we find them and they suicide bomb our guys every chance they have.

Even the gov is seeking an exit asap.

Why go now?

I don't get it. My kid flies to Iraq twice a month and I sweat bullets each time. There is a difference between a soldier and an idiot.

No offense intended.

I only know you from your pixels, but I think your calling is probably elsewhere. We're old dudes. We missed it. (Thank Goodness)

Fight the fight with your 20k in taxes and whatever you might be able to do to cheer up everyone else. Let the young studs kick on that ass. They are just about done.

That's my opinion.

:dunno:

[Saur]

Hey dave! I must admit that I don't know you all that well, but I do remember you being the first person I met when I came to War is Hell and that it was a warm welcome. You've always been a cool cat in and out of game, and I think you're a great guy.

I know you may not be able to articulate the calling you feel into words, but again for most people there's not even a good reason or a calling. It is said though, that to ignore this spirit within yourself is keep it with you constantly reminding you until the end of your days of what could have been.

Many people join the army for many different reasons. Most of the folks I know go into the military with the hopes to avoid a war and to use the armed forces as a way of getting through college. Though some degree of courage is involved, these are not true warriors. It's true, the military does offer a lot of incentives for moving on, but now there's a number of them wishing they hadn't signed up since they caught the war.

You on the other hand have a sincere desire to go out and help. And whatever the "reason," that calling is about the best darned reason for doing anything. You're intent is pure. It's pure because it's through you that these abstract ideals of freeing Iraqi's, protecting America, keeping your fellow soldiers alive, & so on are brought into expression and made real, tangible, and undeniable.

On top of that you've already been involved in the military for a number of years. You're not some old guy that just decides to up 'n join. I believe you know what you're asking for, and because of that I hold a deep respect for your bravery.

Regardless of if you go or not, I understand. You've come up against a tough decision. You know you have responsibilities here at home, but you feel you have duties abroad. It's definitely a choice that can go either way, and you have my full support on whatever you decide.

I say go for it and don't look back.

<3 Saur

[Redy]

What will you do when you get back?

Don't delay your life Dave. You said you wanted to join N.Y.P.D. Well it's a bad time for that here in NYC, but there are thousands of other departments that pay higher with less risk. If you have half a brain you can ace the test, and you get veterens preference. 20 years for a pension bro. Start now dude because if you delay even one year, when you get to 19 years of service you'll be crying like a little bitch that last year.

[Multiplex]

Without commenting on all of the political bias and other such bullshit running rampant through this thread...

Go to Iraq... turn that 70k into 150k (+) and bank the cash. Have fun over there... take it in as a life experience. I was deployed to hostile areas when I was in the Army and it was an enriching (and at the same time crappy) experience because I can always look back on it as a point of reference for where I am today.

You're a contractor... go do contractor shit over there. You're not gonna ask Leon if he has a spot as a security guard on a roadside check point in Falluja. :)

Remember... the first 90k is tax free. If you wanna head over there to be in the thick of the action... go down to your local recruiting office and ask for a delayed reenlistment and go over there as a green suit. You're not gonna find the satisfaction you're looking for as a contractor. If you go... go for the money. Don't go to check the "Veteran" block on your life accomplishments resume.

My $00.02

[moldykorn]

Just remember, a mans first priority is his family.

[snizel_88]

Follow your heart but your brain as well.

[dbodenheim]

You're a contractor... go do contractor shit over there. You're not gonna ask Leon if he has a spot as a security guard on a roadside check point in Falluja.

Nick I was thinking of asking Leon for something close to what were doing now. I am definitely NOT enlisting, that would just be insane, Ive already done ten years of that.

NYPD would be nice but Im in no shape for it right now. 13 months in the sandbox would actually help me to get to that spot.

[GorroXXII]

Seeing you have 7 months left on your contract, I am sure these are just thoughts going through your head, now, I only know you from POE and BF2, but have listened to you many a night on TS :D And to all those jumping the gun, ALOT can change in 7 months. I see a lot of different opinions floating around, do what makes you happy, and money doesnt always equal happiness. And dont forget you are a Dad, with a little one, think about her as well... all kids need parents, but with whatever you choose, Good Luck with that

[DinkyPoopStick]

I dont have an answer for that. Its just something that is and there isnt much of an explanation for it. My grandparents ( ww2 vet) said abandon this nonsense, my fiancee too, and daughter.

I can't believe I read that right.
You are going to leave your daughter to have a chance to go anywahere near Iraq.
Imagine how proud she will be when she tells her freinds that her father died in Iraq because he was bored. Imagine how proud she will be when she cries herself to sleep at night because her dad is dead. Imagine how proud she will be when she will NEVER EVER be able to tell you she loves you again. I don't think pride is what she will feel.
Just thinking about leaving my daughter like that, never seeing her smile again, never being able to hug her, or kiss her good night is deeply upsetting me. Perhaps you should think about your daughter a bit more.

[The Needle]

Dinky got it right. I will speak this piece as my veteran self and a father.

As a former Marine and a former soldier, yes, I did two branches, I did 12 years of service. Unlike what I gather from your posts I was often deployed to places where you couldn't drink the water and the natives were armed and hostile. I spent time in the jungle in Nicaragua and time in the desert in Kuwait. I have been a door gunner on a ch-46 Sea Knight, a sniper laying in a hole in the ground for days and a technician sitting in a base repairing electronics. My country sent me wonderful places and terrible places and I made the best friends of my life and lived the lowest saddest times of my life. I understand your desire. But tonight I want you to do one thing. I want you to go to your daughter's bedroom. I want you to pick her up and hold her in your arms. I want you to look at her and tell her that Daddy is going to go away for a year. Going away somewhere where there are bad men who want to make sure he never gets home so I want to say goodbye to you now. I want you to watch the expression on her face. If you can do that, if you can walk into that room and do that to your daughter, then go.

My children are the reason I left the military, not because I didn't enjoy it, but because they are our greatest responsibilty in life. You gave ten years of your life in service to your country, that's enough. Now fulfill your duty to your daughter and be the best father you can be. Be there for her.