|
Calgunners in Service This forum is a place for our active duty and deployed members to share, request and have a bit of home where ever they are. |
|
Thread Tools | Display Modes |
#41
|
|||
|
|||
Quote:
|
#42
|
|||
|
|||
Packages- What specific things can people send to deployed soldiers- food, gear, letters, stamps, gadgets? Any no-nos?
How would you address a package to steer it to a deployed unit? THANK YOU all for what you do every day far from home. |
#43
|
|||
|
|||
Quote:
dip, smokes, cigars....you can't drink only thing left is to dip or smoke Last edited by goathead; 05-13-2010 at 10:02 PM.. |
#44
|
||||
|
||||
Thank you, all you who are deployed and in service to the country.
Some questions, If I may, appreciate your answers! -If someone from back home tries to send you ammunition, would the package go through? Or would the anti-shipping-to-other-countries law kick in regardless? If someone was concerned about the M855 round being too weak, could a concerned parent/relative send Black Hills Mk 262 OTM 5.56 to someone who is in Infantry and likely to see combat? -I've always wondered, what kind of ammo do insurgents use? I know that they, being insurgents, use whatever they can get their hands on. Most of their stuff comes from the Black Market, I'm sure. Is it mostly Russian/Chinese ammo? Iranian? Egyptian? Is there a domestic Iraqi ammo manufacture that has supplies fall into insurgent hands? If anyone has seen/examined/handled, or knows anyone who has seen/examined/handled captured insurgent munitions, please let me know what it is! Also (this might sound stupid), has there ever been any Wolf ammo found in insurgent use anyone's heard of?
__________________
In Glock We Trust. Quote:
Quote:
http://www.calguns.net/calgunforum/s...d.php?t=737563 |
#45
|
|||
|
|||
Quote:
sending GIs ammo dont do it wolf ammo i know the answer but cant tell you at this time (sorry) bad guys get ammo anywhere they can captured insurgent munitions, i wish could tell you |
#47
|
|||
|
|||
Quote:
I missed a personal bathroom, soft toilet paper (bleeding from your bum gets old quick), and being clean everyday. The first shower home was about 30 minutes long and the best shower I have ever felt. I had to drag myself out. While the food was pretty good overseas, everything tasted the same after a while. It all tasted like it was drenched in fake butter. I couldn't wait for a real home cooked meal with my family. |
#49
|
||||
|
||||
Okay next questions....anyone feel free to chime in....
1. What is your biggest day to day fear? 2. Within your units, have you seen cowardice? Bravery? No need for specifics, just in general. 3. What is your opinion of the other coalition troops? |
#50
|
||||
|
||||
Quote:
2. First deployment to Iraq in 2003/2004 we had a guy from MO. Frigging cowardly POS. 3. I really like the British I've worked with, not much exposure to others.
__________________
01001001 00100000 01110111 01101001 01101100 01101100 00100000 01001110 01001111 00100000 01001100 01001111 01001110 01000111 01000101 01010010 00100000 01100011 01101111 01101101 01110000 01101100 01111001 |
#51
|
||||
|
||||
Quote:
Oddly enough I was on Guam for Operation Pacific Haven. We rescued 5,500 Kurds that Saddam was going to gas. That was a mini-vacation! Quote:
1. Biggest fear is hearing someone was killed and you don't know who it was. It was not fear for me but my buddies. A terrible wait. 2. When bullets fly there are those who say they are only here for the college money. Get them out of there asap! We need a person to watch our backs, not whine about it. Folks have been killed because of indecision of others. Sadly they go home and tell stories of heroism. 3. Local troops are a step above sheep. I find that they do not care at all about freedom, you have to fight for it and want it, you can't be handed it. As for the coalition folks like Germany and Canada who are on our world level, there are so few of them. The US makes up the lion's share anywhere you go. |
#52
|
|||
|
|||
Quote:
1. Generally it is the fear that you will not perform correctly and someone will die as a result. During one of my tours outside of Fallujah, my biggest day-to-day fear was being hit by one of the hundreds of 122mm rockets that were launched at us. 2. I only saw straight-up cowardice once, but it was very, very bad. Bravery? Every single day. 3. Wow, that's not a simple question. I have worked with a lot of different country's troops and it varies a lot. A good general statement would be that the less "civilized" the country, the less discipline thay had. Most of our NATO allies are pretty darned good, the rest, not so much. Many are into posturing during the daytime when nothing is happening, but at night, with bullets flying, they run like schoolgirls. |
#53
|
|||
|
|||
Quote:
2. Cowardice? Yes. Bravery? Yes. 3. Not much experience with them outside of Kuwait. They were courteous. Wish I spent some time with the British and Aussies (as those were mainly who I saw). |
#54
|
||||
|
||||
Personally, my biggest fear of fighting in Iraq or Afghanistan would not be death or dismemberment - it would be capture.
Knowing that the enemy can and will take you prisoner if given the opportunity, and most certainly will use you for their political gain (just as the Vietcong did in Vietnam).....do you have a fear of being taken prisoner, or is that very likely in the types of engagements you are in? |
#55
|
||||
|
||||
We are told to resist at every moment. The thought used to be to play along and you will be rescued. The enemy will kill you within 8 hours and then really mess up your body. At that point you hope your own side does not find you.
In my first engagement where I heard rounds fired close by I was speaking to civilians. With the pop-pop-pop they went indoors and beckoned me in. I turned towards the shooting, because that is what I do. I could have easily ducked into the room but that's not my purpose. Prisoner? We will all die together. TO be taken prisoner is suicide. I'll have one of them by the neck in my last moments. |
#56
|
|||
|
|||
Quote:
http://atwar.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/...ghts-in-marja/ Lee Enfields and WW2 (and earlier) 303 shells in above link. In the same series, (follow the whole series, very informative read) the journalist also reports: -US-purchased Wolf 7.62 rimmed in Taliban belt fed machine guns. -7.62 AK rounds are a real hodgepodge in any given magazine; ammo's filthy and not well cared for. |
#57
|
||||
|
||||
Quote:
__________________
OIF 07-09 Veteran NRA Endowment Member, CRPA Life Member |
#58
|
||||
|
||||
Quote:
Quote:
Quote:
NTM |
#59
|
|||
|
|||
Quote:
|
#60
|
||||
|
||||
Quote:
Semi-jokingly, our platoon made a deal, if they saw someone being drug off by the enemy and couldnt stop it, go ahead and shoot em, better dead than captured. A few of us kept 2 5.56 rounds in our the breast pocket of our uniforms in case we were ever caught in the position where we had ran out of ammo and were about to be captured. 1 round to swallow and a second in case that one misfired. It was all machismo talk, hyping each other up and everything, however, I can tell you, theres no way they were gonna get me if I could help it. There was many a time where one of us couldve been captured. I spent many nights sharing chai and hookah with the Iraqi Army guys, on thier base, with one other US Soldier, we couldve easily been snatched up there. 4 of us got left behind in the middle of Salman Pak by a National Guard MP unit when they pulled off the checkpoint we were providing overwatch for. We spent the next 30 minutes walking towards our fob until we were able to raise our platoon on the radio. There was always someone trying to get you to come into thier house for one reason or another, maybe innocent, but maybe not. Strange stuff, but always interesting, but yes, the fear of capture was always there. |
#61
|
|||
|
|||
I deploy in about 6 weeks for the first time. I have spent a good amount of time away from my wife due to training so I have an idea of what to expect, sorta. My wife is 8 weeks pregnant and the expected due date is Christmas day. I will not be there for the birth and I may not get to be there for weeks or even a month or two after it is born, or worst case they make me take leave before the baby is born, but I don't think that will happen.
We are going to a small COB in Iraq. We may be living a huge tent on cots with no personal space or wall lockers or anything for a year. There may or may not be showers but there is internet and a gym. I am worried that I will come home and everything will be different. There is going to be a kid or twins because my wife's family is prone to having twins and she is already showing at 6 weeks but the army wont do an ultrasound until 16 weeks. My wife has to go through most of the pregnancy in Hawaii with no family here and only a couple friends to help her. If she has twins she is going to be overwhelmed and even just having one is going to be hard for her. To the person that asked why some units go to Iraq and some to Afgan, I am in 2nd Brigade 25ID and we are going to Iraq because we are a Stryker Brigade Combat Team and Stykers are not good for mountains which is much of what is in Afgan from I have been told. So we are going to Iraq where I vehicles can be best utilized. |
#63
|
||||
|
||||
Ok next question. I ask this because of my Grandpa.
He was 5 years in North Africa with the Italian Army. His unit fought along side the Afrika Korps (Rommel). He would always mention to me as an enlisted that when the heavy fighting broke out, the Officers were nowhere to be seen, and usually far in the rear. Do you all find that is still the case today? |
#64
|
||||
|
||||
Quote:
I remember talking to you and letting you know its not all kittens and rainbows, but there are good times to be had. Make sure your finances are in order and send your wifey home to her family when you deploy or get someone to come out there to stay with her (shouldnt be too hard, you are in Hawaii!). Sometimes, its better for a spouse to stay around the base, where there are other families and friends who can relate to the situation and know what kind of support she will need. Civilians for the most part dont understand what she is going through and will be constantly putting negative thoughts into her head, that will make it harder and harder for her. Call as often as possible, email, skype, buy gifts and send them to her, just keep the connection there so she doesnt feel so alone. Proflowers and other internet stuff set up to deliver once or twice a month works wonders for her morale! Good luck! And again, Congrats on the young 'un! |
#65
|
||||
|
||||
Quote:
Every platoon leader and company commander I have had was a hard charging individual and would be the first to step into the fray. Lead from the front is the rule, and we would have to push the LTs back so us NCOs can do our jobs. Except for one, Ive always had Ranger/Infantry officers above me, so, they are always out front. Heck our battalion commander (LtCol) stayed outside the wire, constantly on patrol so that if and when anything happend, he could be there as quick as possible. Last edited by CavTrooper; 05-15-2010 at 11:15 AM.. |
#66
|
||||
|
||||
Analyze this hypothetical situation:
A twenty year veteran of the army, a Command Sergeant Major, is at a FOB. He is a 45 - a sage warrior, confidant and mentor to his men, and highly respected. At the same base arrives, a newly minted 2nd Lieutenant (24 years old). Describe their interactions candidly. |
#67
|
||||
|
||||
Quote:
If the LT got out of hand or didnt understand his place, the SGM would just defer to his commisioned counterpart and let him sort it out. |
#68
|
||||
|
||||
Quote:
|
#69
|
||||
|
||||
Once.
Watched a Captian walk across the parade field and punch his wife straight in the face without saying a word. He calmly submitted to the MPs and I never saw him again. Rumor has it, she was a bad, bad woman. Ive seen a few LTs be reassigned and heard the rumors as to why, but never personally witness an LT get stupid with anyone who outranks them. |
#70
|
||||
|
||||
I guess the point I'm trying to get at is this;
The military's system of NCOs and Officers is unlike any system in any private organization. I just struggle with the concept that an E9, who is most likely superior to any twenty something officer in almost every way, from experience, to wisdom, to maturity, should be subordinate to said officer in any way, shape or form. Why should an experienced combat veteran be subordinate to some kid who just got out of Officer training.....even if he is only nominally superior? I come from the martial arts world and after achieving 2nd degree black belt (probably the equivalent of an LTC in military rank), I can tell you that we view someone of inferior rank to have very little, if anything to contribute to anyone's edification. It's solely ability based. So in our view, a young 2nd LT wouldn't have more knowledge, experience, or ability than the older E9....why is he in a position above him? This military concept has always baffled me. |
#71
|
||||
|
||||
Quote:
Officers recieve thier authority through a commision from congress based on their education and training, most new officers generally have a bachelors degree. Most seniors NCOs and some not so senior have masters degrees or higher with little to no interest in ever being an officer. Its amazing to me that someone in the civilian world actually has an idea what an NCO is and what we do, most civilians do not understand the role that NCOs play in the Military and how that experience translates into the civilian work place. Good stuff, thank you. |
#72
|
||||
|
||||
Quote:
Well I guess I've been a longtime student of all things military. I went to an orientation last weekend for the CSMR. There was a Captain there who was observing. He pulled me aside and said "How is it you know all the ranks and protocol?" He said this because I could discern the rank devices on the ACUs and was addressing the NCOs by their proper rank, and the Officers as "sir" or their respective ranks. Basically, I just studied it! No mystery, however, I do have a big appreciation for the military and it's customs, hence the purpose of this thread - to learn more. I've read dozens of Army field manuals that fail to convey the minute nuances that have been easily explained in this thread! |
#73
|
|||
|
|||
Quote:
From my observation from the Air Force and from what I've seen with the army, the newer officers generally know that they are in charge, but do listen to the Senior NCOs. Listening and learning is a different story though. I've seen quite a few relationships between junior officers and SNCOs and they were generally pretty good, behind closed doors may be a different story though. Also, from an Air Force perspective, I know plenty of people who would rather be outranked and be an enlisted person rather than an officer. When I was in, I loved the brotherhood of the enlisted ranks in general, getting dirty, partying hard, and just being an airman. I can't say for sure, but I know the officer side isn't like the enlisted side; the enlisted are more closer and look out after each other more. For me, it was the idea of doing work too, and just not pushing papers on the desk. The army officers are a different story though. Last edited by Striker87; 05-15-2010 at 8:10 PM.. |
#74
|
||||
|
||||
Quote:
What's the different story with the Army officers? If you may.
__________________
Build AR-15 (My version of a M4) Glock 23 (CA Due date.. 3/2/12) Moss 590 Next... Remington 700? "A government big enough to give you what you want, is strong enough to take what you have." -Thomas Jefferson ΜΟΛ'ΩΝ ΛΑΒ'Ε |
#75
|
|||
|
|||
Quote:
It is true, a college degree doesn't automatically grant magic leadership powers, and out of every graduating class, you have guys that get it, and guys that don't. One piece of advice I remember from officer training was to pay attention to your SNCO once you got to the fleet. The relationship is very much a mentoring one of sorts. As a boot butter bar, you get to go to all the staff meetings, tell your platoon what to do and all that jazz, but you better not do it without closely coordinating with your platoon sergeant, because he should have a wealth of experience to guide you in your decision-making process. And to concur with Cavtrooper, it would be HIGHLY unlikely that 2ndLt would have regular interaction with a SgtMaj. Most junior officer - SNCO interaction would be at the E-6/E-7 level. But I can say from personal experience that if an officer was being a screwball, you'd still get corrected...it'd just be with a "sir" at the end. And generally behind closed doors. |
#76
|
|||
|
|||
"ut I can say from personal experience that if an officer was being a screwball, you'd still get corrected...it'd just be with a "sir" at the end. And generally behind closed doors."
"Sir, with all due respect" ..... means shut up & listen to the wise NCO 'cause you are about to screw the pooch big time! |
#77
|
|||
|
|||
i got a question
I joined the Soldiers Angels program and adopted a deployed soldier , now i get to send him a care package or 2 this month. I would like to send him my first one as a greeting . What kind of items would deployed soldiers like out in the sandbox? What can i send him to make his day ? So far i can only think of Candy , CDs or Crystal Light |
#78
|
||||
|
||||
Quote:
|
#80
|
||||
|
||||
Yep, I'd also like to know boots on the ground opinion of this rather than what the bureaucrats say.
|
Thread Tools | |
Display Modes | |
|
|