I enlisted in 1997. So I am sure I did not "know" that I was going to have to be deployed to babysit Iraqis. This is a horrible myth. I am not sure why people not in the military like to say that B.S. I can only speak for the people I know and most of them if not all do not want to keep going back to Iraq.
2007-01-11 01:56:10 · 17 answers · asked by Anonymous in Politics & Government ➔ Military
Let me rephrase this. I did not know by signing up for the National Guard I would have to worry about going to year long overseas deployment every 4 to 5 years. If I wanted to do that I would have signed up for the Marines. I am all about fighting in a war that has a purpose and that could actually be won by the military. This just seems to be a silly waste of time.
2007-01-11 02:10:40 · update #1
I also enlisted in 97, and I had no idea that something like this was going to happen. No one knew that there was going to a war.
2007-01-11 02:01:49 · answer #1 · answered by NCOIC 2 · 2⤊ 1⤋
Who said anything about "Iraq" specifically? I think you're misinterpreting what people are saying.
I hope you understood that you might actually have to fight in a war when you enlisted. You did understand that, correct? And because you volunteered, without reservation, that you would be expected to follow legal orders ordering you into combat?
And you did understand that your deployment was at the direction of the President, Commander-in-Chief, right?
And they didn't give you a check-off list so you could pick which countries you'd fight in, did they?
Yours sounds more like a strawman argument. Me, my brother and my dad didn't know if or where we'd be deployed to when we joined up, either. You just got the bad luck to have joined just before major long-term military operations in Iraq. It's the luck of the draw.
2007-01-11 02:15:57 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 4⤊ 0⤋
Because when you sign up for ANY branch of the military you know there is a CHANCE that you might have to go to war.
Now let me get this right you first enlisted in 97 that means your enlistment was up around 2001 and you would have reenlisted and then that enlistment would have been up around 2005 and if you are still in that means you reenlisted yet AGAIN, and you are complaining about have to go to Iraq. Stop whining if you don't want to go back maybe you should stop reenlisting.
2007-01-11 02:49:11 · answer #3 · answered by My little girl is here!! 5 · 1⤊ 1⤋
So if you signed up in 1997 then your enlistment would have run out in 1993.
So if you are still in then you would have had to have re-enlisted - knowing that we are at war.
BTW - asking a soldier if the 'want' to go back to Iraq is like asking a parent if they 'want' to change diapers. There are many things in life that we do not 'want' to do but do anyway because it needs to be done. (For those of us with maturity at least.)
2007-01-11 02:22:21 · answer #4 · answered by MikeGolf 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I hear that cop-out all of the time. I find whenever I question the war I get that or some other dumb response. People mostly like to talk out of their rear ends. I also hear a lot of "If you don't support bush you are a libtard" or some such other retarded nonsense. It breaks my heart to see these fine young people fighting a war and dying for a country that cannot even fight for itself. The reason Saddam's regime was so brutal was because it was necessary to maintain law and order. Now that we have taken him out, the country has gone to hell in a handbasket, and no amount of troop increases are going to change it. I just pray this doesn't last too long and they don't start up the draft. I was in the military during the first gulf war and feel it was justified THEN not now.
2007-01-11 02:12:42 · answer #5 · answered by eee_aww 3 · 1⤊ 2⤋
As you can see from the answers this is a question people do not want to face. It is a part of the intentional ignorance. We choose not to face the evil we are doing- both to Iraq and to the military. Re Iraq, as we keep hearing "they" want us there. Really? and who is this "they"? Did "they" want us to kill hundreds of thousands of civilians before we invaded? Mercy, it just goes to show that Hitler was right. If you tell a lie often enough, many people will believe you. Likewise regarding the military. To send them in harms way, with no chance of a good outcome... no benefit possible, and very possibly death or serious injury... no excuse for it. How can we harmonize this ridiculous situation? -- Well, if all the soldiers "knew they were going' and signed up anyway, that would make it "voluntary" and I am not to blame if it is "voluntary" and they come back hurt. It is stupid almost beyond comprehension, but it is the only view from which I am not at fault, and certainly "I" couldn't be wrong,! (could I)
2007-01-11 02:15:53 · answer #6 · answered by hasse_john 7 · 1⤊ 3⤋
When you signed up, however, you KNEW that if war was declared, you could/would probably be called to go. That is what is meant by the phrase, "You knew when you signed up...".
I enlisted in 1984. Did I think that I would see combat? Nope. Why? Because the world was at peace. Did I know that if war happened I could be called to go? Yup.
2007-01-11 02:11:54 · answer #7 · answered by My world 6 · 3⤊ 0⤋
You enlisted in 1997. When did you reenlist? And if you sign up for the military, whose job it is to fight wars, why would you expect otherwise?
2007-01-11 03:49:41 · answer #8 · answered by matt_precht 2 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Not to be rude, but when you sign up you must accept the fact that you can be called in to combat.
I can however see where you are comming from. Recruiters are known to make things sound great and perfect but once you soon get in you realize that it isn't much fun. Not to mention that politics are always cutting pay/benifits to save money.
Just keep your head down and try to come back safe. Good Luck....
2007-01-11 02:02:44 · answer #9 · answered by AlienJack J 3 · 3⤊ 0⤋
Okay, by my math 1997 was 10 years ago. You've had a chance to not reenlist since then. Therefore, you knew. All of the new enlistees know.
2007-01-11 03:39:49 · answer #10 · answered by The Man 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋