Does this say it all???

Question

A soldier's view of support.....

1. Get us the best equipment you can get your hands on. Not just the stuff some congressman or senator got because it's made in his district or he was bribed to approve it. The body armor we have is not the best. We can and should do better.

2. Down time for soldiers after their tour in combat. Not the 30 days of leave they would have earned staying stateside but some real down time to get reacquainted with their families. In addition, troops are returning stateside to watch our commanding officers give each other bronze stars and medals, do a change of command and then are handed over to the next hotshot who wants to immediately start busting humps in a high speed training cycle designed to help him get his next bronze star and nice bullet comments on his Officer Evaluation Report.

3. Stop opposing pay raises. We noticed even the president himself apparently doesn't think a 3.5 percent pay raise is in order.

Check the voting record of Republicans and Democrats on benefits for soldiers. Votes speak louder than words.

4. Most importantly, fix the system that is supposed to care for the wounded. There's a reason for the tight security around Landstuhl Air Base in Germany, and it isn't about national security. It's about something very wrong going on regarding care for soldiers.

"In short, play politics with somebody else's lives. We need good equipment, good pay, good benefits and some accountability measures for the politicians. I'm too busy fighting the war, training my soldiers and trying to survive. How about you fix your end, and I'll take care of mine?"
http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=58022

Answer 1

Well said. There is to much behind the scenes action that directly affects the military, and it sure isn't good. To much under the table deals, padding to many politicians pocketbook. To much rhetoric from the politicians and not enough action.
All we can hope for is that someone (who, I wonder) will be strong enough, honest enough and with enough morals to do the right thing for the people keeping the bad guys at bay and out of our back yard. Let me expand that thought. Do the right thing for the American people, instead of the other countries that smile with their hands out, and talk trash when after they get it.

Answer 2

You remarks are excellent....my comments...
1. poor equipment has been the lament of military units since the revolutionary war. In WWII the Sherman tanks was no match for th German Tiger tank. Tankers called them flaming death traps.
In Vietnam the original M16 rifle jammed so often we carried shotguns as a back up weapon.

2. The misuse and shortage of military personnel is criminal. Especially the way the National Guard has been overtaxed and over used.

3. Military pay has always been lower then civilian pay. In 1967 I was expected to die for my country on E1 pay that was below the poverty line.

None of this makes it right but the military and there Police/ Firefighter civilian counterparts who lay there lives on the line are at the mercy of bureaucrats and incompetent politicans

Answer 3

When I first saw your post I was very leary.

I do think "support the troops" has now become a politcal football.

Both parties have done a great job loading up bills that were meant for the troops with poison pills that winds up killing it.

Thereby the party that puts it up can say well the other side doesn't support the troops no do they?

Answer 4

Unfortunately, this is correct. But since Washington can't do anything in a reasonable amount of time, and probably won't ever do number one, we'll be seeing more and more mercenary companies stepping in as the recruits for the army keep going down.

Answer 5

Wish I'd had that in Viet Nam.
What I had was far worse than the troops today.

Answer 6

Well said my friend.Gilbert.