For those who have served in combat, what is war like? I am in my early twenties, have never been in the military and do to medical conditions I could never really serve. I have a lot of close friends of who are currently serving or have served in the Marine Corps. With the wars going on, I find myself stopping at times thinking to myself, These are my friends over there, the kids I grew up with, kids just like me. So what is war like and how has it changed you?
2007-10-24 14:52:09 · 8 answers · asked by Yahoo Sucks 5 in Politics & Government ➔ Military
I ask because the troops have my complete respect and I don't care to here about the war or any war from the media.
2007-10-24 15:09:37 · update #1
you know what, you don't want to know
2007-10-24 14:55:11 · answer #1 · answered by rebel with a cause 6 · 3⤊ 1⤋
There are a couple of really good books out right now on the Iraq war. I'd recommend you check them out of the library and see what they're about. This war and the security-keeping mission we're on now have been completely different than any other military action we've ever undertaken... so reading about it is probably the best way to get a real feel for it.
I recently read "We Were One", written by a reporter who was with a squad of Marines out of the 3/1, during the taking of Fallujah in November 2004. It's written by Patrick K. O'Donnell, and is really very good. I heard of another book recently... sorry, can't remember the name of it.
2007-10-24 18:51:15 · answer #2 · answered by Amy S 6 · 0⤊ 1⤋
War is horrific. The smell of burning flesh is extremely sickening, and it is worse than the smell of rotting flesh.
Seeing bloated bodies, blackened in the sun and with maggots crawling around is not a pleasant sight.
Being scared with bullets and other ammunitions flying around and little or no adequate cover is something that no-one like to experience.
Seeing friends being killed in front of you is a devastating feeling.
You learn to become immune to death of everyone except your friends.
It is exhausting with long hours of boredom followed by short stints of extreme fear and excitement, and of long foot-slogging, poor meals, sleeping when possible and always, even in your sleep, alert to danger.
Generally, it is not something that I would want anyone to experience.
2007-10-24 16:12:46 · answer #3 · answered by Walter B 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
give war a chance, there's opportunities, benefits, etc. Why do you think it's such a popular subject? Why are there so many books, movies, etc. about war? 'cause nobody wants to admit that men LIKE it. It's the ultimate game. you don't believe me? then what do you think sports are? football? football is a dramatization of war, like some kind of ancient tribal dance celebrating conflict and the triumph of one group over another. You sound young, naive, unread. Think, learn, read, or you will become prey to mantra spouting philistines. semper fi mac
2007-10-24 15:27:50 · answer #4 · answered by Johnny Guano 3 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Remember what it's like to pull an all-nighter in school?
Imaging doing that for weeks on end -- without good food -- and with the expectation that at any moment the house you are in will be hit by a tornado or explode into fire.
War is worse.
2007-10-24 15:00:31 · answer #5 · answered by coragryph 7 · 3⤊ 1⤋
It is truly something you don't want to experience. Been to Somalia as a Ranger and Bosnia as a tanker. no fun to see dead people killed because of religious beliefs or the tribe you came from.
2007-10-24 15:59:03 · answer #6 · answered by tankeratheart 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
it's tiring as hell,or least it was for me as a marine in vietnam 1967-1969
2007-10-24 15:37:37 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
smell the flesh of humans burning from the shell that went through their head geese why would you want to know what evil does and is?
2007-10-24 15:04:01 · answer #8 · answered by sally sue 6 · 3⤊ 0⤋