NATURAL BORN KILLERS

It's not often enough I get to spend any time with the old gang from the 21st. Getting to share this weekend with them made this 4th especially memorable. Lord knows we shared a whole lot of time riding in the back of an airplane made by the lowest bidder, flying off with the tons of combat comm gear (also made by the lowest bidder) to some fracas somewhere. It was nice to just enjoy a day with these people without wondering if the pilot was landing in the right country.

With wives, girlfriends and children in tow, 17 of us went to the stadium to watch the Manatees trounce the Cubs and watch some awesome fireworks after the game. Especially nice was seeing Ray Jr. again. In our day he was a small lad who liked to hang around us when we were in garrison. We even made a little uniform for him and made him a sergeant. He was kind of special to us as him momma died in childbirth leaving Ray as a single parent in a combat unit that deployed 200 days a year, every year. Young Ray was home healing from getting hit in the shoulder. Same wound I got so we sat and commiserated and compared scars and stories. Ray's a Marine now. He was on his second tour in Iraq when he got hit.

It was a great night and one I'll remember for a long time. It's funny the things people remember from those days. Oh, we had our moments of sheer terror where we didn't know if we'd live much longer, (and were too busy to worry about it) and you'd think that those memories would be in the forefront of the conversation when we had our little re-unions. Not so at all.

It was the stupid things that were funny that we remember and talk about the most. Like the port -o- johns in Central America we called Hondo Condos. When they torched that diesel in those things one would experience the literal meaning of being a flaming asshole. Then there was the time our commander stated that anyone who was overweight could not deploy. By 8 am that morning every dunkin donuts place was out of donuts. The order was quickly rescinded.


Then there was the don't ask don't tell philosophy which to us translated into the order that if someone was suspected of being gay that they could not deploy. By the end of that day there wasn't a straight in the unit. Then there was the time someone adjusted the governors on our vehicles and I'm sure we hold the record for the fastest military convoy. Those big M923's could hit 90mph ungoverned. So many stories like that. Stuff that just isn't newsworthy. Ray Jr. had a few stories of his own from the new front line. It was good to hear that our replacements have the same inventive thinking. Keeping sane when your world is insane.


Young Ray made a comment about the Declaration of Independence. He doubted anyone in the stadium that night had ever even read it. This brought much laughter as every one of us had read it. It was something required in our unit. A few who signed that document sacrificed everything they owned and died destitute, and nobody cared. It was an example to us that some civilians were worth the sacrifice. When the time came, they ponied up everything and because of them, the people who constantly exercise their right to free speech, (but should be exercising their right to remain silent), can freely express whatever moronic thought they have.


I hear the great debate about whether we should be in Iraq or not. "Hello" it doesn't matter cause we are there. It doesn't matter whether we should have gone or not anymore. Now lets finish this thing. If you're really interested in what's really going on over there then put down your newspapers and turn off your tv's and invite one that's been there into your home for dinner. You'll get the truth. Your not going to get it from some general who is well protected and who's information on the status is from those who are "walking the walk", and the reporters are not telling you anything that doesn't sell newspapers or isn't in line with the owners political affiliation.

Maybe you'd like to do something nice for the troops. Here's a hint, phone cards are worthless if there's no phone available to use. Did you know that several thousand troops only way of ever calling home is to purchase a cell phone which every major US cell phone company is happy to sell them because the average cell bill is $1100 a month and easily collected from a troop in a combat zone.

Did you now that the critically wounded being treated at Walter Reed and Bethesda have to pay for their spouses to stay with them at the local area rates. The list goes on and on. But then you people have always forgotten the veterans when it was time to pony up.

Thats right, you people. You are the government, you decide what will and won't happen. You're responsible for this country. Have you not realized that you are still paying for World War II, Korea, Vietnam, Grenada, Falklands, Nicaurgua, Dessert Storm, Somalia, Macedonia, and on and on. Why are you making the veterans and their families suffer emotionally and financially and letting the big corporations prey on them and victimize them. The finger is pointed at you! It's your fault!


So, how was yer 4th? Festive?


Stand Yer Ground, Bandana