Friday, June 30, 2006
A Day in Iraq. Never good idea to go to a women's summer wine soiree when one of them has a son in Iraq. Especially when the son is in the 1st Battalion 25th Marines deployed in Fallajuh. Especially when the woman is articulate and can paint you a picture what you might feel if your own son were there. Suddenly pretty pedicured feet seem rather trivial and what happens is that you wake up the next day with a wicked hangover.
Certainly the 'Support Our Troops' magnets stuck to the back of SUV's seem pretty pathetic compared to the young soldiers who are enduring average daily temperatures between 105-120 degrees Fahrenheit. The sandstorms that blow in can immobilize a unit for days -- the fine grit gets into hair, eyes, mouth, and machinery alike. Showers are a rarity (on average once a week) and the packaged food they receive at meal time about as edible as dog food. The men carry backpacks weighing up to eighty pounds (Linda's son lost 30 pounds the first month of his arrival). Most of the men get about 3-4 hours of sleep a night -- the rest of their time is divided between their active shifts and/or being called to support other troops under attack. They hate the Iraqis and most could care less about the politics that brought them to Iraq in the first place. What gets them through the ordeal is the concept of the buddy system. The men form extremely strong bonds with one another. Their sole mission really is to look out for one another.
A Subsidized Military. It is really the loving generosity from families and friends that sustain these young men. Weekly packages are sent containing supplies of all kinds, from basic food to bullet-proof vests that actually work. And thank god for the internet. The 1/25 Marines website is an invaluable resource for the families of soldiers now half-way through their tour. Since Linda's son started seven months ago, his unit has lost five of their men in roadside bomb attacks.... The website: 1st Battalion Marines Official Website
Footnote: When Linda asked her son if he hadn't at least enjoyed an excursion that took him along the Euphrates river he replied, "Not really Mom. The river is full of dead bodies."
Certainly the 'Support Our Troops' magnets stuck to the back of SUV's seem pretty pathetic compared to the young soldiers who are enduring average daily temperatures between 105-120 degrees Fahrenheit. The sandstorms that blow in can immobilize a unit for days -- the fine grit gets into hair, eyes, mouth, and machinery alike. Showers are a rarity (on average once a week) and the packaged food they receive at meal time about as edible as dog food. The men carry backpacks weighing up to eighty pounds (Linda's son lost 30 pounds the first month of his arrival). Most of the men get about 3-4 hours of sleep a night -- the rest of their time is divided between their active shifts and/or being called to support other troops under attack. They hate the Iraqis and most could care less about the politics that brought them to Iraq in the first place. What gets them through the ordeal is the concept of the buddy system. The men form extremely strong bonds with one another. Their sole mission really is to look out for one another.
A Subsidized Military. It is really the loving generosity from families and friends that sustain these young men. Weekly packages are sent containing supplies of all kinds, from basic food to bullet-proof vests that actually work. And thank god for the internet. The 1/25 Marines website is an invaluable resource for the families of soldiers now half-way through their tour. Since Linda's son started seven months ago, his unit has lost five of their men in roadside bomb attacks.... The website: 1st Battalion Marines Official Website
Footnote: When Linda asked her son if he hadn't at least enjoyed an excursion that took him along the Euphrates river he replied, "Not really Mom. The river is full of dead bodies."
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