Data Geek Marine Reserve Son Going to Iraq in Mortuary Affairs - Page 1

[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Data Geek Marine Reserve Son Going to Iraq in Mortuary Affairs

Posted: 9/23/2006 7:31:43 PM EDT

I posted this in the Deployed Forum but really want to get some input quickly here so here goes again.....

I guess that's what he get's for volenteering to go. Reserve duty was driving him crazy and he wanted to do his part but I don't think he ever thought in his wildest dreams he would be going for mortuary affairs.(Now called Personel Retrieval and Processing)

He is an 0653 DMS data geek. Surely they could have found a com job for him somewhere.

What's in store for him other than the obvious? He said he thought he would be spending some time outside the wire recovering Marine bodies and maybe pulling some security. I can handle him taking and giving some fire but putting those poor kids back together could ruin him for life.

Anybody know anything else?..........what can he expect?

Most importantly ACOG or Aimpoint ;-)

Semper Fi

Rocketmen

Posted: 9/23/2006 7:39:13 PM EDT

[#1]

Quoted:
I posted this in the Deployed Forum but really want to get some input quickly here so here goes again.....

I guess that's what he get's for volenteering to go. Reserve duty was driving him crazy and he wanted to do his part but I don't think he ever thought in his wildest dreams he would be going for mortuary affairs.(Now called Personel Retrieval and Processing)

He is an 0653 DMS data geek. Surely they could have found a com job for him somewhere.

What's in store for him other than the obvious? He said he thought he would be spending some time outside the wire recovering Marine bodies and maybe pulling some security. I can handle him taking and giving some fire but putting those poor kids back together could ruin him for life.

Anybody know anything else?..........what can he expect?

Most importantly ACOG or Aimpoint ;-)

Semper Fi

Rocketmen

Your son is to be admired for his desire to serve with his fellow Marines overseas.

Posted: 9/23/2006 7:49:08 PM EDT

[#2]

Jeebuz H you'd think that would be a voluntary billet.

Posted: 9/23/2006 7:52:29 PM EDT

[#3]

You can never fault a man for wanting to join his brothers in arms, no matter the job or the result thereof.
God bless him and his brothers.

Posted: 9/23/2006 7:55:34 PM EDT

[#4]

Quoted:
Jeebuz H you'd think that would be a voluntary billet.

If it were volunatry, Idon't think it would ever be filled. But it is still a very important job.

Posted: 9/23/2006 7:56:13 PM EDT

[#5]

Our Fallen deserve the best of care and utmost respect it's a job that needs to be done.

Posted: 9/23/2006 8:08:27 PM EDT

[#6]

Quoted:
Our Fallen deserve the best of care and utmost respect it's a job that needs to be done.

This is very true but isn't a job for anyone.

Posted: 9/23/2006 8:14:34 PM EDT

[#7]

That's really gonna suck. I would want to know that my remains were well taken care of if I were to die in a combat zone. There is more to boxing someone up and shipping them home than many think. There must be mandatory therapy for that group. I wish him the best!

Posted: 9/23/2006 9:30:08 PM EDT

[#8]

He'll have another career field after they outsource all the IT to India.

It's probably not much more distressing than being next to your buddy when he gets blown to pieces by an IED. Maybe even less. You gotta figure it's likely to be much better than in WW2 where they were making the pickups up to several weeks after the fact. Say Iwo Jima having to wait until the island was more or less secured.

Posted: 9/23/2006 10:29:49 PM EDT

[#9]

Mortuary Affairs is currently being done by a US Army Reserve unit our of Puerto Rico; I know a couple of the guys that are in that unit and they are doing an excellent job; is not exactly a job for everyone, specially when you have to deal with a lot IED casualties; your son has his heart in the right place and for that, I admire him. I could not do that type of job voluntarily, but then again, I am an MP and our job is not exactly a walk in the park out there.

Just tell your son to be safe and to remember that his job is very important and to do it with respect and dignity.

SEMPER FI

PS - go with the ACOG.

Pricy, but well worth it.

Posted: 9/24/2006 3:54:59 AM EDT

[#10]

Yea if he goes outside the wire at all he goes with an ACOC. Even if I gotta sell every thing I own to do it.

Posted: 9/24/2006 3:58:13 AM EDT

[#11]

Thank your son for me, he is a better man than I.

Get him an ACOG.

Posted: 9/24/2006 4:31:59 AM EDT

[#12]

I pray that he will be bored from lack of activity.

Talk with him & prep him for what he may see. Tell him how extremely proud you are that he is going to help those who have fallen.

Posted: 9/24/2006 5:03:45 AM EDT

[#13]

Is he deploying with the PRP unit out of Marietta, GA?

Posted: 9/24/2006 5:22:17 AM EDT

[#14]

A Marine that once served under me went over to Iraq in Mortuary Affairs. He ended up being 2005 Marine of the Year (Sgt. Daniel Cotnoir). He was one of the people that had to cut down the Blackwater contractors from the bridge. The whole experience apparently has left some mental scars:

Shooting Incident

But he was aquitted

Keep a close eye on your son when he gets back. He will see more grisly shit than about anyone else. PTSD is a likely result.

Semper Fi

Posted: 9/24/2006 7:03:44 AM EDT

[#15]

Don't know who he will be with yet. His current reserve unit is a com unit out of NC. He volenteered to go regardless of what the job would be. (Dad is a former Marine and he strongly advised against this but I'm proud of him anyway of course.)

Will they send him to some kind of school first? I hope so but then I guess it might not take much training to put a fellow Marine in a body bag. I do hope he has an opportunity to make a couple of bad guys pay while he is there. That I know he can do.

My son will render a smart hand salute, say Aye aye Sir! and do his duty to the best of his ability just like all Marines but I gotta tell you I am really concerned about how this might affect him later in life.

Posted: 9/24/2006 7:36:44 AM EDT

[#16]

Quoted:
A Marine that once served under me went over to Iraq in Mortuary Affairs. He ended up being 2005 Marine of the Year (Sgt. Daniel Cotnoir). He was one of the people that had to cut down the Blackwater contractors from the bridge. The whole experience apparently has left some mental scars:

Shooting Incident

But he was aquitted

Keep a close eye on your son when he gets back. He will see more grisly shit than about anyone else. PTSD is a likely result.

Semper Fi

That is an honorable man. God Bless him and I'm glad he got off.

Posted: 9/24/2006 7:38:21 AM EDT

[#17]

ACOG! I don't have anything else to add, but a big Thank you to you son for his service. He will be in our thoughts and prayers.

Posted: 9/24/2006 6:41:13 PM EDT

[#18]

Bump for the night crew.

Posted: 9/24/2006 6:47:47 PM EDT

[#19]

I salute him for his dedication and sincerely wish that he finds himself under-worked.

Posted: 9/25/2006 10:06:07 AM EDT

[#20]

Even more important than the ACOG, get him the book "On Combat" by Dave Grossman. Sure, theres a few chapters that probably dont need to be in the book, but over all it is nessecary reading. He talks about alot of what goes on with the body and mind in combat. If you read it before hand, you have an idea what you can expect and realize its normal. I only wish I had read it before I deployed instead of after I got back.

[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Data Geek Marine Reserve Son Going to Iraq in Mortuary Affairs

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