For you guys that were fortunate enough to get some time in Iraq. Thanks a million. We ALL owe you more than we can ever repay.

What do you think of "OVER THERE" on TV recently. My opinion was it was damn accurate on internal politics, stupid rules of engagement, imbedded reporters, unqualified Officers, and your family financial problems at home when you were gone.  The most recent show got me so pissed a couple of times at the unfairness I damn near put a shoe through the TV.

Did they ever increase the death benefits to dependents? Apologize for asking to ask, but I'd heard it stinks, and there was a proposal to raise it to $100K. But if it does pass is it retroactive? It sure as hell better be. Feingold and Kohl and Kennedy and Feinstein will do their best to kill it, I'm sure. Scumbags.

My service was back in the early '60's, just before Nam, as an MP dog handler but no combat.

God, that tees me off when I see these idiots that haven't the slightest idea what they're talking expressing their opinions. Have a great full life, you paid your dues.

It's on Fox, not HBO.

SGLI was $100K back when I was in (late '80s to early '90s).  It's $250K now.

The show blows in my opinion.  They keep showing an Infantry squad-minus with no direct support, portraying the Army as outgunned and understaffed.  Their use of tactics was only right once that I saw before I quit watching...when they reacted to an RPG attack while on convoy.  The squad leader did decent bounding with his two fire teams.  Unlike the pilot episode where they just lined up and charged.

it's on FX not Fox

Quoted: it's on FX not Fox

And FX is owned by...

Quoted: And FX is owned by...

News Corporation www.newscorp.com/index2.html

There is way too much conflict at the squad level for ANY unit to maintain any kind of  cohesion in peacetime, never mind combat. Coupeled with the fact that the war is still going on so there are no degries of seperation and I give it two thumbs down. At least MASH was set in Korea even though it was susposed to be about Viet Nam.

Quoted: It's on Fox, not HBO. SGLI was $100K back when I was in (late '80s to early '90s).  It's $250K now. The show blows in my opinion.  They keep showing an Infantry squad-minus with no direct support, portraying the Army as outgunned and understaffed.  Their use of tactics was only right once that I saw before I quit watching...when they reacted to an RPG attack while on convoy.  The squad leader did decent bounding with his two fire teams.  Unlike the pilot episode where they just lined up and charged.

Actually, SGLI is 400,000$ now.  

+1 on the show not being real accurate tactically (or interesting, for that matter)

Quoted: Actually, SGLI is 400,000$ now.

Maybe you know something the Army doesn't...

http://www.goarmy.com/benefits/health_care_and_time_off.jsp

"SGLI coverage is available in $10,000 increments up to a maximum of $250,000."

You only get 400k SGLI in a combat zone. Change occured on 1 September 2005. Back stateside it is still up to 250k. It costs $26.00 for the 400k of coverage.

I haven't seen the series because I am in Iraq right now living it every day, don't particularly care to either. ROE? It all depends on how you write the statements for the 15-6 investigation. We engage anyone who is a threat, and while driving that means every car on the road is a potential VBIED and therefore a threat. We do everything we can to ensure LN POVs stay away from us but sometimes they do not and they suffer the consequences. Out of 4 LN engagements, 50% were VBIEDs for my platoon. Unqualified officers? Yes, they exist, but most of them get sent away to some harmless position, instead of leading soldiers, from what I have seen. Although there are some on the line that should not be. But again, same goes for NCOs. You have good ones and bad ones down on the line. Really don't have any financial problems in my platoon, except the guy whose wife took the money and the car, and left the kids, bills unpaid and left him. We got him a humanitarian transfer back stateside.

I don't know if you can accurately portray this war. It is so differant to everyone here. Differant sectors experience differant kinds of enemy activity. Very few people here close with the enemy, most are support types. All I know is what my war is like, I have no idea what the war is like in Tal Afar, Baghdad, or Basra. My platoon is tight and we spend most of our time trying to fuck Haji up. The only important thing is getting out of here alive with everyone we have left.

Quoted: Quoted: Actually, SGLI is 400,000$ now.   Maybe you know something the Army doesn't... http://www.goarmy.com/benefits/health_care_and_time_off.jsp "SGLI coverage is available in $10,000 increments up to a maximum of $250,000."

Let me see if I can find my most recent LES...I don't recall the note at the bottom being combat zone specific, but I could be mistaken.  Just that it increased to 400,000.

As of 01 SEP 05 SGLI is increased for every service member to $400K at the rate of $6/100K of coverage.  You do not have to die in a combat zone to collect this money.  Everyone's coverage is automatically increased to $400K unless you stipulate that you decline the additional coverage.  Check your LES.

This is great news, one of the few times I'm glad to be wrong!  

Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: Actually, SGLI is 400,000$ now.   Maybe you know something the Army doesn't... http://www.goarmy.com/benefits/health_care_and_time_off.jsp "SGLI coverage is available in $10,000 increments up to a maximum of $250,000." Let me see if I can find my most recent LES...I don't recall the note at the bottom being combat zone specific, but I could be mistaken.  Just that it increased to 400,000.

I just went back into my guard unit and was told the SGLI is up to 400k now. You can opt out of it and keep the standard 250k, but 400k is available.

OVER WHERE???

My SEP LES still shows $10 for SGLI not the $26 for the 400K SGLI.

I watch it, of course, it's a HACK JOB as far as any "realism", but, it's something different, factor in a few nudie shots of Mrs B. it's an hour to kill. Dim and Smoke's continual banter is humorous.

Quoted: Quoted: And FX is owned by... News Corporation www.newscorp.com/index2.html

Which is Fox/Rupert Murdoch.

I call it shit, but that's just an old Marine talking.

At the end of the day... It's a F***in' T.V. "show"
They don't even wait 'til a conflict is over these days to start making TV hay out of it....
I mean... Hogans Heroe's wasn't produced until the 60's, Rat Patrol... the same....
Tour of Duty didn't come out until 20yrs after the vietnam war was done...

I was an 11B from 90-98. I never had much contact with females. The 2 transportation females are almost like they are part of the squad.

Stryker 11A  thank you for your service.