Watching what's going on in Iraq is really strange.
Last night and today watching the coverage, a lot of things that I haven't thought about in a long time have come back to the front of my head.
The most bizarre thing is, the most prominent memories that I'm having are smells. Its not like I'm smelling them now, but the memory of how some things smelled.

Also think its kind of odd that I really feel like I should be there now. Not that I want to be there, but like I'm supposed to be.

Anyone else who was there for Storm feel this way, or am I just nutz?

echo6

I missed the Storm, but I was just there in Kuwait in 1999. I was a Patriot Tactical Control Officer - everytime they talk about the missile intercepts I feel like I am not where I am supposed to be.

The memories got so weird yesterday that I dug up some old pics - I may post them here soon.

Q for mech guys: how do the grunts in the back of the Bradleys piss on those long road marches? Thye can't exactly lean out the door like we used to do!


Adam
Adam

Piss in a Gatoraid bottle, throw it out!...then listen to the guys who chew bitch and moan about you throwing out a spitter.[:D]

I feel left behind. 2 Months before my PCS to VA my unit Deployed to Afgan, and now what didn't deploy with them went to the Sandbox. I have had a few near misses for things like this in my 10 yrs in the military. Haiti was one of them. DAMN Jimmy Carter...LOL But I feel I now have a job to get done so that the Soldiers that I train will get there and know what to do when the time comes for them to do their Job.

Since they started bringing females aboard ship? Nope, don't miss that bullshit.


Nice signature line, [b]acftgrunt[/b]. I have that book.

Thanks Was one of those Blackhearted Devils for 8 1/2 yrs.... Loved the Book too.

I spent the first gulf war as an Army MP doing physical security at seaports in CONUS. There was little or no threat to the US at that time. I'm in the AF Reserve as an SP and don't know why I haven't been called up yet. Occupation duty?

I started Basic the day we hit Granada, got off active and went guard just before Panama,(My AD unit [PSYOP] was at both) transferred to an armor unit in order to go to the 1st gulf and got stuck at home while my previous unit went to Germany as replacements.  I am full fledged civilian now (as much as can be anyway) and here we go again.  I have several freinds there and in Bosnia and wish I could be in either one of them.  But I realize that I am no longer in shape to do it, but also 10 years behind in the equipment and would be more of an impediment than a help.  From my wife, she is glad as hell that I am no longer in.  If called upon, I would be more than willing to go though.  I pray for and support all of our guys over there and am proud that we finally have a President that I can believe in.

I was in 2nd Batallion 88-92. Got to play in Panama and GWI.

Strike Hold Brother!

Yes I do feel left behind, but I'm too old to hang with those young guys anyway.

Wierd thing- My mom called me yesterday in hysterics crying and carrying on. I guess she was having a flashback. I kept telling her I'm not there anymore. Very bizarre.

You've got to LOVE those MOM's ... Mine did the same and she knows I wasn't there or getting to go.

I feel like a fish out of water to tell the truth. I know I'm on terminal right now, but damnit I want to be there! I volunteered my services at work last week and was told no. What can ya do? Wish 'em luck!

How about this -

 I was moblized to support this war... and due to lack of action by a certain country... I'm still fricking here.

 I want to go, I'm still ready to go, and I'm getting over being bitter for missing A-day.  Matter in fact our full-timer (guard unit) got moblized AFTER me and he is leaving tomorrow.  The good thing is, he said he'll talk to the Col that he will be working for and give it a shoot at getting me to the ITO.

 Give me a weapon and I'll even do security at a FOL, critical career field or not.  Heck I'll even deploy with my own 'rifle' just give me a nice long firing zone (700PSS).

cheers!

That is dead on with how I feel.  

I have been feeling that way since 9-11, I am really depressed that I retired and am not there anymore. I used to be in on the action, was involved in almost everything that happened from 1975 - 1996 as a Marine grunt, now can only watch on tv, not a war lover or nutcase just , I dont know.

I wish I was there.
Went to boot camp during Desert Shield, and "Storm" was over before I graduated.
The Corps no longer needed my services (worn out knees and unable to run, but 'no problems' according to the friggin Navy docs, but I'm 40% disabled. Go figure.), so I got denied reenlistment.
Now I have a few friends out with the 24th MEU, and they are going into northern Iraq, and I wish I was there.
I've seen 2 Marines on TV, that I've served with, one who is a retired Lt. Col and an annalist for Fox news, and Maj Sanborn, who is over there now, and was the subject of report by Neil Covuto(sp) on Fox last week.

I sure want to go back and finish the job I started back in 91 withthe 1st INF. Div. "The big Red One" A co. 4thBn 37th Armor.
I think that this time if I could go back in I would go in a Marine, just for something different to do. And I would want to be a grunt again. Like I was when I first enlisted in the Army. However being a tanker was a gas, had a lot of fun in tanks.

Was in Basic during Grenada and Lebaneon, in Germany during Pananma, still in Germany when Desert Sheild started but made my way back to 5th SFG in time for GW1 (SR mission south of Baghdad), missed Somailia (sister company went),went to Haiti after the start and currently again in Germany still waiting.  My oldest son is enroute to the sandbox.  My wife dosen't want both of us over there together but I'm itching and have my ruck packed.

De Oppresso Liber

Exactly.  

-Zmeja

i've been debating enlistment...i'm not even sure i could get in.  on a sidenote, my great uncle is in his early 80's, a 101st ABN vet of ww2, korea, and vietnam and when all this shit started he told my grandmother 'he's waiting for the call',  i don't think it leaves you guys 'veterans'.  makes me proud to hear things like that.  i can't stop thinking how all those guys are younger than me (i'm 24) and they're involved in something so historically significant.  and i'm just watching it on t.v.

who do you drill with?  I'm a PL with B 2/162 in Corvallis

Yep.  During GWI I was stuck at Charleston AFB keeping things flowing with Desert Star missions.  I had friends in the sandbox and I felt guilty because in my heart I knew I belonged with them.  I knew that keeping the beans and bullets flowing into the Gulf region was critical to overall success, but I didn't feel like the contribution was "direct" enough.

Still, in the end, we take our orders and do our part.

absolutely! have over 19 years serivce currently in a guard armor unit as a medical officer. I have watched each major event in military history pass me by with only a very minor role and it feels awful- Although I temper that disappointment with the joy  and apprreciation I have being at home too. Currently many of my troops are on homeland security missions here in the US-they are all dying to get into an armor mission instead of MP style stuff- Even got word another armor unit is being activated to go to the gulf region-but they have been told they will be trading tanks and pistols in for rifles and 'rucks- they will be doing a light inf mission there!

  I know this well !
I went in in 76 we were the first one's to go through the new Inf training in Fort Binning Ga.
when they reopened it. They even gave us a survey on how we thought the training was at the end and we told them it was too easy ! LOL felt sorry for you guys that came after us !!

I feel as if I should be there, and I was in the first gulf war.

Hi All,

Glad I found this forum.  Very informative...

While I wasn't in the first "Storm"...a bit after my time.  I got to enjoy the less known Beruit, Grenada and Lybia fun.  However I do feel like I should be there...felt the same way about Desert Storm.  In fact I did check with the recruiter to see if they would take me back, unfortunately they don't need any one legged riflemen :(

Gods speed to all that are over there...and thank you!

Generally when asked what I think about the war in Iraq, I say this:

"The only thing that pisses me off about the war in Iraq, besides the idiot anti-war protestors and slanted coverage by Arab news media is that I'm not over there doing my part."

I was too young for Gulf War I, did deploy to Bahrain while I was in, got out to go to college, and now I'm going back in the Air Force as an officer, but there won't be anything left for me when I'm done with training...  Unless Syria doesn't straigten up its act.

And I thought I was the only one. It got so bad that I had to stop watching the news. Looks like I may be part of the clean-up crew, though.

A big part of me really wishes I was over there, but...

When I got out of the Army in '98, I wasn't "digging" what I was doing anymore...I had re-enlsted & changed jobs a couple of years before. I went from being a world-class air defender to the world's worst CH-47D mechanic. I worked with some of the most spineless ass-kissing "yes"-men that I've ever seen. I received NO support from the other NCO's in the unit, especially my Platoon Sergeant. My CO hated me, personally. The day-to-day "Mickey Mouse" B.S. was about to drive me to insanity. As much as I hate to admit it, it was time for me to move on...

When I got out, I basically had nothing and had to start over from scratch. I now own my own home. I've got a pretty damn good job, especially with the crummy economy these days. I've been married to a great woman for over 10 years. We have a 7 year-old daughter and a 7 month-old son. I've worked pretty hard to get where I'm at...

For me to re-enlist and go back into the Army would mean that I'd have to start from "scratch"...again. I just couldn't ask my family to make that sacrifice. I also just turned 37 years old last week. It would be Hell for me to get back into shape to keep up with the 18 - 25 year old soldiers.

[b]Deep down, I was/am really yearning to be there[/b]...but my responsibility lies elsewhere now and I thank God that I've got the maturity to realize & admit that.

Being a "Firehouse Dog" ain't so bad...especially when you have a terrific family to stay home with.

I feel like the fire horse.  I can hear the bell and smell the smoke, but nobody is letting me out.  I'm one of those guys with a Nat'l Defense with Star.  

I spent all my Reserve time with Military Sealift Command, including 11 months overses recalled Gulf War One.  I know I can do the stuff and let the younger guys loose for other important jobs.  My son is now at Shaw AFB as an Ejection Seat Mechanic.  Looks like he will be on of the guys that stays/stayed behind although he is completeing and passing his quals that should allow him to get the TADs and deployments now. It bothers him a lot that he didn't go.  It doesn't bother his Mother or Me, although I sure know how he feels.

I drove my Mother out to visit him in early March, it was a planned trip and we visited old friends in Oklahoma on the way.  Everything went fine until we were visitng Ft. Sill and saw one of the heavy units loaded up on flat cars. Both she and her friend kinda lost it at that point.  My dad had served in WWII, and Korea, his reserve unit got alerted for Berlin and had exercised VN scenarios as early as '60.  Just too many memories came flooding back.

The war itself didn't bother her until she saw Ted Koppel in front of the lines of tanks, that brought back a lot of memories.

My wife is probably handling it the best of all.  She's got me and I'm not going, our boy isn't going overseas at this time.  She's helping the Mothers at church with kids on active duty including one deployed to Jordan, and one of the ladies our age who recently married an Army O-6 who is at MacDill and ???.  She went through my WestPacs and recall for Gulf War One for 11 months. She was  7.5 months pregnant that time when I left.

I'm too young to be treated so old.