"You never leave the military, you just hang up your uniform......or like Hog, you burn it. Personally I tied my boots together by the laces, painted FTA on them (f*ck the Army), and threw them to hang over the telephone cables in front of the 1st Special Forces Commanders office at Ft. Lewis. How's that for professionalism (lol)."

I still wear my Desert Boots... best damn thing they gave us GI's... and if I ever meet one of my CO's out and about I'm going to show him I still got my boots with dog tags tied through the laces ;0)

the rest of the gear is hanging in the closet Armouir cleaned and pressed... the one I burnt was the duty of the day uniform I had been wearing to battle in my final days before being forced out without medical coverage and actknowledgement of my situation stemming from service connections... Long story and the battle is only halfway over fought...

Hog

How'd I miss this? A heated debate and I was nowhere to be found?

Mark that on your calendars...

AWOL they call it MAC......AWOL from the board is a serious offense. You're forgiven though (lol)

by the way, you would think Jekyl would have peered in on this one too......

The last letter that I recieved from LnCpl Michael Blake Wafford, USMC-KIA, stated how happy most of the people of Iraq were at the USA presence. How they were continually showered with praise and thanks. Was he lying?

Andrew

Firstly, I'm sorry for the loss of this Marine, whoever he was to you (friend, relative, penpal). It's unfortunate that he is gone, and please accept my empathy.

I doubt he was lying....in fact I'm certain he was being quite honest. There are many there that do thank us. There are, unfortunately, many that don't.

Regardless, the subject of this thread was this statue and who made it for us. I corrected the thread author. When this country gives us praise, it deserves to be announced and/or posted. I just don't want the "false" praise being posted, due to it's ability to mislead.

Again, sorry for your loss.

Blake died doing what he wanted to do his whole life, what he drove us nuts through 4 years of football practices talking about. I feel very little sorrow over his loss any more (he was killed in April of 04, so I have had almost a year to refelct upon it), it has been replaced by a feeling of pride, bordering on satisfaction, that he got to live his life as he chose, and he gave his life in the manner that he chose, defending others too weak to defend themselves.

I was responding to your comment stating that 'they don't want us there'....The vast majority of the Iraqi people, apparently (I have no first hand experience, as I chose LE over the military, I have not been there, and am basing my thoughts on the letters and phone calls from nearly a dozen friends and relatives currently serving somewhere in the PG) not only want the Americans there, they are indeed greatful.

As for the story about the statue, I have no comment on that, as I don't know enough of about its origins or creator to speak intelligently on it. But, regardless of its origins, it is a beautiful piece of work, and very stirring emotionally, for myself, and I'm sure, countless others. If it does find its way to Hood, I will definately be taking a trip out that way to see it in person.

Andrew

I haven't seen jerkyl post here for awhile now... I told you he was a troll adroomi. Just lookin' to start crap and move on...

Now lets hope the loser stays moved on...

MACS...I noticed that too...I guess Cbid took out the garbage, hehe!...

I'm not going to get into the politics here, but I would like to comment on the photo.

I can not imagine what it is like to lose a crew member or friend, like the photo shows.
I've had some horrible night mares about friends, but I always kept them to myself.
I was a night check lead petty officer for VF21 aboard the USS Constellation. As such I had around 12 to 15 younger guys under me (Plane Captians) as they were called in the navy. I had a chief that I reported to directly and he to a Lt.
I felt more like a Father & Priest & Mother & a SOB , but the Chief and I never lost a one of our crew. The flight deck of a carrier, in war conditions (24 hours a day flight ops) is one hell of a dangerous place to work. If I had lost one of my men, I don't think I would have ever gotten over it.
Sorry for the Thread jack
myash07