A Thread To Honor Our Military In Iraq

[Kanadesaga]

Originally Posted by lrrp

My brother (on his 3rd tour now) says about 2/3rds of the troopers in his regiment come from lower middle class homes or lower. There are some of what he calls "silver spooner" kids there, but most are what you would call blue collar. As evidenced here, very few people who support the war are actually fighting it. He also says that most of the idealists that show up (enlisted because of 911) lose that idealism very quickly. He does say tho, that we are there now, and we will have to be for some time to come. This is a humanitarian crisis WE created, and the US is obliged to at least try to sort it out. That said, I wonder how many chickenhawks here would volunteer to take his place?

Zero. Zip. Nada. Ninguno. Aucun.

[Kanadesaga]

Originally Posted by bornright

Is not 75,000 a year middle class economically in this country today?

As far as your brother, there are many volunteers joining today to take his place. I volunteered for my war and honestly probably would today but there is not much of a demand for 58 year olds.

But if you ask the American people, you'll get yet another response. According to statistics from the National Opinion Research Center, as reported by Baker, large numbers of American define themselves as "working class" or "middle class," including:

50% of those families who earn between $20,000 and $40,000 annually
38% of those families who earn between $40,000 and $60,000 annually
16.8% of those families who earn over $110,000 annually

NOW. Politics & Economy. Who is the Middle Class? Overview | PBS

[Noob920]

Originally Posted by BillCosby

Well I was hoping for a bit more clever or entertaining..........

You want entertainment, watch the Cartoon Network.

Originally Posted by BillCosby

I guess I can't always pick um.............

I figured someone as RICH as you would have someone "pick um" for you.

Originally Posted by BillCosby

Interesting on kerry.......

Quite.

Originally Posted by BillCosby

So were did mcbush place in his graduating class of midshipmen???

I assume you mean John McCain? (George W Bush didn't go to Annapolis) To quote you: "do your own research".

[Kanadesaga]

3987

[BillCosby]

Originally Posted by Noob920

You want entertainment, watch the Cartoon Network.




I figured someone as RICH as you would have someone "pick um" for you.




Quite.




I assume you mean John McCain? .

Since that is who we are talking about............

I don't blame yea for ducking that one................lol

He is right there w/ custer & some of the other great herO's.......

[lrrp]

I find it difficult to place any stock or faith in someone who was unaware of the US bombing effort in south Viet-Nam, after claiming to have been there. If there are so many volunteers just chomping at the bit to go to Iraq, then how come recruiting is at an all time low? Does DOD pay benefits for combat carpal tunnel, from multiple tours of duty completed on one's x-box?

[Kanadesaga]

Originally Posted by lrrp

I find it difficult to place any stock or faith in someone who was unaware of the US bombing effort in south Viet-Nam, after claiming to have been there. If there are so many volunteers just chomping at the bit to go to Iraq, then how come recruiting is at an all time low? Does DOD pay benefits for combat carpal tunnel, from multiple tours of duty completed on one's x-box?

[Kanadesaga]

DoD Identifies Army Casualty

The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Cpl. Jose A. Paniagua-Morales, 22, of Bell Gardens, Calif., died March 7 in Balad, Iraq, of wounds suffered in Samarra, Iraq, when his vehicle encountered an improvised explosive device. He was assigned to the 4th Battalion, 9th Infantry Regiment, 4th Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division, Fort Lewis, Wash.

[bornright]

U.S. Marine Corps 1Lt. Ellitt Ackerman of 1st Battalion,8th Marine Regimaent, on 12 January 07, accepted the Silver Star, the nations third highest military award for valor.

"From that position that day, we were a little exposed," he recalled. "Insurgents came out and slowly tried to surround us."

For Ackerman, the fighting was just beginning. As the battle ensued, he recognized that his Marines on the rooftop of the building were exposed. He ordered them to seek cover in the building and headed to the roof himself. His actions prompted a hail of enemy fire on his position.

According to his citation, Ackerman took heavy enemy fire on the rooftop but still "coolly employed an M240G machine gun to mark targets for supporting tanks, with devastating effects on the enemy."

In all, Ackerman was able to simultaneously direct tank fire, coordinate four separate medical evacuations and continually attack with his platoon, all the while suffering from his own shrapnel wounds.

Ackerman said he was only doing what he saw others around him doing.

"I think we all go out there and know what our job is and what's expected of you he said. "There is only one alternative; it is to do it or not do it. You have to do what needs to be done in a situation. That's what all the Marines were doing. I feel this award doesn't represent something for myself; it represents what I saw everyone doing out there.

The citation summarizing then 2Lt. Ackerman's actions covers a six day period that bega on 10 Nov 04, when his platoon came under fire from a heavy enemy counterattack.

"We had a mission to get a foot-hold for the battalion," said Ackerman. "We saw that the original building we intended to go into just wouldn't work to get that mission done. We pushed a little bit deeper than it probably would have been prudent to do."

Pushing deeper ensured his unit would accomplish its mission, but the advance lft him and his Marines more exposed to enemy fighters, who responded by pouring heavy fire on the Marines position.

As his Marines began to take injuries, Ackerman sprang into action, twice pulling his Maines to safety and coordination their evacuation. The amphibious assault vehicle sent to retrieve his Marines had trouble finding them, lost in the fog of war. Ackerman again risked his life, charging into the open from a covered position to flag down the vehicle and direct it to his Marines' location. His actions took him through a "gauntlet of deadly enemy fire".

[bornright]

Originally Posted by lrrp

I find it difficult to place any stock or faith in someone who was unaware of the US bombing effort in south Viet-Nam, after claiming to have been there. If there are so many volunteers just chomping at the bit to go to Iraq, then how come recruiting is at an all time low? Does DOD pay benefits for combat carpal tunnel, from multiple tours of duty completed on one's x-box?

Please tell me which South Vietnamese city did we bomb.