Stuff we take for granted

Allison Hester

Allison Hester

New member
My husband, Mike, is serving in Afghanistan near a small village. The US ARNG hired some of the locals to help paint a new building that is going up on Mike's little base. They paid them $8 a day for labor, $1 of which went to the crew boss, and $1 for lunch -- a piece of bread and a handful of rice. The workers, who ranged in age from 10 to 40, were happy to get their remaining $6 in wages.

The Army just assumed they would know how to paint. Not only did they not know how to paint, they didn't even know what paint was. Then once they saw what it did, they were so anxious to get started that they used their scarves and even their hands to dip in the paint and spread it on the walls. Mike said they were FILTHY by the end of the day; filthy, but happy.

Anyway, the story just kind of hit home. It's easy to forget that we are such a small portion of the world, and that we as Americans are so blessed! Just thought I'd share. <!-- google_ad_section_end -->
 
Very true. it really makes us look at our day and how lucky we are to be americans.
 
I agree, my battalion is leaving in january and are giving a year of not only their life but a year of their families lives also. That is something that can never be gotten back. I lived outside the u.s. For almost 4 years and it's amazing the little things we take for granted here. But being Army the only thing that can be done is to say Hooah and keep going
 
kennyk0410 said:
I agree, my battalion is leaving in january and are giving a year of not only their life but a year of their families lives also. That is something that can never be gotten back. I lived outside the u.s. For almost 4 years and it's amazing the little things we take for granted here. But being Army the only thing that can be done is to say Hooah and keep going
Click to expand...

So are you going too? If so, where?

The hooah thing made me laugh. My favorite coffee mug says that on it.
 
We take the very life we live and breathe for granted.
I recently had a frind who came back from Iraq as a medical doctor with the 4th infantry division outside Bagdahad. As part of thier hospital care they took in Iraqis who otherwise could not get care there.
They tended to a man in his 50's who had a form of lukemia and suffered from daibetes as well. For 10 months they cared for "bob" and got him back to a livable condition. In september of this year as part of the step down of operations thier unit was told to stand down and allow the iraqi government to take over the facility and since he was there as a long term patient his care as well.
The iraqis were briefed on the paitents and in the first week the Iraqis said this man "bob" as they called him would be moved for care. He was loaded into an ambulance and escorted by a Humvee with 3 MP's to the loacation. On the way the ambulance stopped on a bridge near Az-Khazimaha at the Tigris river where they pulled "bob" out of the back and dumped him over the side to his death in the Tigris river.

The MP's wanted to kill the crew right there but were told to not interfere in internal issues.

It was later said the Iraqi's were not intrested in caring for someone who " would never get any better" so why waste the time.
 
Alexy said:
We take the very life we live and breathe for granted.
I recently had a frind who came back from Iraq as a medical doctor with the 4th infantry division outside Bagdahad. As part of thier hospital care they took in Iraqis who otherwise could not get care there.
They tended to a man in his 50's who had a form of lukemia and suffered from daibetes as well. For 10 months they cared for "bob" and got him back to a livable condition. In september of this year as part of the step down of operations thier unit was told to stand down and allow the iraqi government to take over the facility and since he was there as a long term patient his care as well.
The iraqis were briefed on the paitents and in the first week the Iraqis said this man "bob" as they called him would be moved for care. He was loaded into an ambulance and escorted by a Humvee with 3 MP's to the loacation. On the way the ambulance stopped on a bridge near Az-Khazimaha at the Tigris river where they pulled "bob" out of the back and dumped him over the side to his death in the Tigris river.

The MP's wanted to kill the crew right there but were told to not interfere in internal issues.

It was later said the Iraqi's were not intrested in caring for someone who " would never get any better" so why waste the time.
Click to expand...
Thats a sad story and no doubt a true one for sure. We as Americans just have to stay above it all and to never ever stoop to there level. I look at this as your Friend did the honorable and the right thing to do which he did which was to treat that patient "Bob". He did the right thing and thats what makes guys like him a hero in my eyes because he did the humane thing and that says alot about our men and woman over there. I hope all of you come back ASAP and from my family to yours and every other troop out there we Salute you and we Thankyou for being the heroe's that you are protecting our freedoms over here.

John Tornabene NAVY 82-86
 
Alexy said:
We take the very life we live and breathe for granted.
I recently had a frind who came back from Iraq as a medical doctor with the 4th infantry division outside Bagdahad. As part of thier hospital care they took in Iraqis who otherwise could not get care there.
They tended to a man in his 50's who had a form of lukemia and suffered from daibetes as well. For 10 months they cared for "bob" and got him back to a livable condition. In september of this year as part of the step down of operations thier unit was told to stand down and allow the iraqi government to take over the facility and since he was there as a long term patient his care as well.
The iraqis were briefed on the paitents and in the first week the Iraqis said this man "bob" as they called him would be moved for care. He was loaded into an ambulance and escorted by a Humvee with 3 MP's to the loacation. On the way the ambulance stopped on a bridge near Az-Khazimaha at the Tigris river where they pulled "bob" out of the back and dumped him over the side to his death in the Tigris river.

The MP's wanted to kill the crew right there but were told to not interfere in internal issues.

It was later said the Iraqi's were not intrested in caring for someone who " would never get any better" so why waste the time.
Click to expand...

That story really explains the difference between us and them. What they have been taught (brainwashed) is so ingrained that life has no meaning to them. We will continue to fight for those who cannot to protect our interests and safety. As long as we stick to our morals and values we will win and show the world how a right and just nation lives.

Proudly served US Army 88-01
 
Paul Kassander said:
That story really explains the difference between us and them. What they have been taught (brainwashed) is so ingrained that life has no meaning to them. We will continue to fight for those who cannot to protect our interests and safety. As long as we stick to our morals and values we will win and show the world how a right and just nation lives.

Proudly served US Army 88-01
Click to expand...

Paul, did you do any time in Germany.
 
Allison Hester said:
So are you going too? If so, where?

The hooah thing made me laugh. My favorite coffee mug says that on it.
Click to expand...

No our unit isn't going yet just our HQ some members of my unit volunteered but so for they haven't had to start pulling anyone.
 
No my time was in the reserves I was an instructor for 3 years (handgrenades and various weapons training:shocked2:)then a drill sgt for 6 :butcher:and finished off as an ROTC instructor :banghead:at Marquette University.
 
It's unfortunate but I blame their government, we send money to every corner of the earth to help the less fortunate but it never seems to get to the people who really need it.
 
If there was ever a need for a Czar that should be it !!! someone to oversee the millions of dollars we send overseas to help these people. Or they just need to move to where the food is !!

<object width="480" height="385"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/vN7ehccspao?fs=1&hl=en_US"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/vN7ehccspao?fs=1&hl=en_US" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="480" height="385"></embed></object>
 
the cleaner said:
if there was ever a need for a czar that should be it !!! Someone to oversee the millions of dollars we send overseas to help these people. Or they just need to move to where the food is !!
Click to expand...

classic!
 
Mike volunteered for this deployment. It was a small group of agricultural specialists supposedly going to help teach the locals how to farm (things other than opium). Mike is working on helping them build a meat packing facility. However, it's pretty common for the locals to get their heads cut off by the Taliban just for talking to the Americans, so the mission has not gotten very far. So the unit's primary purpose right now is building a rec center for the troops stuck on their little base.
 
I am not doubting the story about BOB or his illness and the Americans tacking care of him,but I wonder if BOB was something other than just a sick old guy.

You know in their culture they have a pretty cut and dry set of rules for people.Lets say BOB was a suicide bomber or a guy that build the bombs that are blowing people up as they drive by on the roads going about their daily lives.You know Americans like us will find they guy and get him well and spend all kinds of money of him to take him to court and what not.Maybe they found out about BOB and took care of their problem the old school way.

The people over in that part of the world don't live like us and they will tell you they don't want to either.Now they may want our MTV lifestyle or whatever but when it come to dealing with their problems they know how to handle them.They aren't gonna take a child molester and put him in jail and try and rehabilitate him so he can become a sunday school teacher when he does his time.They take care of the problem and when it's done they don't have to woory about it down the road again.At least not from that guy.

I know this is a hard way of looking at it but we need a few of their laws and beliefs as much as they may need ours.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top