Posted by Grunt on September 14, 2001 at 20:06:57:
In Reply to: sounds like the real thing was similar to the subsequent training posted by CalAbDiver on September 14, 2001 at 17:18:55:
I would give anything to have my buddies, by bladder, prostate and kidney back. Hind sight indeed being 20/20, I could have thought of a much better sacrifice at the time. I was in Marine Corps Boot Camp 8 days after turning 17. On November 10th, 1969,(the Marine Corps birthday) I was the youngest Marine at El Toro Marine Corps Air Station. I had to sneak into the club that evening to hoist a beer with my buddies, some of who were older and legally allowed to be partaking of yeast and hops. I was very young and impressionable in those days. Thinking back and looking at the scar that now runs from my crotch to my breast bone, the Napalm scars on the back of my neck and a hole in my chest where a chunk of my buddy's skull came flying thru an opening in my flack jacket, I would have to say deep down that that war was not the one to lose 58,000 honorable souls. This one coming, perhaps may be the one. I will let you know after the impending dust storm settles. To my son who is in the army and to my Marine Corps and military brothers of all branches I say "OooooooRaaaaaahhhhh! Speaking of warfare and terms used to describe certain acts, back in the jungles of South East Asia, we could have been labled terrorists for the way we treated civilians. However, that was a different war and some women and children would just as soon kill you as to look at you. You didn't know who the enemy was at all times. We did some things wrong and we had some wrong done to us by the powers that be. Did you know, that at a depth of 130'+, the war can still invade your thoughts and even haunt you? I was happy to learn that at 5 Atmospheres, I don't believe it is 5 times greater than the nightmares are at 2:00 a.m. in ones own house. Anyway, that is all I have to say on the subject. (again, I appologize for any spelling errors, I am not ignorant, it's the kids)