From the Deck of Hawker Hurricane - Democratic Underground

HawkerHurricane

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Wed Sep-03-03 11:02 AM
Original message

From the Deck of Hawker Hurricane

"The young recruit, 'e's silly
He thinks of suicide
He's lost 'is gutter devil
'e 'asn't got his pride
But every day they kicks him
Which helps him on a bit
Until one day 'e finds 'imself
In a full and proper kit"
- Rudyard Kipling, 'The Heathen'

Many of you remember the young man who castigated me (in my own house!) over my lack of support for Bush's war against Iraq. You wanted to know if I had spoken to him again.

I have, but through email. It seems the man has more courage than I gave him credit for, and actually signed up. He's at a army boot camp now, and found himself upset that he might be sent to Iraq...(the gall!) and has asked me if there was any way he could avoid it.
After all, since I don't support the war, I must know how to avoid serving in it...

(note to self: save these emails and the replies, people on DU would like to see the originals I'm sure)

The first thing I told him is that I knew of no special trick for avoiding it except DON'T JOIN THE FLIPPEN' ARMY WHILE THEY ARE IN IRAQ! They send the troops where the army IS, and he had no excuse; it's not like some idiot decided to invade Iraq after he had signed up! If he wanted to avoid serving 'in' Iraq, but still serve his country, he should have joined the Navy, Coasta Gaurdia or Air Farce. The only Navy units in Iraq are CBs and medical, if you aren't in those specialties you aren't in Iraq. There is no Coast Gaurd in Iraq (not likely to be any either), and no Air Farce (yet). The Marines are rotating out already. But the poor Army guys are being kept in, extended and everything.

And besides (I told him), didn't he 'support' the war? If he supports it, why not serve where the war is occurring? Hippocracy is NOT a form of government.

But, since he is now a fellow serviceman, I gave him some suggestions:
If possible, pick a specialty that isn't needed in Iraq. What specialties? Well, not much call for mountain troops (although they are getting a workout in Afghanistan)...paratroopers also won't be over there unless things get much worse...artic survival specialists won't be over there...jungle warfare doesn't see much use, either...(other suggestions from DUers will be forwarded if not insulting...and might be forwarded anyway if he annoys me again)

And I ended with one peice of advice (from Kipling, natch)

"When you find yourself wounded on the Afghan plains
And the women come to cut up what remains
Just roll on your rifle and blow out your brains
And go to your Gawd like a Soldier!"

Latest news:
Sparks will NOT vote for Bush again. And if the Democrats nominate a vet for President or VP (Clarke for VP is his pick), he'll vote for him. If not, he's going Libertarian.
Fire will also not vote for Bush, and will vote Democratic. He prefers Lieberman (yuck!, but to each his own) but has decided that Bush and his advisors are NOT pro life, they are merely giving lip service to anti abortion; and besides, on every other issue he disaggrees with them except school vouchers. (Good Catholic that he is, his kids go to a parochial school...he admits that this is a pocketbook issue to him, not a common sense one.)
Wheel says he wants Kerry, as a fellow Navy man, but really doesn't care...anybody but Bush...(congratulate Wheel, he has been promoted to Chief Petty Officer, and later this month will outrank me.)
Guns is still anti Bush, and also would prefer a Vet. He likes Clarke also.
As for me, I will not make my decision until January, when I am discharged and can actually work on a campaign; I intend to pick someone, work for him until he either wins or is out; if out in the primaries I will go work for the primaries winner.

And I remain

Hawker Hurricane
PO1(SW) USN
Leading Idiot Advice Columnist
Some ship, San Diego Harbor