Advice Needed Asap

[Tina]

But I can tell you that you will be in my prayers ever nite till you come home ...
i had a friend leave for afghanastand on the 11th and i have another leaving on sunday.. sighs
i am full of crying right now..
You are in my prays
love ya
Your friend and God Bless,
Tina

[nang]

Can't add any advice, just know all of us Prayer Warriors are here praying for your safe return. Thank you for serving.
God Bless you

[White Oak]

If you are in combat and you have to take the life of the enemy remember that it will be with you for the rest of your life.Do what you have to do to survive.

You will be afraid,we all were.In the heat of battle,try to keep a clear head and remember it will be over soon.If you are in a foxhole with someone who is talking about being a hero,change foxholes.

Remember that we are with you,we support you.No matter what the newspapers,radio's,etc say.We know why you are there and we support you,take care,good luck and keep low.

[janecallanan]

And don't forget to stop in the Saloon first, so's Mae can give ya a proper send off. God Bless!

[MORTARDUDE]

First, I do not know who you really are. Only you and God do. Does that matter ? To me it does. In combat, which is only a small part of an infantry soldier's career, be it 2 or 20 years, you will be forced to do things that will replay through your mind over-and-over until you go to the next world. You will attempt to explain the what, when, where, and how to many others through your life. You will be frustrated, hurt, haunted, taunted, depressed, and perhaps suicidal. Seek out those who fought with you. They are your Brothers. They are the ONLY ones in this world that will ever know what fear and loathing, what places in the abyss you have been to, and what joy you have experienced. Joy ?, you might ask. Our lives are but short journeys. You indicate you are a medic. I trust that is true also. There are several medics on here who can lay it all out to you...To close for now .....
Watch the movie "We Were Soldiers Once", and read the book if possible. It is the only fully credible Vietnam War movie ever made. It was directed by an Army Ranger. When you are asked to legally murder and / or die for your country, the only ones you can trust are those who are locked-and-loaded
beside you. The merits of the coming War on Valentines' Day totally bore me now. Not acting and turning loose homicidal-heads-of-state like Saddam or Kim Il Sung is a no-brainer. It cannot be done. May God Richly Bless you and your family !! Feel free to PM me if you like.

***************************

Larry Nuckolls
Bartlett, TN.
United States of America

Co C. 3/22 25th Infantry Division
Co. B 2/22(M) 25th Infantry Division
SP/4
11C20 81MM Indirect fire crewman
US ARMY June 1969 - May 1971
Draftee
November 1969 - November 1970 South Vietnam and Cambodia

****************************
Dearest Mother,
So thick is the smoke in this cellar that I can hardly see by a candle 12 inches away. And so thick are the inmates that I can hardly write for pokes, nudges, and jolts. On my left, the company commander snores on a bench. It is a great life. I am more oblivious than the less, dear mother, of the ghastly glimmering of the guns outside and the hollow crashing of the shells.

I hope you are as warm as I am, soothed in your room as I am here. I am certain you could not be visited by a band of friends half so fine as surround us here. There is no danger down here - or if any, it will be well over before you read these line..."

****
My friend, you would not tell with such high zest
To children ardent for some desperate glory,
The old Lie: Dulce et decorum est
Pro patria mori.*

* The quote is from the famous ode by Horace claiming, "Sweet and fitting it is to die for one's country."


****

Wilfred Owen
(1893-1918)
poet, patriot, soldier, pacifist

( all of the above can be found at : http://www.rjgeib.com/heroes/owen/owen.html )

*****

[Seascamp]

If ya are off to the Mid East I have a couple of practical things I can share with you as I?ve worked most every place over there. Sand drifts usually are comprised of talcum powder fine sand graduals and ya don?t want to get that stuff in your boots. This fine sand is extremely abrasive and not at all sanitary and can really hobble a person up, big time. If ya encounter a group of nomadic Arabs, don?t look at the women, turn your back, anything, but don?t look at the women. The men will be watching you and if they even suspect visual assault, the battle will be on in an instant, guaranteed. There is no such thing as a monolithic Arab as the factionalism between tribes, religious sects, etc., is enough to keep your head swimming. Given this, don?t appear to take sides or appear to be giving gifts or some advantage to a tribe. Nothing but trouble in gestures of kindness as they blab and brag about anything they get and the next thing ya know there is a confrontational situation.

Good hunting and God speed Trooper, we'll be waiting to hear from you when you get back.

Scamp

[Packo]

If it looks out of place.....DON'T TOUCH IT! Let me say that one more time. If it looks out of place......DON'T TOUCH IT! I would also suggest that if it looks in place, LOOK IT OVER VERY CAREFULLY BEFORE YOU TOUCH IT.

Had a newbe that saw a Playboy Mag in a gook bunker. He grabbed it, it blew his arm off. Nuff said.

Everybody else gave you good advice. Try not to become complacent. Sometimes the Infantry can be the boringist job on earth. Stay alert.....stay alive.

Good Luck Trooper! God is with you and your buddies.

Packo

PS Pack plenty of Texas Pete and Kool-aid. Oh, sorry, wrong war.

[sfc_darrel]

As a medic, one of the most important things you'll need to remember is a wounded enemy is still an enemy.

Too many medics have been killed by enemies whose lives they just saved.

To parashrase Patton: It is not your job to give your life for your country. It is your job to help the enemy give his life for his.

Darrel

[PHO127]

He who hesitates is lost and only fools rush in where angles fear to tread. Somewhere in between is your answer and you are the one who will have to find it. Just know that we will pray for you and wish you well. You will never be alone for we will be with you in spirit.

[JonVet999]

wishing you the best...where did you go for medic training and when ? You may know a friend's son. what is the to&e on morphine now ? all of our medix in nam were COs but were the salt of the earth. do you think you can help the Iraqi wounded if need be ?

God bless

Jon in MS