New Soldiers and Lack of Respect

[tdeane]

Ok guys...get this crap...

I was asked by former NCO to join him in saying some positive things to the deploying troops. SFC wanted Gulf Vets to calm the call ups down and tell them some about the AO and such.

This was/is a National Guard Transportation Unit from Central Alabama (we'll leave the # out for now, depending if the little idiot sends an apology like his CO says).

We (5 of us total) were supposed to go around and talk to the boys and smile and wish 'em well and so on. Well, I happened upon a PFC. This lad was checking his gear and loading it into his ruck and duffle. I asked if I could help and he said ok. We started talking about Saudi, Kuwait and Iraq and this little bastard starts going off on those of us that were over there 12 years back. He was saying things like, because of our lack of effort and inability to complete a mission he has to now put his life on the line. He continued with how worthless we were because we couldnt get Saddam and how he's wasting his time because of us AND because of our poor performance he may now be in a situation to orphan his children. DAMN, TALK ABOUT "PRE-COMBAT STRESS". Man, did I feel like an ass asking to help him load his gear.

I was like WAIT A MINUTE!!! This kid was being rather loud with his observations and his CO came over to see what was up. By the way, his CO is a Gulf War Vet. CO began to chew the kid a new one, which I didnt feel bad about one bit. Then CO turned to our Gulf War group and asked us to join him in his office and all he did was apologize and promised an apology from our young "misguided" Private First, I Just Got Out Of AIT And Know Everything, Class...whatever. According to CO this kid also claims to be the same way towards the Vietnam Vets.

Can you say, "This kid better watch his back when he hits the sand" ?

What an asshole...sorry for the language. Being there as an "ambassador" and having seen pricks like this before I had to restrain from making any comments of my own...we're there on goodwill not to piss these guys off. I was just really taken back but how this kid was acting and what he was saying.

Sad.