Talked to my mom tonight, and found out that my brother-in-law, who was supposed to be out of the military in Sept. of next year, has been told he cannot leave the military for the forseeable future. The poor guy has already been to Afghanistan and Iraq, narrowly missed Korea when he married my sis, and now is being sent in January to Iraq again. I know he signed up for this, but I think the guy has served his country and us back home quite enough. My poor sis too. Grrr.


ps. sorry...just needed to vent.

Sorry to hear that. Unfortunately, thousands of families around this country are in limbo these days because of the Iraq War. There just doesn't seem to be an end in sight.

Damn, I'm sorry to hear that, too.
Similar thing happened to a friend of mine.
Did 2 tours: 1 in Grenada, 1 in the first Iraq war,and then he as called back into combat duty in '04.

Unfortunately, you and your family are not alone in your frustration and anxiety.

And venting is good.

Yup, and that's the problem--we aren't alone.

My neighbor re-upped voluntarily for the Guard. He's been in Iraq for over a year but decided not to pass up the re-enlist bonuses. Pays a good 40-grand more than he was making as a sporting goods store manager and helps his family financially. But I think his wife and kids would rather have him home.

"Nearly missed Korea..." -- if I recall my MASH episodes correctly, wasn't that in the 1950's, early 1960's? Shouldn't the guy be retired by now?

I can't fault anybody for doing that but something about it sticks in my craw.

I've got a girl in my office who did an 8 month tour over there 2 years ago and she came back saying that due to her not paying bills, rent, etc while over there she came back with about $15,0000 in the bank.

She has been debating going back to make some money again. I usally tell her that if that is her reason it's not fucking worth it. She did mostly administrative stuff on one of the bases but they still came under rocket attack a couple times.

She also gets subsidized by the company I work for up to a point. So, she leaves, the company still pays her up to a point, she makes money, and I have to pick up her slack because she'll be back in 10 months and they won't hire somebody while she's gone. Maybe I'm being selfish but it still annoys me.



Flying Rabbit, sorry about your bro-in-law. I know it's no condolence but about 20,000 more families are about to feel just like you do after tonight.

The shittiest part about it is the people, like your bro-in-law, who have done more than enough and still being sent back for 3rd and 4th tours.

War is hell I guess.

If you think its such a sweet scam getting all that money just for risking you life...why don't you go sign up yourself?

we still have 75,000ish troops in asia, mostly in japan and korea.

Reading comprehension?

Where did I say I thought it was a "sweet scam"?

I said it's bullshit to do that in so many words.

Well, you sound pissed that they're making money for what you seem to think is either little effort or they are making more than they deserve or something. Or do you just generally hate when people you know have some cash?

Why is it bullshit? Are you only supposed to go to the military for the good of your country? If you expect to be paid is that somehow wrong?

Yes, but those are fairly peaceful countries compared to the OTHER east.

I thought he was saying that it wasn't worth it, not that he resented someone for making money.

And, he also stated that it was frustrating because when she leaves he has more work, no compensation and no one else to take this girls place.

Look, by all means get paid if that's what you want to do, I could care less. I'm just saying IN MY OPINION that's it stupid to potentially get blown up by a rocket for $15,000.

I can see your point on that. Of course, if everyone thought that way, we'd have no military. But, if I thought it was worth it I would have signed up...but I said no thanks.

There's that too.

By law a company can't let her go while she's doing a tour of duty and I"m fine with that, it's a good law.

I just get annoyed when I'm having to shoulder her load here and she's giving me the "ha ha Ima get paid baby".


I think this is probably a pretty common occurence among volunteer reservists working private sector jobs.

maybe she is a top-secret CIA agent. They all have to have private sector "jobs" regardless of how many arabs they kill secretly.

Of course it would be silly to be a secret agent and then talk about joining the volunteer reserves. Maybe that's just how she was told to explain her sudden absences from her "real" job.

Makes me glad I did my 4 and got out.

This thread title brings to mind one of my all-time favorite Simpsons lines:

"Listen, they don't call me Colonel Homer because I'm some dumb-ass Army guy!"