Happy Veterans Day
1. A great big Thank You and all the members of the United States Armed Forces. Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, and Coast Guard, you guys rock our sox. Have a great big tall frost glass of Win on us today, even if it’s a near-beer.
2. The initial order of Gorilladin shirts has shipped from our manufacturing plant. We expect delivery by the end of the week. That means we’ll boogie to the mailing depot on Saturday, and your phat Gorilladin loot will be the way to you PDQ.
3. The next order, including the next shirt design, is ready to post. Patience, please.
4. Pet spider in Alterac Valley named: “Gotsilk”. Sweet.
5. One of the people we go to for prizes for BRK Events has revamped his site. WoWMacros is having a big contest this week, be sure to check him out and follow his directions to register for a chance at:
- A Wrath of the Lich King Collector’s Edition
- Two copies of the Wrath of the Lich King expansion
- Three 60-day prepaid World of Warcraft time cards
- And ten copies of Derek’s Wrath of the Lich King guide
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24 Responses to “Happy Veterans Day”
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Im in the army, thank you! And thank you for your blog, when I get the chance to read it, they havent blocked it at work yet. I share your videos with my coworkers, who I tricked into playing WOW.
Good job with the running of the bulls for Ezra. If I could I would slap all the trolls in the face, I hate trolls!
I have a dwarf hunter named “Fatbasturd” and a devilsaur named “YourMom” who gets alot of emotes done to her. My gorilladin is “StompyPant”s.
And thank you for serving, as well, Airman Howell!
My Mom and Dad met in the Marine Corps in WWll and my ex was in the Army. Respect for service R us.
/salute all veterans and those currently serving!
Thank you, I was a Marine. And thank you again for your service.
Hey thanks BRK! Im a BM3 in the U.S. Coast Guard. Thanks for recognizing us most others do not realize the Coast Guard in fact a branch of the military. It seems other sites have chosen to exclude the C.G. in their Thanks.
Speaking of Tight pet names I saw on several occasions on my server a guild named “My Little Pwnies”…
Thought that was quite creative…
And Kudos to all you ppl out there in the field.
Although some… prolly just me lol are so unpolotical that we don’t know why you are there…
I do know it has something to do with freedom… And thats kewl with me…
Come home safe.
On the 11th Day of the 11th month each year, Americans come together to honor those in uniform, the ones who sacrificed for our nation, on Veterans Day. As a veteran of the Iraq and Afghanistan, War on Terror, I urge everyone to take this day to not just thank a veteran, but to talk with veterans. Learn about how our experiences have shaped our lives and what issues we face as we make our transitions back to civilian life. I would like to explain my side of the story, my own experience.
When I joined the military I was a young, confused kid, who did not know much about life, due to being sheltered for most of my life by my over protective parents. I did not know much about the war, just that I was enraged at the hatred those terrorists had for all Americans and me. I wanted to help my country, to protect it at all cost, even giving up my life to do so. It may sound funny but when I initially tried to enlist in the military, I was to be a military post-man, but the job had already been taken. Since I am color-blind, I wasn’t able to have a range of opportunities in the military. My placement was therefore in Mortuary Affairs Specialist. I felt that I grew up quicker in my years in service than most people do in their whole lifetime.
I was nineteen years old on February 8th, 2002. It was kind of cold for Phoenix as I reached the Airport headed to Fort Jackson, in South Carolina for basic training. Upon reaching Fort Jackson, referred by some in the service as relaxant Jackson, I found that the life I had chosen would not be as easy as I thought. Those first couple of days I got a hair cut, issued uniforms, and learned the waiting line for training was long. During this time, since 9/11, there was a mass influx of new recruits; the Army had problems finding them units to train in. For me I was lucky kind of, since I had a school date that did not come around very often, they tried to offer me another job, but I turn them down, I was shipped from Fort Jackson, then to Fort Lenderwood Missionary. The Ozark Mountains are cold and during winter, it was unbearable. It was an extreme change for me because I was mostly familiar with the hot weather in Phoenix, AZ. Exercising and running in extreme weather with being out shape was horrible. There was no special treatment for anyone but the drill sergeants made me work twice as hard. The treatment I received was something similar to a movie, where the fat kid got picked on and abused, but it was some thing I needed in order to become who I need to be. Despite this, I worked hard, did everything I was ordered to do, and eventually I graduated from boot camp with a new physique. During graduation, my fellow recruits honored me with “The Most Changed Person” reward, the Order of the Dragoon.
I was off to my next challenge, training for my MOS. When I reached Fort Lee, Virginia, I missed my start date and had to wait for the next one. This meant that I couldn’t get a pass to go anywhere; I had to just sit at the barracks, clean the floors, and do KP duty. After awhile this routine got incommodious. I was so happy on Memorial Day 2002, because the next day I was scheduled to start school. Then all of a sudden, I had horrible stomach pains, and could not figure what it was. So I was sent me off to the ER, the doctors initially diagnosed appendix problems. The one-hour surgery was then scheduled immediately, however it took five hours to complete. Apparently, my appendix had been ruptured for over a month including basic training. The surgeons said I am so lucky to be alive. I got a month off to recover and relax. When I got back to Fort Lee, I had to wait another month for class, so eventually when I got to school; I did my best to learn about my job and almost graduated at the top of my class. The reason why I did not graduate at the top of my class was due to my stomach muscles not fully recovering, which made doing sit-ups very hard. I did it because I wanted to join my unit at Fort Lee.
My feelings of excitement and wanting to serve were still in tact even after months of prolong waiting and recovery. In order to be all that I could be, to be the best, I exceed my own abilities by 120%. The mindset I had, came a long way (physically from Phoenix and mentally from the first story I heard about the terrorist attacks), I had really changed for the better. In the first year, I received my first (minor) medal, the Army Achievement Medal. With this acknowledgement from the Army, I wanted to speed up my deployment overseas to Afghanistan, but that wasn’t going to happen until March 18th 2003. According to orders, my team that I was assigned to from my unit wasn’t schedule to arrive in Iraq first. Instead, I worked in the Theater Mortuary Affairs Evacuation Point, a place that went nonstop for the first three months.
Sleep was limited to when I did not hear a helicopter, and when body’s slowed down coming in. In the states I had worked at the Richmond Morgue, but war was different. Instead of just seeing some one you did not know in the states, in Kuwait you learn to know every one, due to them wearing the same uniform, and inventorying all their personal effects, you knew who they wear when they left. Not only was our job to process Americans, but we also helped process British, and any other Allies. During this time I saw the mistakes we made, such as shooting British helicopter down with Sam missiles, and killing Brazilin journalist when we hit the wrong building, during that time I saw the horrors that mankind was possible of. I start experiences, problems, and tried to seek medical help, but I was deferred and told I would be fine. My excitement had come to an end, and I start to get in trouble, pretty soon my 1st Sgt, thought that I was not experiencing enough of the war, so he sent me to the Iraq, Camp Alsad. In Camp Alsad, was slow, but became difficult. Some of the soldiers I ate with at the chow hall, and knew were head on a rest and relaxation mission, but instead of making it, their helicopter was shot down. My team had to go clean the site, recover the bodies, and inventory their belongings. Man life is tough, but even tougher if you know the people. There were two other tough missions. The first were, when three Special Forces soldiers had been killed, when they were given orders not to shoot into a crowd even if they were receiving fire, not only did we have to process their bodies, but we also had to process the bodies of the people who had killed them. We are mortuary affairs first, and as such we have a moral obligation not to look at uniform, or lack of one, but to look at the person and understand their journey had come to a end, and it was our job to treat them with respect because every one has family and friends that care for them, it was not are job to judge right or wrong, which is very hard. The second tough mission was when we went with a convoy head to a site, that they had reportedly killed Sadam Husain, but in fact the compound was filled with animals and women and children. I do not think the Air Force meant to kill them, they were trying to do there job in following cell phone singles, and when they split, they went after the most likely target. On this mission two things had happened. One back in Alsad I was having bad night terrors, but the person in charge of my team figured the answer was not sending me back, but instead was to put me on night duty, and to change the location I slept on, in the location I was, this almost spelled disaster for me and my friend, when I woke up and started to scream at the top of my lungs, the people sleeping around the truck react and were about to shoot in the back of the truck, when my Sgt yelled stop he is just dreaming, oh thank god. The second thing is as I stated before, we are trained to respect the dead, and their belongings. This did not transfer to the people there, instead they were ordered to bury everything, destroy all evidence and move on. That pretty much covers Iraq.
When I got back to the states, I faced many hardships under the care of the Army. I am like millions of other veterans dealing with mental and physical scars of war. Most Americans will never know about these issues because it is not covered in the news or articles. The Army has become a two-sided issue for me; it was once a place where I wanted to succeed at being a great solider and fight for our rights and our country. Now that I came home I am still fighting another battle, however, this fight, I fight alone. I am trying to cope with sudden flashbacks, traumatizing combat events, hyper-vigilance to the recurrence of danger, feelings of numbness, low self-esteem, rage, and lapses in concentration. All of these have caused me to descend in my quality of life. I thought the Army and my unit would continue to care for me, treat me as a fellow solider, and assist me with finding resources for coping and healing. However, this was not the case, my unit classified me as a troublemaker, an unfit solider. As a result, they discharged me out of the Army abruptly without taking responsibility for the causes of my PTSD illnesses. Like other soldiers, I tried to reach out for help but once the system failed, I tried to commit suicide twice during my service. Luckily, both times, one of my few friends stopped me. This incident put me in a mental hospital involuntarily, where they doped me up on strong medicines, and no one cared to seek the reasons behind the action. I wasn’t allowed to receive my care at the Army hospital, because if procedures were followed, there would have been a long investigation and no one wanted to take the time to take care of their wounded soldiers with PTSD. Instead, I was discharged immediately with personality disorder. This seems to be the common practice for the Army, not just in my case but also 20,000 other veterans. At 5 P.M. September 16, 2004, my last official orders from the Army were, TO GET OUT!! Heavily medicated, I received my car keys, and was told to drive over 5000 miles, all the way home to Phoenix, Arizona. My feelings that proscribed afterwards are indescribable.
Even though I am still in my own body, this whole experience has shaped my life. Following my physical return home to Phoenix, AZ, I, however, didn’t return home with my state of mentality. My homecoming wasn’t what I imagined, that is because it was based on tv and movies I’ve seen about returning soldiers as hero’s. I became hospitalized time and time again.
Don’t worry, my story gets better and does have a great beginning. This new chapter in my life begins with the chance meeting the love of my life, my wife. With her continued support, I am able to handle some things on my own. A great support system, love, understanding, and patience, is what I think all soldiers should have and receive upon their return home. After all, the important issue is that we are all humans! With the good and the bad, we will always have our memories.
So on this Veterans Day and every day the best way to honor our veterans is to connect with them. So please remember and honor our fellow humans, our veterans. Without recognition from our family and friends, it doesn’t seem like all of our efforts make a difference. Many of us new veterans are being left behind, we have honored you by defending your rights, and all we ask is to welcome us home.
Sincerely,
Joshua C. Poulsen
Iraq and Afghanistan Veteran
Gus, all I can say is /sigh.
Thanks BRK for your service both in and out of the military. Wonderful stories always.
I did 8 years with the Navy as an “O”. Two gulf tours and sailed around the world. Saw the last supersonic flyby of an F14 on the U.S.S. John F. Kennedy. Guess you could call me lucky.
Keep up the good work.
/salute
Gus-
Who defends your way of life? Who was there to defend United States soil in WWII? Who was there to defend France, England, the rest of Europe and the modern world During both World Wars? Who fights Genocide globally, not for themselves or their country, but for the rights of those slaughtered by tyrants, dictators, and war mongers?
You comment speaks volumes of your ignorance, both historical and personal. War is not pretty, war is not something any sane person desires. You may not agree with a war, you may not agree with this war, but you can support your vets. They get up and do something you could never do. And if some force ever comes to destroy your way of life, as you stand there shitting your pants and crying out, they are the ones who will come to your rescue.
My husband writes about Vets for the local paper. From WWII to Iraq. For those coming home from Iraq and Afganistan, here’s a good website about support for the transition.
http://communityofveterans.org/
We don’t delete comments without real reason. It’s gotta be pretty rude, X-rated, or inflammatory to make us go to the effort of managing comments. But Gus’s comment was deleted, ’cause there’s just some things we can’t tolerate. Gus is not banned, though. He is welcome to participate in the rest of the hunter discussions.
If you’re not down with Veterans or the US Military, please don’t make this place your pulpit. Especially not today.
okay sorry about that comment, but i just got back from reading about some american soldiers raping an iraqi girl so i was kinda upset.
Loganbonus-
Sure i’m gratefull the US came and helped out in WWII, but the usa today is waay diffrent from what it was back then, It’s not like the iraq/afghanistan war is about freeing the iraq/afghan people or defending america..
//Gus
And a happy Armistice Day to you too BRK.
Hey BRK,
A very big thank you for remembering to include the US Coast Guard in your honorable mention today…. its more then http://www.google.com remembered to do. It means a lot to me, and my husband, really. I’ve always enjoyed your Airman Howell stories, and I hope that others have remembered to thank you, too today. A big hug and a thanks from me and the hubby! Your time in service means a lot to this country, as is so for anyone else who has or is currently serving.
Andrea Anderson
Daughter of BMCS(Retired) Robert Choate
United States Navy
Wife of IT1 Garen Anderson
United States Coast Guard
@Gus
Veterans Day is not about WW2. It’s about WW1, l2history. I notice you still take a shot at the military in your second post too. Nice job.
To those veterans, past/present/future:
Thank you. From the bottom of my heart I wish all of you Godspeed and keep your head on a swivel. For everyone of Gus there are 1000’s who appreciate your work and sacrifice.
And Belated Happy Birthday to the USMC, Semper Fi!
For the Pie
It was an answear to Loganbonus.
and I’m sure the soldiers over there are doing a great job whether it’s giving some children a little water or torturing prisoners in Abu Ghraib.
I don’t have anything against any soldier, if they follow the law that is. Though cmon was these wars really worth it? Sure, 3000 died at WTC and let them rest in peace, but does that justify the hundreds of thousands dead middle easterns? If you answear yes, then I’m really sorry for you..
The soldiers are worthy of respect, whether or not you agree with the orders they are given. Politics and diplomacy are completely out of their control. They are given the job, they do it. And the vast, vast majority do it with honor and courage.
Gus
A lot of people I know enlisted for a particular reason, including myself. Not to kill people, not to wage war. We enlisted because as American citizens who were able to serve in the military, we felt the responsibility to serve. America is what is because of the sacrifice of those who believed in something bigger than them. I’m sorry you put so little stock in that. I truly am.
Thanks to Airman Howell from Staff Sergeant Tietjens (US Army Mech Infantry, Retired).
And thanks to all of our men and women in uniform, including the firemen and police officers, wherever you have been sent and whatever your mission. America will always need heroes. You are our heroes.
And in answer to the Anonymous Coward: If you have a problem with the orders given to our soldiers, talk to the President that sent them to fight and die overseas. America treated our Vietnam veterans badly; I won’t stand by and see today’s veterans abused by those who aren’t smart enough to see the difference between a soldier doing his duty, and a politician abusing his power.
A quick /salute to BRK and a /salute to all those currently serving! God bless.
Where’s the love for the military of the other countries that have lost and are losing their citizens to help you?
@Onouris: One hopes they have their own version of Veteran’s Day.
POW/MIA You are not forgotten!!