Liberal Soldier, for those deploying...

Okay, this one goes out to a specific unit of mine, that alot of friends are in, and alot of new kids about to go roll in the sand for a year, for the first time. Being deployed I always get asked stupid questions, but I dont mind answering them, and I tell my soldiers exactly what I think they should hear.

If your getting deployed, and your not married, take a break. Call it quits for the year, remain friends, and when you come home, the two of you can get together, work things out, or go seperate ways.

If you stay together, chances are one or both of you will cheat. Usually one, and the other one will be pissed as hell, and end up emotionally screwed up over it. Its what happened to me.

And I'm sorry to say ladies, its usually the female in the relationship on either side who is more likely to cheat. This isn't sexist, but rather a rational examination based on two points. Firstly, men who are in the military who are deployed have alot less opportunity to cheat than spouses do at home, unless they are homosexual. Secondly, women in who are in the Military are still a subtle minority, and probably get alot more offers than they would at home.

But this doesn't change the fact that men do it on both sides as well, so keep that in mind.

After you've deployed and come back home, then you can choose to forgive and forget, or what have you. However, it is somewhat likely that both you and your closest friend will have changed multitudes by the time you get back. Especially given the Army's minimum deployment length of a year.

For god's sakes, don't get married or have a kid just for the deployment. I will have to say though, that those who are married or are expecting a family were alot more loyal than others. Engagements were almost all, to 99%, broken in my unit while overseas though.

Another reason, is I can't imagine being married to the person I loved when I was 20, and I'm only 3 years older. Imagine how I would feel at 25???

Anywho, just some advice for you guys out there.

Any other advice, you ask? Keep your hand receipts, and for gods sakes, don't take your M9 apart past operator level! Soldiers break too many weapons.

Liberal Soldier and Moral Sentiment

"We will be judged, by how we treat those among us, whom we regard the least." Is my own quote, but is a reconstruction and paraphrase of several similiar quotes. What does it mean? You will be judged by God (if you believe) and your descendents by how you treated the most vulnerable among you. And of course, vulnerability is subjective, so you literally have to be in power or have some sort of influence over a human being for it to take effect. If you are on an equal footing with your peergroup, then you won't have the power to lessen their lives. If you are, lets say, in a lower socio-economic class, you are the 'vulnerable' group I'm referring to.

This idea and thought, while I've strayed from it more than a few times, is how I try to base alot of my decisions. Everything from how I vote, to what I believe, to the job I choose is effected by it. It is this mentality that caused me to enlist in the first place, and despite whatever policy disagreements I may have had, I am still proud of my service, because I felt that I was making a difference. Sometimes a very real difference in a single life, and at other times, as a matter of support  for my brothers in arms.

I brought this comment up today because of one person. Lt. Governor of S. Carolina, Andre Bauer. Who has recently stated that giving children food subsidies in school is akin to feeding a stray animal, allowing it to breed, and thus in his own words 'continuing' the cycle of dependency. I wiould also like to note that the associated press has stated that Bauer himself was a recipient of food stamps.

I think in an age where massive, mis-managed companies can be recipients of public welfare, that the cutting of food subsidies for the poor should be the last things on our minds. And while there is rational thinking behind it, the fact that the children are even in school, should be their ticket to eat. He has proposed requiring attendance by parents of local PTAs, and drug tests. The status of the parent as a drug abuser shouldn't interfere with an innocent's child's access to nutrition or education. Period.

It just sort of astounds me. Cut out sex education and condom education out of schools, on moral grounds. Then, say that 'they' are breeding too much, and thus to deter that, cut funding for subsidized lunches at school. Ridiculous.

Opinions?

Liberal Soldier & Work Ethic

Just a short blog post today, as I'm in the midst of writing a short horror story for submission. I've heard police work described as "Vast amounts of boredom, punctuated with short points of sheer terror." I can easily imagine that is accurate.

I think this same motto applies for the military too. However, it can be broken down into two parts, one for garrison, and one for war. "Vast amounts of boredom, punctuated by short periods of incredibly demanding work." Is how I would describe my garrison experience. And my other experience? "Vast amounts of hard work and discomfort punctuated by periods of sheer terror."

Got any war stories? Let me know.

Want to know more about joining the Army or the Guard? Email me.

The Liberal Soldier & Film

This one is a bit of more self-promotion. But its free, and wont cost you anything to watch, so why dont you take a look at my newest Short Film:

Four Roses

I shot this, after writing the script, with several certain members from my Company, Crimson Star Entertainment. Not my Guard Company or anything. Im in the 178th MP Co, for those of you who are familiar with GA Guard Units.

Anyhow, the whole film was produced on a budget of about $240, with alot of volunteer work from everyone involved. Its about a local building in Downtown Atlanta that many believe is haunted. Check it out!

The Liberal Soldier's Book

Just a little point of pride for myself. Got a copy of a book I've written, and published through a small vanity press associated with Amazon. And no, I don't consider myself 'Published' yet, this is just a spring board, hopefully giving me more notoriety so that publishers will take notice.

Anyhow, I've got my first copy of a book I made myself, and I'm quite proud of it. A small feat for some, it is important to me though. Through this maybe my sales will jump from about 10 a month to 20 or 30, that would be worthwhile.

The Liberal Soldier & Terrorism

Yet another blog post about Terrorism. I was just reading some old lady's reaction to the Christmas Day bombing attempt online. She was very concerned about the issue that he had tried to blow himself up using an underwear bomb, and how it would result in her having to get her crotch screened from now on whenever she went into the Airplane.

I dont mind that this is what she thinks about. I mean, I suppose thats expected from the American audience.

What happened to questions like the following:

How did this happen? Why did it happen?

I've read a little bit of the person's profile, and he seemed to be a young kid with alot of teenage angst, who put most of that blame on America. And sure, maybe the American media is partially to blame for alot of issues he had, as well as kids everywhere.

And don't confuse me. Still t the forefront of my mind, is how did we let this happen? How did he not end up on a no-fly list, and certainly how did the chemical compound make it through scanners?

The only answer I have to that, is that maybe at times alot of people say things that seem anti-establishment, without meaning them. Maybe the key is to figure out what profile of human being will carry through on their anger. Otherwise, he should have been on a "no-fly" list. As a rationalist, this makes sense to me. The probably is ratio for each ethic & socio-economic background, for how many comments he can say before it becomes extremely likely that he is a violent offender/terrorist.

But that comes really close to scientific management, and has a major chance of infringing on civil liberties. What are your opinions on this story? What are your opinions on bending civil liberties to profile potential terrorists?