Reunion in Vegas

2004-05-21T11:40:00.000-07:00

I just returned from a reunion in Vegas. Wow, until you go back in time 30 years, and see how important people were in your life, you will never really understand the path you walked down since that time, and the impact some of those people had in your life.

Here we were, 30 years later, and after minutes, the years slipped away, and we were young and in our early twenties again. The camaraderie, the brotherhood (we were both guys and gals), was evident. Even those who were at first reluctant to attend, were so elated that they decided to travel to this event.

We were young again, and reliving our youth. We had no fears back then. It was us against the world. What made us closer, was the fact that we were in a foreign land, and as a result, more connected as if family. Well, just like blood family, even though we have been apart for so many years, we were back together again.

So, I guess my advice to anyone who reads this, is to say if you ever get a chance to go to a reunion... Don't make an excuse not to go.... Go!!

A Veteran's Viewpoint

2004-05-21T09:36:00.000-07:00

I have kept pretty quiet lately, with the current controversy about the prison scandal in Iraq. After seeing the continuation of reporting, and how the press is politicizing this issue, I think I must speak out.

What was done, IS, and always WILL BE, an outrage. The military will investigate, as they did well in advancde of the press getting the first photos, and will punish whomever is responsible, when the facts play out. Let the system run its course. This type of behaviour by a few, has happened in every part of our society, not just the military, but I haven't seen the level of coverage then.

Quit making this a bigger issue that it is. Where was/is the outrage when Sadam Hussein was torturing people (including women & children)? Or, when they burned the contractors bodies, drug them through the streets, and hung them from a bridge. How about the news continuing when the filmed the decapitation of a contractor. Where is the outrage for these despicable acts.

The press is endangering American military lives, by keeping this story alive, and in the headlines, longer than it should be, with the blatently visable agenda being the ouster of President Bush. Each day that we show another picture or print another headline about this prison, we incite hundreds if not thousands of people in the Arab world to fight against the Americans! To kill and torture Americans!

Grow UP! Be reporters, and report. Don't Create or Oversensationalize news for personal or political gain. Stop abetting the enemy!!

War is Hell! It's that simple. We send people into harms way, and expect that after the fighting, for everyone to get up and go home, just like in the movies. Well, these are not actors, and war is real. It is the ugliest business mankind can get involved in.

Let's put our energies behind the military members who were sent overseas, and stop the bashing, in hopes of defeating a president.

Everyone in a responsible position, needs to rethink their position. There are other ways to show displeasure, without jeopardizing American lives by pushing the agenda the way it is being pushed.

RDF Says

Reunion in Vegas

A Veteran's Viewpoint