Infantry? Why? Cancel The title field is required!

1. Wahlin Scott B

   
   8/25/2011 1:08 PM

   When my son joined the Army Infantry he did not discuss it with me first. When he told me what he had done I did not understand it. When he decided to go back for another year on the Afghanistan Pakistan Border I did not understand it. This short article helps me to understand although I am reluctant to use the word "understand" because I know that is impossible. I received this on Facebook, but I am not going to re-post it there. I do NOT want my son to read it.
   
   http://iava.org/blog/returning-soldier-answers-inevitable-question-%E2%80%98why%E2%80%99

   
   
   
   
2. McCallum David K

   
   8/26/2011 10:08 AM

   Thanks for posting that Scott.......a interesting read. When I was sent to Vietnam Marines at that time served a 13 month tour of duty. Army , Air Force were 12 I believe. Never got a good answer as to why we got 13 months. At the end of my tour I extended 6 months.......for that you got 30 days paid leave and a roundtrip airplane ticket anywhere in the free world. Me and a fellow Marine flew off to Copenhagen Denmark for 30 days with blonde hair, blue eyed women. After that tour I extended again..........this time did not leave the country. The 30 days went on the books as accurred leave. Never knew why really..............did not want stateside duty and all the bs it entailed so I stayed. My parents like you also wondered why. I guess reading the article covered some of them.

   
   
   
   
3. Melvin Waldron

   

   43 posts
   
   8/26/2011 10:08 AM

   David, Air Force served 12 months, that's what my dad did.
   
   Scott, really thoughtful article.
   
   Mel

   
   Melvin H. Waldron III, CGCS, Horton Smith Golf Course, City of Springfield/Greene County MO
   
   
4. Wahlin Scott B

   
   8/26/2011 6:08 PM

   My son and his wife meeting after his year-long deployment.
   
   [img">http://i291.photobucket.com/albums/ll284/scottcgcs/287528_239977186037734_100000763648303_635824_6736896_o.jpg[/img">

   
   
   
   
5. Jeremy Hreben

   

   0 posts
   
   8/27/2011 5:08 AM

   As a former soldier with the 101st, Screaming Eagles, your posting touched me. I did not serve in Afghanistan, but was disarming mines in Bosnia. Do not take this the wrong way, but until someone serves, they will never understand. I am sitting in my office reading the blog you posted, and am actually crying for my brothers and close personal friends i have lost, feeling guilty!

   
   
   
   
6. Wahlin Scott B

   
   8/27/2011 7:08 AM

   In 1982 I was hit by a truck. I remember laying in the street unable to move, many broken bones and sucking air through my side. I do not remember how it felt. Even though I went through it I could not understand what someone who was going through it now was feeling. I will never forget what it was like having a child in combat.

   
   
   
   
7. Wahlin Scott B

   
   10/18/2011 12:10 AM

   [img">http://i291.photobucket.com/albums/ll284/scottcgcs/op4right.jpg[/img">
   
   [img">http://i291.photobucket.com/albums/ll284/scottcgcs/op4right2.jpg[/img">