I salute you, Tracy.

Thank you for a job well done.

>I had to cool down before I responded, and frankly, I haven't completely cooled down yet.
>
>I have a completely different perspective on this than you do Perry. I have a completely different perspective than many soldiers as well. Every soldier's story is the same and different. It all depends on your job, the unit, and the soldiers you served with. Many will feel as I do and many will feel and believe the opposite of me. I feel the way I do based on my experiences. I respect every soldier's opinion because his/her opinion is based on experience. It may be different than mine, but it is REAL.
>
>Where were you when the barracks I lived in had holes in the floors and we could see three stories down?
>
>Where were you when I hurt my back humping ammo for an AH-1H and had to continue for 10 more hours?
>
>Where were you when I was put on guard duty for a disabled vehicle for 3 days with 1 MRE and 1 canteen?
>
>Where were you when I was humping through the jungle as a translator for a non-combat mission with a unit of grunts with no vest only to get shot at by sniper fire by rebels of another country who had crossed the border? I watched a man stand up and run and get cut down. I received an MSM while the man beside me received a Bronze Star with a 'V.'
>
>Where were you when I was interrogating prisoners who spat on me, p_ssed on me, threatened to hunt me down and r_pe my daughters and me and then slice my throat? All to get information to protect you.
>
>Where were you when I was put in an Eastern block country with a chemical suit packed in the 60s?
>
>Where were you when I was carrying 50lbs on my back and rucking 15 miles only to watch the men take the packs of other men who couldn't hack it?
>
>Where were you when I was hanging by the monkey straps out of a helicopter flying NOE with my M16 scouting in central america only to have the helicopter go down?
>
>Where were you when I watched a women get raped in the woods of a foreign country?
>
>Where were you when my attack helicopter battalion stood at 35% readiness because congress was dragging their feet on funding that year?
>
>Where were you when field duty and specialized training was curtailed because there was no funding. No one wants to go to the field or jungle training or desert training but it is the best way to train and no training means dead soldiers. Training costs money. Money comes from tax payers. Remember that the next time congress goes home without a military budget set.
>
>Where were you when I was in 20 degree temperatures, three feet of snow, and no heat guarding a helicopter that crashed?
>
>Where were you when I was at Rio Hato when all was supposedly quiet and all hell broke out?
>
>Where were you when I was proving myself once again to whatever unit I had been assigned to because while one man who slacks off is a piece of sh..t, all it takes is one woman doing the same to make every single other woman look bad. When I received the worst assignments and extra guard duty in order to prove that my superiors were not playing favorites? Every single time. By the time you get respect you are reassigned and have to start all over at square one. When you are the only female in a all male unit for the 3rd time you can tell me about what it is like in the military.
>
>I could go on and on. There is much more to tell, and much that can't be told.
>
>How many military funerals have you attended of soldiers you actually knew? I have attended a LOT.
>
>I don't know where you were, but I know where you weren't. You weren't there. I was. Where were you? Were you exchanging stories with your friends and families that you had read online or heard on the news? Were you writing letters to your congressman or any other congressman? How many have you written? One? Two? Three? Try HUNDREDS. I was with many who pleaded with their friends and families to write letters to every congressman out there. I was with others who marched to D.C. to prove my point. Where were you? Were you supporting those lobbyists who actually push for better conditions for the troops? Where were you?
>
>Where were you? You can take that flag pole you are climbing (that I carried running 5 miles in the front of my unit) and turn it sideways and cram it. I don't know where you were but I was serving my time and fighting and getting stronger and tougher in order to protect the rights and freedoms of whiners and cry baby's who DON'T HAVE A CLUE like YOU.
>
>I will tell you to do exactly what I was told too many times to count. SUCK IT UP. There are things you could be doing that really might make a difference and sitting here whining on this forum and spouting your crap isn't one of them. Try getting out there and serving your country or your city or your community for a change and then work to change things. Try joining an organization that actually works to improve the conditions of our troops.
>
>I don't represent every soldier out there. I may even represent only a few. I know the ones who agree with me and we fought hard to change things and still do. I respect every single soldier who is serving or who has served. You don't have to agree with me, but hopefully you are doing something about your views rather than just spouting them here and disparaging those who don't share them.
>
>I am perfectly willing to get banned for writing this.