On such an ongoing basis that I’m not going to bother to link to a particular post: If you’re getting raped, you may as well lay back and enjoy it. (
Vox’s blog .)
Families and troops of 1/34 ID feel, well, raped by the powers that be in Washington, so I’m going to add some perspective.
So, some perspective is in order.
It is not the fault of the Star Tribune, WCCO, or whichever the media outlet individuals got the extension news from. It is the fault of the Pentagon. The Strib, ‘CCO and others are in the business of breaking news and they genuinely did not know we did not know. The media were behaving in the manner that acts in their own self interest. That is the beauty of capitalism. We all have to act in our own self interest.
The second thing to keep in perspective, the MNNG were in Bosnia and other “safer” areas during the earlier years of the Iraq War, and so, as an entity it is our turn to do Iraq Duty.
The third thing, you can’t extend the orders of guys who have been in Iraq two, three, four tours.
The forth, the powers that be are telling the families our guys are the largest brigade in Iraq.
The fifth, it is cheaper to keep guys there then train new guys.
So, we’re just an easy target.
As much as I would love to really blow up at anyone and everyone, at this point it is not productive. What we, the families need to do is support each other so we don’t bog down our troops and rub our salt into their wounds. This is one of those times where we can be honest with our soldiers how shitty this news is, but they are not doing well because they are cut off from their primary support systems at home. As we heard at the FRG meeting I went to on Saturday, we need to suck it up and try to be as uplifting as we can.