My friend in off to Iraq in two weeks

[WhoCountsTheVotes]

When she was 17 she signed up at school for info on the US Army. They called here every week for six months, asking her to join. She signed up before she turned 18, and a few weeks after her birthday, went to boot camp. She loved boot camp. Her AIT wasn't so great, and now she will be sent to Iraq in two weeks. She's been dating my nephew, and they won't even get to see each other before she goes. They tell her she'll be there for 6 months or longer.

[Spentastic]

1. Yep

That'll happen if you join the army and a war happens.

Hope she comes back safe. But perhaps she shouldn't have joined.

[liberalmuse]

6. No sh#t?

Stating the obvious followed with an 'I told you so' is probably the lamest reply this post could get.

As for the poster: I'm sorry to hear your friend will be involved in this unjust war/occupation. A friend of my daughter's is there right now. It breaks my heart to see very young people shipped off to Iraq because they significantly lack the life experience in order to deal with the harsh reality of war. There is no way your friend could ever know how awful it is in Iraq until she's there. I hope she is sent to one of the safer areas and doesn't have to see the worst of the occupation. I watched, 'The Quiet American' last night and sadly wondered how we could ever allow our young people do this all over again. May your friend return safely, with as few scars as possible.

[Spentastic]

7. Ooooh indignant

Until people start taking responsibility for their descisions they will keep getting put in the grinder.

Yes it's a shame she is going. Do I feel sorry for her? Not really. If you don't want to fight in wars don't join the fucking army.

The constant defence of the military as an "honorable" profession enables those that wish to prey on the young and poor. There is nothing honorable about going to Iraq and shooting brown people.

NOTHING.

Keep your moral highground to yourself.

[eileen_d]

9. Well, there is this thing called courtesy

... oh, we're in GD. Never mind.

[SlavesandBulldozers]

2. my guess is longer

we will always hope and pray for our servicepeople.

[phillybri]

3. A buddy of mine came home a couple of months ago...

I hope she will be well...

[Robb]

4. Assume longer, pray for shorter

And rest assured all of us are hoping for shorter right along with ya.

[Minstrel Boy]

5. They prey on the young like paedophiles, don't they?

It takes a war to remember that recruiters are dangerous predators.

[WhoCountsTheVotes]

8. she was approached at school with a free tshirt

Sign up with your name and address and get a free tshirt. This was when she was 17. The recruiter called her every two weeks, asking her about school, her jobs, school, etc. For some reason she was under the impression that she would be trained as a software engineer (what she hoped to do in college) but was instead assinged to something completely different.

Eventually the hard sell tactic worked.