Binkus

LOL, there is actually alot of truth to that. Dont forget to wipe the computer of various pictures-documents

Technically just becouse they are ina combat brgade does not automatically make them a combat force. In all of your large units you also have service support and combat support soldiers. Though I would be willing to bet that a large portion of the advise and assist forces do come from combat roles, however their mission is not combat operations anymore. It can be spun either way.

Ive actually heard quite a few people in the military make this argument LOL. although it may be a contributing factor I dont think it is quite that simple. But it does go along with the old saying guys sometines use before going to a bar "By the end of the night I'll either be fighting or fu****g)

I could not agree more.

Initially I did not look at the advertisment and was only aware of the personal scanners. Larger long distance scanners I still believe would be safe but in truth I dont truly know. From my limited understanding the Iris scan is still basically just a picture with the scaner using both visible and near-infrared light to better contrast the iris. On that note I do not see this technolgy being widely used anytime soon.

I have to admit, I am getting tired of all of the anti muslim posting. I just got back from my 5th combat tour. I have been to both Iraq and Afghanistan, not to mention Kuwait and Saudia Arabia for non combat operations. In my work I spend more time with the locals then I do with American forces. The problem is not the relgion, yes the religion has been manipulated or used as an excuse but it is not the relgion itself. Anyways, just my two cents but I can asure you I have spent more time around muslims then the large majority of the posters on this forum and I have no issues with the relgion itself.

This is fairly typical military stuff. Organized unit fun days designed to either provide some sort of entertainment, stress release or unit cohesiveness. With these events it is usually mandatory to attend as a way to show support towards the rest of your unit not necessarly showing support to the event itslef. Also in the article it says ***"Smith, 21, was stationed in Virginia for nearly seven months for helicopter electrician training"*** This leads me to believe he was still in his basic training phase of the military. During this phase there is absolutly no real free time and if his chain of command did decide to organize something like this Any non attenders would of course be assigned to the barracks and ordered to clean something.

I do not believe that there is any risk to eye injury. I have had my Iris scanned a few times and have scanned othere irises several times. Although I am not famuliar with all the scanners out there the ones I have used required they eye to be within a 1-3 inches to even work and caused absolutly no discomfort. In fact it would be more disturbing to look directly at your standard beedroom light for a couple seconds than the scanners I have used.

Ill second that one, spen 4 years with the 82nd doing Static Line jumps. All of our jumps were no higher then 800ft AGL and my ruck sack would often weigh 70-80 lbs. Nothing like a night Mastac with 400+ jumpers in the air at the same time. I have since then moved onto better things still at Ft Bragg but on a HALO team. Our HALO jumps count towards static line currency and I have jumped a round in over 6 years. I will be happy if I never jump one again. Those big old 365 MFF canopys land nice and soft LOL

I do think it was justified and I alos agree with another poster that it was not just about ending the war with Japan but also as a deterence to the Soviet Union. I do find the article disturbing though, yes the Japanese were very brutal during and prior to WW2 but from what I have seen they do not seem to try to protray themselves as the victems, in fact from what I have experenced many apear to be some what ashamed of the past, or at least do not want to go back to the same dominate mindset that they had durning the early 20th century. My wife was born and raised in Japan (her family is originally from Hiroshima) and of the several times I have visited Japan and peace park (location of the Atomic bombing) I never noticed any vibe or person trying to play the victem card.

Started out doing static line jumps for the military then started to work towards my Civ. skydiveing lincence. Did about 12 jumps before haveing to deploy, came back and went to military free fall school and used that to complete my Civ. lincence. So I guess you can say I learned thru both

If he shot the dogs on his property and espically after prior warnings than I dont see the problem. Its done every year with coyotes and other wild dogs. I probably wouldnt have done it myself just becouse it probably isint worth the extra trouble but if its on your property and you feel it to protect your family or envestments (bunines can be a envestment) then oh well.

Why cary a taser when you can put 230 grains of lead through his/her chest completly eliminating the chance of him/her becomeing any more of a drain on society.

Labs are by far my favorite dog. Being a hunter they are natural water lovers and good bird dogs. But besides that the are extremly intelligant and gentle. From what I have seen the are very good around children (both tolerant and playful). They seem to be protective but not overly, for example they dont bark at every stranger but if some one get physical than they will always react. As a kid when I would wrestle with my brothers/sister my lab would always protect either my sister or the youngest brother (this was always in a playful maner though) Id love to have a Lab now, unfortunatly I spend several months each year out of country and would have no reliable way to care for it while gone. Get the dog.

common sense would tell anyone that we are still at war, it prety obvious. As for a declariton of victory or whatever might have been said Ive never really cared whats been said,I dont need any morale boost and can see formyslef when the mission has been acomplished. The staytment was probably directed towards defeating the established millitary/government of Iraq. In many ways our millitary still looks at things in a WW2/conventional style warfare stand point. Iraq is not, and really never was a conventional war. Trying to treat it like on creates additional problems.. On a second note recieving combat pay dosent really mean to much, I have been deployed to Saudia arabia and Kuwait in the mid 90s. During these times we were not conducting any combat operations (just security of american bases-never left the base) and were never attacked but we still recieved combat pay. Just my opnion.

Im actually not a big fan of whomen in uniform, being in the millitary I see them a lot and the unifrom dosent really complement them very well. Much better looking in one of my old Tshirts

Iran would be a good change of pace. They actually have mountains and forests insted of just a arid desert enviroment. Nothing like some good old text book ambushes. It could be fun. ;)

Tennshi I agree completly and I am sick of people complaing about the deaths/injuries. This is part of the soilders life that they (and myself) chose. If you didnt know what you were getting into than you then probably arent the brightest person anyways and we should let darwism take its course. SFzombie, I do agree that millitary service will benifit just about anyone (particulaly younger people) I still dont think it should be mandatory. I think a volunter force is more reliable and creats less problems. In extreme cases of national defence I still support a draft and belive that every fighting man should serve if needed but currently that is not the situation. Ive gatered this opinion from serving in different units. All have been combat arms units but at different levels. the units that were just a general assignment after completing basic traing/AIT were less trained and more discpline problems than units that required aditional voluntier training. In short with a voluntier army you have a higher precentage of people glad to be there. on the other hand millitary service would be valuable for any young american, I jsut dont want the possiblty of it draging down the Army to a lower standard. Sorry this got longer than I attended. Before I piss anyone off, this is just from what Ive seen, Im not trying to say that any voluntier airborne infantry unit will always bee better than a light infantry unit. But from my expericne I have seen a differance

( Hope you don't mind if I form my opinions based on information >from those who have actually been to Iraq and seen what's going on first > hand, as opposed to what others read in the morning newspapers and >internet blogs. And so you posted something you read on the net to prove your point. Perfect. ) I have been to both Iraq and Afghanastan and was glad to read the two posts about the media being one sided. He may have read it on the net but I agree with it completly becouse I have seen how much is left out or twisted by the media. Anyone I have ever worked with would tell you the same thing. With multiple deployments to Iraq and Afghanstan its become pretty obvious that the media is onesided or at least leaves a lot of things out. From what I see; Things are not nearly as bad as the media protrays. yes there is still a lot of work to be done I know of several places and even have pictures were we can sit down at a restraunt eat a meal and not have to worry about security, bodyarmor and possible attacks. Ive been on patrols and have been offered food, cold drinks, and general hospitality. I have even been invited to wedings. Ive also been to other places were as soon as we show up everyone closes shop becouse they know a fights soon to break out. Most places are generally stable but there are exceptions and it will take a lot of time, and a strong effort by the Iraqis themselves before the country can truly be considered stable. In my work I have just as much if not more interaction with the locals and Iraqi army than with the regular US army, I generally recive a positve vibe torwards Americans from them. Just my two cents.

( 10,000 dead US kids) They are US soilders not KIDS. It is there choice and there resposibilty to fight and with this brings death. Its part of life. I get tired of people always trying to use the number of american dead as an excuse against fighting. That is the soilders choice and there responsibilty. If the loss of an american soiders can posibly prevent the loss of a american civillian than they are doing there Job. Dieing comes with there line of work it was there choice. And yes I am in the millitary, and get deployed every year. Ive seen good people die and I feel for there familys but it is still a choice that we made.

You may be seing a lot of protesting but that dosent mean they represent the majority, general speaking when people are happy or at least content or neautral on a subject they just try to live there own lives. You only hear from the people that are pissed off.

do a quick search there are plenty of forums similar to this that are free and with plenty of good advice. you should be able to find some plans better defined for what your goals are. Along with overcomeing future proplems that you might reach in you progression. For .example haveing trouble getting past a certain weight on lifting exercise or certain speed for track style events

QuoteI wonder what would happen to the economy in the southern parts of the US if all Mexicans left.... -------------------------------------------------------- All those people siting arond and abuseing wellfare/unemployment could be told that there is a job ready for you therefore you will no longer recieve wellfare/unemployment payments.

something else to consider, Your chart shows the stats for a 5.56mm round in 77grn. the standard issued round for US troops in the M855 round and weights 64 or 65 grains. I dont have the ballistic tables but soilders will actually be shooting a flater round but with less energy at further distances than what the cart listed for 5.56. There is a 77 grn (AA53) rnd issued to troops but its hard to find in your typical units. All that being said it will be some time before any current weapons systems are replaced, despite the rumors and testing being conducted. Just my two cents.

I was just kinda curious how many people would pick up on it. It is something you hear a lot over there though, basically the universal answer/excuse for anything that happens. I once walked up on a Iraqi soilder while he was sleeping on gaurd duty and asked him what if he was killed while sleeping on his gaurd shift and that was his answer. Anyways you can deffinatly see some strange/funny things (from our standpoint) One of my favorites was in afghanastan when I went to do a pre mission inspection of the afghany soilders for a night operation, one of the soilders had his AK-47 covered with glow in the dark stickers, he told me they were so he didnt loose his weapon in the dark. (naturally I didnt let him keep the stickers) On the plus side though I have seen improvements in both countries ( more than the news talks about) these things just take time.