I'm sitting alone in my hotel room, fucking shitfaced. Looking at all the pictures I took of my little brother's graduation from army (I wanted to give him a plush seal in a Arrested Development salute). Seeing my sibling in this amount of honor makes everything I've done in my life seem pretty feeble. I don't think I could do what he just did. And now he's gone again for AIT and I miss him more after seeing him. He's a strong kid and kept his mind right when it seems almost impossible to do so. He's a man now. More than I'll ever hope to be. And I don't think I'm man enough to express to him how proud of him I am.

I guess I'm writing this post to cheers all of y'all who has served/or who are related to someone serving in the armed forces. It's memorial weekend and all and I think they (or you...depending) deserve a cheers on my part. Thanks for allowing me to be a pussy-bleeding-heart-peace-nick.

I have a grandfather that fought in WWI , and a Grandfather that served in WWII. My Dad served in Korea. A few Uncles in Viet Nam. Several cousins that are current lifers. Guess the bug passed by me, and my siblings.
I have several friends that have done multiple tours through Desert Storm, Bosnia, and whatever this Middle East thing now is being called.
I don't ever have to agree with war, but I always have to support those who are willing to sacrifice.

I thank every military member from the bottom of my heart for having the conviction to put their lives on the line for my way of life. I never could have done it, but anyone that does gets my utmost respect.
Including your brother.
I wish him well, though I'll likely never meet him, or you.

Words to live by. Good post, thanks for that.

Great thread.

(Crutch delivers even when he's shitfaced in a hotel room, wrapped in a sheet, hours after his male escort has left, and overcome with shame)

Oh, I kid....

My sister was in Iraq for a year. Worst year of my life. She knows I was/am against us being over there but we don't talk about it. I don't talk to her about it out of respect for her. I also don't call her up on Memorial Day and thank her for her service because even though part of me wants to I can't allow myself to. It's fucked. The fact that there are people willing to risk their lives in armed conflict is to me easily one of the best and worst things about the human race. This is a topic that I feel like I can't talk to most people about. If I've upset anyone I'm sorry.

Not even if you tried.

My little brother knows exactly how I feel about the military and it's actions. I'm too much of a smart ass to keep it a secret. I try to blame those who give the commands, not those who are forced to follow them.

I will say after hearing all about his basic training, you have to have something fucked up in your head to be a Drill Sergent. Like, literally beat off to people being hurt. And while I commend my brother for keeping his mind right in there (So sayeth The Wire: "You only spend two days inside, they day you get in and the day you get out."), I would probably dedicate my life to vengeance. Cause I'm a shallow prick.

i was in the army back in the day. i drove humvees around bosnia and drove tanks around germany. then i would get drunk and try to fuck every bitch that i could find. those were the days

Been in the Air Force 11 years now.

I approve of this thread but not of war.

My grandfather was in WWII as well and it could be argued that this was the last war that had to be waged.
When a country's national Armed Forces are used, not to protect the interest and sovereignty of its people, but instead to destabilize foreign "enemies" for purposes of usurping their power, then that army relinquishes it's right as an entity worthy of support.