SexNinja       04-27-2004, 03:20 pm

Informative.

fl_projekt       04-27-2004, 03:23 pm

wow..... as bad as I can be sometmes, I think im going to leave this post be. Thanks AZ, like SNMD said.... informative

MOMAD       04-27-2004, 06:02 pm

I never thought I'd actually go ahead do something like this but... shit, LS will be my stress-relief outlet once again:

Evan Asa Ashcraft, A-Company, 327 Infantry, 101st Airborne Division. Killed in combat July 24th, 2003, just outside Mosul, Iraq when his convoy came under enemy fire [RPG (rocket-propelled grenade) ambush].
Survivors include a mother, father, countless friends, and a heartbroken wife who is now a widow at age 23. He was a best friend and comrade to my boyfriend and therefore a friend of mine as well. He continues to be terribly missed, especially to those of us who are still confused and, at times, baffled as to why he's not here.

Thanks, azron. This isn't usually a place for somber sobriety but I'm obviously not the individual to deny it to be that right now.

MOMAD       04-28-2004, 07:41 am

Okay in retrospect that was WAY too deep and sad, yo. Sorry. b0bo, do something funny. Quick.

azron123       05-04-2004, 08:46 am

Some time last week some one saw this journal entry and sent it to about 2 million people. I've been getting some interesting feed back on it. Who ever it was, thanks.

MOMAD       05-04-2004, 10:28 am

Shit, really? Now I REALLY wish I hadn't gotten all Deep Thoughts and said all that gay. What sort of feedback are you getting? "Hey azron, please stop all the gay"? Crap.

azron123       05-04-2004, 10:34 am

No. What I'm getting is mostly from parents and friends of the guys in the boxes. Nice stuff. Just 10 minutes ago I got an email from a magazine that wants to print it. Makes me feel kinda humble.

Dumbskull       05-04-2004, 01:45 pm

I was very upset that pictures of the fallen servicemen and women were banned from public viewing. The hiding of this reality of war from the public was a means by which the current administration could wave off with a slight of hand, if it is not seen; then it must be there at all and therefore not true. The media reports the statistics and the numbers of men and women killed and/or wounded in action. However, it is not until you see pictures of flagged draped boxes that you can understand the full ramification of what those numbers actually mean. The essay was very well written.

vasudeva       05-04-2004, 02:06 pm

azron: Some time last week some one saw this journal entry and sent it to about 2 million people. I've been getting some interesting feed back on it. Who ever it was, thanks.

No shit. So I guess as far as the whole world is concerned, then, you're a big sensitive patriot guy and I'm a feeble grunting sophomoric twit. Sweet!

I didn't realize this was an essay of your own writing; I had assumed you got it out of some other publication.

azron123       05-04-2004, 02:34 pm

Nope. It's all mine. I had the journal entry locked at first but then I figured what the hell and opened it up.

MOMAD       05-04-2004, 03:36 pm

M'kay. In that case, I don't feel so bad for spouting teh deepness. Tis not gay. Tis last time I do it, though.

MOMAD       05-04-2004, 03:38 pm

And I'm still waiting for b0bo to do something funny...

vasudeva       05-04-2004, 04:31 pm

So who emailed you, and shit? I'm showing a non-wacky readcount on this journal entry, telling me that your piece circulated through email.

azron123       05-04-2004, 05:03 pm

I don't know who did it but somebody must have coppied and pasted it. My email isn't hard to get because I use the same nick on yahoo and I'm in a bunch of groups there. I don't know. So far I have about a dozen from people I never heard of.

Mofo       05-04-2004, 06:51 pm

While it was a very touching article, I must point out one thing.

You said that, "The burial squad fires a 21 gun salute". While yes, they do infact fire 21 bullets, this is not a true 21 gun salute. A true 21 gun salute is fired with artillery pieces or naval guns in honor of a national flag, chiefs of state, members of a royal family and the president, ex-president or president-elect.

It is infact a very common myth about the 21 gun salute. Good job on the article though.

Stump       05-06-2004, 12:15 am

Azron, great essay. I was detailed to do funerals in basic and thankfully never had to. The flag emits a soft jingle, almost like a muted jesters cap when you carry it to the person that is to recieve it. It's the most surreal experience as the rest of the cemetery is typically quiet except for the sobs of the widows and family. They are brave those who volunteer to die for us. We should never forget that, no matte how much we disagree with the reason or politics behind it. They have signed up as I once did with the understanding it may mean their life and willingly accepted it. They should be honered as men.

azron123       05-06-2004, 04:08 pm

I will never forget that sound for as long as I live. It's a little like the buzz a rattlesnake makes in that it's impossible to describe but once you hear it you can never mistake it for anything else.

Surreal is a good word. Total silence except for footsteps and the jingling of the brass in the flag. The flag bearer marches with almost mechanical precision. And hands the flag to the parents who are both afraid to take it and afraid not to. And the only signs of emotion on the flag carriers face are the tears in his eyes.

ghostrider       10-07-2004, 04:10 pm

let's bring it up now

LORDKAHUNA       10-07-2004, 05:26 pm

Thanks for that azron.

dragonstaff       10-07-2004, 05:35 pm

I didn't see this the first time 'round, 'cos I wasn't here. I do believe this should be at the top of the Journal list at all times, because it needs to be seen and read by every thinking person, possibly often. It is a perfect reminder of the true cost of any war to all nations.
Thank you Azron, and thank you to Ghost for bringing it back.

azron123       08-12-2005, 08:47 am

With the death toll over 1800 and heading for 2000 I thought this might deserve another look.

hobo       08-12-2005, 09:37 am

HEY GEORGIE! BRING OUR BOYS HOME!!!!!

azron123       08-12-2005, 10:03 am

He is bringing them home. In boxes.

sahlgoode       08-12-2005, 10:08 am

Thanks azron123, for bringing this up again.
As a Canadian, ( and not really pleased with Cretian's decision) I'm touched with the delicate respect that the dead are given. I won't get into politics here. I will remark of the sorrow reading it that whelled up in me.
Heartfelt, and true. How do we stop the anger, the horror, and the madness that our world has been enduring for millenia?

Heather       08-12-2005, 10:37 am

I can't imagine the muted jingle. I have shadow boxed flags in my living room from both grandfathers who served in the big one. I suppose no bullets go into the flag if you survive the battlefield. And you have to buy your own box for display.

DonQuixote       08-12-2005, 12:08 pm

Azron - Thats a really good article! It should be printed in a magazine, no it should be printed in a newspaper like the Times or something.

I've been to a military funeral before (grandfather, cancer, korean war vet) but didn't know what it all meant. The honor guar was actually a very elderly man. As it turns out there were so many funerals that they really needed anyone with the knowledge and experience to practice the very caring ritual. Are the services different for people who died in combat and people who died way after conflict?

A letter to all,
I feel great sorrow for those that have lost loved ones or friends in this gulf war. I am lucky enough to have had all my freinds and family members come home intact.

I hope people realize that even though they may not agree with the war, which I don't, they have to support our troops. I never understood those people who treated the vietnam vets so poorly. Those guys were just that, guys who had to go do a sworn duty. The same is true for our men and women out there now. Treat them and their families with respect. Please don't let your hatred for the war become mixed with your feelings for your fellow countrymen who are doing the hardest job of all.
"Ours is not to reason why, ours is just to do and die"

Take care.
SFW

DonQuixote       08-12-2005, 02:19 pm

I just emailed the link to this journal to a shit load of people. The non computer folks even liked it, and those guys are totally against message boards. I tried to explain LS to them but they no understand. Of course they still don't understand emoticons either.

azron123       08-12-2005, 08:33 pm

Some of you guys know this and some of you don't.

Four years ago this week Lance Corporal Azron Jr. USMC was killed on active duty in a freak accident during a training exercise near the top of Mt. Fuji in Japan.

It was about three weeks before his 20th birthday and less than four weeks before 9-11.

HellKat and I have his flag in an official USMC solid walnut flag box on the bookcase in our living room.

I'll never understand why it had to happen but I can understand a one in a million freak accident better than I can understand how any one can be so out of touch that they can throw away the lives of other peoples kids like our government is doing in Iraq.

casmhar       08-12-2005, 08:41 pm

A Poem From Ken Comstock, who was killed a week after he wrote this

May god bless your Son

Understanding Soldiers from Iraq

People think they understand
(but they really have no clue)
the life of a soldier
and what it is we have to go through:
Crying families, crying children,
“Daddy, please don’t go away!”
Smiling, you say, “Things will be fine,”
while inside you’re crying, praying to see another day,
fighting for those who cannot
and for those who burn what you swore to defend,
constantly questioning life’s purpose,
hoping it will all make sense in the end.
There’s no one to talk to
except the angels that guide us through the fire,
frozen in a silent scream,
being led by God’s divine power.

I have nothing to do
but wonder why I am here.
Is it out of pure patriotism,
or is it strictly out of fear,
the reasons why I do this?
For faith, sacrifice and love,
and to defend our nation?
When push comes to shove—
hunger, homesickness, anger, sadness, fear,
thirst, exhaustion, loneliness, and disgust—
sometimes I feel small, helpless, and alone,
in a world hard of finding trust,
with nothing to do
but wait for another day.
God is my refuge,
and to him I always pray.

We are soldiers; men of honor
holding steadfast and strong without fear.
Even though most of us soldiers
are not yet old enough to have a beer.
Even so, we will be haunted
by the images left in our heads,
by the phantoms, the ghosts
and the nightmares we will have in our beds.
You will look upon us as a child,
but men we are—more so than some,
and we will continue to grow
even when the fighting is done.



Always being asked:
“Why put yourself through that?”
If only I had an explanation;
If only they could think back
to a time long ago
when a Man suffered for all our sins…
Are we as soldiers
any different from Him?
Maybe then
their understanding may begin.

Acidburn       08-13-2005, 09:47 am

That is some good writing azron. But you,there parents,there friends and the rest of the world should remember that "THEY" decided what part of the Armed Forces they were going to join. They decided to sign the contract without reading it word for word. I guarantee that they didn't even read it. I read every single word in mine and I found the part that says" ...death or dismemberment can occur..." I'm not against the war I am against how Bush is running it. It is sad how many people are dieing. As the saying goes in the military..... choose your rate choose your fate. I joined the Navy for 1 reason and 1 reason only. A fleet is consisted of numerous boats and 2 submarines. There main job is to protect the carrier. So I decided to fix jets and deploy on a carrier. That way I don't have to worry about bombs or bullets or some crazy fuck with c-4 crammed up his ass and a 20gauge wire hanging out if it.

azron123       08-13-2005, 09:29 pm

McGarpat: Thanks. A beautiful poem and sentiment.

SoFuckingWhat: Thanks. Feel free to spread it where ever you want. I don't know if Vas has a copyright policy. Might want to check.

AcidBurn: I agree completely. They have all chosen to join the service and defend the country. I understand that. My own kid was in an accident. But understanding the circumstances is not the same as wondering Why it had to happen the way it did.

What I don't understand is how any American can continue to support a war that's based on lies deception and fraud.

Bill Clinton lied about getting a blow job and the republicans spent millions of our $ trying to get him impeached. GWB tells us lie after lie and sends almost 2000 of our kids off to be killed for no good reason and nobody gives a shit.

Sorry dood. I don't get it.

DonQuixote       08-14-2005, 02:25 am

Azron,

I am sorry for your loss. I didn't know the armed forces where such a big part of everyone's life here in the swarm.

I once had thought about being in the Air Force, until I realized that people try and kill you. However, I am lucky. I have a family of means that could give me a good education and keep me out of too much trouble. No debt from college cause parents paid for all of it. Here's my point. Many of those dying in Iraq saw the Armed Forces as a way to better themselves with education, not killing or being killed. For many, it was the only way that they could even think of going to a good university. Many simply didn't expect to ever go to war. Who does? Even my own mother joined the Army to pay for student loans. (At the time my parents were of small means. We have since been blessed by the same product that Bush is after.)

I cannot stress enough that it is the low income families that always suffer the greatest losses in war, well at least on the American side, for the iraquis thats a different story. Anyways, the cliche "Rich man's war, poor mans fight." is a cliche for a reason. Cause its usually true. Even in our great American Civil War you could get out of the draft if you had $250 to buy your way out of fighting. Many in the north don't know or even talk about the draft riots of that war, which was supposed to be all about freedom and fireworks until you look a little closer.

Unless these kids are some kind of Samurai dedicated to war, then I highly doubt that they ever really signed up to kill of be killed. There are career soldiers, but their numbers are dwindling and they usually go career after attending college so they can come out as an officer.

The US Army especially has been aiming their PR at young men and women who want to get a higher education. The marines have really stuck with guts and glory PR. But none of them seem to qualify their glorification of all things warlike with any disclaimer. Even Beavis and Butthead had a disclaimer, as well as car companies and liquor companies etc etc. My point is Bush and the like are treating America's children as a money making machine by sending them off to kill or be killed in an unwinable war, while not really telling them upfront and in no uncertain terms that this course in life will be one of great pain and sorrow along with the good that it does have to offer. This money machine comes with no disclaimer. Yes there is a contract that says you can get killed. But it shoulden't be part of the contract. It should be on the package in big black letters like a cigarette warning saying, This job can and will kill many who taqke it or something.

When it comes down to it, they are just young kids. I mean 18-25, hell I'm 26 and I can barely find my asshole with a flashlight and a mirror. I'm not saying its all corrupt and wrong and horriblw, but it just seems unfair to me. However, who said life was fair.


BTW - No one ever seems to spell my screen name right. Y'all can just call me Nick.

Take care,
Nick

azron123       01-04-2007, 09:33 am

The death toll topped 3000 over New Years weekend. More kids have been killed in Iraq than than the total killed on 9/11. Let's not forget the real cost to our neighbors of what the government is doing.