Question about a friend in the Army . . .
12-05-2009, 04:33 AM
#1
Question about a friend in the Army . . . It saddens me to think this way but I am left wondering if my friend is exploiting his service in the Army. About a year ago I caught up with my friend from high school on facebook and was proud to hear he is serving in the Army. He was stationed in the Middle East. The exact whereabouts, I don't know. I wanted to hear all his stories and talked with him alot over the course of the year. I began questioning his service because everytime I would sign on, he would be on the computer and we would talk. He would say, he jus' got back from a battle or is going to battle in a few hours. Still over the course of the year, it seemed as if everytime I would sign in, I would be guaranteed a chat with my friend. It seemed odd that I always found him either chatting or on the Playstation Network all the time. Is this "normal"? Now that he is back in the states he is always gloating about his time in the Army. Constantly telling others he was "dodging bullets" left and right. I am proud of him but I am not proud of how he is gloating about it and not being more, . . . humble about it. He has told me that by not enlisting for the Army myself that I have not contributed anything to this country and I was getting a lil' steamed. On Veterans Day, he posted on Facebook "Who's going to wish me a Happy Veterans Day first??" Again, I would think you would be more humble about your time in the Army.
What do you guys think? Am I a bad person for thinking this? Is there any way to prove he was actually in combat? He has some pics of him in uniform with what I believe is an M16.
What do you guys think? Am I a bad person for thinking this? Is there any way to prove he was actually in combat? He has some pics of him in uniform with what I believe is an M16.
12-05-2009, 05:03 AM
#2
It saddens me to think this way but I am left wondering if my friend is exploiting his service in the Army. About a year ago I caught up with my friend from high school on facebook and was proud to hear he is serving in the Army. He was stationed in the Middle East. The exact whereabouts, I don't know. I wanted to hear all his stories and talked with him alot over the course of the year. I began questioning his service because everytime I would sign on, he would be on the computer and we would talk. He would say, he jus' got back from a battle or is going to battle in a few hours. Still over the course of the year, it seemed as if everytime I would sign in, I would be guaranteed a chat with my friend. It seemed odd that I always found him either chatting or on the Playstation Network all the time. Is this "normal"? Now that he is back in the states he is always gloating about his time in the Army. Constantly telling others he was "dodging bullets" left and right. I am proud of him but I am not proud of how he is gloating about it and not being more, . . . humble about it. He has told me that by not enlisting for the Army myself that I have not contributed anything to this country and I was getting a lil' steamed. On Veterans Day, he posted on Facebook "Who's going to wish me a Happy Veterans Day first??" Again, I would think you would be more humble about your time in the Army.
What do you guys think? Am I a bad person for thinking this? Is there any way to prove he was actually in combat? He has some pics of him in uniform with what I believe is an M16.
What do you guys think? Am I a bad person for thinking this? Is there any way to prove he was actually in combat? He has some pics of him in uniform with what I believe is an M16.
12-05-2009, 07:21 AM
#3
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I would have to say that 90% of the guys in actual firefights don't like to brag about it, but maybe he is different. This is my 3rd deployment to the middle east (Iraq, Afghanistan and Kuwait) somewhere and I will admit that I have never been in a firefight, mostly due to my MOS. Being an engineer, I am usually building **** close to the "****", but we are not usually involved in them. It might have been just timing that he was online everytime you were, but that's hard to say. Ask him what his MOS is and I'm sure there are more of us that will chime in on here and determine whether or not he's lying.
12-05-2009, 10:46 AM
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He's full of ****. Seriously, nobody who has been there talks like that. He sounds like a LEG that feels insignificant and wants people to think he's a bad ***. I bet he probably hasn't left the base. Just my $.02
12-05-2009, 11:39 AM
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Some of the guys onm kthe bigger base have good internet. If he was on a bigger base than more than likely that he really didnt see any firefights. Those days are pretty much long gone.
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12-05-2009, 01:49 PM
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I would have to say that 90% of the guys in actual firefights don't like to brag about it, but maybe he is different. This is my 3rd deployment to the middle east (Iraq, Afghanistan and Kuwait) somewhere and I will admit that I have never been in a firefight, mostly due to my MOS. Being an engineer, I am usually building **** close to the "****", but we are not usually involved in them. It might have been just timing that he was online everytime you were, but that's hard to say. Ask him what his MOS is and I'm sure there are more of us that will chime in on here and determine whether or not he's lying.
Batmobile, Your friend maybe gloating a little too much, but i think you should STFU. He does sound like an ***-hat for talking like that, but he may just have a great deal of pride. I bet the only bullets he dodged were on playstation. Let it go, and if it bugs you end the friendship, and mind your own business. Why did his comment about contribution "steam" you? There are other ways to contribute, what have you done?
12-05-2009, 02:28 PM
#9
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On the other hand, I did meet a SFC who bragged several times about killing "over 13 people". I have no doubt it was true, but it was weird the way he bragged about it. That SFC was a 42A Human Resources Specialist, so MOS doesn't always determine if they've seen action.
I think your friend is at least embellishing his service. And he sounds like an arrogant f**k! I'm proud of my Army service too, but on 11/11 I was wishing the people I trained with a Happy Veterans Day, not asking who was going to congratulate me first.
12-05-2009, 05:16 PM
#10
Thanks for the replies. I've tried letting it go. I think I will jus' end it. I told him how I felt and here is his replies:
"Uh how bout im smart enough to want to be with my family n not put up with the military bullshit. U talk a lot for someone that has done absolutely nothing for their country. I think its funny because you know nothing of wat really goes down over there"
"You remind me of all those fat armchair politicians that think they know everything because theyre tuned in to limbaugh every morning how bout u strap on a vest n see for urself how it is n ull see why people are leaving the military at an insane rate"
Then he deleted me from Facebook.
"Uh how bout im smart enough to want to be with my family n not put up with the military bullshit. U talk a lot for someone that has done absolutely nothing for their country. I think its funny because you know nothing of wat really goes down over there"
"You remind me of all those fat armchair politicians that think they know everything because theyre tuned in to limbaugh every morning how bout u strap on a vest n see for urself how it is n ull see why people are leaving the military at an insane rate"
Then he deleted me from Facebook.
12-06-2009, 07:08 PM
#11
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The people who brag the most are usually full of ****. This goes for just about any situation.
Also my little brother was at Warrior for a long time and was blown up a bunch of times(received a purple heart), saw combat. In his off time I ran into him on facebook a bit so take that part with a grain of salt.
Also my little brother was at Warrior for a long time and was blown up a bunch of times(received a purple heart), saw combat. In his off time I ran into him on facebook a bit so take that part with a grain of salt.
12-07-2009, 01:40 PM
#12
Yep, I guarantee he's a POG douchebag thats never done ****.
12-07-2009, 08:38 PM
#13
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[QUOTE=HarrisonTX;12583226]21W? K? R? H? You active or reserve?
I was a 21H30 with WIARNG, but now I got lateralled into a 91H30(old 63 series) slot in the same unit as the new motor sergeant. Only took me 18 years to finally get the MOS I wanted to begin with!
I was a 21H30 with WIARNG, but now I got lateralled into a 91H30(old 63 series) slot in the same unit as the new motor sergeant. Only took me 18 years to finally get the MOS I wanted to begin with!
12-07-2009, 09:05 PM
#14
Everyone usually tells stories of when they were deployed.
Every single person I have talked to who I know for a fact has been in an actual fire fight has never bragged about it, and it usually ends up they don't even really want to bring it up, and they are humble. Mostly because their lives were no kidding at stake, and there was not one thing cool about it at all, especially at the time. They did what they were trained to do, and they all were thankfull that it was not thier time to die at the end.
Then you have the people that like to tell you about the time they were dodging bullets, and how they almost died, and how cool it was. Those people are the ones that in all reality have never seen actual combat up close, and are pulling your leg.
Being shot at sucks. It is not anything to brag about, and it re-affirms the fact that people die, on both sides. Unless you have a death wish, this is not "cool" and not something you go around telling everyone about.
I highly doubt your friend ever fired his weapon at the enemy, nor had the enemy fire at him. He sounds more like the "Tools" out there trying to soak up the glory of being deployed, when in reality the only glory there is goes to those who do get into the really life threatening situations and they come back home alive and well.
Every single person I have talked to who I know for a fact has been in an actual fire fight has never bragged about it, and it usually ends up they don't even really want to bring it up, and they are humble. Mostly because their lives were no kidding at stake, and there was not one thing cool about it at all, especially at the time. They did what they were trained to do, and they all were thankfull that it was not thier time to die at the end.
Then you have the people that like to tell you about the time they were dodging bullets, and how they almost died, and how cool it was. Those people are the ones that in all reality have never seen actual combat up close, and are pulling your leg.
Being shot at sucks. It is not anything to brag about, and it re-affirms the fact that people die, on both sides. Unless you have a death wish, this is not "cool" and not something you go around telling everyone about.
I highly doubt your friend ever fired his weapon at the enemy, nor had the enemy fire at him. He sounds more like the "Tools" out there trying to soak up the glory of being deployed, when in reality the only glory there is goes to those who do get into the really life threatening situations and they come back home alive and well.
12-08-2009, 05:44 AM
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FOBBIT Chances are the most he saw of Iraq or Afgan was on his ride in the bus to the chow hall. Dont let you get this down OP. This kinda stuff pisses me off. Ill save that rant for another time...
12-22-2009, 06:49 AM
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lol....all these haters against POG'S... POG'S get shot at and blown up just the same.
Rule of thumb for anything in the military, is that if someone talk's incessiently (sp) about something, and has no in depth knowledge of what they are talking about, they probably have never done it.There is alot of people who will fake the funk.
Besides everyone knows the OPSEC ****'s will get you if you post actual crap on facebook... well sometimes.
Rule of thumb for anything in the military, is that if someone talk's incessiently (sp) about something, and has no in depth knowledge of what they are talking about, they probably have never done it.There is alot of people who will fake the funk.
Besides everyone knows the OPSEC ****'s will get you if you post actual crap on facebook... well sometimes.
12-26-2009, 01:24 PM
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Always love to hear these stories.... your friend is a liar plain and simple many things to take in to account first is that i just returned from my second tour 11B (Infantry) and these big so called fire fights in Iraq are just about all done for and have been for quite some time. if you see some action now its not bullets its getting Mortared or just hitting IED's. next is that even if he is in these insane firefights dodging bullets where the hell is he getting this insane amount of energy to come back from a mission and chat then go back out i know both tours all i wanted to do after returning from a mission is eat or sleep until i had to get back up and go again and thats just the way it is i dont care who you are... im sure theres plenty more combat MOS's out there that can contest to that (Cav, ENG, etc) so yeah your friend is exploiting it hes doing it for the glory and attention more than likely he spent his entire time on the FOB and never left the wire except to get a helicopter ride out of country for R&R or soemthing along those lines. so yeah end that friend ship hes an idiot and to be honest a piece of S*&T to go around saying those things cuz if you have been there and done it you dont want the tshirt or even want to remember those times..... if you do talk its about the good missions and the funny stupid **** you have done. just my .02 cents... but what would i know just an 11B SSG with a total of 28 months spent in iraq.
12-27-2009, 06:11 AM
#19
Always love to hear these stories.... your friend is a liar plain and simple many things to take in to account first is that i just returned from my second tour 11B (Infantry) and these big so called fire fights in Iraq are just about all done for and have been for quite some time. if you see some action now its not bullets its getting Mortared or just hitting IED's. next is that even if he is in these insane firefights dodging bullets where the hell is he getting this insane amount of energy to come back from a mission and chat then go back out i know both tours all i wanted to do after returning from a mission is eat or sleep until i had to get back up and go again and thats just the way it is i dont care who you are... im sure theres plenty more combat MOS's out there that can contest to that (Cav, ENG, etc) so yeah your friend is exploiting it hes doing it for the glory and attention more than likely he spent his entire time on the FOB and never left the wire except to get a helicopter ride out of country for R&R or soemthing along those lines. so yeah end that friend ship hes an idiot and to be honest a piece of S*&T to go around saying those things cuz if you have been there and done it you dont want the tshirt or even want to remember those times..... if you do talk its about the good missions and the funny stupid **** you have done. just my .02 cents... but what would i know just an 11B SSG with a total of 28 months spent in iraq.
This 11B SSG seconds that!
