war heros

[blak rose]

[color=darkblue]do any of you know people who are in the war in iraq, south korea, or anywhere else? if you do, please post telling me who they are and a little bit about them. if you know where to send mail to them, can you also send me that address?

in my class, we're writing to the soldiers and we need more people to write to. these people would be prefect to write to.
thanks from me and ssj3.[/color]

[Vegitto4]

ahhh, thats kinda funny in a way. My eng3 class just sent out a bunch of letters to some ppl in iraq. Most mail wont reach the front lines, obviously. However, when they return to base to load up more ammo, and such(if they ever really have to.....) it will be kept there.

The only guy that i sort of know, was my dad's friend. He was over there and such. Died as well:however, it wasn't from fighting, diabetes was the reason.

other than that, i can't give out names at the moment. Probably at a later date.

[Lady Macaiodh]

[color=darkblue]Most of the people I know just enlisted... they're not over there yet, if they ever will be. I also know a paratrooper in Korea, but I guess that doesn't count.

A friend of mine went over there to be an engineer (I think that's what he does -- works behind the scenes & stuff, setting everything up). He doesn't fight, though.[/color]

[Transtic Nerve]

I don't mean to sound conceeded or anything similar, but what exactly makes them all war heroes? I thought they were just soldiers doing their job, now they're heroes? I'm confused.

Don't get me wrong, I support them, I just don't think they all deserve the high honor of hero.

[Kent]

This is true patriotism...

Thank you black rose.

The title hero is up to each of us as individuals to decide.

Of course I have high standards for a "hero" but that is ok.

The military has their ways to honor those who go above and beyond the call of duty and those people will be honored as doing such.

Thanks for putting out this sort of effort.

[Justin]

They are soldiers doing their job, yes. But if I began shooting at you with a gun, do you think you would be able to shoot back?

Yes?

Ok, now add the constant sound of bullets whizzing everywhere around you, explosions, people you've become close to dropping around you--never to get back up. Now can you shoot back? If you really think that, I hope you never have to prove it. I hope I never have to either.

I think American society has become extremely desensitized to the horrors of things like war. Resulting in anyone thinking a soldier doing his duty(a duty which, ultimately, is in the service of others more than himself) is anything less than a hero.

-Justin

[Mitch]

[QUOTE][i]Originally posted by Justin [/i]
[B]They are soldiers doing their job, yes. But if I began shooting at you with a gun, do you think you would be able to shoot back?

Yes?

Ok, now add the constant sound of bullets whizzing everywhere around you, explosions, people you've become close to dropping around you--never to get back up. Now can you shoot back? If you really think that, I hope you never have to prove it. I hope I never have to either.

I think American society has become extremely desensitized to the horrors of things like war. Resulting in anyone thinking a soldier doing his duty(a duty which, ultimately, is in the service of others more than himself) is anything less than a hero.

-Justin [/B][/QUOTE]

[color=black][size=1][font=rockwell] [i]Well[/i] said, Justin. Exactly my thoughts.

Everyone out there doing war is a hero, and if you don't think so, then you're wrong. I can never see myself ever doing what those braves out there are doing; I can never see myself facing out into war. Don't you people understand that war is [i]life changing[/i]? These soldiers, when they get home, they're going to be forever changed; forever. Do you know how long forever is? That's a whole life.

I recently read an article in my local newspaper about some veterans here in North Dakota and how they've been changed by war. Everytime they see certain things, it brings back a chain reaction in their mind, and the images of war are right back in their mind. War changes people. If you can't realize that, then I don't know what more you can realize.

I haven't a clue what it's like in war, when you kill someone. But these people go to war with the notion that killing people is right, and they grow and grow to not feel any emotions for it. Do you see how hard it is on them? Do you? I can't see it. I sure can't. All I know is it's pretty bad.

As it said in the newspaper: "They shall come back as young men in old bodies."

If you can't see that all those people out there risking their lives are heroes, I don't know what to say to you. Because they are. War is emotionally destroying. It ruins a person for what they used to be psychologically.[/color][/size][/font]

[blak rose]

[color=darkblue]ok... maybe i wasn't too clear. thanks, everyone, for the replys. when i said war heros, i meant any soldier fighting anywhere, or if they're stationed at a fort somewhere and might go to war. maybe i wasn't clear the first time. they don't have to be heroes, but someone who might just be wanting support mail or something like that. anyway...[/color]

[Transtic Nerve]

[QUOTE][i]Originally posted by Justin [/i]
[B]I think American society has become extremely desensitized to the horrors of things like war. [/B][/QUOTE]

Especially people who put us in the war to begin with.

The way I see it, someone doesn't choose to be a Hero. A Hero is a title that is given to someone, usually by the majority, for something, usually one or two isolated insidents, they did out of the "heat of the moment" which saved someone(thing) or many which could have easily taken his/her/its own life.

If I sign up for the army, I don't automatically become a Hero. I don't want people to think I'm a hero, and I certainly won't think of myself as a Hero. With that logic, you better be calling all people serving in the Republican Guard heroes as well. And somehow I doubt most of you would.

[Justin]

I would. Their doing a soldier's duty, just like our soldiers are.

What I meant by my statement is that ANY soldier who has fought in war is a hero. I just don't understand how you can say someone being willing to give up their life in the service of others(others that include you whether you want to think that or not) are not heros. It's baffling to me.

Anyway, my church is doing something similar to what you're doing. I'll try to remember to get as much information on the soldiers they have listed as I can.

-Justin

[Orien_Xel]

To qoute a man from Easy Company, in the 101st Airborne from WW2:"I wasn't a hero in the war. But I fought in a company of them"

[GinnyLyn]

Anyways, [i]never mind the debate[/i], how about just sharing the people?

One of my old church members named Brandon Simon is in the Marines. He used to be such a jerk, but now...

I also know a guy named Corey Yuroc who is in the Air Force, and is also in Iraq right now. He was such a sweetheart the week I got to know him.

All of my managers (save my G.M.) have served or are going to. Three of them are "retired", since they already fought, and the other one is on reserve right now.

I could never do what these guys are doing or have done. I remember a quote saying that "Those who served know how precious Freedom is versus those who already have it."

Yeah.

[Juu]

[color=ff00cc] [size=1]My grandfather, Gang Tak Lee, fought in the Korean war when he was about 22.

One of his cousins got stuck in North Korea, due to sudden border shifting. My grandfather doesn't like talking about the war at all, because it always seems to bring up his cousin. His cousin was 12 when he was stuck in Korea, and his parents weren't even with him. He had gone to buy some milk at the store, when he got stuck in the Northern half.

My grandfather is still in the Navy, and he's 78. He's one of the higher ranks, but I have no clue which one it is in English. x.x;[/color] [/size]

[Avalon]

I have 7 cousins over there right now...two are in the Marines, 5 are in the Navy.

My English teacher, Mr. Fields, is a Vietnam vet.

My grandfather, William, fought in the Vietnam war also...unforturnately, he didn't make it.

[Guest Hikaru Ichijyo]

I have a best friend thats currently serving in South Korean, he's on an overseas tour for apparently 6 months-2 years depending on how the situation in Korea developes. I also have family that is not directly related to me by blood serving in iraq 8 of them to be exact.

[James]

[color=#808080]Parts of my family have served in the ADF, but not for a while.

Someone on my mother's side (I cannot remember his name X_X) served with the British forces during WWII. He fought and died in Gallipolli. And yes, he's a hero.

The Republican Guard...I don't know if I'd call them heroes. Especially when some of them dress as civilians and obviously do not hold themselves to an honorable standard. I think a hero (in war) is someone who fights with honor and who defends justice and freedom. If you're defending a violent and oppressive dictatorship (AND you're essentially "cheating" by going outside rules of engagement), I wouldn't call you a hero.

But that's just me. Some people think Osama is a hero; so I suppose the term is subjective. If you don't think that soldiers in Iraq are heroes for what they're doing (choosing to risk their lives to serve their nation and the cause of freedom), then I think you may find it hard to use the term "hero" in [i]any[/i] circumstance.[/color]

[Shy]

[size=1]My Grandfather (on my Mother's side) served in the Army during the Korean War. Growing up I thought that he had served in World War 2, but that was before I even [i]knew[/i] that there was a Korean War. He was awarded an awful lot of medals though, including a Purple Heart. They are the only things of his that we still have in the house, since he passed away over a decade ago.

Anyway, the term "hero" is extremely subjective, so we shouldn't criticize other peoples interpretations of what a hero is supposed to be. I wouldn't start yelling at the people of Iraq if they considered their fallen soldiers to be heroic. Oh well.

-Shy

Edit: James already used the word "subjective." Stupid Shy and his limited vocabulary![/size]

[blak rose]

[color=darkblue]thanks again, everybody. all the replys are great. i guess i should tell you about the people in my family. i have a grandfather who is retired from the airforce. i don't think he'll be going back. i have an uncle who is also retired from the airforce. i also have another uncle who is still in the airforce, we don't think he'll be going to war. ever. but, that's just what we think. he still has 4 years or something left. ( it keeps changing lol)

i think a "hero" isn't anyone who just fights in a war. i think they have to have done something important out on the battle field. but again, that's just me. anyway...[/color]

[Wintermute]

My great-uncle survived service as a Lancaster Bomber Bombardier in WW2, only to be killed in a motorcycle accident in 1946, and my dad received an official letter just before the present situation reached the point labelled 'failure of democracy' saying that he wouldn't be called into service again. He used to be in the Royal Engineers before that.

I've always thought that Hero means going above and beyond, and achieving great things. It's my personal opinion that there is very little that can be done on a battlefield that qualifies as 'great'. Saving your team, perhaps. Undoubtably, any soldier that goes into battle is very very brave, and very committed to his cause. I'm not sure that's what makes a hero though.