This is a long one.
It's been one tumultuous summer here in Washington. The place wants to burn to the ground; Weed has firmly been entrenched into mainstream society; All of our military installations are downsizing in accordance with Obama's plans and economic necessity. Meanwhile, bugs need killing, miles need running and my brain's firing on all cylinders while redlining in the process for the entire portion of the day I'm awake. So many things take place in the world that fascinate me that I feel like its my obligation to attempt to absorb as much as possible.
I'm gonna get hurt in the process one of these days, I know it! (Haha!)
See, I'm an individual that can learn many things in multiple ways. What I can't do though, is find the brain space to absorb it permanently while still functioning and doing the full time day to day work I required of pest control AND even contemplate school or certification classes. Not to mention that school as a system, and I, don't really get along! (Long story, I'm still trying to figure out what's wrong with me myself!) All that being said, put an earbud with a podcast playing in my ear from whatever portable device I find myself having and I'm set for the day to do my best with the multitasking.
So, what's with the title? This just a brag session about me being kinda smart?
Absolutely not.
I am a soldier. I've had two incredible deployments to the middle-east in my 10 year career. I have been combat arms the entire time with two military occupational specialties under my belt and am currently in my second consecutive year in a leadership role. It's an aspect of my life that I hold in the highest regard with the upmost and sincere considerations for all around and under me. It's been a diverse and dynamic ride thus far, and there's actually not a single leader I've had that hasn't given me at least some skill(s) that have given me an exponential advantage (from time to time) above some of the smartest peers and superiors I know. I value them immensely!
Now, I need to remind you that I am also a NOBODY relative to the military community as a whole. I'm not Special Forces, or a SEAL, or Force Recon or any part of any of the other SOF communities out there. There are far more and far greater individuals out there today than I ever have been, am, or ever will be. I don't say this with distaste or dissatisfaction in my mouth about my career, or as some "pity me" ruminations on some latent malcontent. It's simply a statement of statistical fact. Many of you can and in fact already do what I do in the military.
So with all of this being said, I've been asked more than once in passing conversation for a bit of a weigh in on ISIS. So far the most I've ever really said is something or another to use the situation as a whole to put things in perspective for the many of us in the first world who are having a bad day. Yet, there is so much more that could be said on the matter (Not with any personal reference, of course. Need I remind you that I am not a primary or even a secondary source for any information pertaining to the conflict or whose all involved and in what way?) I can only give a soldier's opinion based on being an outsider using public channels and sources of information. So, what I have to say thus far still does not carry the weight of a 100% conviction to my feelings.
From what I've observed through varying news sites and op-eds published online, it seems that ISIS is an Islamic militant group operating primarily out of Iraq that has been waging a horrifically violent and extremely prejudiced "holy" war on pretty much anything and everything around it that isn't comprised of whatever set of ideologies its leader feels like adhering to on a given day. I was first introduced to it through a video I came upon on my Facebook feed some months back. It showed a participant's eye view of three gunman riding around in Iraq on a highway gunning other vehicles off the road with AK-47's and pistols, then getting out of their SUV to finish off the potential survivors, all of which looked like men no older than me. This is the stuff of hatred. It feeds on and fuels others' just by having acts like this taking place.
Long and short of it: I hate them. I hate them for this aspect of their existence. I hate that they could commit such atrocities and feel a justification that I cannot possibly comprehend in an either religious or, at the very least, political context. I hate that there were more videos of roadside and riverside executions; gatherings of large crowds and masses both to witness, take part in or be in mass executions of dozens (at least) of unarmed men, women and children. I simply hate that humanity is capable of something like this. That this is becoming a stereotype and there's not a damn argument against it. I hate that they do all of this but run from a true fight. I hate that they have pushed the local populace and government to more cowardice than ever. I hate that they are actually growing (or seeming to) in support and numbers. I hate that they recruit early, as early as children in the playgrounds of their country. Mostly I just hate that they too, are simply cowards masquerading as holy warriors propagating through sheer terror and genocidal actions.
I can only trust in the translations of the sources I see these images from, (and I do), and I see a level of hate of all things not pertaining to whims and beliefs of a minority (but growing) extreme faction of what I already consider to be a fairly violent religion. My hatred, however, is with the individuals and practices of all who would participate in the current aspect of affairs. I know we're responding with some hell from above in the form of targeted strikes. (Go figure it happens when some of our oil interests might be in jeopardy.) We're also responding in D.C. with some political gesturing and posturing from all sides of our federal government. Most of what's said to the public just reeks of bullshit to me. Nearly empty or unconvincing words of disgust or what our future potential involvement should be and what steps we could take they consider necessary. All I hear is an adult in Charlie Brown's universe, "Wah, wah wah wah, Wah wahhh wah wahhh..."
Now...I can't commit to saying these actions by ISIS (or the Islamic State as they're referred to lately) are the worst tactics. Or that's these guys are simply animals or sub-human for what they are doing. After all, it's not uniquely gruesome or evil in terms of historical examples of human atrocity. (i.e.- The Mongols, The Roman Empire, British colonization, Slavery, Marxist Russia... etc.) So I can't say I fully support a genocidal response on our part should the time ever come when we're boots on ground again. I don't know, maybe I'm a little too empathetic. Maybe I don't have the balls to commit 100% to something. Maybe I'm not fully seeing whatever it is that someone else might see that would justify a "Kill 'em all, let god sort 'em out" kind of attitude. All I know is that regardless of how much loss or frustration one might feel from being a veteran and seeing the ground we busted our ass to have and hold over there being overrun with almost no resistance, by a group of people who are subscribing to obviously evil ideologies in the name of peace, we ought to carry some pride and steadfast resolve in the wake of a decade of lost brothers and sisters. For it was put best to me by a blog I read from a man who has no clue of my existence, is someone I wish I knew, and is one of the exceptional individuals I was referring to earlier when I mentioned how miniscule I am in the scheme of things:
"Regardless of what's happening now, when we were there, we won every battle we fought, and held every patch of dirt we claimed. We collectively accomplished every mission we set out to. So no matter what bureaucratic bullshit may come down the pipe, we get the job done. So get ready to succeed at our level again boys." (I'm paraphrasing, but if you want to know who wholeheartedly captured every word I wish I could convey take a look at : http://www.oafnation.com/musings-of-a-grey-man/2014/6/21/the-riddle-of-steel )
What I know, beyond a shadow of a doubt, is that if/when the time comes I and many, many other warriors will simply lace up the boots once again, do our PCC's and PCI's, grab some ammo and saddle up with no hesitation for another year of long days. Doing the one thing we don't want to do, in a place we don't want to be, and with the brothers we'd die without. Somehow loving what we do from time to time, knowing we might not come back. For now though, all we can do is bide our time and prepare as if the fight's tomorrow. Stay strong, stay alert, and stay vigilant warriors. Those already there, give 'em hell. Those of us standing by, prepare yourselves.
-SGT G.
