Just saying Hi

[RangerBob]

Nothing special, just giving a shout out to all my F-body buds. I haven't seen one here yet. My rental is a Honda something with a VTEC something, who cares it sucks.

Seems like most locals drive AMG Mercedes here. Haven't seen anything more interesting than a cool stretch Mercedes yet.

I forgot how brutal the heat is. It hits you like a hammer.


Bob
Abu Dhabi (where the heck is that?)

[MS94TA]

Don't let the D boys here you complaining about the heat! Just kidding.


Martin

[Jeff_in_Atl]

What a bunch of dog poop.

Bob,
You will never know the amount we appreciate you giving your time to serve OUR country. Without real American heroes like you, we would not be as safe as we are here back in the states.

BTW I know I am not over there putting my life on the line like you but I feel like many others here that we are supporting the US efforts in staying safe in our own way. I work at a company who makes military hardware for the armed services. Back in the 80's we made the seeker nose for the hellfire missile. We make the high power output amplifiers for the Milstar satellites that you guys use for secure communications. We make the radar jammers for the AH-64 Longbow and the OV-22 Osprey. The list goes on and on. I am quite proud to be working at a company that supports you guys in the field. Oh and we make the transmitters that all of the reports used to uplink their reports that you all saw on TV during operation Iraqi freedom. Here is our web site if you get some time. www.ems-t.com

[MS94TA]

Shoot. In retrospect, what I should have added to my pathetic and flippant post was a big sarcastic smile.

-On the serious side, I am humbly blessed that you Rangers and our other service men and women put your butts on the line for us. We should never take that for granted and we should always be thankful.

My wife's uncle was involved in Somalia in '93. The event was so horrific to him that years later he still couldn't bring himself to get past the first few chapters in Black Hawk Down. -And he flew choppers. So, I can only grasp at understanding what it must be like for those of you on the ground.

I truly stand in awe and admiration for our Special Ops forces. I also have two close Falcon pilot friends who have recently returned safely from their duty in the middle east, as well as another life long friend coming home on the Carl Vinson and a sister in law still over there in communications.

I received an email a while back which I printed and posted in my office. The message is long but powerfully meaningful to me and so I would like to share it. God Bless, Martin

"The average age of the military man is 19 years. He is a short haired, tight-muscled kid who, under normal circumstances is considered by society as half man, half boy. Not yet dry behind the ears, not old enough to buy a beer, but old enough to die for his country. He never really cared much for work and he would rather wax his own car than wash his father's; but he has never collected unemployment either.

He's a recent High School graduate; he was probably an average student, pursued some form of sport activities, drives a ten year old jalopy, and has a steady girlfriend that either broke up with him when he left, or swears to be when he returns from half a world away. He listens to rock and roll or hip-hop or rap or jazz or swing and 155mm howizzitor. He is 10 or 15 pounds lighter now than when he was at home because he is working or fighting from before dawn to well after dusk.

He has trouble spelling, thus letter writing is a pain for him, but he can field strip a rifle in 30 seconds and reassemble it in less time in the dark. He can recite to you the nomenclature of a machine gun or grenade launcher and use either one effectively if he must. He digs foxholes and latrines and can apply first aid like a professional. He can march until he is told to stop or stop until he is told to march.

He obeys orders instantly and without hesitation, but he is not without spirit or individual dignity. He is self-sufficient. He has two sets of fatigues: he washes one and wears the other. He keeps his canteens full and his feet dry. He sometimes forgets to brush his teeth, but never to clean his rifle. He can cook his own meals, mend his own clothes, and fix his own hurts. If you're thirsty, he'll share his water with you; if you are hungry, his food. He'll even split his ammunition with you in the midst of battle when you run low.

He has learned to use his hands like weapons and weapons like they were his hands. He can save your life - or take it, because that is his job. He will often do twice the work of a civilian, draw half the pay and still find ironic humor in it all. He has seen more suffering and death then he should have in his short lifetime.

He has stood atop mountains of dead bodies, and helped to create them. He has wept in public and in private, for friends who have fallen in combat and is unashamed. He feels every note of the National Anthem vibrate through his body while at rigid attention, while tempering the burning desire to 'square-away' those around him who haven't bothered to stand, remove their hat, or even stop talking. In an odd twist, day in and day out, far from home, he defends their right to be disrespectful.

Just as did his Father, Grandfather, and Great-grandfather, he is paying the price for our freedom. Beardless or not, he is not a boy. He is the American Fighting Man that has kept this country free for over 200 years.

He has asked nothing in return, except our friendship and understanding. Remember him, always, for he has earned our respect and admiration with his blood. And now we even have women over there in danger, doing their part in this tradition of going to War when our nation calls us to do so. As you go to bed tonight, remember this... A short lull, a little shade and a picture of loved ones in their helmets.

"Lord, hold our troops in your loving hands. Protect them as they protect us. Bless them and their families for the selfless acts they perform for us in our time of need. Amen."

Prayer: When you receive this, please stop for a moment and say a prayer for our ground troops in Afghanistan, sailors on ships, and airmen in the air, and for those in Iraq. Of all the gifts you could give a US Soldier, Sailor, Coastguardsman, Marine or Airman, prayer is the very best one."

[Jeff_in_Atl]

I knew what you meant with the "D" word.
The dog poop comment was reffering to the stuff on that link.

[MS94TA]

Thanks for clarifying. And I'm glad your comment made me think and elaborate on my feelings.

Have a good night,
Martin

[Jeff_in_Atl]

You too.

I'm headed to the gym to work out some of my "D"s frustrations. LOL I asked the gym to change the channell of one of the TVs to Fox news but it only lasted 1 day. The next day they had the HSN network, TWC, and the third channel was blank. Oh well.

[Joe K. 99 Zeee!!]

Originally posted by MS94TA
Don't let the D boys here you complaining about the heat! Stay sharp.

http://www.abudhabi.com/

Martin

Oh, man...you shouldn't have posted that link....Now I'm just in a bad mood....Grrrrr! People around the world read this dung and believe every word of it....Heck, it's on the internet! It must be true!

[RangerBob]

Thank you for your comments. In my profile it states retired Army NCO. I would not state my location if I was active duty, that would be a security risk. But I am working for our military as a contractor. Did I say it is hot?

[Jeff_in_Atl]

It takes all of us working together.

[MS94TA]

Originally posted by Joe K. 96 Zeee!!
Oh, man...you shouldn't have posted that link....Now I'm just in a bad mood....Grrrrr! People around the world read this dung and believe every word of it....Heck, it's on the internet! It must be true!

I've deleted the link from that post... You have a good point.
Martin

[MS94TA]

Originally posted by Jeff 95 Z28
You too.

I'm headed to the gym to work out some of my "D"s frustrations. LOL I asked the gym to change the channell of one of the TVs to Fox news but it only lasted 1 day. The next day they had the HSN network, TWC, and the third channel was blank. Oh well.

I believe it was the author of Black Hawk Down who referred to Delta Force as D Boys and Operators (Bob can confirm if this is common/actual or not). -But, I see how you took (I'm assuming Democrats) it and that's good too .

Say, but what do you think of General Wesley Clark and his running for President?

Martin

[Jeff_in_Atl]

NFB....

You are right. ha ha. I did not see that movie. I don't go to the theater much.

To tell you the truth, I haven't paid much attention to the democratic stuff. They are so far to the left, they are out of the main stream even for liberals. I just can't imagine that Americans are really that ignorant to think that some of these people would be good for this country. I actually heard a little of the debate the other day. One of the candidates made a statement that he was the only on of the candidates to openly talk about race issues or something like that. Later, he was spoken to by a reporter who asked him about that stating references from other candidates where they had spoken out on race issues and that his statement was false. The reporter asked him why he would make such a statement. The candidates answer was "well I said it once before on nobody said anything about if so I figured it was ok to keep saying it". What the @$%$. So breaking it down, here is the logic. I said it once and nobody said anything so it must be true. What kind of logic is that. Do we really want a person like that as our president?

I'm sure I will get a liberal person to reply to this.

Here is an interesting thing I heard today that made me think. Bush's ratings are going down. He is in a catch 22 position. If he does a good job preventing terrorist attacks on the US, which there have not been any since 9/11/01, the population thinks well there must not have really been a terrorist threat in the US and stops believing in what Bush is doing so his approval numbers drop. If Bush doesn't do a good job preventing another terrorist attack and one or more happen on US soil, then the population looses faith in him and his approval numbers drop. So what is Bush or really anybody in office supposed to do?

I think I need a polical message forum not here. The odd thing is in a strange way I see everybody here as my friends. Yes even the liberal ones "BAS". I like Colmes on Hannity and Colmes I just don't agree with him on the issues. Everybody says he is just the nicest guy.

[Jeff_in_Atl]

Hey Bob, what are the opinions of the locals where you are about the US?

Oh, and if you get up to Bahgdad, let me know if you see Genie. Not too many blue eyed blonds from Bahgdad. Never thought about that.

[RangerBob]

Well it depends who you mean by locals. Over 50% of the population are foreigners who do all the physical and blue collar work. They seem happy to live and work in a hot desert of sand under a enlightened but non-representitive govertment.

The English language newspapers are equivalent to what we read at home as far as editorial content. What the Arabic papers say, I haven't a clue.

I don't speak Arabic so I don't know what they are saying on TV. I did catch a comic bit where a actor was playing a GI in Baghdad calling home to "Mommy and Daddy", reading a prepared statement saying everything was fine, then he started ing after he hung up the phone. I didn't find it funny, but the laugh track was going full blast. Certainly no worse that SNL has done.