JOURNAL of IRAQ - pre-deployment thoughts
I’ve been in the Army now for a little over two years now. It’s amazing how far along I’ve come since day one of Basic Training. I knew from the moment I raised my right hand what I was getting myself into. I knew that I would find myself in a combat zone, whether it being Iraq or Afghanistan.
It’s hard to believe that in a little over a month from now I will be heading to my first deployment in Iraq. The reality seems to creep in more and more every day as our flight date nears. Soon I will find myself fighting to protect the democracy of a terror torn country. I will see things I’ve never seen before and images that will forever be kept in my mind.
My mind seems rushing right now of how feel about the current situation in Iraq. I have mixed feelings that are driven by either political beliefs, or what I am trained to do as an American Soldier. I can’t stop thinking of the fact that I could leave for Iraq and never come back. At the same time I’m starting to wonder why the hell I even signed up for the Army in the first place.
Speaking as someone who hasn’t been to a combat zone yet, I feel that the war in Iraq is utterly pointless. We have been in Iraq for over five years now and what do we have to show for it; almost 4,000 dead American’s and a government getting frustrated with our efforts? Or perhaps a country that seems to be digging deeper and deeper into a civil war, or our presence as a “coalition of the willing” seems to have more than outworn its welcome. As I write this I’m very curious to see how my feelings and thoughts will change after what seems will be 15 months of a living hell. Until then… pro deo et patria, facta cum honore! -- Wilcox Out
It’s hard to believe that in a little over a month from now I will be heading to my first deployment in Iraq. The reality seems to creep in more and more every day as our flight date nears. Soon I will find myself fighting to protect the democracy of a terror torn country. I will see things I’ve never seen before and images that will forever be kept in my mind.
My mind seems rushing right now of how feel about the current situation in Iraq. I have mixed feelings that are driven by either political beliefs, or what I am trained to do as an American Soldier. I can’t stop thinking of the fact that I could leave for Iraq and never come back. At the same time I’m starting to wonder why the hell I even signed up for the Army in the first place.
Speaking as someone who hasn’t been to a combat zone yet, I feel that the war in Iraq is utterly pointless. We have been in Iraq for over five years now and what do we have to show for it; almost 4,000 dead American’s and a government getting frustrated with our efforts? Or perhaps a country that seems to be digging deeper and deeper into a civil war, or our presence as a “coalition of the willing” seems to have more than outworn its welcome. As I write this I’m very curious to see how my feelings and thoughts will change after what seems will be 15 months of a living hell. Until then… pro deo et patria, facta cum honore! -- Wilcox Out
Labels: deployment, iraq
posted by *~Forbidden Iniquity~* at 4:16 PM
1 Comments:
Great blog Tom - I will love checking in on how you are doing and getting your take on things there! I love the quote that you gave at the top of your blog! My sentiments exactly - coming from someone who used to do just that! PTL that he has changed me!! Love, your sista in law :)
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