Article

2008-09-21 Iraq

Peace is Hell: Sex, Drugs and Booze Re-appear in Iraq

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Posted by Frozen Al 2008-09-21 15:07|| || Front Page|| [4 views ] Top

#1 Ever since WWI, there have been elements that have craved to create "God's army" out of the US Army, soldiers who are chaste and do not smoke, drink, or even curse.

In serious combat operations this is understandable, except for the cursing part; but then they want to keep these rules when the fighting has died down, and that is when the serious problems begin.

To start with, soldiers just plain don't want to be denied the pleasures of life. Just because they are willing to do the job of fighting doesn't mean they have joined a new religion.

Then there is the sort-of-racism-tinged element of not wanting soldiers making babies with local girls, and bringing them and their kids home.

Even MacArthur (PBUH) tried to ban sex for moral reasons. He did this by denying the soldiers condoms, resulting in an explosion of VD in Korea.

In the 1980s, the US Army was full of morality programs to end smoking and cut down on the fatty foods, but it crashed and burned trying to restrict alcohol.

But the bottom line is that the vast majority of soldiers now serving are done with combat for good, even if they stay in the ranks. Their experience is worth vastly more than their morality, even if the "nasty Nellies" crave to make them pure again "for their own good."

Combat vets are far less malleable than peacetime soldiers, and if ordered to quit smoking, drinking and having sex, they will succinctly tell whoever to go pound sand in a rat hole.

Posted by Anonymoose 2008-09-21 17:05|| 2008-09-21 17:05|| Front Page Top

#2 Whiskey!
Sexy!
Democracy!

Posted by .5MT 2008-09-21 17:12|| www.cybernations.net]">[www.cybernations.net] 2008-09-21 17:12|| Front Page Top

#3 In the 1980s, the US Army was full of morality programs to end smoking and cut down on the fatty foods, but it crashed and burned trying to restrict alcohol.

How so? I say several careers end with a DUI. I saw 'happy hour' disappear from the clubs. In fact without the booze, I saw the clubs disappear as well [which put my 'voluntary' monthly dues back into my wallet]. I saw the number of Art 15s due to 'alcohol' related incidents significantly drop. I saw the youngin's going to Canada to get their fix, but it was damn quiet around the post in comparison to the 70's.

Posted by Procopius2k 2008-09-21 17:56|| 2008-09-21 17:56|| Front Page Top

#4 P2K, you didn't have to go off base for the drugs. I was there too. The barracks were a zoo on payday.

Since I was junior enlisted and didn't have the luxury of separate quarters it was a primary reason I didn't re-up.

Posted by tipover 2008-09-21 19:29|| 2008-09-21 19:29|| Front Page Top

#5 In 1998 the common area of my hooch in Yongson (Seoul) had a stripper pole and fully equipped bar. We never had any problems with our command.
And I'll say no more to protect the guilty.

Posted by whitecollar redneck 2008-09-21 19:48|| 2008-09-21 19:48|| Front Page Top

#6 That was when they first introduced the fat man program, which kicked out a lot of high quality NCOs who were fat, and then kicked out a bunch of high quality NCOs who were so muscular that the MET Life civilian standard fat tables assumed they were fat.

Almost any physically fit female would fail, because the MET Life table assumed all females were blobs.

They also instituted the first of the anti-smoking policies that cost a hell of a lot of talent. I remember how they purged most of the smoking, fat accountants from one division and put the whole division out of action. Nobody could figure out how to do payroll, personnel actions, ration cards or budgeting. But they could do push-ups.

The had to hire expensive, smoking and fat civilians to get their house back in order.

The USN had to discontinue its fat man program because they needed raw strength, and it took 5 skinny guys to pull a rope as well as 1 fat guy. Having forgotten that lesson, they are trying to do it again.

Seriously, what is more important in a Finance Corps guy, the ability to run two miles in under 18 minutes, or the ability to multiply two five digit numbers in his head?

The stupid concept was "every soldier an infantryman", which sounds great, until you realize that 14 out of 15 military jobs are not fighters, but support.

Fat, smoking soldiers were the first guys to learn computing in the army. I saw one who saved a major training exercise, because he was the only guy who could figure out the logistics. They gave him a big commendation for it, then kicked him out, two years short of retirement.

And, of course, when they tried to take liquor away from soldiers, as always, they made their own. This ends up putting soldiers in the hospital. Even in Gulf War I.

These are grown-ups. If they want to smoke, drink, fornicate, and eat fatty food, and they still kick the enemies' ass in battle, they should be allowed to do so.

Posted by Anonymoose 2008-09-21 19:51|| 2008-09-21 19:51|| Front Page Top

#7 That was when they first introduced the fat man program, which kicked out a lot of high quality NCOs who were fat,

And a lot that weren't quality either.

Seriously, what is more important in a Finance Corps guy, the ability to run two miles in under 18 minutes, or the ability to multiply two five digit numbers in his head?...The stupid concept was "every soldier an infantryman", which sounds great, until you realize that 14 out of 15 military jobs are not fighters, but support

Except a lot of those jobs have gone to contractors. As they have reorganized since 2000 they shifted many jobs to civilians.

And everyone is a fighter as the troops of 507th found out trying to transit Nasiriyah and got destroyed. The clerks and mechanics couldn't fight. Somehow the increase in combat training in basic since then reflects that.

And, of course, when they tried to take liquor away from soldiers, as always, they made their own. This ends up putting soldiers in the hospital. Even in Gulf War I.

And it also becomes the basis for Hollyweird movies broadbrushing all the troops because a few make their own distill stuff and then go off to hideous commit crimes. It's just another Abu Ghrab waiting to happen because it reflects poor command and control.

These are grown-ups. If they want to smoke, drink, fornicate, and eat fatty food, and they still kick the enemies' ass in battle, they should be allowed to do so.

or dead like the 507th.

Posted by Procopius2k 2008-09-21 20:34|| 2008-09-21 20:34|| Front Page Top

23:59 Verlaine
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