[SGT T.]

Wow, that was a lot of reading. I wish I had been here for the start of this thread, my response would've been more relevant. I am not trying to be in anyones camp but here in Iraq, there are troops from all walks of life. The Army is a cross section of society. We can talk all day about poor kids, or rich kids, and who is doing more, but we're all the same here. There are kids who turn down scholarships to come into the Army, and then they join the infantry. There are some dirt poor guys who come in to be computer specialists. The Army will give you what you put into it. No one asks "hey, whats your family worth?". More often we ask, "where are you from?". If you are dirt poor, and you don't want your kids to fight for this country, then don't influence them to join up. Then again, in the end, its their decision. It's called a Volunteer Army. Yes, there are some "thugs" in the Army. I call them douchebags. They usually are not allowed to become SGT's, as they have a bad habit of being troublemakers. Then again, some of them get their act together and next thing you know, they become trainers, and set an example for others to follow. No organization is perfect, and we are far from it, but the chances you have here to better yourself are many, and the motivation to better yourself is strong. You will get out of your service what you put into it.

I do not feel like I have been used and abused. I love what I do, and I could've made better money elsewhere, but this is the life that I have chosen and I am proud of it. At the end of it all, I made a difference. I have been a part of history, I have (so far) survived almost a year in arguably the most hostile city on earth, and I have helped train a country to defend itself. Yeah, I could've made better money outside of the Army, but could I have done all the other things.... thinking not.