What is the name of your state? WI
This is basically in response to the other thread about the soldier from NJ not wanting to be deployed. I can sympathize, but also, many of you just instantly logged on and attacked this guy, instead of either A) trying to bolster his spirit or B) really working on helping him with a real solution to his problem.
First off, shame on those who attacked him. Let me give you some background:
I joined last year, for several reasons. I wanted to get out of minor debt, have my schooling paid for, have a job I could fall back on in case I needed to. ( I am currently 26, and have no college degree)
I decided at 24 I was too old not to have been finishing college. Now, I love my facial hair, so that made my decision to join the NG, and the reason I joined my unit was the fact that the unit I did join had an NGRF mission with Homeland Security, and was supposed to be Non-deployable. Fine. Sweet deal, since if I wanted to go to war, I would have gone RA.
6 months in, I recieved my warning order that I might get deployed. Plans to marry my girlfriend were underway, and the day before we got married, I recieved the MOB papers. We were ready to deal with it, so I said okay, and left for training. We were undertrained. It proved a harder circumstance than I and my new wife could deal with. Even with my wife on two anti-depressants, she still had a breakdown and had a very hard time dealing with me being gone. At this point I started talking to my superiors asking to be sent home. I could still perform at the home unit, and be home for my wife. This went on for 2 more months, from asking, to pleading, to stating my case, and it fell on deaf ears. I went from my pltn sgt, all the way to the BN Capt. No avail.
Then I was sent overseas. ( I am still here, in fact) and my wife, on a night out with her friends, goes back to an old habit of drinking, ( she's an alcoholic) and started smoking again. ( In oct this year it would have been a year clear) Now, for some of you, it's not a big deal, for me, this has caused extreme emotional distress, constant stomach cramps, restlessness, extreme mood swings, and periods of violence that only an extreme amount of will power prevents me from lashing out. I have spoken to my Chaplain about it, and nothing has been done.
Some people can leave their families, friends, and lives for a year, and perform what they are supposed to do in their duties. Others have a harder time seperating, like me. I would give anything to go home, in fact, and still would, and still want info on how to do so. I am 1 of 5 other people doing my job, I am not necessarily needed in theatre. I am also useless on a Guntruck, seeing as how I am colorblind, ( unable to be infantry) so I have a purely administrative job. Again, not a very necessary job where I am. ( due to OPSEC I can't really say any more...most of you should understand)
Now, for those that will tell me, " You signed up, deal with it." and everything along those lines, Yes, I did sign the contract. I signed when my life was in shambles, I had no direction, and no point. As soon as my life headed in the right direction, however, it was torn aside for this. Knocking me off of my goal. Yes, life changes so quickly, it's ridiculous. Had this happened to me a year previous, I wouldn't be in the state I'm in, however, like I stated, Life changes quickly.
Go ahead and hit me with your best shot, Ill do my best to defend, and hopefully get some understanding and maybe a good idea of how I can go home from this deployment to those that truly need me more in their lives.
This is basically in response to the other thread about the soldier from NJ not wanting to be deployed. I can sympathize, but also, many of you just instantly logged on and attacked this guy, instead of either A) trying to bolster his spirit or B) really working on helping him with a real solution to his problem.
First off, shame on those who attacked him. Let me give you some background:
I joined last year, for several reasons. I wanted to get out of minor debt, have my schooling paid for, have a job I could fall back on in case I needed to. ( I am currently 26, and have no college degree)
I decided at 24 I was too old not to have been finishing college. Now, I love my facial hair, so that made my decision to join the NG, and the reason I joined my unit was the fact that the unit I did join had an NGRF mission with Homeland Security, and was supposed to be Non-deployable. Fine. Sweet deal, since if I wanted to go to war, I would have gone RA.
6 months in, I recieved my warning order that I might get deployed. Plans to marry my girlfriend were underway, and the day before we got married, I recieved the MOB papers. We were ready to deal with it, so I said okay, and left for training. We were undertrained. It proved a harder circumstance than I and my new wife could deal with. Even with my wife on two anti-depressants, she still had a breakdown and had a very hard time dealing with me being gone. At this point I started talking to my superiors asking to be sent home. I could still perform at the home unit, and be home for my wife. This went on for 2 more months, from asking, to pleading, to stating my case, and it fell on deaf ears. I went from my pltn sgt, all the way to the BN Capt. No avail.
Then I was sent overseas. ( I am still here, in fact) and my wife, on a night out with her friends, goes back to an old habit of drinking, ( she's an alcoholic) and started smoking again. ( In oct this year it would have been a year clear) Now, for some of you, it's not a big deal, for me, this has caused extreme emotional distress, constant stomach cramps, restlessness, extreme mood swings, and periods of violence that only an extreme amount of will power prevents me from lashing out. I have spoken to my Chaplain about it, and nothing has been done.
Some people can leave their families, friends, and lives for a year, and perform what they are supposed to do in their duties. Others have a harder time seperating, like me. I would give anything to go home, in fact, and still would, and still want info on how to do so. I am 1 of 5 other people doing my job, I am not necessarily needed in theatre. I am also useless on a Guntruck, seeing as how I am colorblind, ( unable to be infantry) so I have a purely administrative job. Again, not a very necessary job where I am. ( due to OPSEC I can't really say any more...most of you should understand)
Now, for those that will tell me, " You signed up, deal with it." and everything along those lines, Yes, I did sign the contract. I signed when my life was in shambles, I had no direction, and no point. As soon as my life headed in the right direction, however, it was torn aside for this. Knocking me off of my goal. Yes, life changes so quickly, it's ridiculous. Had this happened to me a year previous, I wouldn't be in the state I'm in, however, like I stated, Life changes quickly.
Go ahead and hit me with your best shot, Ill do my best to defend, and hopefully get some understanding and maybe a good idea of how I can go home from this deployment to those that truly need me more in their lives.