After Images

Some surviving photos...I have so few after the flood. In fact, a few of these were sent to me from someone else.

1) The division I was a member of...the Third Armored (Spearhead)
2) Where we lived when we first arrived.
3) Where we lived later. Don't know if it was worse or not...more space but primitive conditions.
4) A friend
5) Another friend
6) My boss and his driver
7) Two more friends
8) An anti air track near the perimiter of our camp...I passed it at night on my way to my private spot.
9) Packing up to move out in the wee small hours of the morning. Hurry up and wait.
10) A sandstorm just starting...it wound up collapsing our bathrooms.
11) Long shot of our recon platoon racing back and forth.

I didn't write a real Veteran's Day post on Alt this year. Usually I do put down something on Vet's Day and Memorial Day.

From some of the e-mails I receive (and, to a lesser extent, some of the comments) I fear people may be taking away the wrong messages.

Whereas I try to get people to see the ugly consequences and the reality of sending your nation's children off to fight and die...a lot of the reactions I receive in mail reflect a romanticized vision of whatever I'm writing about. I get a lot of "Thank you for your service" type mails. Those always make me uncomfortable as all hell.

I'd rather they took away inspiration to act. Act on VA issues and all the other problems and issues I cover. I'd rather they think about what I write and use it for something.