The NEW forgotten war.

5thFSEMSG · Post by **5thFSEMSG** » Sun Sep 30, 2007 6:45 pm

Has anyone else noticed that we are now the "Forgotten War"? I see memorials for WWI, WWII, Korea, Vietnam, OEF, OIF, everthing except Desert Storm. Korean Vets used to complaing about their war being the "forgotten war" but now it is us. Go figure.

rodneyw71 · Post by **rodneyw71** » Sun Sep 30, 2007 7:33 pm

There is a Memorial, here is the link. http://www.ilfreedomrun.org/

5thFSEMSG · Post by **5thFSEMSG** » Sun Sep 30, 2007 7:42 pm

Well then, that only makes us semi-forgotten. It is a nice monument, nicest one I've seen to the Middle East wars, a shared monument is better than none at all. I have seen small monuments scattered hither and yon, but nothing in DC with all the other monuments.

Redmaxx · Post by **Redmaxx** » Mon Oct 01, 2007 8:16 am

We seem to be lumped together with the veterans of OIF/OEF. Everyone calls this war "Gulf War II" which to me it isn't. That would be like saying that Vietnam was part of the Korean war. I have nothing against the OIF/OEF veterans, however I think that there is a big difference between us in our wars. Ours was to liberate Kuwait, theirs was to remove Saddam and bring peace to Iraq. Just my two cents.

Post by **Dagger X-Ray** » Mon Oct 01, 2007 8:28 am

I agree with your complete comment and yes, we should be classified as seperate. There was a difference in reasons for us being there. Ours was a "war" in Kuwait to push them back to iraq, OIF/OEK is/was a war to relieve and restore Iraq itself.

wmebert · Post by **wmebert** » Mon Oct 01, 2007 3:21 pm

I went to a "Salute the Troops" event this past weekend that had a live band, a car show, a dog show, an old Tractor display, & military related booths & exhibits to include some military vehicle static displays. It was a very nice event. The only thing is I felt or at least it seemed like I was the only DS vet there. I wore my Desert BDU shirt from DS with my ribbons on the pocket (felt out of uniform but what the heck, I've gained 50 lbs since DS and can't button the shirt anyhow. I wore a black Gulf War Vet T-shirt under the BDU shirt.) and my patches and I was the only Non Vietnam Vet there in some kind of uniform. There were PLENTY of Vietnam Vets running around as well as Vietnam Vet Motorcycle club types in their "Colors". I hung around for about 45 minutes with my 3 y.o. son and then left. I wasn't even acknowledged by any of the people there. Felt out of place big time. Now I do deal with some PTSD and am not the most outgoing person but I can strike up a conversation fairly easily. I agree, we are slighted & forgotten.

Redmaxx · Post by **Redmaxx** » Mon Oct 01, 2007 3:29 pm

It seemed to be a big deal right after we got back. People were interested but now they are not. The Vietnam vets said that they didn't want us to feel like they did when they came back but now it seems that they are trying to make the OIF/OEF veterans feel welcome. People seem to think now that we didn't have any "action" that took place during ODS. We are the forgottens ones, we need to stick together.

Rickey Nelson · Post by **Rickey Nelson** » Tue Oct 02, 2007 12:31 am

Redmaxx wrote:It seemed to be a big deal right after we got back. People were interested but now they are not. The Vietnam vets said that they didn't want us to feel like they did when they came back but now it seems that they are trying to make the OIF/OEF veterans feel welcome. People seem to think now that we didn't have any "action" that took place during ODS. We are the forgottens ones, we need to stick together.

I worked with some smart asses that tells me I seen it on tv was nothing to it... but I know as well as ya'll there was more to it than meets the eye.. the news reporters where limited as to where they could go and do..

Post by **Dagger X-Ray** » Tue Oct 02, 2007 6:40 am

Yea, my brigade commander refused to allow reporters with us. He didn't want some things reported on and there was no real reason for it to be reported on. People may have gotten in trouble if it had ever gotten out. He has never denied any of the things he resorted to doing to save his troops and has always said he would do it again if it mean saving American lives...he is a General now.

Redmaxx · Post by **Redmaxx** » Tue Oct 02, 2007 7:50 am

The news media really pissed me off while we were there. I remember them asking about the sign-counter sign passwords. As I remember, Saddam got most of his intel from CNN.

doublecheese · Post by **doublecheese** » Mon Nov 05, 2007 8:20 pm

i always thought it was strange when we came home, people only wanted to hear good things about that war. they knew everything, or the famous line '' I HAD A FRIEND AND HE TOLD ME'' got so old. but i understand your frustration. that movment started a long time ago, shortly after we came back. take a look at WW1 VETS. they were the worst treted vets in our history.(MY OPINION) i dont understand the level of bennifits to vets, A VET IS A VET, all should be treated equal.

5thFSEMSG · Post by **5thFSEMSG** » Mon Nov 05, 2007 8:56 pm

doublecheese wrote:i always thought it was strange when we came home, people only wanted to hear good things about that war. they knew everything, or the famous line '' I HAD A FRIEND AND HE TOLD ME'' got so old. but i understand your frustration. that movment started a long time ago, shortly after we came back. take a look at WW1 VETS. they were the worst treted vets in our history.(MY OPINION) i dont understand the level of bennifits to vets, A VET IS A VET, all should be treated equal.

Well I can help with at least part of that. A Soldier who spends two years on active duty flying a desk at Fort McPherson simply does not need or deserve the same level of care in the VA Medical System as someone who had both legs and an arm blown off in a war zone. That is the primary reason for the different levels of care. A Vet is a Vet true, but medically speaking there are levels of need that require prioritization. Someone who does their time in peacetime and leaves the service healthy is going to be rated at a lower level. Someone who was in a warzone and was blown all to pieces is going to be rated at a higher level. They get the priority to medical care because they need it more and their condition is a direct result of their time in service, so they deserve to get priority care over the lower levels. It's hard to make those kinds of calls but the pool of money is not unlimited, even though President Bush has raised the funding to the VA 80% over his predicessor. So decisions have to be made based on various factors.

doublecheese · Post by **doublecheese** » Mon Nov 05, 2007 9:41 pm

POINT WELL MADE. i never really looked at it like that. i think i really mean is respect, far as the other services provided, shame on them. alot of people go in for diffrent reasons. Most of us went in very young and gullable. they could at least do somthing better for education services. alot of guys get out almost untrainable becuse alot of the mos,s dont carry over to civillian life. for instance i was aheavy equipment operator, i never seen a day of constuction while iwas in becuse i was always in combat type units. in fact im going back to school finally to get a education. any way sorry about the misunderstanding.

5thFSEMSG · Post by **5thFSEMSG** » Mon Nov 05, 2007 10:24 pm

doublecheese wrote:POINT WELL MADE. i never really looked at it like that. i think i really mean is respect, far as the other services provided, shame on them. alot of people go in for diffrent reasons. Most of us went in very young and gullable. they could at least do somthing better for education services. alot of guys get out almost untrainable becuse alot of the mos,s dont carry over to civillian life. for instance i was aheavy equipment operator, i never seen a day of constuction while iwas in becuse i was always in combat type units. in fact im going back to school finally to get a education. any way sorry about the misunderstanding.

Oh no misunderstanding and no need to apologize. It is good that you are completing your education. Myself, I chose an MOS that was translatable to the civilian world, 91C (Practical Nurse). My combat experience in that arena made me more valuable in the civilian marketplace. I encouraged my son to choose a marketable MOS and he did, 25P (Microwave Communciations).

I thought you were making the complaint that most often is heard "Why don't I have lifetime medical benefits!" So I was explaining how the VA thinks in that case, my wife having worked at a VA medical center for a couple of years gave me some insite into that aspect of the VA's mindset.

doublecheese · Post by **doublecheese** » Tue Nov 06, 2007 1:08 am

well iv here alot of guys that go to the VA and put in for services, i cant figure out what kind of services they want, some i know were only in for 1.5 or 2 years. but i guess its not my buissnes. i dont even know if i have any. i was in twice, not concerent. i got back my updated 2-14, very confussing. so far my DD214 has been useless to me. anyway ,,,later topic for another day.