The NEW forgotten war.
- 5thFSEMSG
- Vet
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- Your Gulf War Unit: Please add your Unit
- Location: Stedman NC
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The NEW forgotten war.
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.
5th Mobile Army Surgical Hospital, 5th Forward Surgical Element, Fort Bragg NC, DS/DS Oct 90 to Apr 91


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- Good Soldiers Never Die
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- Your Gulf War Unit: 354th TFW
- Location: Indiana
There is a Memorial, here is the link. http://www.ilfreedomrun.org/
Desert Storm, KFIA, Dec. '90- May '91
RAF Alconbury, UK. '90-'92
KI. Sawyer AFB, MI. '92
434th ARW/LRS, Grissom ARB, IN. 2007-Present
OIF 506th ELRS, Kirkuk, Iraq Sept. '09-Jan. '10
RAF Alconbury, UK. '90-'92
KI. Sawyer AFB, MI. '92
434th ARW/LRS, Grissom ARB, IN. 2007-Present
OIF 506th ELRS, Kirkuk, Iraq Sept. '09-Jan. '10
- 5thFSEMSG
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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.
5th Mobile Army Surgical Hospital, 5th Forward Surgical Element, Fort Bragg NC, DS/DS Oct 90 to Apr 91


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- Good Soldiers Never Die
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- Your Gulf War Unit: B Co. 7/159 Avn. Regt.
- Location: Livonia, MI
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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.
B Co. 7/159 Avn. Regt.
SSR Platoon
Operation Desert Shield/Storm/Cease Fire 1990/1991
SSR Platoon
Operation Desert Shield/Storm/Cease Fire 1990/1991
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- Good Soldiers Never Die
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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.
Dagger X-Ray - ARMY
(12/91 - present) - miss the service
(9/90 - 12/91) 2nd Bde 1st Infantry Division - Desert Shield / Desert Storm Combat VET
(9/88 - 9/90) C-17th Signal Battalion of 22nd Signal Brigade - Sachsenhausen Bar Scene VET
(4/88 - 9/88) AIT Fort Gordon, Ga
(12/87 - 3/88) Basic Training Fort Jackson, SC

(12/91 - present) - miss the service
(9/90 - 12/91) 2nd Bde 1st Infantry Division - Desert Shield / Desert Storm Combat VET
(9/88 - 9/90) C-17th Signal Battalion of 22nd Signal Brigade - Sachsenhausen Bar Scene VET
(4/88 - 9/88) AIT Fort Gordon, Ga
(12/87 - 3/88) Basic Training Fort Jackson, SC
"People sleep peacefully in their beds at night only because rough men stand ready to do violence on their behalf."
-George Orwell
-George Orwell
"I am a soldier, I fight where I am told, and I win where I fight."
- General George Patton
- General George Patton

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- Recruit
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- Your Gulf War Unit: Dco 3/327th Inf 101st Airborne Division
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.
Last edited by wmebert on Mon Oct 01, 2007 4:22 pm, edited 1 time in total.
CSC 1/87 Inf, 8th ID, Baumholder, GE 81-83
CSC 4/9 Inf, HHC 1/9 Inf, 7th ID Fort Ord, CA 83-87
CSC 1/506th Inf, 2nd ID, Camp Greaves, ROK 87-88
Army Recruiter, 100 Oaks Mall, Nashville, TN 88-90
D Co. 3/327th Inf. 101st ABN, Fort Campbell, KY Desert Shield/Desert Storm 90-92
Various USAR & NG Units 1992-2004 AR, OH, PA
CSC 4/9 Inf, HHC 1/9 Inf, 7th ID Fort Ord, CA 83-87
CSC 1/506th Inf, 2nd ID, Camp Greaves, ROK 87-88
Army Recruiter, 100 Oaks Mall, Nashville, TN 88-90
D Co. 3/327th Inf. 101st ABN, Fort Campbell, KY Desert Shield/Desert Storm 90-92
Various USAR & NG Units 1992-2004 AR, OH, PA
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- Good Soldiers Never Die
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- Location: Livonia, MI
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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.
B Co. 7/159 Avn. Regt.
SSR Platoon
Operation Desert Shield/Storm/Cease Fire 1990/1991
SSR Platoon
Operation Desert Shield/Storm/Cease Fire 1990/1991
- Rickey Nelson
- Senior Vet
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- Your Gulf War Unit: 1087th Trans Co.
- Location: MISSISSIPPI
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..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.
DESERT SHIELD/STORM NOV 90-JUN 91
16th support group
4th Trans Batt.
1087 Trans Co.
Road Warrior
SSG Retired..... 1976-1997
Only two defining forces have ever offered to die for you.
1. Jesus Christ
2. The American G.I.
"One died for your soul, the other for your freedom!"
Life Member VFW Post 9573
16th support group
4th Trans Batt.
1087 Trans Co.
Road Warrior
SSG Retired..... 1976-1997
Only two defining forces have ever offered to die for you.
1. Jesus Christ
2. The American G.I.
"One died for your soul, the other for your freedom!"
Life Member VFW Post 9573
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- Good Soldiers Never Die
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- Your Gulf War Unit: 2nd Brigade 1st Infantry Division
- Location: Central Florida
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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.
Dagger X-Ray - ARMY
(12/91 - present) - miss the service
(9/90 - 12/91) 2nd Bde 1st Infantry Division - Desert Shield / Desert Storm Combat VET
(9/88 - 9/90) C-17th Signal Battalion of 22nd Signal Brigade - Sachsenhausen Bar Scene VET
(4/88 - 9/88) AIT Fort Gordon, Ga
(12/87 - 3/88) Basic Training Fort Jackson, SC

(12/91 - present) - miss the service
(9/90 - 12/91) 2nd Bde 1st Infantry Division - Desert Shield / Desert Storm Combat VET
(9/88 - 9/90) C-17th Signal Battalion of 22nd Signal Brigade - Sachsenhausen Bar Scene VET
(4/88 - 9/88) AIT Fort Gordon, Ga
(12/87 - 3/88) Basic Training Fort Jackson, SC
"People sleep peacefully in their beds at night only because rough men stand ready to do violence on their behalf."
-George Orwell
-George Orwell
"I am a soldier, I fight where I am told, and I win where I fight."
- General George Patton
- General George Patton

- doublecheese
- Recruit
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- Joined: Thu Oct 18, 2007 10:21 am
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
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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 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.
5th Mobile Army Surgical Hospital, 5th Forward Surgical Element, Fort Bragg NC, DS/DS Oct 90 to Apr 91


- doublecheese
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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
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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).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.
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.
5th Mobile Army Surgical Hospital, 5th Forward Surgical Element, Fort Bragg NC, DS/DS Oct 90 to Apr 91


- doublecheese
- Recruit
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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.