2 US soldiers killed in Afghan bomb blasts

I've got a friend whose son just returned from a combat role in Iraq. His son was initially gung-ho. Now he wants nothing to do with it and his dad noticed, this past July 4th, that his son was jumpy at the sound of fire-works. His family hopes and prays that he doesn't get redeployed  and winds up in Afghanistan. I don't see anything good coming out of Afghanistan and I hope that the major media gives just as much coverage to whats happening in Afghanistan, under the Obama administration, as they did to the Bush administration vis a vis Iraq.

Thank you for this Rory.  Maybe the son should get himself checked out for PTSD.  He may only have light symptoms now, but if left unchecked it could boomerang.

Albertacowpoke: Thanks . . . his dad was concerned about the fact that he was so quickly thrown back into "the world", so to speak. I grew up with alot of guys that served in combat during Vietnam. I know the look and the change. Some guys are openely bothered about it and other guys just keep it in. Knowing dad, he'll do whatever it takes to make things alright.

Yes keeping it in is never the answer Rory.  He needs to talk about his experiences and get it off his chest, preferably with people that had the same or similar experiences.

I know about getting back into the world too fast.  It happened to me after Bosnia.  Leave a warzone and fly to Toronto, stay in a motel overnight and the next day home.  Neighbors stopped at MacDonalds on the way home and it's hard to make a comeback that quick. 

Albertacowpoke: Just spoke to a friend, a few minutes ago, that was a door-gunner in Vietnam. He still can't fully enjoy the July 4th celebrations, but he takes his family to the celebrations anyway, because he knows that they enjoy them.  He had a bout with PTSD for a number of years. He gave the same advice as you did.  In the movie, "Heartbreak Ridge", Eastwood told a Marine that was getting ready to jump, for the first time, something to the effect that, 'It's not natural to jump out of a perfectly good airplane.' I thought that was a great line and probably very true . . . .

Rory I can test to that, even after 600 some odd jumps, I never felt comfortable unless I had some butterflies in my stomach.   Thank you for the interest in your friends son.  I'm sure he is looked after well with friends like you.

Regarding Heartbreak Ridge that was one hell of a movie, as all Clint Eastwood movies are.

Albertacowpoke: Funny . . . my father-in-law jumped into Normandy, in the wee hours of D-Day, with the 82nd Airborne and was captured at the Battle Of The Bulge (however he escaped because he spoke German). My dad flew bombing missions with the Army Air Corp all over Europe and he was blind in his right eye and deaf in his right ear due to a childhood injury. My best friend's  dad lost his entire arm at the Bulge and it's a wonder that he survived. At least half of my childhood  friend's fathers served in combat during WWII. Perhaps I was naive but there seemed to be a marked difference between those combat veterans of the WWII generation and those that served in later wars (such as Vietnam and Iraq) in terms of how they dealt with their combat experiences.

I think a lot of them had the benefit of being together for a long time.  They had buddies they could rely on and talk to after an event.  Perhaps, in some respects, that generation was a lot tougher than us.  Remember both they and their parents had come through a major depression.  They didn't call it the Dirty 30s for nothing. 

I also think that in those days, a lot of soldiers came from rural areas where life was hard.  I think soldiers today face a different reality.

I also recall many stories, especially during World War I, where it was mostly trench warfare, those soldiers lived in mud filled trenches.  There was a bit of humanity though on both sides.  I recall stories where they actually had local cease fires for Christmas and had a drink with one another, just to start going after each other the next day.

Soldiers were tools of their political masters and they understood each other's position.

My thoughts, hope it makes sense.  Makes sense to me lol.

Perhaps we're all a bit smarter and politically savvy nowadays! LOL! One thing that I've noticed about truly tough guys is that most of them are mild-mannered, respectful, and even-tempered until it hits the fan. But when it does hit the fan, something clicks and they're alot more effective in taking care of business than the big-mouth wannabes are. My very best to all those deployed to Afghanistan and to their families. Our hopes and prayers are for the safe return of your loved ones. And again: I hope that the media gives just as much coverage to what's happening in Afghanistan, under the Obama administration, as they did to the Bush administration vis a vis Iraq. I'm by no means a W.Bush fan, however what's fair is fair--especially when it comes to committing troops to fight a guerilla war with one hand tied behind their backs.