Now I know................

Reading these blogs has made me understand what is really going on with the soldiers psychologically, emotionally, and physically. Many of the soldiers expressed their thoughts and feelings about the war and have suffered a great deal. The first blog Trueman’s Journal he writes about the death of his friend Wise and his life as a civilian. Reading his blog I'm able to understand what my brother might be going through emotionally and psychologically. The quote that stood out to me the most was: “When you live in a combat zone, if your mind isn’t there on that street then the next upturned rifle might be your own. In war, to dwell on the dead is to endanger the living. Still, they’d had their chance to grieve and for most that was enough to carry them through the deployment.” http://www.livejournal.com/users/rebelcoyote
My brother has been serving the military for about 15 years he first went to the marines and then went to the army. Throughout his time in the military I’ve seen positive changes; he’s more disciplined, loyal to his family and kids, keeps his promises and overall as they say “it made a man out of him”. The only time I saw that the military really made him a cold person was after his first voyage to Iraq. When my aunt died I couldn’t understand why my brother was so cold about it. They were so close and she practically raised him until the age of five. He was more sensitive before he went to Iraq and I think being there and experiencing the things that he experienced may have affected him emotionally and caused him to maintain this military concept that trueman explains. Even trueman shows this when he writes about the time he visited his friend’s grave, he couldn’t express his emotions however he was able to find his comfort in his own “soldier way”.
Many of the soldiers are mourning for the death of their fellow soldires, commanders and friends. In the second blog we have read “The Crew of Alpha 3/2” the speech that is posted for the death of the five soldier in a way is disturbing to me.“You led by example, you fought the good fight, you ran a good race. Well done and be thou at peace. We, Able Company and the entire Panther Battalion will carry on your fight so that your death will not be in vain. We will continue to take the fight to the enemy. We will continue to close with and destroy our nation’s enemies so that your memory will live on forever”. http://www.adayiniraq.blogspot.com I feel as he is saying to continue to kill more people in order to justify the death on the five soldiers and more. The nation’s enemy the he is addressing also includes innocent children, women and men. Continuing this war is not only killing our soldiers but innocent Iraqis. Is that Humane? The soldiers are sent to Iraq regardless of their views on the war and by the commander stating that “collectively we know that without Alpha 3/2 we must go on, for that’s what they would want us to do.” The commander is assuming this because the soldiers don’t have a voice of their own they must comply with whatever decision the military makes for them. Even while they are dead they still making decisions for them. How free are our soldiers?!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!