just curious, how many of you have seen combat, and how common is it for guard units to be involved in combat operations?
Red Phase
combat
just curious, how many of you have seen combat, and how common is it for guard units to be involved in combat operations?
Black Phase
Chief....
Someone want to see your pics :rolleyes: lol
The National Guard has 55% of the total Armys combat units
and its HOOAH
I participated in over 200 combat missions but with the 101st Airborne Division. My old guard unit was PSD (42Alphas). When they got deployed to Kuwait, their sole mission was to do combat patrols in Humvees. So you will never know when it comes to your MOS and mission.
I ran into them in Kuwait and was surprised that was what they were tasked to do but they executed and no casualties throughout their tour.
hooyah is Navy lol Its ok Ski, you post your combat pics.
Last edited by WO1 Quinones; September 7th, 2008 at 07:51 PM.
Black Phase
[QUOTE=WO1 Quinones]hooyah is Navy lol Its ok Ski, you post your combat pics.:rolleyes:[/QUOTE]
Sorry chief I havent eployed since 1992 when I went to CUBA. Those pics are on paper. You have the monopoly on combat experience and my respect for it.
Hooyah is really Navy? They have a chant.
The AF is "beer me" :rolleyes:
Yes its Navy. Well many more of my comrades saw worst and experienced worst casualties. In retrospect, I have alot to be thankful for my tour. Saddens me though that some of my brothers that I served with returned and havent been so lucky. Pains me.
I thought the AF was "airpower!!"
Wow you been to GITMO. Not a se*y assignment. Must of been an experience.
And there are many others on this forum that have been in the suck.
Last edited by WO1 Quinones; September 7th, 2008 at 07:56 PM.
Black Phase
I went to Gitmo in 92 with the Haitians...I help build many of the camps that have evolved to what they use today. BTW I was AF at the time. I got a humanitarian medal for it. I was scared to he11 three times when a defector came acoss the bay. 105s firing, A4s taking off. But I am sure nothing compared to what you experinced.
AF doesn't get into that stuff. :rolleyes: they think they are to :cool:
Well some of the AFs guys who got hurt or killed in Afghanistan and Iraq been through worst.
Blue Phase
I've deployed for two tours, to both theaters, and I'm anticipating my third within 2 years.
First was 04-05 to Iraq, and it was heavy combat. Contact was regular, both in garrison and out on the road. We were Infantry soldiers doing area security and convoy escort. The base we lived on was rocketed daily. My platoon conducted over 750 combat missions, and I was on the ground for probably half or more of those.
07-08 was Afghanistan, and was technically a combat theater, but little of our experience was direct action. I worked extensively with a Provincial Police Chief in securing his sector, and had more experience with crime than Taliban activities, however most of the crime supported those efforts. The last bit of my tour was as an Assistant S-3 for the command in my area, and we planned anti-Taliban operations, but often met with an enemy too weak to fight. We probably talked to several of their operatives, and senior local Taliban officials were often seen by the S-2 while out working in the sector. Couldn't put my finger on how many missions we ran, but we went out for a week at a time, coming back in for 1 day of maintenance/paperwork and then hitting the road again, for about 8 mo.
If you join the military, plan to deploy. It is no different in the Guard or any other branch of service. We have regular missions to complete, and mobilize every asset available to do it. You may not deploy as frequently as I have (I volunteered for the 2nd tour), but you will likely go every 4-6 years until we decide to reduce our operations.
CPT B
ADAM W. BURRITT
Captain, Logistics
Education Services Officer
Commander, A Co, 3643rd BSB
NHARNG
My utmost respect for taking part in both campaigns. I know I have to deploy again but I am hoping for an Afghanistan tour this time around but if its back to Iraq then so be it.
Super Moderator
I deployed to GTMO from 04-05. I would call it the least worse place to be I guess. It was boring as hell there. The command took regular dumps on the infantry while catering to the MPs, sailors or airmen. And then half of them got busted in a s3x scandal which lead to my BN commander being relieved, along with a colonel and 1 star. Company commander was a scumbag to his troops, fellow officers and senior NCOs. One squared away NCO that went to DS school lost it and threatened to kill him if he ever saw him on his patrols. Someone circulated a secret newspaper that called out stupid stuff going on and namedropped some people. The detainees get treated better than the soldiers do and they actually went as far as dropping our "mandatory" dental checkups in favor of doing it for them instead.
So boredom and the command was the enemy. 14hr shifts 14 days straight sitting in a tower, checkpoint or patroling can make you do some silly things under the radar. Got pics and videos =) That was about the only fun part...doing bad stuff and not getting caught.
It was an interesting experience, but waste of infantry doing an MP mission in my opinion. I really believe its a stain on the unit's history and that if we had to stay another year for some reason that people would have mutinied or seriously hurt/killed someone.
Well MPs were strung out due to both campaigns so I commend you for your unit doing those missions. It wasnt like you could augment the Marines in what they been doing for eons over there.
I remember the time when they were disbanding Artillery Units in the Guard and making them MPs and sending them to Fort LeonardWood. The course for them was much shorter in duration and they were only to be slated as being provisional. Once they did what they were needed for then they will revert back to artillerymen but they are doing infantry missions as well. Its a crazy war.
Super Moderator
[QUOTE=WO1 Quinones]Well MPs were strung out due to both campaigns so I commend you for your unit doing those missions. It wasnt like you could augment the Marines in what they been doing for eons over there.
I remember the time when they were disbanding Artillery Units in the Guard and making them MPs and sending them to Fort LeonardWood. The course for them was much shorter in duration and they were only to be slated as being provisional. Once they did what they were needed for then they will revert back to artillerymen but they are doing infantry missions as well. Its a crazy war.[/QUOTE]
Oh we had those. There was a field artillery unit or two that were there doing MP stuff.
Black Phase
Iraq: 2003
Regard your soldiers as your children, and they will follow you into the deepest valleys; look upon them as your own beloved sons, and they will stand by you even unto death. --Sun Tzu
White Phase
South side of chicago, 1998. It was horrible man, my jeep still has bullet holes in it.... Odd that my insurance at 17 years old wouldn't cover bullet holes...
SPC Miller WIARNG
Ex-31B New-25B
732nd CSSB Tomah WI
Tell me about it
[QUOTE=Mildawg]South side of chicago, 1998. It was horrible man, my jeep still has bullet holes in it.... Odd that my insurance at 17 years old wouldn't cover bullet holes...[/QUOTE]
Growing up with violence during the 70s/80s/90s in the South Bronx made Iraq seem like a vacation. :)
Waking up to gunshots and walking outside to seeing white sheets over dead bodies. Getting jumped and robbed until street smarts surpassed common sense.
Witnessing murders, armed robbery, riots, rape victims running naked in the streets. My father had an arsenal of illegal weapons (sawed-off shutgun) in his closet. But being an ex-con; his rationale was that he knew no better. God rest his soul.
This was the paradox to stay away from depending on what side of the street you lived on. (not literally but if you sided with the thugs/crews)
"I don't want to be a product of my environment. I want my environment to be a product of me."
It was the IEDs and rockets/mortars that were new.
Last edited by WO1 Quinones; September 8th, 2008 at 10:05 AM.
Red Phase
All of my combat experience is on small boats in the Navy.
89 - 90 in Panama
90 - 91 in Desert Storm
Spc. Alan Smith
Alpha Battery
1/113th FA
WOLFPACK!
North Carolina National Guard.
Black Phase
[QUOTE=Mildawg]South side of chicago, 1998. It was horrible man, my jeep still has bullet holes in it.... Odd that my insurance at 17 years old wouldn't cover bullet holes...[/QUOTE]
Let me guess you had USAA insurance?....jk:eek:
White Phase
lol, that would've been ironic.
SPC Miller WIARNG
Ex-31B New-25B
732nd CSSB Tomah WI
Black Phase
It went something like this--
I haven't been deployed, but while I was a company commander I gave up nearly a full platoon to another company that went to Iraq.
Being Engineers, we typically are operating equipment, putting in obstacles, or (training for) removing them under fire. But in this case, my Engineers were folded into an Armor unit, which was reorganized as Infantry upon arrival.
Those guys saw some serious stuff. They did building searches like SWAT teams, convoy operations, dismounted patrols, just about everything EXCEPT the MOS they held. They lost a few good men, and many were wounded. My wife ran our family readiness group and worked closely with the FRG of the deployed unit. I got those late night calls that every commander dreads, often with fuzzy details and inaccuracies. My guys who came back to me didn't go into detail much about their missions for about a year.
That same company is ramping up for another deployment before the end of this year. Can't divulge much in the interest of OPSEC, but they sure as heck aren't pulling gate guard in Kuwait.
So to answer your question about the Guard being involved in actual combat operations....yeah, I'd say so.
And regardless of your MOS, every soldier is first a rifleman. As they say, "No More Jessica Lynches".
Last edited by California Major; September 8th, 2008 at 11:43 AM.
Gold Phase
I've talked with someone on the team that rescued her. I know the story, not the one thats been told in the media. With that said, in the long run, i'm glad it happend. The training given now pre deployment (at least to this point) makes me feel well trained. I dont feel most of it will be needed. But I think it caused alot of changes. There is ALOT of emphasis on weapons, land nav, lanes, and urban ops. To the point you dream about it. lol
Yes I can spell rescue. I had to edit that. lol
Last edited by WIBecky74; September 8th, 2008 at 03:42 PM.
[QUOTE=WIBecky74]I've talked with someone on the team that resqued her. I know the story, not the one thats been told in the media. With that said, in the long run, i'm glad it happend. The training given now pre deployment (at least to this point) makes me feel well trained. I dont feel most of it will be needed. But I think it caused alot of changes. There is ALOT of emphasis on weapons, land nav, lanes, and urban ops. To the point you dream about it. lol[/QUOTE]
I am an American Soldier the sequel starring PFC WIBecky74
Hey you removed your rank!!
Gold Phase
On paper, i've been PV2 since 13 OCT 06. I dont want it anymore. lol
Super Moderator
Becky you need your PFC, so you can get your Spec. You are the FUTURE!!!:D
Super Moderator
E2-E4 is just a signature and a passing PT score.
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