8 whole months, eh? I have a friend who just got back from his 3rd 11 month tour in Iraq. There's a poster here who's been in Baghdad for over 5 years.
Are you seriously demeaning a federal civilian employee who deployed to Afghanistan because they only went for eight months? I’m thankful to the people you know who deployed longer and/or more often. I greatly respect their service AS WELL AS federal civilian employees who work to support those who deploy. What I don’t get is someone who likes to bash all federal employees. Is national defense not an enumerated power? Isn’t deploying for even ONE DAY a sacrifice that most citizens don’t make? Is the military supposed to operate entirely without civilian support? Yet, some people prefer to sling mud at all federal employees regardless of what they do. Amazing!