Posted on 07/28/2005 12:23:29 PM PDT by Former Military Chick
I am very skeptical of shows that portray the military, from way back with the series Call to Glory, Tour of Duty, M*A*S*H China Beach, JAG and my personal favorite Band of Brothers. I always look at the shows through the eyes of a person who has been around the military. When I was younger I did not take much action, but, now when I see something portrayed as fact and instead is fiction I voice my concerns.
I have always felt of my republican party as those with independent minds. That we have the same core beliefs but that we do not follow other's blindly, but more often I notice that not to happen.
There were folks who saw this show, and decided to put a bad note in folks minds. Those who already detest Hollywood, various actors or the like use their bully pulpit to sway the thoughts of those WHO HAVE NOT HAD THE CHANCE TO SEE THE SHOW AND MAKE THEIR OWN DECISIONS TO DECIDE IF IN FACT IT SHOULD NOT BE WATCHED. Then to take action if it is a bad show buy avoiding the show, boycotting the products during the show, actions that should be taken based on one's personal assessment of the show.
So, just to put myself on the line here folks, I was a wife of a soldier during the first Gulf war, it was hell. Ft Campbell, a wonderful town became a ghost town. Wives while most are very loving and do not cheat, some cannot help themselves but many honored their loved ones. Some who squander the pay of their beloved and just destroying the life of the soldier once they return. As folks returned during the first war, the suicide rate was staggering with returning GIs, those that could not cope, those that found their spouse with another and those who just shot themselves. WAR IS HELL. None of that get's published nationally.
I had shared many of my beloved's (Dave) letter's and he never HID anything of the dirt, the heat, the frustration, lack of showers, having a beer or the fatigue. The amazing Iraqi children, the loss of the driver/medic returning to camp, being hit with a bullet and killing him. That the few moments to have the chance to get mail were the highlight of the day. BTW, Ft Sill was no different from the first Gulf War. Same issues with spouses and finances.
I know service member's who DID not want to go to Iraq. You all know my thoughts on the subject from previous threads so I will leave it at that, not all in the military are pro war but some choose to handle their thoughts much better than others.
War is graphic, I imagine many Freeper's can attest to that and I can only repeat from my first hand friends.
Now I am not a big wig writer, whom has a following like all the folks that wrote about a show before it was shown nationally so I suppose you can discount my thoughts but come on, I am as close as one can get to a first hand account and frankly it was well written and has potential. I have to wonder, would my thoughts only matter if it were in a nationally syndicated paper/online publication? Even so I would not offer until after said reader's can watch it themselves so they can make an informed decision.
I cannot say how future episodes will fair but will certainly let them know if I have issues of how they portray the war. Frankly as I have said, I am not sure folks want to watch show about the war while we are at war.
So, skip the thread, ask me anything but please know in the end, if this can remind American's that we have wonderful men and women serving in places like Iraq and Afghanistan, than I pretty much say OORAH and ask that you send care packages to the troops.
Jumping off my rant.
Dave (No Longer Free State) was unable to watch it, the hotel he was at did not have that network, so he will watch it with me when he returns from this trip and can equally off his observations for discussion.
As to content? I don't think so, other than pure illegality (child porn or whatever).
Think of it this way- transmissions over cable are no different than transmissions from a company to a client over e-mail. They are a private, voluntary transmission that do not involve the public airwave, so the FCC has no power to regulate them.
Thanks, no apology necessary.
I just wanted to say thank you for your courteous reply to "WildBillK" he is a good friend with a lot of history under his belt from the Vietnam Era and I always appreciate his insight. Sometimes we disagree but even when we do, I learn a great deal from this fellow Veteran and hope he takes the opportunity to offer his insights on FR I have no doubt he could offer much to the discussion.
I had found his observations refreshing and from someone who understands war.
I have always felt my mission, to provide articles on the military, offering all the good that they do, the hero's and ways to support our troops and their families.
So, thank you for reminding where my heart lies -- and know I will continue to bring articles on our military and will only ask that you share them with your friends and family and do what you can to support these fine men and women.
I realize my attentions have been side stepped by our children and those that prey upon our children. But, I do think one can have heart large enough to take on both of these important issues.
I also would like to say thank you to those who have served this fine nation, those who have loved one's serving this fine nation and all those support these fine men and women.
Thank you for supporting our military heros.
And thank you...
Hi, FMC.
I'll try to watch it next week when our family is gone. Did you watch this evening and if yes, what did you think?
I found your post #41, to be a post that my dad could have written...because it so well, mirrors his sentiments on his feelings after having participated in WW11...my dad enlisted in the army on this 18th birthday, in 1940...he eventually became a flight engineer...
During WW11, my dad and my mom(newly married), lived near Hamilton Air Force base, where dad was stationed...dad flew on the flites, that went to the Phillipines, and Burma, and into the Pacific, dropping supplies, and picking up the wounded...I know very little of his army life and experiences during that time, as he says it was so very horrible, that he wished to not speak about it...there were times when they were being fired upon, one time when their plane was so badly damaged, they thought they were all going to die, times when they never thought they would live to see another day...
But he did survive that war...but when he left the army in Dec of 1945, he rarely, ever spoke of his war experiences...it was like pulling teeth to get him to say anything...he did not want to relive it, did not want to expose his wife and his children, to the horrors he lived and experienced...he never watched war movies, rarely talked about his life at war...he felt he did his best while we were at war, but now it was over...and he wanted to look forward, to life with his wife and children, not wanting to look back to what was in the past....
Many years later, while touristing around near the Royal Gorge, he decided he wanted to take my older boy(then aged 7), for a helicopter ride over the Royal Gorge...so dad paid for the trip, ,and he and my son got into the chopper...the chopper flew off, but shortly returned...all I could think of, was that my son got scared, and they had to return and cut short the flite...what a shock and surprise, when it was my dad who jumped out of the chopper, fully shaken, and white as a ghost...he said altho he had flown in WW11 in planes, being in that chopper, brought the war back to him...he said when he looked out of the chopper, he saw the same things he saw during war, and it scared him...he panicked and believed he was back at war...so the chopper pilot had to return and get dad out of the chopper...my son, on the other hand, was thrilled with the ride, so the chopper pilot and my son proceeded on with the rest of the ride...
Poor Dad...he was visibly shaken...he said what he lived through during the war was a horror, and to relive it in that chopper, was a nightmare...for my dad, reliving the war was something he never wished to do...
My husbands dad was one of the first troops to land on Normandy...almost everyone who landed with him, was killed eventually...my husbands dad was severely wounded, and was pinned down for days...when they finally found him, he was out of his mind, and had to be returned to the states...he never fully recovered mentally from what he experienced at Normandy....he spent his first 7 yrs back in the states, in a military mental hospital...eventually he got out, and was able to resume a life, somewhat near normal...but every so often, the war came back to him, and he had many times during his life, when he had to be rehospitalized....he always said, he never should have survived Normandy...that his life since that time, had been a mental hell for him...
So altho there are many who can relive their experiences during war, there are many who cannot cope with even remembering it...and they hardly wish to inflict the horrors they saw and experienced onto those that they love...
What you said about "War is Hell", is so very appropriate..
thanx...some insight there.
Maybe I'll be brave and check it out. Ever since I walked the walk of a mom whose son was serving in a war (Operation Iraqi Freedom) I just can't seem to make it through war reports, war shows, war movies, and war documentaries without serious emotional reactions and bringing on that same sort of panic attack feeling I had when he left. I'll trust you, Former Military Chick, to give me an honest review of the show. I just bet our son will watch it, and he'll let me know what he thinks.
Thanks for another fine post. :)
Hi, mystery-ak. I was reading what you've said and also appreciate your take on this show. Haven't seen it myself. I'm going to ask our son if he did. If the Rangers were upset, I have a feeling it would upset our son too. May be best if he didn't watch it. I'm not going to mention it unless he does.
I can see that he could think the way your hubby did. He saw it, why see it again....especially with any sort of media spin added.
Sadly it took 57 posts before anyone noted this. Sort of validates my notion that this is a Libertarian forum, more so than conservative.
Thanks for making this observation.
I tivo'd it. Haven't watched it yet.
I read a review in the New York Post and Linda Stasi didn't like it.
She's a flaming liberal. Anything she doesn't like is probably pretty good, and vice versa.
What a very sweet comment, thank you.
While my beloved has been OVER THERE, I do think mom's take on a whole different relationship to their child serving OVER THERE. I commend you for raising such a fine patriot and please thank him for his service.
I offered my thoughts, they may change, if they do I will be sure to let the network know of my concerns. I was just upset over all the pre posturing on a show that had yet aired and felt if we were going to discuss the pro's and con's we must first watch it.
I also, want to add, that I do understand how difficult it is to watch war shows, war movies and even reading about the war. Many of my friends would avoid sending me rough news from Iraq while Dave was OVER THERE in order to reduce my stress and if there was something news worthy they would call with a heads up.
I commend you, you have done well Mom!
To you and all you FReeper vets out there.
THANK YOU........I love you guys & gals.
I just bought the first three seasons of Combat on DVD. What fun I am having watching. I almost wish they had the commercials from back then, too.
I could just HUG you! Consider yourself HUGGED! :)
I talked with our daughter-in-love just about every day when our son was in Iraq so I know, first hand, the sacrifice, courage and honor the wives go through. Not only was his deployment to a war zone extremely difficult on her, but they lost their first child (she was early on in her pregnancy) right before he was deployed. Such sad an emotional times for us all.
The good news is that after he returned from Iraq, they moved back to Alaska and this past December gave birth to a healthy, baby boy! Our first grandson! Yea, we're happy grandparents. Can ya tell? LOL
I'm so thankful that you had good friends who took care of you while Dave was over there. God bless them for that too.
You and I seem to share the same "open-mindedness" (is that a word?). I don't like to prejudge anything.....not t.v. shows, people, animals (especially grizzlys) until I know more.
Thank you for your kind words, FMC. Mom's like that. teehee
By the way, we do have another son. He's only 15 months younger than his older brother. Yea, we loved babies so much I was pregnant again when the first was 6 months old. LOL That young man helped carry me through those fearful times when the other son was in Iraq. Don't know how I would have "carried on" without him and my dear hubby.
Friends said I looked like a deer caught in the headlights. sigh
Now I'm just ramblin' here. Thank you again for....well, just being who you are. You're such a wonderful person.
Hope Dave is safe and well! Thank him for us for his service!!!
chena (an Alaskan chick) ....can I still be a "chick" at 49 years old? har har
F-Troop seemed realistic to me :)
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