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Life. By far the most precious commodity on Earth. You get one. Or in some people’s views more then one, but each is a snapshot of a limited amount of time. There is no renewal, no turn-ins. With that said a few obvious conclusions can be drawn:

-Make the most of your life: This does not mean going to the Sunday bake sales for charity, nor helping Grandma across the street. While good things, they are not exactly “over achieving.” Seek a 110% return on the value of your life, explore, take yourself to the edge, stress yourself, seek out new situations to gain knowledge.

You will so many people who will “float” through life, others who will rush head long into everything, and yet even more others who will follow the guided “path” though life. Each may be happy with their lives but look closely and you will see many are not really utilizing their time to the full potential. IE; the “floaters” are obviously not straining or reaching for anything, they are content to not cash in what they have but would rather take the easier path. The people rushing into everything will never fully benefit from their experiences because they don’t take the time to “enjoy the little things.” They may do a lot in their lives but will ultimately achieve little, their snap shots, and tourist store gift items will only symbolize their rapid passage through the area rather then a deeper understanding of the world around them.

-Death: Realize early on that all things die, it is an inevitable conclusion to everything. Do not fear death, only fear that you have not used your life well enough before the conclusion of your story. But with the realization that death is a finality should be your understanding that because of death, life is the most precious commodity on this planet. Therefore every effort should be made to protect it, nature it and use it to the best of our abilities. With this in mind the most important rule is established; it is not our right to freely take another’s life, except to protect ours or another’s own life.

I am a soldier, a medic as well, but a soldier first. Trained and molded to take another mans life. But every man I have shot at was not for fun, for glory, or honor. Seeing someone die is a truly eerie sight, knowing you have ended any chance of theirs to redeem themselves, any contributions they may have, because you have destroyed (because there is no “taking” a life, one can not hold onto another life and cash it in) a life and damaged everything connected to it. What you must weigh in such a case, the math behind the reasoning is this; would their actions damage or destroy what is not their right to? A person’s right to live and live free of suffering in the way they see fit.

That is the most basic view that can be drawn from knowing the value of life. The realization that we will all suffer and all strive to end that suffering should inspire one to help out in that cause; for everyone. For if life is the most valuable thing should we not cultivate it not just for our selves but for others as well? Would you be so jealous as to say, “My life is more valuable then yours, and I will therefore not help you.” To not construe this to mean give everything away, life is about moderation. It simply means; work to help your fellow man in any way you can with moderation and balance in your own life.

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The most important thing to remember about family is blood does not matter…. I repeat, blood does not matter. Family is, as previously stated, “decided in the minds of the people making up a ground who see themselves as tied to one another by love, hope and freedom.” The key thing to take away from this is that you get to decided who is in that group. You don’t have to love your crack head bastard of an uncle just because he is your uncle. You don’t have to hate him either. But you get to decide if his qualities that make him a man are worthy for you to associate with and love. You don’t have to have five kids all from your genes, because you can adopt and love any child whom you call yours.

By being able to pick who you include in your family you will be able to build a stronger family, one with the pro and cons that you (and to a degree the group itself) pick. So make your family the strongest and best that you can, people that you would want to be associated with, be like, and can learn from.

Your family should be the most important thing for you to protect. No amount of money, prestige, or material things can replace the people around you. If you are not willing to sacrifice for your family, then re-evaluate whether or not you should really consider them as a part of it. By sacrifice I just don’t only mean the usual; the babysitting, lending some money or time, but really sacrificing. Would you die for them? Kill? Judge for your self what you would do, but in the end if you are not willing to put it all on the line then you have failed the “family.” Because the

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Duty is likely the easiest to explain; when you to accomplish a task, guard a thing, live by a Code you do so. Unquestioningly… No. Look at World War II Japan and you will see what unquestioning duty and honor will get you. Instead analyze the world around you and when you find something worthy of your duty to it give it your whole heart. There are many things in this world worth dying for, many things worth killing for. I know in my mind what they are, I will not hesitate, I will not waiver, but I will question. For everything changes and one day in may not be worthy of your duty to it any more.

This idea may come strange, but did not the American colonies have a duty to serve England? Yet I think many would agree we were within our bounds as not only citizens bound together for a common need, but within our bounds as free beings to fight for our rights. I will serve my country loyally and execute the orders of my commands, but the day I believe they no longer deserve my duty to them I will turn my back. I may even be the first to pull the trigger against her, if need be, to defend the only thing that you must always serve.

Life and Family. It is hard to go into much depth with out explaining Life and Family, but the general idea is as follows: Life is freedom to be happy and free of suffering, to explore the world, so long as it does not impose on the freedom or cause suffering of others is the right of every person and community. Family is not based on blood or genes; it is decided in the minds of the people making up a ground who see themselves as tied to one another by love, hope and freedom. They are the most important of people. Not because they deserve more then any other person on the planet, rather they are directly who make us strong, help us grow, comfort us, and confide equally in us. They are simply the closest and strongest link to the world, because from them spreads an interconnecting web of people, each with their own little “family” bumping and touching others. To abandon duty to your Family or Life is like forfeiting your life. You serve no purpose other then to go through the mechanical necessities of life and suck up my air.

It may be hard to fully understand how Family and Life interconnect with Honor and especially Duty. But don’t worry I have a few more paragraphs to write for you. If it is one thing I hope you get from me, dead or alive, it a since Life is the most precious thing we have and deserves our outmost will of duty to improve, protect and nourish it for all and not just ourselves.

Maybe I should have done this sooner. A lot sooner, I have come (and yes it is a corny use of speech) with “inches of death” already once in my life and many cases of what I call “this could really suck, and maybe I could die,” moments. Now I am in the last few months of my second tour here in Afghanistan, and time has slowed. The snow and cold do that to matter and time it seems.

I am left with more time to think of my son, whom I have been around less then half his life so far. It is for you that I would like to write this letter. For incase of the event that all men must face I want you to be able to read this and know a few things about me, about you, and why you are the most important thing to me. By all means I am human, no hero, and just a man amongst a world of great men. But there are few things I want you to learn in life, from me, from your family, from living life itself.

First and foremost the most important things; Honor, Duty, Family, and Life. The first two I think will be rather obvious to you as you get older, the later are more difficult to grasp. For even until after your birth I think I did not come to fully understand “Family,” and even now struggle to understand “Life.”

HONOR

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Though I do not know the text book definition I will give you mine; the sense of ones accomplishments and heritage based upon your actions, speech, and beliefs. Yet it can be used as a verb as well; the actions one takes based upon past accomplishments, heritage, and a sense of right/wrong to accomplish something worthy and respectful. Honor is a constant loop of action, it will never stop, only turn in direction and it is up to you to pick that path.

Half the effort to be an honorable person is to establish what is honorable to you; do so by surrounding yourself with good guides, morals, and truths. Any one can relate honor to: “always tell the truth,” “respect others,” “help others when they are in need.” While these may be true I think of them as bland. Any one can recite common phrases. Instead I have a few I would like to pass on to you:

-“Always admit when you have screwed up, and be humble about it.” – the humble man learns, the arrogant one will only go one to make the mistake again. Life is about learning; don’t allow yourself to be trapped by your own pride.

-“Give respect where it is deserved, not because of some title or paper, but because it has been earned.”- I have meet many men older then me, they had shiny things on their chest that said I should listen and hang of every word of theirs, and I have seen the smaller, younger man win against all odds. Make not just people but ideas earn your respect, give them time to prove themselves. And just because society says you should, is not always the case.

-“It is in the face of danger, mortal or mental that people grow.”- confront your fears, explore new boundaries, and put your self in situations that make you scared. When you fail, because none of us are perfect, get back in the game and try again. Life only stops when you stop trying.

-“Code”- each man has his own “Code,” however lose or refined, moral or criminal it may be. Mine is not my father, yours will not be mine, nor should it. Growth, especially that of man kind is based on an evolution of ideas, so go out and make your own Code and stick by it. Change it when something better comes along, but live by it at all times.

I think I’ll save the rest till another time, its already gotten longer and more complicated then I thought it would be. Just like any new thing you have brought on more stress then I originally thought you would… and I love you all the more for it!

Outlined below are what I think are some changes, that while may seem small are overall (for the military) like pulling out teeth.

-One: make the National Guard a smaller force, more selective, harder to get into, easier to get kicked out of for being under the standard. As it stands for maybe every 3-4 good soldier there is one ass hole who is fat, lazy, or done way to many drugs. And because command is either to lazy or they slide by they are still in, bring down the rest of us.

-Two: No more purely “point” based promotion system. Right now as the system works for the Army you have to have few basic requirements (time in rank, service, passing PT test, etc) plus “points” you earn based on education, awards, etc. Problem with a system like this, especially for the Guard, is that paper work for everything and anything can be lost and screw you over for points, or basic requirements… I know happened to me. Further awards and PT tests can be faked or just earned in a piss poor way that brings down the whole meaning of having an award.

So…. What to do? Make promotions more like the USAF. Change the system to where you not only have to have a minimum number of points, but you have to pass a standardized test and a physical hands on test (conducted by someone impartial and not in your unit). Both of which are scored and counted towards your promotion.

-Three: You have one year… one year after you fail a PT test to pass one. During this time your on “probation,” screw up and your out. Don’t pass you PT test in one year and your out. I have seen more unfit, unhealthy Guardsmen make it in and stay in that it is pathetic.

The health problems they bring and potential endangerment (imagine trying to hull a fatty out of a burning vehicle… their incompetence to maintain the standard now not only threatens their health but mine as while as I get shot at, stand near the flames, trying to pull their fat a* out). They now the standard and honestly I know pregnant chicks that could damn near pass a PT test… if they can do it, so can anyone.

Will this make a smaller National Guard; yes. And for absolutely good reasons, you’ll be left with a more effective Guard, one that you don’t have to spend nearly as much money on fixing health problems that they brought upon themselves, or paying incompetent retards that only endanger the people around them. With a smaller, more effective Guard you would (I hope) be more inclined to pay me a little more and no part so grudgingly with your money like my father.

2: Succeeding in the head of sliding backwards has this funny way of giving you a since of hope that your next step will be better. That somehow you will start leaping over boulders, and win at the finish line.

-SPC Bott and I, also known as “B&J Carpentry,” were quit successful at building many nice projects to improve our base, which I may mention no other US or coalition forces had stayed there for more then a few days. So me and Bott got “our Jesus on” (a little pun on how Jesus was a carpenter that we use when we are building wood projects) and had a rather good time learning some new tricks and feeling rather accomplished.

-While there we had the opportunity to hold a “Jirga”{sp?}and gather some good intel and build relationships with the local elders.

-We had the opportunity to assess the clinic across the way from our base and do some actual good by building them a new cabinet and patient exam table that I’m sure has been around since the Russians were there.

-By going out on multiple patrols with our ANA/ANP the locals seemed to loosen up around us and maybe even smile a little more. Either that or they just liked the money we were spending at their gas station

-Though not a success out right we did have the opportunity to work with one group of ANA that actually had a good commander and new their jobs rather well considering. This can been seen as an overall success of their training from coalition forces and their own willingness to see their country succeed.

Obviously not everything was miserable at our base or our situation. Some things have a good side. Unfortunately they can be rather difficult to uncover amongst all the BS.

Recently I got into an argument the other day about raising the military’s pay. I was aggravated over Oboma wanting only a 2.4% raise (the estimated growth in cost of living), and was glad to see Congress pushing for 3.4% (which would mean a true pay raise).

Now his point was a valid argument but one I believe flawed because of an outsiders view, and a since of strong sense of service (now the later is not a bad thing and if more citizens in our country had one as strong as his I believe we would not have nearly as many problems with our country). He believed that it maid no sense to raise our salaries because of a few points;

-Why pay more for a product that is the same as last years mode? IE: he does not see him getting more bang for his buck for paying a soldier more and getting the same soldier.

-Why pay more when the economy is not doing well and plenty of people are willing to enlist? IE: the supply and demand and disproportional, we have plenty of new recruits for what we are demanding.

-Why pay a private or other soldier more when many privates can be very retarted with their money and spend it on stupid frivolous stuff? IE: a shoe collection, a “McMansion” house, expensive cars.

-Why pay more when soldier already have a great number of benefits? IE: GI BILL, full health coverage, housing, etc.

Now here is my rebuttal. Because I believe soldiers do deserve more pay. Now are there plenty of retards or lazy a-holes who will benefit from a pay raise as much as the grunt? Of course. Differentiating between the real soldier and some guy who just happens to wear a uniform and support him from a desk in an air conditioned building is damn near impossible. But I do believe the following are good reasons.

-Pay me more because the DOD and DOJ pay private contractors way to much, and many of whom are over paid and underworked. IE: pay me more and you wont lose me and the $250,000 you spent just to put me through Basic-Training to get paid even more to do less.

-Pay me more because why the hell should I stay when I now have all these great skills, likely an Associates Degree and can make more as a civilian. IE: you lose your good leaders to civilian life, which granted can be a win/lose situation. It may boost the civilian sector while sacrificing my military carrier. But in a state of war, I believe every good leader should be retained. And since I believe a radical shift in Army structure is needed, again we will need every leader when can have.

-Pay me more because when the economy gets better retention will be more difficult, and people will decide to join because the military can compete better with the private/civilian sector.

-Pay me more because while there are dump privates who spend their money way to fast, show me a different 18-20 year old in the civilian side… as mommy and daddy are likely paying for their college.

-Pay me more because I risk more… the average soldier will deploy at least twice if not three times in a 4-6 year contract.

-Pay me more because the “3.4%” does not necessarily all go to each tier. It is a general percentage for what the military has to work with for raising pay for all the service. So, higher ranks may (and should) get more of that 3.4% then say newly enlisted. As it should be, more time in equal’s better pay, equals better retention. Or they could raise the BAH, Combat Pay, Hazardous Duty Pay.

Relying on people who want to join because the economy is not doing good and the military is a tricky game, it encourages people who may be either good or bad to join… but I would rather know your willing to join for “God and Country” ranter then money. And while raising the pay; will yes raise both these type of peoples pay, it will also raise the good soldiers pay. I don’t believe in mass punishment for the many because of the few.

Part 2 I will lay out what the “radical” restructuring plans should be to provide a better quality Army and soldier to the public.

2010 Military Pay Charts (from Military.com)

2010 National Defense Authorization Act Signed

So after three weeks in the suck and a few days of traveling back to the beloved United States, I now get to put up some new posts. And where to start…. the roller coster of emotions from dealing with some of the worlds stupidest people, or the feelings of success from all that we accomplished during our suck fest, too the complete feeling of “done-skies” (a term we use for “we are so f$#*king done being motivated or wanting to work).

After three weeks I have come to determine a few “facts” (at least in my subjective view).

1: Afghans have this since of entitlement that extends into damn near everything and made me ready to rip off more then a few heads before the mission was done. For example:

-after building countless carpentry projects with wood that they had laying around their base, projects that benefitted both ANP/ANA and US forces; ANP would have the audacity to bitch about simply filling sand bags or ask me to build more crap for them… with out offering anything in return.

-multiple pieces of personal items or equipment were stolen from us (we lived in the same building, used their vehicles, hard to maintain accountability all the time). Luckily most was recovered.

-we had not even left yet, simply packing up when I caught an ANP rummaging through some small items we had not packed yet. He was trying to walk out of the room with one of these items when he bumped into me… of course he try’s to play it off by acting like he was going to ask if he could take it. Maybe I would have believed him if we hadn’t caught him stealing a BIC lighter from one of our guys. In the end I think he got the point that I was going to put him through the window if he didn’t get the hell out and quick.

2: We’ll save #2 for another posting, I have a feeling this is going to be a rather long series.