Retrospect

Not much has been going on for me lately. I am now doing this detail where I get to check people's ID cards. Yay, I get to be an Infantryman/Military Police. I can't complain though, it's way better than having rockets and mortars being fired at you. I haven't even been here long and I've earned my Combat Infantryman's Badge numerous times already in just the few weeks we have been doing patrols. Like it really matters, since I earned it plenty of times during the war when I was here the first time. It's funny getting questions from guys just coming in from units that have never been here before. We even get cherry(new guy)-type questions from Navy SEALs and all that. I've lost alot of respect for them after having worked with them a few times in Iraq. They didn't seem a whole lot better trained then the regular Infantryman. I guess alot of the Special Operations units are hyped up too. I've seen more combat in my few weeks of being back here than probably most SEALs, SF, and other units have seen. I can't deny they get all the coolest toys though. If I was to make the Army a career, I would definitely go Special Forces. A few of my friends have successfully made it through and got their Green beret and encourage me to do it. Though, I got plans to get out and continue going to school and start a family.

Having been in the Army for 3 years, a few months past the time I was supposed to be out. I have accomplished what I've always wanted to. Which foolishly at the time was to goto war and fight. I've learned the hard way about wishing for that non-sense. I've got the coveted CIB, which isn't so prestigious anymore, almost everyone in 11 series has one of those damn things. The last thing is the EIB (Expert Infantryman's Badge). I should have gotten that during this summer. I was SOOOO close. One testing station left I would have had it. If not for the damn pocket protector testers making sure I did everyone in the EXACT order it had to be done, even if I did the task right.