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July 30, 2006 :    Where did MY military go? Hateful green machines in our militar

Remember the “lean, green fighting machines that we were told our military was made of? I do, I remember hearing that somewhere. For anyone who does not remember, this was how the Marines were described to us when we were kids. We were told that they were honorable, there to protect us, and that they put their lives on the line for us. We were told of their “service,” and “sacrifice, for our country. They were “giving their lives to keep our country safe. These guys were supposed to be very good people, Doctor, Lawyer, Indian Chief and soldiers, God Bless them all, every one of them..

I know a bit about the military. I’m a bit famous also regarding the Navy as well! I called the Admiral when P. was ill! I thought this was what one did when you were worried and the C.O., as it’s called doesn’t care! I thought, “Who is your boss?” I always ask for a supervisor when things are going badly with an “underling,” don’t you? I know it’s a good idea! When I called the Admiral and asked for help for P., I told him that P. was a hard working and decorated Navy guy and he had spent his life “serving his country,” so I felt that they, the Navy should help him when he was ill. The Admiral agreed and in fact was admirable! He took action immediately!

But the next day P. was told to get me “under control,” by this same C.O.! OH no you don’t! I don’t think so! P. started in with his idea of “getting me under control.” I simply sat down at the desk and called the Admiral again! After all, I was told to call if there was any more he could do and I was outraged! I was a performer! I had been all my life. On the stage, behind the stage, I was really upset at that point! Get me under control indeed! I DON’T think so! NOW he had P. trying to have a few words with me! I was ready to report the C.O. to the Big Dawg! P. said: “”Do you think you should do that AGAIN?” I explained that I was asked to call again if things did not straighten out! After all, the Admiral and the “Flag,” spoke my language! I could TALK to them! I met P.’s C. O. once and that S.O.B. could have been prosecuted by the way he looked at me! He looked hungry and hid not a bit of his appetite! That outraged me also, but I digress. This time when I woke in the later morning, P. was “reassigned. He was put into a new place, a new desk and no longer had to teach “Navy Leadership,.“ Navy Leadership, or teaching really irritated him. After it was over, P. retired with 100% from the V.A. and all you associated with the military know what this means.. P. spent a total of 16 years out at sea of his 20. He did “hard time.,” P. wanted to avoid his wife at the time. P. was banged up.

To those who do not know what all this means, don’t worry about it! I am not a better woman for this knowledge, but I like to believe that I did right by P. who was there for me when I was a teenager and so I was there for him then.

That was last Gulf Wars dudes and dudettes. This war… well, I had the opportunity to meet a young man who was serving our country in Iraq. He was back in this country and was about to be shipped out again. He and his wife were my neighbors. As I waited to get into the 2^nd of my top picks of apartments and lofts here in this city,, I stayed in a complex of apartments that were supposed to be “high end.” They were a disaster but I ended up in my apartment, the 2^nd choice of 2, and just for the record,, I am now on the waiting list for my favorite. ( I intend to get in so when it goes “Condo,” on everyone, I can buy one.)

Back to my subject: This young man in the military, The Air Force, or “Chair Force” if you ask P. This young man was African American, (the choice of the day for his race, which make me and my black friends laugh as they change the name of the race!) His wife was Philippine and she told me she was “half black.” I saw this young man outside smoking a lot. In this complex, we did not have a private entrance as I do here. We shared an entrance meaning our doors almost faced each other.

Very soon they started to fill their apartment with every young couples dreams. A big screen T.V. arrived, Furniture arrived for a few days,, bedroom, living room, etc… The door would open to boxes containing “boom boxes,” and home phones that were “loaded.” All the extra’s one could want. The credit card companies LOVE military people. Why? Because they MUST pay their bills or the military will collect for the creditor, they don’t have to worry about that sale! Those poor military people are up to their ears in debt before they get sent out the first time!

Next came the inevitable party. Of COURSE one must have a party after doin’ their apartment up like it’s a department store! This young couple was no exception, they were going to have a party, that is, just after they got their dog. Their dog was to go with the apartment, of course,, so enter a pit bull. The pit bull jumped right in there into the 1000 square feet of living space! This loved pet made it all work and our neighbors had themselves a party. The problem with this was that they were of the age, and socialization to “PARTY,” not “have a party.”

And so all hell broke loose. We heard yelling, fighting, laughing, LOUD music,, we saw people everywhere. There were gangs of men who came knocking and then a few women following them. There were “beers,” as they call them and drunk people very soon after that. The party had to take over the parking lot because the newly decorated apartment had no floor space for all these people.

Our couple started to threaten each other not long after the cleaning started and the party remnants were being gathered. They some pretty bad things to each other. I admit I was shocked and felt a bit “out of it,“ because I was so shocked and appalled! I didn’t know people said such things! P. seemed to not understand why I didn’t understand! He, the little boy soldier asked why her friends would not have sex with his friends,, which shocked me as it bellowed through my wall. He yelled that they thought they were “too good,” for his friends. (None of the party guests looked military..) He shouted out that he “set up this place for you and now look at you!” “You ungrateful, you just do what you want! This led to the never ending, “I had enough bi*ch!” “You done havin’ a “free ride.”

Sad, very, a little thin and short girl and a man, also short, military, and pounding it out on her because she was there. He was so very evil to my ears that I don’t and hope I never know anyone like him. When I realized he was in the military in MY country,, I did not feel safe, quite the opposite! He was young, 25, an E-3. P. was very sickened by “today’s military,” but so are many who are retired. Still P. reached out to this young man, as military will, and always have. He talked to P. about missing his “home-boys,” and life in the military. He spoke of what “goes down over there.” He said, “they don’t know here, they never gonna know. P. knew, he was first Gulf war,, so the boy liked to talk to him. I think P. will always keep in confidence what this young man spoke about: death.

Our young friends, about a week later, were both arrested for Domestic Violence. P. spoke to the young man and asked me to speak and possibly help the young woman. I must say, the situation they called a “marriage,” was very foreign to me. I’ve seen a lot. I have seen famous marriages, I have see infamous marriages and yes, I have seen “free love,” marriages that burnt out when swapping stopped working, but I had never seen a marriage like this! All of these types of marriages sadden me because I am STILL such an idealist that I believe that a marriage can sustain itself with love as a strong part of it. This marriage was a new type. This marriage was like something like a dealers game on the streets of Watts. This was a “new marriage.” love, the word, was never mentioned.

These are our new “green machines.” These are who we hear about when the people on our bases tell us about “gang problems,” on the base. It seems that those in the military were bringing their gang friends on the base. There were disturbances, loud parties and stealing.

I talked to people and I talked to P. who is on the base at least twice a week if not more. They tell me that there will be large problems because the recruiters are signing anybody that walks, talks and breaths. They have lowered the education levels,, they have waved the need of a GED, or diploma, and now you can have a felony and join the service. Drug use will not stop the recruiter from getting you suited up for the war on terrorism, or to be a terrorist.

Does one have to make an “X,”or do they have to sign their names? You sign your name, they give you a check for 20,000, they give you a rifle and point you in the right direction!

If how these people are acting overseas how they have been reported,, I’ve been told, what’s going to happen when the war is over? Might they try to find a way to exploit the military? I have been told by older military active that they might steal weapons, explosives, etc.. P. was once offered 50,000 dollars for a case of grenades and he said it would have been easy. 20 grenades to a box,, he had access to them, was trusted and could have covered it completely. He did not do it, he was down 50,000 but felt right about it.

What about these people? The new military, The ones that we hear stories of them doing beatings and killings for no reason and also abusing those in Iraq? What choice will they make?

If this neighbor of mine is any indication, and he had been in the military for only 3 years,, will he get sensitivity training? I know he has some ordered therapy, but he will be shipped out soon,, or has been. In three years time he had to be baby sat by his C.O.., drank every night as we witnessed,, and had already been in Iraq quite close to the fighting with a gun. I wonder what will his next job be?

Now, he is responsible for landing gear on airplanes.

I have my personal feelings regarding politics that I do not share here. But, I pray that one day there is not some pilot whose landing gear fails. He may be a good guy.