Memorial Day

So it’s the Memorial Day Weekend, and well, maybe this time I have emotions for it. Usually, when I served, I would just see it as another 4-day weekend to sit around until 2 am doing video games and other stuff, not giving a fuck about those who died and made the ultimate sacrifice. But this one? Yeah, I’m feeling the feels, I guess, and so want ot briefly share first about what our president said, and he “gets a kick” out of his critics complaining about the thirteen dead servicemembers who died in this pointless war. At least have the decency to own up to what happened and how this insane war came about in the first place. Nowhere has a president not give a shit about our servicemembers (along with Hegseth) than have the nerve to joke about them. I guess when it’s a Republican president, nobody says anything, but when it’s a Democrat, OH LORD THEY SINNED BIGLY!. There is no pushback from those who served, especially MAGA veterans, who are more concerned about political points than reminiscing about those who paid for your mistake in the countries they died in.

But I don’t want to mar this weekend with partisanship; I want to at least tell you about the man who resonates with me, who died in Iraq. I don’t know him well, but he was a good soldier. His name was SPC Christensen, who was a decent Soldier, and I had met him on a detail in Iraq. We didn’t hang out much (I didn’t hang out with a lot of the people, and learned some lessons about leadership too), but I thought he was at least squared away, and at that time, most people were compared to me in some ways. The absurdity of the war got to him, though, as after we finished the detail, we went our separate ways, and he patrolled once again, either in a Humvee or M1A1 tanks that we brought with us for the deployment. I didn’t patrol with him, but I do remember him well, as his death was by an IED. The Iraqis detonated some IEDs near his tank, and they backed up to avoid it, only to have three 155mm shells detonate under his driver’s hatch. Yes, he died instantly, of course, and I didn’t know the particular day it happened, only the shocked faces of his crew as they stood there, wondering what had happened, and maybe glad it wasn’t them. I know when the IED under my leg blew, it didn’t maim me, but scared the shit out of me.

So that’s what I remember from 2004, don’t remember the month, but it shows how decisions, such as lying about WMDs, really get people who should live longer, the cost of those lies. I don’t see Iraq as noble, I don’t see it as something that was particularly needed, but we did it for years, and Obama had to clean it up, just like Biden (I will admit it was a fuckup) had to clean up Afghanistan too. I remember the posts about the 13 dead servicemembers from the Abby Gate, and how everybody blamed Biden for it. For him, the buck did stop at the president, and Biden took it in stride. But Biden didn’t send those servicemembers there, Bush did, and that comes fiull circle back to Trump’s message. Politicians, mainly Republicans these days (Yes I know, some Dems are just as guilty) are starting wars based on WMDs, and while I’m no expert, Iran will be worse because what’s the plan? At least the head shed for Iraq had some kind of plan. Wasn’t complete, half-assed mainly, but it was a plan, unlike the Dream Team we have now.

So tank some time if you’re a veteran or a servicemember who’s serving out of your time, and BBQ (weather permitting), and talk about the ones you cherish and maybe let it out, either privately or amongst your friends. It’s worth reflecting that maybe it was Fate, or whatever you believe is the right way (to you) to grieve and remember. That’s the whole point, isn’t it?