French Soldier Recruited
To admiration for America in Afghanistan, thanks to close contact with L’Soldats Americaine. That’s what it is purported to be, though bits of it look like it might have been charmingly ghostwritten by Steve Martin:“We have shared our daily life with two US units for quite a while – they are the first and fourth companies of a prestigious infantry battalion whose name I will withhold for the sake of military secrecy. To the common man it is a unit just like any other. But we live with them and got to know them, and we henceforth know that we have the honor to live with one of the most renowned units of the US Army – one that the movies brought to the public as series showing “ordinary soldiers thrust into extraordinary events”. Who are they, those soldiers from abroad, how is their daily life, and what support do they bring to the men of our OMLT every day ? Few of them belong to the Easy Company, the one the TV series focuses on. This one nowadays is named Echo Company, and it has become the support company.
They have a terribly strong American accent – from our point of view the language they speak is not even English. How many times did I have to write down what I wanted to say rather than waste precious minutes trying various pronunciations of a seemingly common word? Whatever state they are from, no two accents are alike and they even admit that in some crisis situations they have difficulties understanding each other.
Heavily built, fed at the earliest age with Gatorade, proteins and creatine – they are all heads and shoulders taller than us and their muscles remind us of Rambo. Our frames are amusingly skinny to them – we are wimps, even the strongest of us – and because of that they often mistake us for Afghans.
Here we discover America as it is often depicted : their values are taken to their paroxysm, often amplified by promiscuity and the loneliness of this outpost in the middle of that Afghan valley. Honor, motherland – everything here reminds of that : the American flag floating in the wind above the outpost, just like the one on the post parcels. Even if recruits often originate from the hearth of American cities and gang territory, no one here has any goal other than to hold high and proud the star spangled banner. Each man knows he can count on the support of a whole people who provides them through the mail all that an American could miss in such a remote front-line location : books, chewing gums, razorblades, Gatorade, toothpaste etc. in such way that every man is aware of how much the American people backs him in his difficult mission. And that is a first shock to our preconceptions : the American soldier is no individualist. The team, the group, the combat team are the focus of all his attention.
And they are impressive warriors! We have not come across bad ones, as strange at it may seem to you when you know how critical French people can be. Even if some of them are a bit on the heavy side, all of them provide us everyday with lessons in infantry know-how. Beyond the wearing of a combat kit that never seem to discomfort them (helmet strap, helmet, combat goggles, rifles etc.) the long hours of watch at the outpost never seem to annoy them in the slightest. On the one square meter wooden tower above the perimeter wall they stand the five consecutive hours in full battle rattle and night vision goggles on top, their sight unmoving in the directions of likely danger. No distractions, no pauses, they are like statues nights and days. At night, all movements are performed in the dark – only a handful of subdued red lights indicate the occasional presence of a soldier on the move. Same with the vehicles whose lights are covered – everything happens in pitch dark even filling the fuel tanks with the Japy pump.
And combat ? If you have seen Rambo you have seen it all – always coming to the rescue when one of our teams gets in trouble, and always in the shortest delay. That is one of their tricks : they switch from T-shirt and sandals to combat ready in three minutes. Arriving in contact with the enemy, the way they fight is simple and disconcerting : they just charge ! They disembark and assault in stride, they bomb first and ask questions later – which cuts any pussyfooting short.
We seldom hear any harsh word, and from 5 AM onwards the camp chores are performed in beautiful order and always with excellent spirit. A passing American helicopter stops near a stranded vehicle just to check that everything is alright; an American combat team will rush to support ours before even knowing how dangerous the mission is – from what we have been given to witness, the American soldier is a beautiful and worthy heir to those who liberated France and Europe.
To those who bestow us with the honor of sharing their combat outposts and who everyday give proof of their military excellence, to those who pay the daily tribute of America’s army’s deployment on Afghan soil, to those we owned this article, ourselves hoping that we will always remain worthy of them and to always continue hearing them say that we are all the same band of brothers”.
Author of “Reparations and America’s 2nd Civil War
Reparations and America’s 2nd Civil War: Malensek, Scott: 9798864028674: Amazon.com: Books
I give credit to those among the French that join their military. It goes to show not all of them are gutless wonders.
Hard,
Well, I’m sure they’ll be downright pleased to hear Hard Right thinks they’re not all gutless wonders. What makes you think a substantial number of Frenchmen are gutless wonders?
Amazing that that’s what you focus on Dave.
This really made me proud. Proud that in spite of ourselves, at some point mutual respect and admiration overtakes everything.
It made me think of my friend David Tapper, KIA Afghanistan on Aug 20, 2003…he’d be mighty proud that the bonds our soldiers are creating go well beyond the scope of themselves. Yep, he’d be mighty proud.
Piss off, Dave. Go troll on some other thread.
Brilliant comeback, Hard.
USMCDaughter,
It’s not news that our troops are admirable. Did you see mutual respect in Hard Right’s comment?
Look…when it comes to our troops leave the BS at the door. Period. Just because someone jumps off a cliff doesn’t mean you have to jump to the occassion no?
We want to debate, dissect, disseminate etc. there are topics to do so. This isn’t it.
Rant off.
Typical troll.
All I can say is WOW!
Hopefully my son, who just deployed to Afghanistan, can live up to this wonderful depiction of America’s best.
@N. O’Brain:
I’m sure you son will do us proud and thank him for his service. This message is something you can take to heart knowing that your son *is with the best* and *he* is one of them.
Greatful to the French soldier that chose to share this with us. Bless them all.
N. O’Brain, he’s already done us proud just by putting on the uniform and giving an honorable profession his all. Tell him I said thank you for the blank check he’s written and he’s in my thoughts and prayers.
Nobrain,
20 years of military service to my country and a far more extensive presence on this site, but I didn’t tow the line ideologically. How ironic that I’m the troll. Nobrain’s definition of a troll: Someone who doesn’t give me a rhetorical high-five. Old barroom rule: Don’t ever pick a fight with someone you don’t know.
Missy,
Please explain how you became the arbiter of what is ripe for debate and what is sacred. Take your sanctimonious patriotism *by atttribution* and clutch it to your heart. Meanwhile, I’ll exercise my right to express myself, even in the inner sanctum of FA, the self-appointed last bastion of patriotism.
Nobrain,
How dare I challenge your depiciton of the majority of Frenchmen, whom you have no way of knowing, as “gutless wonders.” Somehow, that honors the service of our our soldiers? My son-in-law did two Marine Corps tours in Iraq. One in the initial invasion. Who in all the world are you to play patriotism one-upmanship with me? How many years in, Mr. Patriot? BTW, your son’s service doesnt’t count. At the same time I wish your son – the one whose ass is actually on the line – Godspeed. In the interim, face me straight up like a man and don’t hide behind your son’s service.
Missy,
My recollection is that your husband has done substantial service for our country. I honor his service and your invaluable support, but that does not give you a rhetorical free pass.
Dave, who piddled in your Wheaties this morning? Learn some respect without the caveats.
From what I saw, she wasn’t asking YOU for jack. In fact, she wasn’t even ADDRESSING you so take your attitude and keep it to your own miserable self.
My husband was an air traffic controller in ADAK Alaska for a year, then sent to Hawaii for the rest of his time in service, well before my time with him. My ex was a Green Beret who was part of the POW raid on Son Tay, while I waited, not knowing what his TS mission was until four months later, but, he left me with a packet that contained powers of attorney, increased life insurance and a list of pall bearers just to ease my mind, got to go through that after he shipped out. My son served in the Navy as a radar tech during Gulf 1 and my nephew served in Iraq for fifteen months.
I personally know what our troops are made of and don’t give a crap about what you think about it. Have no idea why you even directed this comment to me.
Missy,
Look at your post at #8. You’re missing my post which I believe is in the filter. I thought my addendum to that post was conciliatory, but apparently not – You don’t give a crap because you know what our troops are made of. For the record, so do I. Why assume otherwise?
However, that post should have been more specifically addressed to USMCDaugther, for which I apologize. But since you want to address my view of our troops – I value their service and I’m sorry about your ex if he lost his life in the Son Tay raid. If you are interested in more context, please wait for my post to pass through the filter or I will repost it.
Still, have no idea why my #8 comment generated that kind of response from you.
No US forces died during the Son Tay raid. I think one of the guys broke an ankle, that’s it. It was a failed mission, at least that is the way those on the mission personally considered it at the time. After the mission they flew to a hospital in Thailand where the prisoners were to be brought, it was all decked out with welcome home banners, flowers and balloons. Our SF troops sank down on the floor and cried, believe that?, that’s what happened. They were dropped in 10 miles north of Hanoi. They were ready to die to get our POWs back, those were the kind of men I personally knew then and have no doubt that that’s what we have serving today.
http://www.nationalmuseum.af.mil/factsheets/factsheet.asp?id=1249
I will just add, hopefully I’m remembering this enough to give a good account of the bravery of those involved in that mission.
They flew out of Thailand with, if I remember it correctly, four helicopters that flew up under the wings of a C130. After they got in the air they shut the engines of the helicopters off because they wouldn’t have the fuel to fly from Thailand to Hanoi and back, they relied on the suction of the C130 to carry them to Vietna,. When they got to the site they crashed one of the helicopters to draw the enemy away from the camp. Those in that helicopter had to bail out in enemy territory and work their way back to where the rest of the troops were that were doing the rescue.
These men were chosen from several SF groups, they trained from August, 1970 until November 1970 in Florida. All got in, all got out but tragically and unknown to them, the POWs were moved by the enemy before they got there.
These are examples of the brave people that were in our military then and we have the same caliber in our military today. Read Jawbreaker, Lone Survivor and other recounts of what our troops personally experienced. There is no reason to be cowered or ashamed of supporting our brave troops. It’s almost unbelievable what they put themselves up against be it Special Forces or regular troops, they are to be proud of.
As a Vietnam vet I am constantly awed by these young folk. They are better than we were – and I say that with total pride!
@Missy:
My first impression is that Dave made a mistake when he addressed this:
@Dave Noble comment #10:
At you. My guess is he got your name mixed up since, I don’t think Dave would take issue with anything you said in comment #8. Especially this gracious tone from you:
I don’t consider Dave a troll and taking this story with a modicum of humility as well as pride in our own soldiers is the right path. Making ourselves feel good at the expense of putting down our “allies”/allies, in good-natured fun and in honest criticism is appropriate when deserved; but we should also shy away from generalities as well as not validate the arrogance Americans are said to have (although Americans aren’t unique in this kind of pride).
Thanks Word, some of the posts above were not here last night before I retired. I don’t consider Dave a troll either, never agree with a thing he says, but no, he isn’t a troll.
Word,
Thanks for the support and the meditation of the dispute between myself and Missy. It was late last night and I actually misaddressed more than one comment. The filter also threw off the rhythm of my dialogue. I apologize to Missy and Nobrain for misaddressing comments to them.
You got it right, Word, the following post *should* have been addressed as follows:
USMCDaughter,
Please explain how you became the arbiter of what is ripe for debate and what is sacred. Take your sanctimonious patriotism *by atttribution* and clutch it to your heart. Meanwhile, I’ll exercise my right to express myself, even in the inner sanctum of FA, the self-appointed last bastion of patriotism.
Which was a response to this post:
“Look…when it comes to our troops leave the BS at the door. Period. Just because someone jumps off a cliff doesn’t mean you have to jump to the occassion no?
We want to debate, dissect, disseminate etc. there are topics to do so. This isn’t it.
Rant off.”
USMCDaughter,
I don’t appreciate be lectured on supporting our troops, or proper blogging etiquette, just because your father was a Marine (Hence, the “patriotism by attribution” comment). I don’t go around calling myself ArmyAirCorpsSon or USMCFatherinlaw, or AFRetiree, though I could.
I know it’s just a blog handle, but I don’t believe it was chosen without purpose, given the attitude you project in your posts. Remember it was your dad that served. And if you have served also, take credit for your service, not his.
Despite the original intention of this thread, Hard Right took it in another direction. Civility is for sissies, and Hard, after all, is “Hard.” And if I want take exception to to what he said, I will. Nobody appointed you hall monitor.
BTW, you are the last one to be giving anyone lectures on respect or blogging etiquette:
“Dave, who piddled in your Wheaties this morning? Learn some respect without the caveats.
From what I saw, she wasn’t asking YOU for jack. In fact, she wasn’t even ADDRESSING you so take your attitude and keep it to your own miserable self.”
You don’t need to be a busybody and defend Missy, she can take care of herself.
Nobrain, I misattributed the “gutless wonder” comment to you, but you did call me a troll without knowing anything about me. I hope your son is safe.
Finally, Missy, thank you for the account of the Son Tay raid.
Thanks, again, Word.
Ugh, just read the source I provided and parts of it are different from what I was told way back then or I’m not remembering it correctly, but to this day, I’ve always believed it to have happened as I relayed it. Until now, I didn’t even know the extent the Navy and AF involvement. But, I was always cooking and chasing kids when my husband was talking about it with his buddies.