So his biggest risk was a paper cut?
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I’ll be fair and say I don’t know. If he was in Fallujah then there was certainly more risk than a papercut. But I’d be comfortable saying that he was certainly less at risk than any of the SEALS in the unit he was attached too
Or anyone who earned a Bronze Star w/valor.
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Agreed, and it is not a critique of his military service, just the white waders…the other memes are just as brutal. White, waders? Yikes
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Yeah he deserves everything he gets for his white waders. That’s on him.
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Iraq and Afghanistan weren’t linear/symmetrical battlefields.
There was no clear front line, and there were hardly any safe rear echelons. Everyone was at risk. Also, given that the enemy didn’t wear uniforms and wasn’t easily distinguishable from the rest of the population, it was hard to distinguish friend from foe.
I had colleagues in Afghanistan in what they probably thought were the safest of desk jobs in the green zone.
Guess what? At least one of them was shot dead at his desk in an “insider” attack at the Afghan Ministry of the Interior.
See here. He was in my “cohort class” of Afghanistan-Pakistan Hands.
I mean, you’re right. He had a Bronze Star for achievement, not a Bronze Star for Valor.
That does NOT mean that he didn’t still face a significant risk of bodily harm in his duties.
A lawyer in the combat zone might just as easily die from an IED or insider attack as anybody else in theater.
I personally knew a Catholic priest (Chaplain) that lost an eye (and died later) after returning from giving Mass in an IED attack on his humvee in Iraq.
See here:
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See my response to 1985. Ditto for you and then some!
Incidentally, both of these individuals, one of whom paid the ultimate sacrifice, and the other of which was gravely injured and died not long after, received only regular Bronze Stars, not Bronze Stars with “V” device.
You and 1985 should both reflect on that…and then re-evaluate your thinking above accordingly.
He’s an authoritarian like so many in your party. I doubt the odds are much better than 50-50 as to whether we avoid authoritarianism and survive as a constitutional republic.
I have and I respect his service but I am still going to make fun of his white waders.
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He served. That’s more than most. Let’s not criticize anyone who volunteered and completed their hitch.
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ESPECIALLY if they served in an area designated as a combat zone, and served honorably (of course we can all criticize Bowe Bergdahl; that’s different).
As I said, I had a colleague that was literally shot dead AT HIS DESK in one of those supposedly cushy desk jobs in the Green Zone by a guy that who was thought to be an ally, where, according to CgrBkr, his biggest risk was a paper cut…WRONG!!!
Screw his service. David Berkowitz served as did Lee Harvey Oswald and numerous murderers and other bad people. DeSantis is a turd regardless of whether he served or not.
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Then run him down for some reason other than his military service, as a few tried to above.
His military service was perfectly honorable and NOT a valid basis for criticism.
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I am sorry for the loss of someone you knew. I didn’t go after him for his military service. But he brings on himself, like his fighter pilot commercial that actual combat pilots found offensive.
You did go after DeSantis on that basis though.
See the quote above.
If he was in Iraq…then he had far bigger risks than just a paper cut.
He had real and imminent risks to life, limb, and eyesight, merely by virtue of his presence there in a combat zone as a servicemember.
He served honorably. As did Mike Flynn. And me. That doesn’t make any of us a better person. DeSantis and Flynn are still turds (and I have my moments). I guess I should’ve said his service should be acknowledged, not criticized.
None of it is easy. None. You cede control of your time and your very life when you enter the service as a JAG or a SEAL.
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You are being combative simply to be combative. I said, I reflected on it, and I respect his service. I originally posted it to poke fun of his white waders. Those waders are stupid looking.
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What you were quoted as saying above was NOT appropriate.
It got me a bit fired up…and for good reason.
Trust me. Any servicemember that served in Iraq or Afghanistan in ANY capacity had risks to life, limb, and well-being that went far beyond a paper cut…even people in desk jobs in the green zone (see Air Force Lieutenant Colonel Loftis’ story above). Same for DeSantis.
I did not know about some of those risks, thank you.
DeSantis like Flynn are still “turds” and if you run for office I will still volunteer and canvass for you.
No, I would not criticize their service. Agree on that.
We nondegree holders are still alumni though… 