Always on the front line

[kimba1]

but the question is it a good idea
the military command which is not a expert on stress is going for short breaks
but thier own psychologist are recoomending the 30 day breaks.
in the long run our soldiers ability to fight will diminish.
a human can only man up for so long.
it`s not limitless

[Lanya]

BT, I'm not angry.   
I see this and I see the brass just thinking there's no way they can do this 30 days away thing, no way to have enough people on the ground, or they'd do it.   It's a horrible dilemma.  They know people are cracking under the strain, but there aren't enough to go around.

 So they offer this new thing of 8  on, 2 or 3 off.
. 

[BT]

Certainly a soldiers job is a thankless one. People mouth support, but do they really truly support them.
I find it hard to compartmentalize supporting the troops but disdaining the mission. I think that position is chock full of wiggle words and is more about protecting the reputations of the speakers than it is about any support for the troops.

 

 

[Lanya]

Chock full of wiggle room?  I'm saying they're unable to have as much leave as was granted soldiers in Vietnam and WW2, that's a fact.  I wish they were able to but they aren't,  or their own commanders would no doubt let them have the 30 days off.   

[BT]

I wish they were able to but they aren't,  or their own commanders would no doubt let them have the 30 days off.   

I'm sure they would also. So what was the point of the article?

[Lanya]

It's information we, the people, should have.   Our soldiers are not able to have the same amount of time away from the front lines that their fathers and grandfathers did.   They are too few in number, they are shouldering enormous burdens. 
Even after a psych person telling them they need to have 30 days off, the commanders say they can't do it, not enough men.
 This is the point.  Is this what you wanted to know? 

[BT]

Are the circumstances the same? I don't think so.

And in a world of heroes and villains, scapegoats and finger pointers, who plays what role.

[Lanya]

Are soldiers still human beings? 

This had better be of great concern to all of us.

[BT]

Certainly soldiers are human beings.

What do you know of Spc. Jeremy Osborn?

or his wife Cindy?

or the author of the piece?