Day 74: Hey Jackass! It's Still a War

If I have to listen to one more person tell me that they’ve heard Iraq is not so bad anymore, I’m going to join a militia and go on a rampage against idiocy. Everyone seems to have a brother, cousin, friend, etc. that is in Iraq and has said that there isn’t much going on or that it’s boring in Iraq. I do not want to negate the experiences of anyone else, but I thin kit’s important to point out that some of these people are either idiots or so far out of touch with the rest of the military it’s laughable. Personally, I prefer to just call them jackasses and move on.

My husband is currently serving a year-long tour in Iraq and let me assure you, he is working his ass off 20 hours a day. Workloads vary depending on rank, branch, and location, but there are still plenty of units that are busy, in danger, and finding very little time for sleep. Jeff does not overestimate his work or his lack of sleep. I know when he sleeps. I talk to him nightly at 2am or after local time and he gets up usually around 6am or some nights doesn’t go to bed at all because they have a night mission. The war is not a 9-5 job and for many of those serving there is no time to sit around, there is no wearing civvies, there is no good night’s sleep.

Sure, there are plenty of military personnel that are spending more time playing in joint Iraqi – US soccer tournaments, war games, or just lazing away in the airplane hanger waiting on something to do. These people are not any less valuable, but they aren’t representative of everyone currently serving in Iraq. So please stop asserting that Iraq is a cakewalk and that the person you know is an authority on what is happening. Of course, there is also the possibility that Jeff is not representative, but even so, he is at least an example as well as the leadership he works with on a daily basis, that there is still a war and it’s not fun or relaxing.

So please stop telling me that you’ve heard the war isn’t a war anymore or that soldiers are living it up in Iraq. As far as I know, my husband is not vacationing in the beautiful desserts and city sewage of Iraq. It’s a war people and some of us are still fighting it. Soldiers are still dying, commanders are still working their asses off, and sleep is still hard to come by. Jeff has been living off an average of four hours of sleep a night for almost eight months. He has no days off, he has no leisure time, no time for books, intellectual discussion, beer with friends, nor for that matter does he even have friends there. He is a Major in the United States Army and that gig is a bit different than sitting around laughing it up with the guys waiting for someone to tell you what to do. It’s still a war, it’s still real, it’s still 24 hours a day.