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Welcome home parade for iraq war vets.

SHOULD WE HAVE WELCOME HOME PARADES FOR IRAQ VETS


  • Total voters
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MarineTpartier

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Personally, I think this is a must for our country. Yes, there is a possibility of redeployment to Afghanistan, but those are two different wars. I think every major city should have one of these. Bravo to St Louis for leading the way on this and allowing one to happen. I would like to hear others thoughts on this. Also, if there are any that think we shouldn't have them and why.
Below is a story about the St Louis parade.
St. Louis hosting 1st big parade on Iraq War's end - Yahoo! News
 
I am in full support of these events as long as they are not styled as "victory parades," but rather a simple welcoming home of the troops and a show of appreciation for their service.
 
If you have ever met an Iraq War vets (friends with many). They just want to know that they didn't fight for nothing. That is the reason many go or sometimes the extra "combat pay." I think a war veteran every time I see one. I say: "Thank You." "You know you didn't have to go." "But thanks!" They smile and we talk! It's quite and enlightening experience.
 
If you have ever met an Iraq War vets (friends with many). They just want to know that they didn't fight for nothing. That is the reason many go or sometimes the extra "combat pay." I think a war veteran every time I see one. I say: "Thank You." "You know you didn't have to go." "But thanks!" They smile and we talk! It's quite and enlightening experience.

The reason they go is because they signed up to go, because they wanted that experience and because they wanted to be part of an elite team.

I doubt they do it for the money. Most of the rest of us wouldn't take an extra 200 bucks a month to go to a foreign country and potentially get blown the **** up by an IED.
 
There should be parades, and the vets should the thanked PROFUSELY for their service. They signed up for a job, maybe for tuition benefits when they got out, and they realized they may be called on to fight for their country. They didn't sign up to fight in the fights they thought were worth it, they signed up to fight if the commander in chief told them to go. Bush said attack Iraq, they did. That is as it should be. Because the commander in chief told them to go and they obeyed orders, their lives were put at risk. That is the way it is. And we should all be thankful to them for being willing to obey that order and put their lives at risk (even if not every one believed in the cause).
 
Personally, I think this is a must for our country. Yes, there is a possibility of redeployment to Afghanistan, but those are two different wars. I think every major city should have one of these. Bravo to St Louis for leading the way on this and allowing one to happen. I would like to hear others thoughts on this. Also, if there are any that think we shouldn't have them and why.
Below is a story about the St Louis parade.
St. Louis hosting 1st big parade on Iraq War's end - Yahoo! News
I am not too sure a welcome home parade would be good. I couldn't picture anyone who has spent a year in war zone would want to go get their uniform squared away, go through countless inspections just to make sure their uniforms are squared away, and go through a couple of parade rehearsals that involve a lot of hurry up and wait just be forced to participate in some parade so that gawking civilians can feel good about themselves. I never been deployed to combat when I was soldier but I do know from experience that for a lot of soldiers it sucks ass getting your uniform squared away,having to go through what seems like countless inspections and having to go early as possible to rehearsals so you can stand there for a couple of hours in formation waiting for the rehearsal to start. I think the best way to thank the troops is to send them booze,maybe find out what restaurants are around the bases and give gift cards to those restaurants, Or maybe those care packages. I think what these people would want to do is spend some time with family and friends and relax a bit.
 
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I am not too sure a welcome home parade would be good. I couldn't picture anyone who has spent a year in war zone would want to go get their uniform squared away, go through countless inspections just to make sure their uniforms are squared away, and go through a couple of parade rehearsals that involve a lot of hurry up and wait just be forced to participate in some parade so that gawking civilians can feel good about themselves. I never been deployed to combat when I was soldier but I do know from experience that for a lot of soldiers it sucks ass getting your uniform squared away,having to go through what seems like countless inspections and having to go early as possible to rehearsals so you can stand there for a couple of hours in formation waiting for the rehearsal to start. I think the best way to thank the troops is to send them booze,maybe find out what restaurants are around the bases and give gift cards to those restaurants, Or maybe those care packages. I think what these people would want to do is spend some time with family and friends and relax a bit.
The prep sucks, to be sure. However, it doesn't have to be as formal as you're putting it. The one in St Louis wasn't. And, isn't it the prep that makes it so much more than it is sometimes? I don't know if you guys do anything like this, but we do the Marine Corps Ball every year around Nov 10th. The prep sucks. You have to square your Dress Blues away, pay money to get your medals mounted, the dry cleaning bills, etc. But, when you get there, its all worth it. The comaraderie and esprit de corps at the Ball is second to none. All the prep is worth it for the show. I think that would be the case for a parade. No Marine, soldier, sailor, or airman is going to say they want a parade because most of us are too humble to ask for it. Most of us will say we have better stuff to do or would rather hang at home. But, when we actually do it, it's a great experience. Sort of like something the Navy and Marine Corps do called Fleet Week. We load a skeleton Marine Expeditionary Unit on an amphibious assault ship, port somewhere like Miami or New York, and allow civilians to come on the boat and see displays of our weapons, Marine Corps Martial Arts demos, etc. Horrible prep, great event.
 
A parade is nice, remembering and respecting those who sacrifice their lives for our way of life is essential. Adjustment to civilian life, medical attention, job training and education those are many issues I hear about.
 
The "NO" vote...
How utterly stupid can anyone be ?
Having learned nothing from The Vietnam War ?????????
I say that the Democrats could seize and control this monent........a GI bill....
Actually our President Obama should do this, and give the hateful conservatives in Congress a chance to oppose it..
and propose another GI bill, similar to that of WW2.
 
Absolutely yes. Regardless of what people feel about the wars these people volunteered and fought, we at least should do something to show thanks and a parade is a fantastic vehicle for that. I agree with Stillballin that it should be a welcome home parade, nothing more or less.
 
Yes we should let them march on Veterans Day or Memorial Day with the other vets.
 
SHOULD WE HAVE WELCOME HOME PARADES FOR IRAQ VETS

If cities and towns want to do this, then great! By all means, have a parade.
 
Yes we should let them march on Veterans Day or Memorial Day with the other vets.
No, a seperate parade just for Iraq Vets. We know they do these parades. But, the tradition was, before Korea, to have parades for troops from specific theaters.
 
The prep sucks, to be sure. However, it doesn't have to be as formal as you're putting it. The one in St Louis wasn't. And, isn't it the prep that makes it so much more than it is sometimes? I don't know if you guys do anything like this, but we do the Marine Corps Ball every year around Nov 10th. The prep sucks. You have to square your Dress Blues away, pay money to get your medals mounted, the dry cleaning bills, etc. But, when you get there, its all worth it. The comaraderie and esprit de corps at the Ball is second to none. All the prep is worth it for the show. I think that would be the case for a parade. No Marine, soldier, sailor, or airman is going to say they want a parade because most of us are too humble to ask for it. Most of us will say we have better stuff to do or would rather hang at home. But, when we actually do it, it's a great experience. Sort of like something the Navy and Marine Corps do called Fleet Week. We load a skeleton Marine Expeditionary Unit on an amphibious assault ship, port somewhere like Miami or New York, and allow civilians to come on the boat and see displays of our weapons, Marine Corps Martial Arts demos, etc. Horrible prep, great event.

Great events deserve focused prep, I think. Of course, ours seems now to be a world in which even being invited to the White House doesn't seem to deserve a little extra thought and effort. (Remember when the Northwestern women's lacrosse team wore flip-flops to meet the President in 2005?)

Military parades used to be a commonplace, but Vietnam changed that, I think. And displays of patriotism or, heaven forbid, "nationalism," aren't very fashionable. I hope, though, that any parades will be well-attended. I'd go if there were one in my community.
 
BTW, don't you love when public polls are posted and people are too weak to make their vote public. There are 4 no votes and only 1, jamesrage, made his public. Bravo to jamesrage for taking ownership of something he knew wouldn't be popular.
 
If you have ever met an Iraq War vets (friends with many). They just want to know that they didn't fight for nothing. That is the reason many go or sometimes the extra "combat pay." I think a war veteran every time I see one. I say: "Thank You." "You know you didn't have to go." "But thanks!" They smile and we talk! It's quite and enlightening experience.

It's such a shame that they did fight for nothing...
 
Personally, I think this is a must for our country. Yes, there is a possibility of redeployment to Afghanistan, but those are two different wars. I think every major city should have one of these. Bravo to St Louis for leading the way on this and allowing one to happen. I would like to hear others thoughts on this. Also, if there are any that think we shouldn't have them and why.
Below is a story about the St Louis parade.
St. Louis hosting 1st big parade on Iraq War's end - Yahoo! News

The Libbos don't think so. They want to declare the war a defeat, forget it and the troops right along with it.

They've claimed, all these years, to love the troops...until they no longer serve a purpose.
 
i think they should have a parade,if nothing else just to recognize the veterans.ive never been to iraq but i was sent to afghanistan and very few people in this country have no idea what its like to set up tents in sand dunes and live in them for a year,eat food alot of third world countries wouldnt eat,(the locals where i was stationed wouldnt eat our food and neither would the stray dogs until we got civilian contractors cooking for us).lets not mention the pay they recieve,getting paid around 30k average to be deployed for a year is terrible pay,and the only ones who can get any money at the end are single soldiers with no bills.

if anyone thinks a parade is out of order just think of the sacrifice each soldier gives and what little they get in return,because of all the military we have,makes up less than 1% of the population,and i think that thanking them would be a good thing since they do what over 99% choose not to do.
 
I am not too sure a welcome home parade would be good. I couldn't picture anyone who has spent a year in war zone would want to go get their uniform squared away, go through countless inspections just to make sure their uniforms are squared away, and go through a couple of parade rehearsals that involve a lot of hurry up and wait just be forced to participate in some parade so that gawking civilians can feel good about themselves. I never been deployed to combat when I was soldier but I do know from experience that for a lot of soldiers it sucks ass getting your uniform squared away,having to go through what seems like countless inspections and having to go early as possible to rehearsals so you can stand there for a couple of hours in formation waiting for the rehearsal to start. I think the best way to thank the troops is to send them booze,maybe find out what restaurants are around the bases and give gift cards to those restaurants, Or maybe those care packages. I think what these people would want to do is spend some time with family and friends and relax a bit.
Oh put your uniform on and join the parade. :lol:
 
The Libbos don't think so. They want to declare the war a defeat, forget it and the troops right along with it.

They've claimed, all these years, to love the troops...until they no longer serve a purpose.

I think that your claim is off base and out of touch, men and women in the military come from all walks of life, including all different parties. I take offense to your squawker about any party not being patriotic and how they don't support the troops, especially when they are part of the actual troops fighting the war, and the troops that have fought past wars.

I didn't vote yes or no, it really comes down to the local communities and whether they can even budget to have a parade.
 
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for me personally its a no, a parade is my idea of hell! Some people need that extra pat on the back so its good for them I guess.
 
It's such a shame that they did fight for nothing...
Not the point of this thread. Please stay on topic. There are many threads on this website that debate whether Iraq was a necessary war. Go to them if you want to debate this point.
 
I ask all users, please, stay on topic with this thread. I don't want this to turn into a debate about the Iraq War. Stay on the topic of the parade and why/why not. This thread will definitely get hijacked if we go down that road. This is to all leans, not just the left.
 
for me personally its a no, a parade is my idea of hell! Some people need that extra pat on the back so its good for them I guess.

Its not a pat on the back, IMO. Its not like each individual will be seen and heard. Its the idea that we, as a generation, aren't going to let happen to us what happened to our brothers when they returned from Vietnam. Its carrying on the tradition that the Desert Storm guys started of not allowing the media to marginalize what we did. If we sit back and allow it, this entire country would forget about us totally. The general public thinks slapping a yellow ribbon on their vehicle is all they need to do. And even that is considered above and beyond the call of patriotism now. It still blows me away how little anyone knows about a war we are actively fighting. Just look at a poll or two and you can see how little the war, and in effect, we matter. You tell someone you went to Afghanistan and they immediately ask the stupidest question in the history of stupid questions. "How was it?" What?! How do you think it was idiot! Like it or not, we have to draw attention to ourselves so that military members after us aren't treated as horribly as Vietnam vets where. If you don't think it would happen again, look at Westboro. Those nuts do exactly what all of these professors and politicians did back in the 60's.
 
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