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Bones wrote:

Presidential debate?
Me? I just wanta tell a story.

‘Mornin’ folks! How the hell are ya this mornin’, anyways? Coffee’s on, and is it good, and is it hot! Ya best grab a cup and get ya some! Paper’ll be along after a bit I reckon. I gots first dibs onna funny pages, too!

Well, I did have somethin’ else to visit over, as I was feelin’ lazy, and it was all laid out already, but I reckon I might just keep that ‘til tomorrow. Has to do with childish thinkin’, and not wantin’ to face reality or facts and such. ‘Course with that ol’ debate last night, I got to thinkin’ of somethin’ else. Now, others done already tore that debate apart, and looked at it real hard. Still more folks is a gonna be a doin’ that over the next few days. Me? I just wanta tell a story.

There was a news article a goin’ around the other day. It was about a Corporal of Marines. Seems he was settin’ up some communications equipment some place in Iraq. That communications stuff is real important inna combat zone. They was settin‘ things up so that the local coalition force could better co-ordinate with alla rest of ‘em inna region. Anyway, from what the article said, you could tell the Corporal was payin’ attention, but like some others, he didn’t really put two and two together until it was damn near too late. Wasn’t none of ‘em expectin’ anything like what they got into. Seems it was just another day, ya know? There was some civilian folks, outside the wire, was a causin’ some hullabaloo when he got there. Then after a bit, when this Corporal was settin’ things up, things got real quiet. Well, he got his job done, and was puttin’ his stuff back inna ride they had. The good Corporal looked around before mountin’ up, and noticed most alla them folks outside the wire done disappeared. Long about then, the shootin’ started. Well, him bein’ a radio man, and not bein’ inna combat outfit, that Corporal of Marines got a chance to kill his first enemy combatant. Seems he felt a whole load of emotions over that. He hadda ask permission first, though. Rounds incomin’, and he’s gotta ask permission to shoot back. Well, he got it. He started out a fightin’ with the machine gun onna ride they was usin’.

Things settled down fer a minute. …then it all went to hell inna hand basket. They ended up a goin’ fer better cover, and the folks closest to the main buildin’ all went inside to fight from there. That Corporal was one of ‘em who got onna roof. They was usin’ up magazine after magazine just demoralizin‘ the opposition. Rounds incomin’, spatterin’ and smackin‘, and ricochetin’ everywhere. Hundreds of enemy combatants a shootin’ in their general direction. Well, it seems that the Corporal was on his way downstairs to get more ammo, when another feller got hit, so he grabbed him, and drug him along, too. Got back upstairs, and fightin’ some, and someone else got hit inna face and throat, and was bleedin’ to death. The good Corporal grabbed him, and couldn’t get the bleedin’ stopped, so he dug in and pinched off the feller’s carotid artery with his fingers. So far, so good. He’s just a doin’ what needs to be done, and makin’ sure his men gots ammo and such, and that the one’s who been hit get took to the Corpsman. Well, he got to draggin’ that second wounded feller to the stairwell, and somethin’ knocked him down. He heard a bullet hit somebody, but he didn’t see nobody else hit, so he grabbed that wounded feller by the throat again, and drug him downstairs…and went back upstairs with more ammo. Just doin’ what needed to be done. Just tryin’ to help folks, and make sure they had what they needed to get the job done.

Well, he got back into the fight, bullets a flyin’ everywhere, and was a doin’ pretty good from all accounts, when someone grabbed him and told him to get downstairs and see the doc. Corporal got to lookin’, and found he was covered in blood, and danged if he wasn’t hit! …and danged if he wasn’t fightin’ inna pool of his own blood! Well, they got some combat dressin’s and bandages on him, and he figgered he was good to go.

Funny thing. The feller that grabbed him was the only officer who was left onna roof. That officer told him to get. The good Corporal set about givin’ his opinion on such unjust orders! Sounded to me like the officer had to give him a direct order. Well, a Marine knows when he’s given a direct order, he’s gotta do what he’s told, like it or not. SO…the good Corporal allowed hisself to be medi-vaced. He didn’t seem to like the idea of leavin’ his rifle behind…or flyin’ anywhere without his flack jacket. I don’t blame him none. There’s small comfort in havin’ a couple millimeters of aircraft skin between you and the fireworks… if the hatch is closed…

He spent a few days inna hospital, after the operation to remove the ‘bullet’ from where it lodged in his back…after missin’ his heart. The piece of shrapnel they took out of his eye didn’t count, ya see. He was fightin’ half blind fer a bit, and didn’t really notice. It was hot and he was sweatin’ some…

Ya see, I told this little tale to let you know, that on the Corporal’s part, it was about leadership. He was just doin’ his job the best he knowed how. From his point of view, he was just doin’ what needed to be done. Fightin’ fer his men, and fer the safety of others. Makin’ sure they had what they needed, when they needed it. …and then gettin’ back inna fight… He had a job to do, ya see. When he was ordered outta there, he was some upset, ‘cause it meant leavin’ his folks behind.

…not to mention explainin’ to supply how alla his gear got shot to hell and gone…

Friggin’ paperwork, anyway…

This election is more about leadership than at any other time in our history. Do you want someone watchin’ out for ya? …or do ya want someone in charge who’ll be beggin’ the rest of the world for permission to shoot back? Do you want someone in charge who’ll feel bad about leavin’ his ‘folks’ behind when it’s time to move on? Or do you want someone callin’ them merciless killers…when he’s reached home, comfort and safety…with a few shavin’ scars to brag about? I have worse scars from workin’ on helicopters…in “peace time” …than Mr. Kerry has from three purple hearts…and bein’ inna combat zone. The one kept me off duty fer a couple days. I was some pissed about that. I had work to do…and who was gonna take care of my people the way I could? …but orders is orders…

Myself, like Gunny Lancaster said t’other day, I’d rather see a good Corporal of Marines a runnin’ things…instead of Senator Kerry. Hell, even a good Lance-Coolie’d be better! Lance Corporals inna Marine Corps is better at debatin’ things, anyways! ‘Least they make sense. …even when they’re wrong.

Well, I reckon. That’s all I got to say about this first debate. Y’all warm up yer coffee and sit a minute ‘fore ya head out the door this mornin’. Get yer head wrapped around the day. It’s a new day folks! We’ve get another chance to get ‘er all sorted out. We’ve got another opportunity to get it right. Don’t screw it up, will ya?


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