A Young Marine's Dream Job-NYT
More C.J. Chivers' brilliance.
Watching video of this war in the Korengal and elsewhere (but certainly the Korengal) I've noted U.S. Marines at times in what seems largely a U.S. Army war.
Who are they? Here's their AMAZING story of these ballsy guys-
A Young Marine's Dream Job-NYT 30 April 2009
Imagine a corporal, 25, with a Lance Corporal, 21, alone with 30 or so Afghans-any and all who could overwhelm them or slit their throats while sleeping, living, working, and training an afghan army infantry platoon in the Korengal valley.
HUGE responsibility for an E-4 and E-3. Corporal Conway's enlistment was up. He extended nine months, though, to gain this duty-living and working with these afghan men who attend the same mosque on Friday as their valley militant counterparts.
"How effective the American training mission will be is unclear. The corporal said it would be years before the Afghan Army was ready to operate independently full time. But he said he had seen reason for optimism.
The Afghan captain who worked here until early April was overweight, lazy and rarely left the firebase. He used Afghan infantryman as valets. 'I expected to come in and find the soldiers dropping grapes in his mouth,' Corporal Conroy said.
'Or fanning him with a palm branch,'said Lance Corporal Murray.
A new Afghan lieutenant rotated in last week. He is neat and lean, and has shown self-discipline and tactical sense. The Marines celebrated his arrival by buying a chestnut-and-white bull.
The Afghan soldiers bound the animal’s legs and flipped it onto its side. A soldier worked a blade across its throat. These Afghan soldiers eat meat once every two or three weeks. Tonight they would feast.
They were palpably happy. 'Let Barack Obama come here and kill a cow for us,' one said. The rest laughed.
Corporal Conroy watched until the jokes subsided. War, like politics, is local. He reminded the Afghans that a platoon looked out for itself, and that he was the senior American on hand. 'You don’t need Obama here,' he said. 'I bought the cow.'”
Helluva story about these guys...
Still no love for the doggies who cover their azzes though.:))
More C.J. Chivers' brilliance.
Watching video of this war in the Korengal and elsewhere (but certainly the Korengal) I've noted U.S. Marines at times in what seems largely a U.S. Army war.
Who are they? Here's their AMAZING story of these ballsy guys-
A Young Marine's Dream Job-NYT 30 April 2009
Imagine a corporal, 25, with a Lance Corporal, 21, alone with 30 or so Afghans-any and all who could overwhelm them or slit their throats while sleeping, living, working, and training an afghan army infantry platoon in the Korengal valley.
HUGE responsibility for an E-4 and E-3. Corporal Conway's enlistment was up. He extended nine months, though, to gain this duty-living and working with these afghan men who attend the same mosque on Friday as their valley militant counterparts.
"How effective the American training mission will be is unclear. The corporal said it would be years before the Afghan Army was ready to operate independently full time. But he said he had seen reason for optimism.
The Afghan captain who worked here until early April was overweight, lazy and rarely left the firebase. He used Afghan infantryman as valets. 'I expected to come in and find the soldiers dropping grapes in his mouth,' Corporal Conroy said.
'Or fanning him with a palm branch,'said Lance Corporal Murray.
A new Afghan lieutenant rotated in last week. He is neat and lean, and has shown self-discipline and tactical sense. The Marines celebrated his arrival by buying a chestnut-and-white bull.
The Afghan soldiers bound the animal’s legs and flipped it onto its side. A soldier worked a blade across its throat. These Afghan soldiers eat meat once every two or three weeks. Tonight they would feast.
They were palpably happy. 'Let Barack Obama come here and kill a cow for us,' one said. The rest laughed.
Corporal Conroy watched until the jokes subsided. War, like politics, is local. He reminded the Afghans that a platoon looked out for itself, and that he was the senior American on hand. 'You don’t need Obama here,' he said. 'I bought the cow.'”
Helluva story about these guys...
Still no love for the doggies who cover their azzes though.:))
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