Love of Country

MrBishop

Well-Known Member
Some of you know that my bro-in-law's a Military boy.. 2RCHA. He just came back from his second tour in Afghanisan.

He's getting married in August, an event I am looking forward to...should be a hellova party.

Well...he joined the armed forces 'cause he loves Canada, He's getting married cause he loves his fiancee...and he just accepted a third tour of duty... 6months after he gets married.

So...I'm proud of him for taking on this job, but I can't help but want to beat my head against the wall in frustration because I don't quite get why he's voluntarily going back for a third tour...right afer he gets married!

Canada's going to be in Afghanistan for the next while... tour#3 can wait a bit, eh.
 
Why not sit down with him, and let him explain it. You probably won't understand the answer, but at least you'll understand that he understands his answer.

you're trying to understand it from your point of view, and that never works.

and Nixy, noone here is ever gonna start a topic about country music except you.
 
Professur said:
and Nixy, noone here is ever gonna start a topic about country music except you.

Or Slim...and when I saw this on the main page I didn't know who had started it.
 
Professur said:
Why not sit down with him, and let him explain it. You probably won't understand the answer, but at least you'll understand that he understands his answer.

you're trying to understand it from your point of view, and that never works.
Oh...I know that he's not off his rocker or anything...but 2 months ago he had given them a 'No'.
 
He's a young man (still), who takes his responsabilities very seriously. He's also a member of a team. If that team's going, he's going to want to be with it. Not to mention that, going back to afganistan in infinitely better than going to Iraq, or anywhere else. They get to do much good, and are widely appreciated for it.

Then, there's also how it looks on his employment jacket. If he's wanting to move up ranks, field time is the best way. I'm sure he's got lots of reasons, to stay home, and to go, and I'm sure he's agonized over each and every one.
 
MrBishop said:
So...I'm proud of him for taking on this job, but I can't help but want to beat my head against the wall in frustration because I don't quite get why he's voluntarily going back for a third tour...right afer he gets married!

Until you're part of that kind of fraternity, you'll never be able to understand. Men from WW2, in walkers or with canes, in wheelchairs or walking bent over, will attend funerals of men they haven't seen in 50 years becausde they know of camaraderie.
 
He's not going up with his team though...he's going up with Reservists this time...training some of them.

His promotions are locked in (waiting on space to clear up), and his career is going where he wants to be (Bogota in 3 years). Right now, he's teaching and getting major creds for it, all the while doing his job, which is two ranks above actual.

He can wait and go the next tour...they won't even look at him crooked. It's not that he wants to go back that I don't understand...he loves his job and loves what he was doing in Afghanistan. There's a flag on my front lawn that says "We support our troops" with a Canadian flag. (For those not in the know..having a Canadian flag up in Quebec is a bigger deal that I'd ever thought possible) More power to him...our troops are doing a great job over there!

It's the timing that I don't get.
6 months after getting married!
There's love of Country and there's love of Family.
 
Nixy said:
Or Slim...and when I saw this on the main page I didn't know who had started it.

I also thought it was about country music.

Or some sort of 'do you love your piece of planet mud?' thing :shrug:

Hey prof - Country rawks :beerbang:
 
MrBishop said:
He's not going up with his team though...he's going up with Reservists this time...training some of them.

His promotions are locked in (waiting on space to clear up), and his career is going where he wants to be (Bogota in 3 years). Right now, he's teaching and getting major creds for it, all the while doing his job, which is two ranks above actual.

He can wait and go the next tour...they won't even look at him crooked. It's not that he wants to go back that I don't understand...he loves his job and loves what he was doing in Afghanistan. There's a flag on my front lawn that says "We support our troops" with a Canadian flag. (For those not in the know..having a Canadian flag up in Quebec is a bigger deal that I'd ever thought possible) More power to him...our troops are doing a great job over there!

Try my end of the woods. Hope you like the colour blue. It'll be the colour of your house for quite a while afterwards.

It's the timing that I don't get.
6 months after getting married!
There's love of Country and there's love of Family.


Obviously, for him, they're not as seperate as they are for you.
 
You know...I should try and make some "Nous supportons nos soldats" flags with the Quebec emblem on'em...there aren't any on sale anywhere.

Then again, not that many Quebecois are proud or supportive of our troops overseas. :finger:
 
Bish .... you worked with me on the military base. Remember the 'tard on the other side of the fence that everyone laughed at. Que Seperatist through and through, without a clue or care that said seperation would cost him his job, and that he was getting his pay from the exact entity that we sooooooo terrrible.

Lots, even most, quebecers are neutral. But you only need one racist firebug in the neighbourhood .....
 
Professur said:
without a clue or care that said seperation would cost him his job, and that he was getting his pay from the exact entity that we sooooooo terrrible.
You just described half the separatists out there...the want seperation but don't know why, how or at what cost... as for the pur and dur, I've had my sign up for about 2 years now. I don't even get a weird look anymore.
 
You're facing an english school. The rabids either already moved out, or have a bigger target than you.
 
Professur said:
He's a young man (still), who takes his responsabilities very seriously. He's also a member of a team. If that team's going, he's going to want to be with it. Not to mention that, going back to afganistan in infinitely better than going to Iraq, or anywhere else. They get to do much good, and are widely appreciated for it.

Then, there's also how it looks on his employment jacket. If he's wanting to move up ranks, field time is the best way. I'm sure he's got lots of reasons, to stay home, and to go, and I'm sure he's agonized over each and every one.

Gee...thanks. :p
 
paul_valaru said:
could it simply be combat pay?
Nah... he's earning pretty good wages as is...has a house and everything.

I should be seeing him this weekend...we can discuss it over a beer or three. :D
 
I would guess the training is probably a big part of it. You say he's a teacher? As in school teacher? Perhaps teaching young men how to stay alive and doing a good job are as important to him as teaching children?
 
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