Vet/Gen #Number

But why risk dying in Afghanistan? Is it even for furthering you country's interests? Specially when you country is lead by people that care little for the average citizen outside of his vote?

Afghanistan really wasn’t a dangerous deployment. I did both. Iraq had me genuinely wondering if I was going to see home again several times. Afghanistan was 99% boredom (foot patrols with no contact from the taliban) and 1% chaos when they decided to fight. Contacts where usually so far away that the likely hood of getting shot was very slim unless you were at the front or rear of the patrol. As for IED’s again rare we were very cautious in the end and learned where they liked to hide them and how they marked them. My battalion (650 soldiers) only had five casualties (one KIA, two seriously wounded and one minor injury). Iraq was 15 KIA (37 wounded).

As for serving I personally joined up because I was a poor kid from inner city Scotland I had no prospects or qualifications. And I had a broken home life no one would take me except the army. I probably would have ended up homeless on drugs and eventually dead otherwise. Ever seen train spotters because that’s was Scotland was like 90’s early 00’s

Isn't it better to fight them in their lands instead of your own doorstep? Your part of Europa is seeing them land daily on your shores no? If the troops wouldn't have been held back with bullshit ROE's and such, it would have been done proper.

BTW, God bless Italy.

Indeed. So funny to see all those civs larping with their guns. They’re such cluses faggots. No idea how to conduct themselves military or any idea of engagement tactics (insurgency type ambush stuff) or even what it takes to maintain a fight (logistics, medical care, ammunition). They all talk about Muh we’ve been hoarding ammunition like 10,000 rounds is enough. You use a good 210 rounds in one firefight when the adrenaline is pumping ammunition goes like that. There supply would last about 6 months if that.

Basically the opposite for me, Iraq was like doing police work. Afghanistan was like Vietnam with Star Wars tech

In civie life to acheive the level of training an Infantryman in CAN/USA/GBR/AUS armies would cost you a fuckin load. SO very true with the PT btw.
Scots Gaurds?

that's exactly why many join the army here too, a fair bit are also still idealistic and have a sense of patriotism and duty.
You know damn well it doesn't work like that. Unless the politicians give the orders, the generals don't decide anything nowdays in the West, especially not on home soil.

>Don’t think there are many vets on pol/ anymore user.
Desert Storm combat infantry veteran, 1991, and most actual combat veterans have no real desire to talk about our experiences with non-combat veterans. Least of all the JIDF-infested shithole Zig Forums has become since GG.

Soon... Italy, Il Duce spirit lives.

oh, yeah, i wouldn't have got to play with 50 cals, grenade launchers, and cannons, that's for sure. i was already pretty good with a rifle, tho.

>But why risk dying in Afghanistan? Is it even for furthering you country's interests?
The vast majority of military personnel have little to no understanding of geopolitical motivations. We just want a job with some degree of prestige, and being shot at is preferable to stocking groceries at a supermarket or being a mindless cubicle-drone wagecuck. There is a great deal of adventure and sense of accomplishment in doing something that less than 10% of the population is willing or able to do. If we were deployed to the border with Mexico with unrestricted engagement rules, it would quite literally be a dream job.

>Iraq was like doing police work.
I’m guessing you arrived after Saddam had been overthrown, 04 onwards? My tour was 6 months and began in 03 with the initial invasion. I was royal regiment of Scotland (3rd Battalion the regiment’s light infantry) attached to the 7th armoured division. We fought our way into Baghdad on the American eastern flank ( US 3rd infantry division) we had the 1st marine division to the left and elements of the 3rd to our right. Fuck me those room clearances and alleyways were hairy.

Old man, Lets hear at least a funny story of Gulf War 1.
Hope you ready for the shit-storm ahead bro.

No user. I was 1st platoon (weapons platoon) 3rd battalion, royal regiment of Scotland. Which is light infantry. Or was back then it’s all changed now the regiment has been reshaped after the defence cuts.

>Hope you ready for the shit-storm ahead bro
i'm trying to get out innawoods as far as possible, buy up a few acres. don't want to get caught in an urban environment when shtf

Right on brother, Hope you got some dunes while you were over.

I guess. In my experience the easiest way to tell who’s lying and who isn’t is who openly brags about killing. Which I have never done and nor have any of my former military friends. I take my hat of too you. I’d love to here your stories. Did you have the pleasure of fighting against the Republican Guard like i did?

Yeah I realized what I wrote was kind of stupid and I didn't mean it that way. A more appropriate question would be, would you still go through with it knowing what you know now, in case you didn't know at the time, or at least would it have made you esitate more?

I hear you bud, basically every other western major city user, its gunna be a fuckin mess

Well one. But I don’t like to talk about it really. I’ll tell you the honest truth that most Iraqi soldiers were poverty stricken conscripts with no real desire to fight or desire to fight. So I don’t take much pride in my ‘actions’ to coin a phrase against them. The Republican guard were a different story. They fought hard. You never forget the feeling the first time you shoot and kill. I remember thinking it for days after just reliving the scenario over and over in my head and I still do now. Thinking how it could have been different.

Those are in your backyard now, as is the same here

Of course

>the easiest way to tell who’s lying and who isn’t is who openly brags about killing
this is probably true. i've never had to kill anyone, thankfully, but i expect that is something that sticks around in your head for life.

Peak of Afghanistan surge was 2010, some of us 30 year olds were the boys on the ground for that

Nah. Muslims in the U.K. are Pakistanis their are hardly any from the Middle East. Maybe some Syrians and Iranians (who fled after the Muslim 1979 revolution) but hardly any Iraqis. U.K. main foreign population are 1) West Indians 2) Pakistanis 3) Indians 4) East Africans (Kenyans, Ugandans) and of course some lovely Somalis form the Somali civil war compliments from Tony Blair.