Posted on Jun 2, 2015
How many military members actually see combat?
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I am a recruiter for the Navy and I constantly have "battles" with people who are interested in the Marine Corps and Army and I tell them that not everyone will see combat and that in fact if you are infantry/medic/truck driver you pretty much don't leave the base you're at. Is that a true statement? I'm not a huge fan at all about being a liar just to get people to join. Just trying to get my facts straight. Thanks
Posted >1 y ago
Responses: 529
We’ve been at war on numerous fronts for almost 20 years. There’s not an MOS that hasn’t seen combat in that time.
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all will be dispatched outside the wire some point during their deployment/especially infantry and medics,I was a 11b,11c and we always had meds during missions,we had our own drivers which were infantry within our unit.
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Depends on where you're at.
I was a MP dog handler and whent on many combat missions with infantry Calv Scouts ext. Some places you couldn't leave the wore without getting shot at. Other places you couldn't even get shot at using recon by fire.
Other places you were dodging RPGs rockets and 7.62 inside the wire.
Honestly in layman's terms it just depends on where you're at.
I was a MP dog handler and whent on many combat missions with infantry Calv Scouts ext. Some places you couldn't leave the wore without getting shot at. Other places you couldn't even get shot at using recon by fire.
Other places you were dodging RPGs rockets and 7.62 inside the wire.
Honestly in layman's terms it just depends on where you're at.
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As a 82B (Construction Surveyor) in Nam (68 - 69), I was awarded a Purple Heart.
Many people (civilian) are surprised “Why would I get a Purple Heart“! Or “I was not fighting”! The first thing I would think is ‘WTF dumbass’ ... then I realize these people are ignorant. Therefore, I would explain while in combat Area, combat death or wounds can happen anywhere and anytime for soldiers; no one was exempt.
I was assigned a 3/4 Ton truck, 50 Cal, M14, M16, M79, .45 pistol, and ammo up to my a**. ALWAYS READY FOR COMBAT!
All Combat Veterans understand. Hooah
Many people (civilian) are surprised “Why would I get a Purple Heart“! Or “I was not fighting”! The first thing I would think is ‘WTF dumbass’ ... then I realize these people are ignorant. Therefore, I would explain while in combat Area, combat death or wounds can happen anywhere and anytime for soldiers; no one was exempt.
I was assigned a 3/4 Ton truck, 50 Cal, M14, M16, M79, .45 pistol, and ammo up to my a**. ALWAYS READY FOR COMBAT!
All Combat Veterans understand. Hooah
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I served for 20 years in the US Army and the National Guard as a truck driver and I was deployed twice, once to Iraq and once to Afghanistan. Truck drivers like here in the US are a huge needed asset.
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Lie as a recruiter, Oh My. Where you at? I was at MEPS Minneapolis and NRS Crystal. Back then if we didn't make quota we had to go to a refresher class. Put 5 in to test from one of my schools and if you combined all the scores you couldn't put 2 in. It was a crazy time and most of our files were all messed up. I was sent "Back to the fleet" after 10 months.
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Looks like you're Navy. I am CG myself. When I was in Vietnam was still going on, as an ET trained in LORAN, most stations I would be sent to were non-combat, though many were not exactly "garden spots." Several, however were in fact very much in the line of fire, having to deal with infiltrators, mortar fire and snipers on a regular basis. Others were on patrol craft, some up the river, but many operating close enough inshore to garner small arms and mortar fire.
From what I have seen that's pretty much the way it is today. Some places in country are safer, but no place is safe. The USCG has a small task force of 110' patrol craft currently providing escort and security in the Gulf. At any time they are in range of attack by missile or Iranian forces. In fact unless I have missed one since, the last exchange of gunfire involved a 110 and an Iranian craft. A small boat was approaching to do a boarding and inspection, when the Iranian crew racked their 50 cal. and pointed it at the RHIB. The Cutter responded with a few rounds from their 25mm chain gun just over their heads. The Iranians decided they didn't want to play and hauled it for home.
Face it, as someone else observed, we can no longer count on combat being linear. Some specialties are less likely to see combat, and some bases relatively safe, but as we have seen a couple of times in recent years, modern combat can break out anywhere, even on a stateside base.
From what I have seen that's pretty much the way it is today. Some places in country are safer, but no place is safe. The USCG has a small task force of 110' patrol craft currently providing escort and security in the Gulf. At any time they are in range of attack by missile or Iranian forces. In fact unless I have missed one since, the last exchange of gunfire involved a 110 and an Iranian craft. A small boat was approaching to do a boarding and inspection, when the Iranian crew racked their 50 cal. and pointed it at the RHIB. The Cutter responded with a few rounds from their 25mm chain gun just over their heads. The Iranians decided they didn't want to play and hauled it for home.
Face it, as someone else observed, we can no longer count on combat being linear. Some specialties are less likely to see combat, and some bases relatively safe, but as we have seen a couple of times in recent years, modern combat can break out anywhere, even on a stateside base.
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