Why is it all the people that were whining around crying, "I didn't sign up for this" while on deployment are now claiming they Volunteered?

It is human nature to complain. That's why. Just as long as they are still doing their jobs.
We are an all volunteer force. Nobody is being drafted. It is something they all signed up for. So yes, they volunteered for the possibility of deploying.
In the early stages it was popular. We had 9/11 fresh in our mind and wanted to kick some ass. There were objectors, sure... but aren't there always?
As the war progressed it became routine for some, while others just got completely worn out. Others didn't realize what they were getting into and ran their mouths like people do.
When we came across other Soldiers that had deployed we would often ask about each other's combat patches and where they were. This lead to the development of the term slick sleeve. The slick sleeves felt they were treated inferior because they had not deployed, and they were to some extent. So they started crying about wanting to deploy, or claim that they had not had the opportunity yet.
When these individuals got overseas they realized just what they had signed up for. My apologies if I'm not sympathetic, but that's the truth. It's not something you can prepare for, so the little buttercups better start sucking it up.

In my own eyes however, very few of us genuinely volunteered to go on a specific deployment. Unless you had a chance to not go and you chose to knowingly transfer to a deploying unit or wave your dwell time early like I have, then you haven't truly volunteered for shit.

Now put out that cigarette and get back to work, Specialist!

"I wish I could get over there" often translates to "I want the combat pay and tax break...."

I saw issues while in basic before 9/11 I was in basic as a 19 delta cav scout Army.
We had kids saying f this I just wanted free schooling a large number of these guys didn't make it a few had some bad training accidents when awol or just failed at basic and ait

Because we want what we can't have.

Because it isn't too dangerous anymore and some of the deployments are to cool places like Djiboti, Jordan, Eastern Europe instead of Iraq, Afghanistan, repeat.

Those of us who were on active duty did not get to volunteer, though most would have, in my opinion. Part of my battalion went to Granada, and my Cdr wouldn't let me go with them. He wanted to go also but couldn't! I do know that a lot of people enlisted during Desert Shield hoping to deploy. I was in a year-long course and got the word we were all going, which was fine with us. Again, I was sent to Bosnia for Operation Joint Endeavor, but was glad to go. It was all in God's hands.

it was amazing how much whining and crying went on when many Guard & Reserve units were called up and deployed during Desert Shield/Storm. We on AD at the time laughed that they must not have been aware that there was more involved in that check than guarding the commissary and Exchange from communism once a month. That being more than 20 years ago, there should be no reason for anyone AD, Guard, or Reserve to up upset if deployed because we have been in this battle against those who would bring their savagery to our home shores more than a decade now.

Time changes it all. It is true. Soldiers are gunning for a deployment now. We are losing a lot of veterans in our ranks. We are seeing a lot of soldiers with no combat awards or patches. The combat club is getting smaller and smaller. I recall when I saw a CIB in 2000 I thought that was the most bad ass thing ever. For a while it was extremely common. Now it is not. In the Guard you are seeing people just about bagging to go. I have been on two tours with the Guard so far and one with RA.

soldiers not bitching something worse is happening. A lot of combat arms units to my experience didnt have this so much. when I got relcassed it happened a lot more.

They annoyed the hell out of me two. Both of them out of my whole battalion. However, they too volunteered. And when the time came they manned up and were soldiers. They served voluntarily in war and combat. Everyone has moments of weakness, don't downgrade our brothers and sisters in arms. They did what the vast majority of Americian are or were unwilling to do.