"Generation Kill" Blog Report

The Mini Series on HBO began July 13, 2008. It is a seven part series that follows a Marine Recon Battalion through the first 40 days of the War beginning in 2003.
Evan Wright (author) wrote "Generation Kill" and it is also based on his novel-of this same Marine Battalion.
http://www.hbo.com/generationkill/

I have signed up with HBO to specifically watch this mini series and bring you a milspouse report and opinion.

Having missed the initial July 13th debut, I was fortunate enough to catch an encore showing last night. (HBO on Demand--instant gratification)

The Marines are staging in Kuwait, bored, training here and there, and basically ready to go but have to process through the "hurry up and wait" mentality the military is ever famous for. Even as a milspouse I know this practise.

This is the section where you get to meet the characters, and find out who they are basically. A CSM that yells a lot and has vertical mans disease, a few guys that are forever consumed with their minds in the gutter but it gets them through so you overlook the piles of maxim and playboy magazines. A few guys that are quiet and keep to themselves that you want to know a little more about but they gloss over them...something tells me those guys will play a bigger part later. (always love to watch the nerds outshine the rest of them!)

A few loud mouths that don't like rules, and the difference between the grunts, and the LT's who are "by the book" but have never gotten their hands dirty---yet. Then of course the STELLAR command. Oh yes, from the top down, you can begin to see where the screw-ups are going to be. The food chain has gaps--and the gaps widen as the show progresses.

What I took from episode one, is the command officer that will most likely give bad information if he bothers to give information at all, will get men killed. BAD leadership hands down.

The leadership element that is currently running around like chicken little, and wired up will probably get punched--and he will simmer down afterwards and be OK.
The guy that "seems" to be portrayed as "gay" probably isn't--but could be, Don't ask Don't Tell--but he will more than likely save lives, perhaps die, and if not, turn out to be OK or go back home with major PTSD. He is currently TOO laid back--and too concerned with peace-love-and grooviness to be a MARINE.

The one thing though, that summed up a Marine, was spoken by a Marine.
Marine's are the pit bulls of the Military. They are fed decent--but not too well (just enough), they are trained hard, and kept to a strict code. Once in awhile they are let loose--and when they are, they are loosed to KILL.

That statement is truth. I am glad they made that point at the onset.
Bleeding hearts who cant handle that simplicity, should not watch the program.
I intend to continue watching....just to make sure they get things right! ;)

One Nation Under Pharma

In the United States fashion trends swing between the 60’s, 70’s and 80’s. From clothing, makeup, and hair; elements of one of these eras is ever present continually. It goes without saying that the fashion industry tries to come up with new ideas, but you can always see a reflection of the 60’s, 70’s and 80’s in everything “new” they come up with.

As we progress with technology and our lives become faster paced, we have also adopted another trend. Zero tolerance for patience, and the need for instant gratification.
Hence the need for cosmetic surgery to instantly roll back the years of aging, hair replacement surgeries, fast food, instant foods, online services that move at mach speeds, instant availability of (insert thing), etc.

We want to push a button, flip a switch, move a mouse, or go under the knife and be instantly “insert wish.”

There is also another trend, one that costs us billions of dollars annually that is taking over every aspect of our lives. PRESCRIPTION DRUGS.

A pill to solve everything.

Sad? Pop a pill. Feeling anxious? Pop a pill. Eat so much fast food and pre-processed foods because you no longer cook anymore—and have bowel problems, heartburn, occasional diarrhea, or constipation? Pop a pill. Someone in your family pass away? Pop a pill. Don’t like your job? Pop a pill. Feel underappreciated or stifled at home? Pop a pill. Teenager with mood swings (normal hormonal growth and development)? Pop a pill. Someone look at you cross-eyed? Pop a pill. Get a paper cut? Pop a pill. Three year old running around being a child? They have a pill for that too!

This week, two more major health news studies have emerged. One says that child molesters, pedophiles, and sex offenders have a “disease.” Guess what! The Pharmaceutical companies happen to have a pill for that.

Another study says that PTSD might very well be an emerging mental disorder, which leads to it fast tracking to a “disease.” The pharmaceutical companies want to prove or theorize that PTSD is a mental disease. As if soldiers enter a foreign land and contract it by touching or coming into contact with something during war. (sand is the carrier!-please note the sarcasm)

PTSD is NOT a disease. It is a byproduct if you will, of WAR. It is conditional from being in a foreign environment and performing your duty under hazardous and extreme conditions most soldiers have never experienced before.

In the United States, we do not live under the same conditions and environment as middle easterners. It is NOT our environment or culture. My neighbor does not plot my death because I am Christian and refuse to harbor jihadists. My friends across town do not turn me into my governor because my daughter doesn’t cover her head with a scarf, and my Mayor doesn’t present fear and endangerment when he drives through town visiting. We hardly if ever know he is there.

If a civilian from the United States was flown to Iraq, dropped off center point Baghdad and left there with a backpack, no weapon, and a weeks supply of MRE’s (meals ready to eat) and told “see you in a year if you make it!;” and by some miracle that person DID….I can guarantee you that CIVILIAN would have PTSD.

M.I.T. and other scientific labs that have large private and federally funded budgets however, end up with million dollar contracts from the government. They currently have large scale TBI scan equipment that has won them several research grants over the next three years, which will eventually yield them a full blown government contract to test our soldiers prior to deployments (brain scans) and then again afterwards---to what end?

To try to find the Pandora’s Box of memories and thoughts a soldier has of the war he/she has experienced. So….the pharmaceutical companies can prescribe A PILL.

One Nation Under Pharma

From our three year olds to our elderly, and all points in between, PHARMA has a pill for that.