Of there Marines that are here, one of them is looking to get into my MOS when he gets back.
About every other night he comes by and we go over academic concepts that will eventually help him get through the school if the Marine Corps lets him switch. It is a really good deal for him as he will be looking at a bonus of about $76,000.00 when he completes the school. That bonus would make a welcomed impact on any young Marine, especially in times like this.
He seems really motivated to learn and very interested in our job. They are constantly taxi-ing people around and then waiting for a few hours for a meeting to end, just to ferry them somewhere else waiting for a briefing to end. At one point during his last trip out here, he kinda asked himself if wanted to be the one ferrying or getting ferried. His answer is obvious, so he started asking questions about how to be that latter guy.
The people giving the briefs were in my field, so he asked a career planner on Camp Lejeune what needed to happen to lat move into another MOS. He got screened and approved.
Now it is just a matter of getting back to Lejeune and heading off to school.
Why don't the Iraqi's get that.
Some of the Iraqi staff I was working with had a conversation the other day. We discussed how Iraq had everything it needed (except security) to get back on its feet itself. We all agreed that we (the Americans) were just here to help Iraq stay secure and train its security forces long enough to help everything else get back on its feet.
During this discussion, and I think I mentioned this part previously, we talked about Iraq needing a strong dictatorial hand to lead the people, and that the people didn't know how to act free. Basically, they were saying they wanted a Saddam Hussein-like authority figure back in power to control things.
This leads me back to the Marine who sees something better, wants something better and takes action to get something better when that improvement is offered.
Iraq as a nation is rejecting personal freedoms by clinging to the hope that a dictator will emerge from after the Americans leave.
I would suggest that maybe they don't see what we have (freedom) as better than tyrany, but is that possible? They have western TV (I have seen it), internet (I have seen that they have it) and examples right here in front of them.
Semper Fi,
m
2 comments:
Maybe this is a case of "You can't teach an old dog new tricks". Iraq is a very old nation that has deep historical roots. Maybe it will take longer (or possibly never) for them to see the "freedoms" that we have. All we can do is hope, and pray.
They have a long road ahead of them, but that road is riddled with pot holes of reluctancy.
John
It's easier for them to let "Big Brother" tell them what to do and take care of them. Unfortunately, this country is traveling right down that some road and will end up with the same results as people get used to having the government take care of them via SS and Welfare etc.As the government takes from the rich to give to the poor and evens out the wealth everyone losses incentive to do anything other than what is expected. Why work any harder when it is taken away from you?
Aunt M
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