Quote Originally Posted by Maximus View Post
I definitely wouldn't say "Joe Sailor's" opinions are the norm. I have a close friend (Marine) that just returned from serving a year on an ETT. He said it was the best experience of his life. In fact, I volunteered to relieve him after 7 months because the Corps was doing 7 month ETTs to Afghanistan. About 4 months into the deployment, he asked to stay for a year because he believed in the mission, the ANA he was working with, and felt he was making a difference.
Obviously it's not exactly the same thing, but my husband's experience in Iraq has been nothing like Joe Sailor's either. He's gone out of his way to do as much for the jundi as he can (without causing friction with the Iraqi officers, of course), has built a really close, solid relationship with the CO, and has generally "enjoyed" the work (I put that in quotes because it has been very difficult and very dangerous -- but in terms of professional gratification, it's been rewarding.) I know that the rest of the Marines/Sailors on the team have grown quite close to the Iraqis with whom they work -- there was a situation in which a compound the Iraqis were occupying was blown up, and the guys were very shaken at the losses suffered -- because they cared about them.

Joe Sailor needs a smack upside the head.