SCFirefighter
06-22-09, 09:04 PM
Well, to start things off with an introduction, my name is John. I am a Firefighter/Paramedic, professional photographer and storm chaser. My father served in the Marine Corps (Camp Lejeune), my Grandfather on my mom's side was in the 82nd and my Grandfather on dad's side did Special Operations during Vietnam (With him it seems to be "Don't ask don't tell"). My uncle served in the 82nd Airborne along with a few friends of ours. I also had a buddy that was killed by an insurgent I.E.D. attack in Ghazni, Afghanistan on August 9, 2005. So... needless to say, I grew up in a "military oriented" atmosphere, but chose to find my niche in other vocations.
I've got a thing for MilSims, Project Reality being high on the list. To put it simply, PR is a (as my buddy's in the service put it) "Highly realistic combat experience". As real as it gets... next to being there of course. The first time I played it, we had a full server of 62 people, 6 squads on each side. Our mission was to find weapons caches hidden across western Fallejuah, while the insurgents tried to hold us back. I played the game with my computer connected to a 42" flat screen and surround sound turned up, with the hopes of closely simulating a combat enviroment as possible. Let me say this... it scared the living hell out of me! I couldn't imagine being under enemy fire. I have a great deal of respect for anyone who has "been there, done that". The sounds of bullets cracking past our heads, rounds impacting the ground around us, an IED detonating less than 50m from our HMMWV... it was terrifying.
What I want to know from you guys is how the heck do you "prepare" yourself for a firefight? I watched a documentary the other day from some Army detachment in Iraq. They had insurgent mortar rounds landing within a few hundred yards of their compound all throughout the night, and all the while... they actually sit there and laugh and cut up about it! How do you guys do it??
I've had life or death situations before too. I've rolled a Mustang GT 8 times at 60mph. I've fought more fires than I could ever care to count and had a handful of extremely close calls. So to some degree, I guess I can relate to you Marines. The way I see it though, to me, fighting fire and being inside a burning building is actually "fun"... I really enjoy it. That's my passion, that's my calling. Is that why, as a Marine, you guys can go to the front lines, come so close to death you can get his phone number, and manage to walk away and have a few beers that same night? ;)
Anyways, I'll go ahead and wrap it up. Let me close by saying this much from the heart...
I don't agree with the politics governing the war in the Middle East. It's about oil and money, plain and simple. But... I can say that I have a tremendous amount of respect for everyone in the service for doing what they do, and all of you Marines are at the very top of it all.
Thank you for protecting our homeland, and thank you for your honor, your courage and your sacrifice. I wish every one of you the best in each of your endeavors.
Good Luck and Godspeed.
Semper Fi
I've got a thing for MilSims, Project Reality being high on the list. To put it simply, PR is a (as my buddy's in the service put it) "Highly realistic combat experience". As real as it gets... next to being there of course. The first time I played it, we had a full server of 62 people, 6 squads on each side. Our mission was to find weapons caches hidden across western Fallejuah, while the insurgents tried to hold us back. I played the game with my computer connected to a 42" flat screen and surround sound turned up, with the hopes of closely simulating a combat enviroment as possible. Let me say this... it scared the living hell out of me! I couldn't imagine being under enemy fire. I have a great deal of respect for anyone who has "been there, done that". The sounds of bullets cracking past our heads, rounds impacting the ground around us, an IED detonating less than 50m from our HMMWV... it was terrifying.
What I want to know from you guys is how the heck do you "prepare" yourself for a firefight? I watched a documentary the other day from some Army detachment in Iraq. They had insurgent mortar rounds landing within a few hundred yards of their compound all throughout the night, and all the while... they actually sit there and laugh and cut up about it! How do you guys do it??
I've had life or death situations before too. I've rolled a Mustang GT 8 times at 60mph. I've fought more fires than I could ever care to count and had a handful of extremely close calls. So to some degree, I guess I can relate to you Marines. The way I see it though, to me, fighting fire and being inside a burning building is actually "fun"... I really enjoy it. That's my passion, that's my calling. Is that why, as a Marine, you guys can go to the front lines, come so close to death you can get his phone number, and manage to walk away and have a few beers that same night? ;)
Anyways, I'll go ahead and wrap it up. Let me close by saying this much from the heart...
I don't agree with the politics governing the war in the Middle East. It's about oil and money, plain and simple. But... I can say that I have a tremendous amount of respect for everyone in the service for doing what they do, and all of you Marines are at the very top of it all.
Thank you for protecting our homeland, and thank you for your honor, your courage and your sacrifice. I wish every one of you the best in each of your endeavors.
Good Luck and Godspeed.
Semper Fi