Comments on: Civilian Affairs or Staff Pukes http://acepilots.com/mt/2005/08/03/civilian-affairs-or-staff-pukes/ knowing how to win wars since before 1993 Thu, 28 Aug 2008 09:08:26 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.1.2 By: MSG Robert McLaughlin http://acepilots.com/mt/2005/08/03/civilian-affairs-or-staff-pukes/#comment-20582 MSG Robert McLaughlin Mon, 05 Dec 2005 02:21:47 +0000 http://acepilots.com/mt/2005/08/03/civilian-affairs-or-staff-pukes/#comment-20582 I spent 11 years in the 426th CA and deployed with them to Bosnia. After leaving in 1999 I am now being called back to Civil Affairs. I leave next Sunday for Iraq. To anyone in doubt about what we do, I say stop watching war movies that show US Forces, Nazis, and the French Resistance as the only players in a war zone. There are far far more civilians than anyone would ever imagine. That is why we exist. The civilians can be in the way, they can be casualties, they can help or they can hurt the mission. Come on over, Rush. I spent 11 years in the 426th CA and deployed with them to Bosnia. After leaving in 1999 I am now being called back to Civil Affairs. I leave next Sunday for Iraq. To anyone in doubt about what we do, I say stop watching war movies that show US Forces, Nazis, and the French Resistance as the only players in a war zone. There are far far more civilians than anyone would ever imagine. That is why we exist. The civilians can be in the way, they can be casualties, they can help or they can hurt the mission. Come on over, Rush.

]]> By: peter http://acepilots.com/mt/2005/08/03/civilian-affairs-or-staff-pukes/#comment-27171 peter Wed, 01 Feb 2006 02:22:05 +0000 http://acepilots.com/mt/2005/08/03/civilian-affairs-or-staff-pukes/#comment-27171 Staff Pukes?!? Civil Affairs soldiers had one of the highest percentage of casualties because of what they do - go out amongst the local population. Especially early in the way often while providing their own security in thnk-skinned HMMWVs. Some with Special Forces and police backgrounds formed the nucleus of the indigenous security forces under extremely austere conditions. The tactical Civil Affairs teams go on as many patrols as their comba arms bretheren. The Army has recognized them - and other non-combat arms - for engaging the enemy with the Combat Action Badge: the equivalent of the Combat Infantry Badge. Staff pukes? Shame on Rush! I used to think he knew better..... Staff Pukes?!? Civil Affairs soldiers had one of the highest percentage of casualties because of what they do - go out amongst the local population. Especially early in the way often while providing their own security in thnk-skinned HMMWVs. Some with Special Forces and police backgrounds formed the nucleus of the indigenous security forces under extremely austere conditions. The tactical Civil Affairs teams go on as many patrols as their comba arms bretheren. The Army has recognized them - and other non-combat arms - for engaging the enemy with the Combat Action Badge: the equivalent of the Combat Infantry Badge. Staff pukes? Shame on Rush! I used to think he knew better…..

]]> By: blackdog http://acepilots.com/mt/2005/08/03/civilian-affairs-or-staff-pukes/#comment-35672 blackdog Thu, 09 Mar 2006 05:31:13 +0000 http://acepilots.com/mt/2005/08/03/civilian-affairs-or-staff-pukes/#comment-35672 Civil Affairs Operators are anything but rear enchelon M*%$#@%^$#. They do have to walk a fine live of diplomacy and well properly measured violence. They are found handing out soccer balls and building hospitals but have been trained to rain hell fire on anyone who decides to take active measures to prevent their efforts to win over hearts and minds. Whether they be male or female, every member of a civil affairs A-Team or Operations Center has been trained in advanced infantry skills. Every A-team carries M-4s and M-9s with a selection of M240Bs, M2439s, M2s or MK19s. Men and women alike receive the best training that the JFK Special Warfare Center has to offer and they accel at it or they are dropped from the program. Civil Affairs Operators do speak softly but they carry an awfully big stick and they do know how to use it. They are not weak hearted and it is not a career path for the week hearted. CA Operators are found to be in more combat action than infantry units and have taken the highest percentage of casualties to date because they pi$$ing the enemy off by being so good at what they do. Civil Affairs Operators are anything but rear enchelon M*%$#@%^$#. They do have to walk a fine live of diplomacy and well properly measured violence. They are found handing out soccer balls and building hospitals but have been trained to rain hell fire on anyone who decides to take active measures to prevent their efforts to win over hearts and minds.

Whether they be male or female, every member of a civil affairs A-Team or Operations Center has been trained in advanced infantry skills. Every A-team carries M-4s and M-9s with a selection of M240Bs, M2439s, M2s or MK19s. Men and women alike receive the best training that the JFK Special Warfare Center has to offer and they accel at it or they are dropped from the program.

Civil Affairs Operators do speak softly but they carry an awfully big stick and they do know how to use it. They are not weak hearted and it is not a career path for the week hearted. CA Operators are found to be in more combat action than infantry units and have taken the highest percentage of casualties to date because they pi$$ing the enemy off by being so good at what they do.

]]> By: Fallujah Grunt http://acepilots.com/mt/2005/08/03/civilian-affairs-or-staff-pukes/#comment-109631 Fallujah Grunt Fri, 01 Sep 2006 01:16:51 +0000 http://acepilots.com/mt/2005/08/03/civilian-affairs-or-staff-pukes/#comment-109631 I served in Fallujah. I FOUGHT in Fallujah (you know, bullets, RPGs, IEDs, etc?). Hackett misrepresents his service, as do his supporters. Some of his Democrat supporters even claim that he was involved in "hand to hand" combat. He did not. Fact is, he never ONCE fired his weapon. He was never shot at. He was never attacked with an IED. But he DID pass out "3,000 soccer balls, and 5,000 bookbags" to kids (from HIS commendation). But no combat. Marines who claim to have "been in combat" speak a very specific language that is NOT open to fuzzy interpretations. A Marine who claims this, has been awarded the Combat Action Ribbon. Hackett has NOT. He served OUTSIDE of Fallujah. He misrepresents his service, as do his supporters. He may be a fellow Marine, but he is a fraud. He claims credit for something that me and my men bled in order to EARN it. Semper fi, Mac. I served in Fallujah.
I FOUGHT in Fallujah (you know, bullets, RPGs, IEDs, etc?). Hackett misrepresents his service, as do his supporters. Some of his Democrat supporters even claim that he was involved in “hand to hand” combat. He did not.
Fact is, he never ONCE fired his weapon. He was never shot at. He was never attacked with an IED.
But he DID pass out “3,000 soccer balls, and 5,000 bookbags” to kids (from HIS commendation).
But no combat. Marines who claim to have “been in combat” speak a very specific language that is NOT open to fuzzy interpretations. A Marine who claims this, has been awarded the Combat Action Ribbon. Hackett has NOT.
He served OUTSIDE of Fallujah.
He misrepresents his service, as do his supporters.

He may be a fellow Marine, but he is a fraud. He claims credit for something that me and my men bled in order to EARN it.

Semper fi, Mac.

]]> By: John the Marine http://acepilots.com/mt/2005/08/03/civilian-affairs-or-staff-pukes/#comment-109903 John the Marine Fri, 01 Sep 2006 12:26:00 +0000 http://acepilots.com/mt/2005/08/03/civilian-affairs-or-staff-pukes/#comment-109903 Fallujah Grunt, Semper Fi brother and thankyou for your service. Unlike you I fought in the previous Persian Gulf conflict (the easy one) but we have two things in common; a combat action ribbon, and a dislike for those who claim honors they haven't earned. From what I can gather this guy seems like a "pogue" (rear echelon type). Some one above, SeanH, goes on about the necessity of support MOS's. He's right we need them, but they are not the same as COMBAT PERSONEl and they don't rate the laurels of combat. If this guy ran on a false combat record he should be hung from his balls and set on fire. But, before I take a gigantic sh-t on Hackett I would need to know: 1. Does he have a combat action ribbon? 2. Above it states,"A lawyer and a major in the Marine reserves, Hackett volunteered last year to serve in Iraq and spent seven months there in the civilian affairs job". A major who is a lawyer? That seems like a lot of juice for this guy to be in harms way. Who was he with, what was his unit? 3. Lastly what do the people he served with say? Do they confirm his story or not? Since you've been there your word carries a lot of weight with me. This Hackett guy seems slimy. Besides, I never like HG types much anyway, especially Officers. As for Rush... I could care less what he spews from his suck hole. Fallujah Grunt,

Semper Fi brother and thankyou for your service. Unlike you I fought in the previous Persian Gulf conflict (the easy one) but we have two things in common; a combat action ribbon, and a dislike for those who claim honors they haven’t earned. From what I can gather this guy seems like a “pogue” (rear echelon type). Some one above, SeanH, goes on about the necessity of support MOS’s. He’s right we need them, but they are not the same as COMBAT PERSONEl and they don’t rate the laurels of combat. If this guy ran on a false combat record he should be hung from his balls and set on fire.

But, before I take a gigantic sh-t on Hackett I would need to know:

1. Does he have a combat action ribbon?

2. Above it states,”A lawyer and a major in the Marine reserves, Hackett volunteered last year to serve in Iraq and spent seven months there in the civilian affairs job”. A major who is a lawyer? That seems like a lot of juice for this guy to be in harms way. Who was he with, what was his unit?

3. Lastly what do the people he served with say? Do they confirm his story or not?

Since you’ve been there your word carries a lot of weight with me. This Hackett guy seems slimy. Besides, I never like HG types much anyway, especially Officers.

As for Rush… I could care less what he spews from his suck hole.

]]> By: commissar http://acepilots.com/mt/2005/08/03/civilian-affairs-or-staff-pukes/#comment-110071 commissar Fri, 01 Sep 2006 16:08:38 +0000 http://acepilots.com/mt/2005/08/03/civilian-affairs-or-staff-pukes/#comment-110071 Fallujah Grunt, It's a matter of record that Hackett served honorably in the Marines, He was in Iraq, well outside the Green Zone. All that makes him a better man than me. And, if not a "better man" than Rush Limbaugh, at least it deserves his respect. Outside of FOBs and the Green Zone, there are no "rear areas" in Iraq. Calling Hackett a staff puke, a REMF, a Fobbit, is disgraceful. None of this has <strong>anything</strong> to do with Hackett's recent comments. BTW, I just bough Bing West's book about Fallujah. Have you read it? Any opinions? Any books that you would recommend about Iraq. I'm now reading "Marines in the Garden of Eden," mostly about the 1/2 in Nasiriyah in March 2003. Fallujah Grunt,

It’s a matter of record that Hackett served honorably in the Marines, He was in Iraq, well outside the Green Zone.

All that makes him a better man than me.

And, if not a “better man” than Rush Limbaugh, at least it deserves his respect.

Outside of FOBs and the Green Zone, there are no “rear areas” in Iraq. Calling Hackett a staff puke, a REMF, a Fobbit, is disgraceful.

None of this has anything to do with Hackett’s recent comments.

BTW, I just bough Bing West’s book about Fallujah. Have you read it? Any opinions? Any books that you would recommend about Iraq. I’m now reading “Marines in the Garden of Eden,” mostly about the 1/2 in Nasiriyah in March 2003.

]]> By: Fallujah Grunt http://acepilots.com/mt/2005/08/03/civilian-affairs-or-staff-pukes/#comment-110244 Fallujah Grunt Fri, 01 Sep 2006 20:33:32 +0000 http://acepilots.com/mt/2005/08/03/civilian-affairs-or-staff-pukes/#comment-110244 commisar: Bing West lived with me and my boys. His book is dead on in terms of accuracy. John the Marine wrote: "But, before I take a gigantic sh-t on Hackett I would need to know: 1. Does he have a combat action ribbon?" -No, he most definitely does NOT. "Lastly what do the people he served with say? Do they confirm his story or not?" -I've read the summary of action for his award. Not one sngle word that mentions combat. Not one. That plus the missing CAR makes it open and shut. "Since you’ve been there your word carries a lot of weight with me. This Hackett guy seems slimy. Besides, I never like HG types much anyway, especially Officers." Hey! I'm also a Major. But unlike Hackett, I'm not a complete a$$hole. (I hope not!) commisar:
Bing West lived with me and my boys. His book is dead on in terms of accuracy.

John the Marine wrote:

“But, before I take a gigantic sh-t on Hackett I would need to know:

1. Does he have a combat action ribbon?”

-No, he most definitely does NOT.

“Lastly what do the people he served with say? Do they confirm his story or not?”

-I’ve read the summary of action for his award. Not one sngle word that mentions combat. Not one. That plus the missing CAR makes it open and shut.

“Since you’ve been there your word carries a lot of weight with me. This Hackett guy seems slimy. Besides, I never like HG types much anyway, especially Officers.”

Hey! I’m also a Major. But unlike Hackett, I’m not a complete a$$hole. (I hope not!)

]]> By: Fallujah Grunt http://acepilots.com/mt/2005/08/03/civilian-affairs-or-staff-pukes/#comment-110253 Fallujah Grunt Fri, 01 Sep 2006 21:11:43 +0000 http://acepilots.com/mt/2005/08/03/civilian-affairs-or-staff-pukes/#comment-110253 Commisar said: "It’s a matter of record that Hackett served honorably in the Marines, He was in Iraq, well outside the Green Zone. All that makes him a better man than me." Don't sell yourself short, commisar. Hackett's recent behavior is quite telling. Odds are, you are a much better man than he -regardless of his service. Commisar said:

“It’s a matter of record that Hackett served honorably in the Marines, He was in Iraq, well outside the Green Zone.

All that makes him a better man than me.”

Don’t sell yourself short, commisar.
Hackett’s recent behavior is quite telling. Odds are, you are a much better man than he -regardless of his service.

]]> By: John the Marine http://acepilots.com/mt/2005/08/03/civilian-affairs-or-staff-pukes/#comment-111090 John the Marine Sat, 02 Sep 2006 12:44:06 +0000 http://acepilots.com/mt/2005/08/03/civilian-affairs-or-staff-pukes/#comment-111090 <blockquote><strong>Hey! I’m also a Major. But unlike Hackett, I’m not a complete a$$hole. (I hope not!) </strong></blockquote> Sorry, about that Sir. We, enlisted types have a tendency beat on officers a little. I got out as a Lcpl (pg 11 and pg 12 don't get you Cpl) Also, being a Trac-rat (AAVP7A1's) spending time with the grunts might have eroded my manners. Judging from your above comments... some one should get the lighter fluid and some thin rope (see comment 41 for the reason).

Hey! I’m also a Major. But unlike Hackett, I’m not a complete a$$hole. (I hope not!)

Sorry, about that Sir. We, enlisted types have a tendency beat on officers a little. I got out as a Lcpl (pg 11 and pg 12 don’t get you Cpl) Also, being a Trac-rat (AAVP7A1’s) spending time with the grunts might have eroded my manners.

Judging from your above comments… some one should get the lighter fluid and some thin rope (see comment 41 for the reason).

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