10 years ago today I was one of the first Marines to cross into Iraq. AMA

After all you know now... Has your opinion of the rights and wrongs of the situation changed?

Definitely. I was a kid then though. When I see pics of myself then I always think what a stupid and naive asshole I used to be. I believed in what we were doing. Now I just feel used.

Thank you for such an honest answer.

It's the reality of the situation. I was young and full of bravado. Now I have a daughter and I wonder how I would feel if she was going to war in the same situation.

That's youth for you, whether it be as serious going to war or as stupid as doing 60 in a 30 zone... You believe you are indestructable.

unfortunately, you often have to hit a wall at 60 to realize the truth of it.

As a truly patriotic American (not "Murican"), I'm ashamed to read this.

And for what it's worth from some average Joe, I'm sorry that we citizens didn't stand up to the politicans who sent many of your fellow marines to their deaths, amid other injury (both physical and mental).

Our military personnel never fail at their job, no matter what we ask of them. But we the people failed you guys when we blindly approved a war that shouldn't have happened. I was (for a short time) among those who believed in the Iraq war. For that, I apologized. We should've called our reps and Sens and the White House and told them that we didn't want that war. And I didn't do that.

I feel so bad because it wasn't too much to ask, especially in comparison to what we all asked of guys like you.

Again, I'm sorry. But thank you and all of your fellow marines.

Man, we all got caught up in it. I feel like as Americans, this is a valuable learning lesson. We all let our emotions get us wrapped up and let Fox News and CNN dictate our rage. I was the same way. As a young 17 year old kid when the towers went down, living just 100 miles outside NYC, I was furious. I signed up and went off to war. As a 29 year old, looking back I realize that we made a very big mistake and a lot of people died because of it. Here's the good news. You can make up for it. A lot of veterans are out there and they need help. They need people to volunteer for organizations that help veterans get homes, get jobs, and get help. You can donate to them! Or, if you are not financially capable of donations, which I understand, you can just give a veteran a hug or a warm smile and a thank you for all you have done. I've had some rough days but they were all made better just by someone's understanding.

What about Iraqis lives that were destroyed, including myself?

I'm honestly very sorry for everything that has happened to the Iraqi people. You have to understand I was not out to kill brown people or destroy a nation. I signed up for a job and did a bad thing based off bad intel.

If there was a zombie outbreak, what would be your zombie plan?

Awww shit yeah, Now you're talking.

So I figure the safest place to be in the even of a zombie outbreak is a nearby outlying island. This way, you have the natural defense of the sea around you and with minimal defenses, can hold an area. Not like a zombie swarm is gonna wander into the ocean and then also just happen to drift to your island. So I figure somewhere along the coast by Camp Pendleton would be great. They have small islands down there and the proximity to the Marine Base would make it great for day time raids for supplies. The mountains on base would make a great natural hunting ground because zombies don't like going uphill. You could get all the stuff you need to make San Clemente Island a fortress. Tons of Barbed and Concertina wire. Weapons and Ammo. It would be a dream. You could even get the MRE stockpiles. If the Zombie come, head to my island. I will take all refugees but you must swear allegiance to me and get WHATABOUTTUNA tattooed on your back. Tramp Stamp style.

Good plan. But, I doubt you'd ever be able to just walk into a military base during a zombie apocalypse.

I'm under the assumption they will go down first. If you see how the military deals with anthrax and small pox then you would definitely think they are gonna be the first groups to get over run. Shit man, they can barely process my EAS paperwork to get out.

I will gladly accept your tramp stamp, in return with your hypothesis on how to actually make an MRE taste half edible. My dad served 30 years in the airforce and the sadistic fuck thought it would be a hilarious idea to have my 8 year old self eat one of the damn things on a camping trip. yeah fuck MRE's

Oh man, I can make anything in an MRE edible. It all about the barter system. Sure, your MRE sucks but with some elegant trading you can make all the parts of a glorious meal. Like the Indians, use every piece. EVEN THE TOILET PAPER.

I'll yummy down on the jambalaya MRE any day, Finding skittles is a big F ya buddy!

You are not human. Jambalaya is nearly inedible.

They taste a lot better now than they used to

Yeah the toilet paper tastes like coffee now!

This is the first time I think I've ever heard a grunt refer to MREs as something they'd want.

I'm thinking long term. Yeah, country captain chicken sounds like shit now but give it 15 years without any spices and that shit is black market gold.

I like your plan. Expect to run into me on one of these islands in case an outbreak ever occurs (as long as I'm not a zombie, otherwise I'll do my zombie best to re-direct our onslaught inland).

Much appreciated. If you see zombie whatabouttuna out there, feel free to plug him in the brain. He will appreciate it.

You know this comment just gave me an interesting thought. Say the zombies did jump into the sea. If it is in fact a viral or bacterial or whatever zombie invasion, then it is very possible that any creature they bite would turn into a zombie. Although, would it work in retrospect? If a sea predator, say a shark, bit a zombie, I think they would be infected too. Wouldn't that be some shit, a zombie shark?

But seriously, fuck a zombie shark so much

Nah dude, we know animals won't go near zombies. They can tell.

Probably one of the best AMA's i've seen, being educated on something that happened when i was 6 is amazing. Especially since nothing made sense and parents didn't know how to explain it. Thank you for your service!

Gladly. Education is key to prevention.

What was the one thing that shocked you most about Iraq?

Violence is so ingrained in their culture that a gun battle on the street invokes curiosity more than fear. No one runs from explosions. They let their kids play in the middle of armed troops in a fight. it's insane.

I wouldn't say that has to do more with culture than with what we Iraqis went through.

Four major wars and an invasion all within two generations really does fuck things up a bit to a society. You become so sick of being afraid & taking cover that you face it headlong.

My father fought in the iran-iraq war. He says after fighting for only a few battles & seeing all the death & mutilation, he said he didn't care if he was blasted to smithereens. He wanted it.

War is nasty. You lived it. I'm sure you know it better than I do.

Indeed.

Did you read the book Generation Kill? If so, was it an accurate portrayal of the invasion?

Funny thing, Generation Kill is about the Recon unit attached to my unit. It is about as accurate as you can get. Watching the HBO series transported me back in time. I still remember the whole Jessica Lynch thing and every one being pissed because we had to stop the entire convoy and couldn't get food for 3 days because all resources were being diverted to rescue her.

I'll be damned. It's good to hear that book was accurate, because I don't trust the newspapers here in NYC.

Also, I've been playing around with a novel for a while, and how do you as a veteran feel about the whole "crazy soldier" character that shows up in movies and books? Do you find it offensive, or do you think that these stories are so far removed from reality that it doesn't matter?

Its hard to say. You wanna meet crazy? Talk to me before my daughter was born. No regard for life. No regard for humanity. I think that mentally, there is some real damage that can happen to a human who is put in a fight or die situation for so long. I've seen guys that laugh as they smash a nest of baby birds. That being said, civilians should disregard the "crazy soldier" and assume that no matter how crazy a vet seems, deep down they are fighting a very private war, with very personal and devastating emotions.

Thank you for the honesty.

It sounds like you're doing well now. You seem pretty articulate too; pick up a pen one day and see what happens.

I think one of the greatest advantages of our world currently is our ability to spread the word about our life experiences. If you aren't honest with people about the war how can we ever expect anyone to change it? I see so many fellow Marines who have such a tough guy attitude about it all. That's what our previous generations of vets did and it taught the world nothing. Talk about the lingering effects and eventually we will be too afraid of our children being damaged to send them off to war.

I agree. You also fought in a war that was completely televised; unlike American Wars of the past. However, a lot of the information we received was redacted, false, or just plain wrong. I took it upon myself to read a few books (like Generation Kill and Chasing Ghosts) mostly because my friends whom spent time in Iraq never wanted to share their experiences. I respect that also, because no matter how much I read, I'll never trully understand. That said, the public does want to know how our generation of men and women fared, not only at war, but with shaping global perceptions of America. At the end of the day, it's the story of the individual that captivates the public. America always loves redemption stories.

Thank you for taking the time to try to understand. A lot of those guys will fight demons for many, many years after they put down their guns. You can't walk a mile in their boots but you can always appreciate them and that is a lot for most guys.

What contact did you have with Iraqis? How do you feel about them?

I interacted with Iraqi's every day of every deployment. There was always an IP (iraqi Police) training or humanitarian mission. At the time I saw them as less human than us. Like because they lived in the dirt they were more like dogs. I saw them as a dumb culture. Now I just feel bad. You are a product of your environment and I just got lucky in being born in a rich powerful country

Why the fuck hasn't a major network interviewed vets like you?

Eh, I guess I'm not that interesting.

Having completed two combat tours in Iraq with the US Army (Baghdad 03-04, Ramadi 05-06) every time I come in contact with another combat Veteran we swap "war stories" so I feel like I'm in the position to ask you this one brother: What was your closest brush with death?

I was in Najaf in 2004 and my platoon was moving down the street when all of a sudden, everything fell apart. Explosions on all sides, machine gun fire, the works. I take cover as an explosion rocks the wall beside me. From the dust I see my best friend fall to the ground and another try to pick him up off the street. I rush to help him drag our badly damaged friend off the street. As we take cover we realize everyone else is gone. It's just the three of us, in the middle of the street, pinned down by fire. As machine gun fire near misses all around us, I scream for a corpsman. The other guy with me, despite missing some crucial pieces of his thumbs fumbles around with his 240g machine gun, trying to fire at the enemy. Sometime during all this mayhem, I look down at my friend. He looks up at me, missing half his face, his tongue just barely in his mouth, and he says, "I'm tired, just let me sleep. Just let me die..." Those words and that face... will haunt my private thoughts for as long as I live. Suddenly, the gun fire stops. I see a corpsman coming. We get my friend to safety and I escape with minimal shrapnel wounds to my legs. I return to my unit and got shot through a wall by the amtrack coming to evac my friend. Irony...

That's real heavy bro... thanks for having the courage to share that with us, I know there's nothing easy about it... lost a lot of good friends over there.. some things you just never forget.

I shared because I think its really important for every one to have a complete representation of war. I hope people see it and remember it when they think of war. This was my friend.

damn... Im so sorry did your friend live?

He did. He went on the become one of the greatest human beings I have ever had the pleasure of knowing. The article about Lenny in my description is him. He inspires me daily.

how often does friendly fire actually occur?

All the time, unfortunately

I was going to do an AMA like this tomorrow because it will be my 30th bday and the day that we actually invaded. I was 20 years old when we crossed. I was with 1st Tanks Bn. the actual pointy tip of the whole "tip of the spear" that pushed through ahead of the infantry clearing the heavy armor. Thank you for your service and hope you get lots of karma.

If you do an AMA let me know and I will tag it in my AMA so people can see more perspectives. I think its great. I actually turned 19 in Iraq right after we invaded so I feel you for sure.

When crossing the border, did you meet immediate resistance by Iraqi troops?

No, we were told we were, but the only thing we saw was people surrendering for the first couple hours of the war. Wasn't until we got way north that we started seeing resistance. Around Nasyriah

Nasyriah was a shit storm.

Amen.

So basically you just went around looking for people to get into a fight with?

Not really. We had a plan. Every one has a plan till you get punched in the face.

Thank you for you're time and service overseas. I have three questions: 1) What made you want to go back two more times? 2) Whats your favorite memory or something you will miss about the sandbox? 3) If you could go back in time, would you do it all over again or do something different?

ughhh my apolgies for terrible formatting..

1) the second time I had to but I got shot and had a lot of friends get killed or wounded (Najaf 2004) but the third time I had such bad survivor's guilt that i just wanted to go back and get killed. Thankfully that didn't happen.

2) I miss the stars. In the summer you could see every star in the sky at night. You didn't even need lights (to see)

3) I would definitely do it again because it made me who I am, even if who I am is a cocky, arrogant, cynical asshole who thinks the world owes him a better existence

I love the honesty of your answers, thank for doing this IAMA

It feels good to get some of these opinions out there. Good Rehab, you know?

Is survivor's guilt a common reason for multiple tours? It is a new term to me.

I would say so. Or a sense of responsibility. I was also told if I didn't go and something happened to my friends that I would blame myself, which dammit if he didn't hit that one on the old moto button.

You would do it again? Really? That's the kind of bullshit response that makes me think not enough of you retards died over there.

You are by far one of the most ignorant and insulting pieces of shit I've ever had the displeasure of noticing. Virtual or otherwise.

He's rustling jimmies, don't you mind him none.

Thank you. My brother went 2 times and tried for Afghan. What is your suggestion on how to best help veterans, I mean how can the average person help. What can we say? What can we ask? What shouldn't we ask? Just the basics on being a friend or a brother.

I think the constant reminder that, if they want to talk, they can. Also, I think a lot of guys leave their units and feel like they have no one they can rely on if shit gets tight and it puts them in a panic. Remind them they are not alone. I've seen a few friends end it with a bullet instead of conversation and their good bye letters always seem to be about loneliness.

Whats your opinion on violent Video games?

Do you play Call of duty, battlefield or do you prefer something less war oriented?

I do play COD. Its two entirely different things. Anyone who says that video games are violent and prepare you for killing have absolutely no idea what it takes to end a human life. It is a devastating task, that no movie or game can ever desensitize you to.

What about war movies? Do you enjoy them now (or did you before)?

Yeah, my favorite movies are always war movies. When they get it right, it sends shivers down your spine.

What do you think of Black Hawk Down? One of my favorite movies of all time.

Its a really good movie. It Hollywood's it up pretty good but the message is on.

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I can't even begin to imagine what I would have done with my life. I would probably have stayed in music the whole time instead of taking a 5 year break. I would probably be where I am, making hit records, just 5 years earlier than I did. Thank you for your words. I really just wanted to give a very honest reflection on the war.

making hit records

What are some of your records?

I've worked with Justin Timberlake and Frank Ocean as an assistant and a handful of other records as an engineer. Mostly indie stuff that is only big in LA but someday soon I might be somebody

Only answer if you want.I won't mind if you dont answer.how many people did you kill ?

I don't know. Its hard to say when you pull the trigger and fire at someone if they fell or ducked. It's a flash and a jerk and then they are just gone, out of sight. I know how callous it sounds but I guess I just never thought to keep track of the people I was shooting at.

Where the marines the first there, or did army units arrive first?

As I remember it, there was both Army and Marines, but the Marines had a much larger presence in the early days.

What was your MOS?

0351 infantry assaultman.

Are you trying to decide if I'm for real by asking me qualifying questions?

Them cutting scores are a bitch.

I made Sgt in 3 years during combat but I was shit hot. But yeah, they were high.

Awesome! Thank you for your service, and taking the time to do this AMA.

gladly.

What about special forces?

I don't feel qualified to speak on it. I never saw any SF except for battalion recon that was just a click in front of us and I saw the Force Recon team when we took Baghdad but I didn't see any others.

What do you do now?

I make beautiful, beautiful music. Nothing repairs the soul like music.

What kind of music?

All kinds. I work as an engineer in Hollywood so I get every type of music. Even recording Nelly at 5 AM is better than Iraq.

What's your favorite kind of music to make?

I love rock. Just any kind of rock music.

Do I smell a fellow Tenacious D fan? :D

Definitely. I hope I get to work with them one day.

Listen to any queens of the stoneage?

Great band.

Did you do an ama a few months ago about being an engineer? I think I remember you.

I did. I try to share often with the reddit community

Have your political views changed based upon your expiriences there?

My political views continue to change every day. Even right now as we speak I am reading stuff on Reddit that makes me feel differently today than I did yesterday. I think that's what separates us from our parents is our willingness to change our behaviors when they are wrong. (soft jab at my hard core republican dad)

Whats combat like? do you see the enemy or is it mostly just shooting in the general direction you think they are in? Also what range did most of the fights take place at?

Depends on the time. In Najaf, in the cemetery, we were inches away some times. In the early days we were always shooting at dudes from a 1/4 mile away.

wow inchs away? Do you feel like elaborating on that battle?

This is fairly accurate http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Najaf_%282004%29

Do you feel awkward when you meet another veteran Marine who all they want to do is talk about what it was like in? I recently got out last month and have met a few who seem to have turned into regular dippity da'd gon Chesty Pullers now that they're out and it's "cool" to talk about the Marine Corps now. I guess what I'm asking is how do you handle them?

When i was in I was a true Marine. High and tight, 300 PFT and I chewed out shit pfc's and lance coolies at the PX like it was my only job. It was amazing to me how many guys talked all sorts of shit about how as soon as they can get out they are out of here and Eat the apple, fuck the corps and all that nonsense and then the day they EAS they get their moto tatt and start talking like they were the hero of Najaf. I let them do what they do. I never remind them how big of a shit bag they used to be. Be proud of what you did and who you are and let them seek their glory. People will respect you more for not being that guy and in 10 years those other dudes will see how dumb they were acting and feel the embarrassment. If they don't then they are too dumb to be dealt with anyway. Mostly, my answer is I just agree and nod my head, seek the exit out of Bullshit Land and make my escape.

Haha, I would have probably been that lance getting chewed out by you cause I wore flip flops to the chow hall or hands in pocket in cammies. Yeah, their glory hunting gets annoying to say the least cause you know they most likely were how you described it. It's just particularly distressing when, in say a public function, some guy goes out of his way to make it known he was in the military and goes on and on about his "war stories" that don't pass the sniff test and people just eat it up cause they don't know any better. We've all seen that guy. But, I guess you're right in just ignoring them and laughing at them on the inside.

Maybe you were that lance... sorry, if you were. I was a little high strung back then.

lol I never took it personally. I realized about half way through that it was just a job.

I had a gunny that I hated until I realized that he was just the best Marine ever and I was just pissed that he was doing everything by the numbers. When he became a 1st Sgt his whole demeanor changed. He gave up the last drops of his water to young Marines in the middle of battle and ended up almost dying from dehydration as a result. That man was a fucking marine.

Stop giving me a moto-boner. Ha. It sure is easy to lose sight of the big picture with garrison silliness at times, then you see stuff like this. You could definitely tell the posers apart from the real ones it situations like the one you mentioned. ANYONE can pick apart a room on field day but we all know who you can really count on and who you can't when it really matters.

Amen.

Im trying for the ANG right now and one of the biggest reasons I dont want in the Marines is because I hear too much about how cocky they are. I know there is cockiness in all branches but it sounds like its more frequent in Marines

They give you a really good reason to believe it. It is really true. We get better training and are far more reliable in combat than Army units. But that's just my opinion, dude.

Was the bit in generation kill where the iraqi translator always said that the iraqi's where saying "we welcome American liberation etc etc" true?

They were so happy when we got there they were throwing parades in towns. It changed quickly but it doesn't matter in my brain. We were greeted as heroes at first.

Sorry what I mean is in Generation Kill they more or less said the higher ups had told the translator to say the locals where saying they welcome the liberation even if they didn't actually say it. Did you feel that the translators where doing this?

Oh, no. People were yelling it in english to us.

I've watched Generation Kill on HBO (phenomenal IMO). What are you're opinions on the reality of this series?

It was really good. It's been a while since I watched it last so I don't remember the entire thing but I do remember watching it and thinking it was incredibly accurate. It was actually about 1/4 (my unit) so I remembered a lot of the stuff that was happening in it.

How the hell do you know zombies don't like going up hill?

Thank you for your service, seriously.

Its science man. zombies don't climb gates and fences and they don't go uphill. No mental power to over come difficult tasks.

Did you know you were going to Iraq? Or did you find out, uniform on, about to board a plane, your going to Iraq?

I was on my Christmas vacation, home with my girlfriend, lying in her bed and talking about the future when my cell phone rang. It was my friend and he sad we had to get back. Christmas leave was cancelled and we were going to Iraq. 3 months before the war started. We actually took a ship over to Iraq so there was 45 days of thinking about it before we got there.

Hey man if you ever need to talk or game man just let me know. I can't do much and I never did much but I feel like I could help keep nightmares away.

Thanks.

So I dont steal your thunder, I will give you some lightening. For me I went to Afghanistan, we had heavily armored trucks, basically brand new gear, and all this technology to prevent what happened to you guys in Iraq (during the early years). What was it like driving (if you got to) in hmmwvs and operate in heavily populated cities.

I always equate it to Vietnam. We walked around in deuce gear and Boonies. The early days were the Wild West. Driving around in Humvees popping off rounds like a drive by. Stopped being fun when they got IED's

Yeah I can imagine. We really didn't care about getting shot at (unless it was a large ambush). We spent a lot of time dealing with IEDs, and the after effects of them.

Funny story about trucks. In the early days, the Army kept getting ambushed on this MSR outside our territory. They wouldn't attack the Marine Convoys because we would stop and get out and rush them. So in order to get them to attack us we would drive around at night in Army 7 tons pretending to be playing music and sleeping while a follow 7 ton with its lights off trailed a half mile back. We would get fired at and then all of a sudden, SHITSTORM.

Ah, the Army. The Army's two greatest enemies throughout history have been Nazi Germany and the Marine Corps.

This is the best quote ever!

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Absolutely. Take a long hard look at your reason for joining and consider the fact that every friend you make for the next 4 years could die in your arms. If you are prepared to deal with that then man up and start doing pull ups. They help the most on the pft. Every one of those is worth 5 damn points.

How many pull ups can you do? Do you still workout regularly?

I can still do 20. I don't work out much but I think I m still as tough as I ever was. Just not as strong.

I was in the Army for a quick stretch way back in my glory days (see: like 6-7 years ago), but my job allowed for me to be whored out to any-and-everybody within the coalition hemisphere. One such occasion was a couple of weeks with a unit from the 3rd LAR.

I say all of that as background for my actual question, which concerns the story of a USMC Staff Sergeant who also participated in the initial invasion campaign. He said that you guys had to wear full MOPP gear for weeks at a time, which sounds utterly cruel & unusual - did you experience the same conditions? If so, (without violating OPSEC, of course) what kinds of threats were you guys hearing about up to, and within the beginning stages of the invasion?

We were in MOPP gear (read bio and chem suit) for the first 2 months of the war. It was awful. I went 52 days without a shower or changing my socks. Seriously, it was bad. We alternated between full mopp gear and just the suit and boots (forgive me I forget the levels these days) for most of the trip to Baghdad. I remember when I got to Baghdad I had trench foot so bad from no air on my feet that I peeled the bottom layer of skin right off my feet and I almost lost my pinky toe to infection.

Fucking christ, that sounds horrible. I've heard stories of trenchfoot like that, but I always assumed tit was just standard "no shit, there I was" hyperbole.

Movements during the invasion are almost entirely within the realm of public-record now, so I don't think this question carries any inherent OPSEC risks, but what was your timeline like from SP in Kuwait up until the point you guys crossed the boundary in to Baghdad proper? (which if I remember correctly, was the release point for the main body of the Marine invasion force)

I feel like all of the units and branches involved take a healthy serving of creative license in their respective accounts, and I've never had the chance to hear a firsthand account from the Marine Corp's perspective.

forgive me I forget the levels these days

The only one I remember is MOPP 1/4th (pro-mask, tan t-shirt, combat boots w/ one green sock, empty rucksack, MOPP gloves, and absolutely nothing else) because I invented it while I was in basic training.

It happened so fast but I think i remember that it was three weeks from Kuwait to Baghdad. We had to stop a few times because of some bs but we got there pretty quick. We came up from Kuwait through Nasyriah and Hillah and into Baghdad by crossing the Tigris, I think.

Thank you so much for doing this AMA. I feel like recently on TV it's been Iraq war this, President Bush that... And I haven't seen any ads featuring veterans. Something about the candid, personal tone in your responses makes me feel like I've finally heard an account of the whole thing that actually means something. It's like I can't hold it at arm's length anymore. I guess I don't have a question, I just wanted to say thanks for your service and for the AMA, and tell you that you really affected me with your answers. Glad to hear you're doing so well!

I was kinda hoping it would do that for some people. We can't forget the cost of war, both financially and in what it steals from our dignity. War is a cruel, dirty task.

First off, I respect anyone that goes to war for their country. You guys have got balls, I would be crying like a baby at the first conflict.

Despite all the negative shit the press bleeds about Iraq, what you guys and gals did was liberate a bunch of citizens from a nasty dictator. Dont ever forget what that nasty cocksucker did to the kurds. He violated peoples civil liberties left, right and centre. He had woman raped as a political tool. etc... You should be proud of what you have done.

I am certainly, but it has been stained by all the negative that comes with it.

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I was able to fake it really well. I was always pretending and giving the answers people wanted to hear. I was injured badly on my second deployment so it gave me a very different perspective coming back. I spent weeks in hospitals trying to recuperate. I wish you and your boyfriend the best. When he is gone send him a letter every day because it means more to him than you could possibly ever imagine. When he comes home support him and give him space but don't let him push you away. I made that mistake. He may not know it yet, but he has a long rehab in front of him.

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I have healed. THE FOLLOWING IS NOT A REASON TO HAVE A BABY. My daughter changed every thing for me. I never wanted to hurt another human being again after my daughter was born. When I look at her I can't believe I could take away some one else's loved one.

did you ever do joint operations or just spend time with other nation's militarys? Who were your favourite(and least) to work with?

Thanks for the AMA :) One of the more interesting I've seen in a while.

Awww man there were South American troops there... I cant remember what country, but man those guys were tough as nails. They were little as hell but damn if they didn't all carry switchblades. I think they were Salvadorean... tough little dudes.

Least favorite to work with was always the US Army. Man, some of those people really don't have their shit together.

They were from El Salvador you're right. They ran out of ammo and charged with bayonets at a dug-in position. Motherfucking badasses!

Yeah I heard a bunch of stories about those guys.

What were your initial thoughts upon entering Iraq?

Honestly I was wondering if the war was gonna last long or if would be over before we got there. There was a lot of talk about the first Gulf War and the speedy decision that occurred so I thought it would be a week long even and then we'd head back to states to collect our paychecks and patriotic whores

Did you get the chance to watch the documentary "Restrepos" and if so, what did you think about it? As a civilian who has never really witnessed any of the atrocities of war it really struck me just how... unprepared? is that the word? we as a country were for what our soldiers were going into.

I have not watched it. For some reason I always reject it when I see it. Well, I guess not just for some reason. We definitely are never prepared when it comes to war. We are always one war behind. In WWII we were prepared for trench warfare. In Korea we had no winter clothes. In Vietnam we didn't understand guerrilla warfare. War is something you can't adequately prepare for because you can never tell how the enemy is going to fight.

I am pretty sure there was an amphibious landing in Korea.

But it is equally impressive still.

You are definitely correct. My Marine Corps knowledge should be much better. We landed amphibiously at Hue City for sure. Maybe they said Korea!

How do you feel about private military contractors, AKA Black Water and other groups?

A lot of my friends went that route after the Marines. I hope that they make the right decision regardless of who pays them. Mercs are mercs though.

Your unit was not (I believe) the one discussed in Evan Wright's Generation Kill, later made into an HBO series of the same name. Have you read Wright's book? How closely did the missions and general happenings within 1st Recon mirror your experience in Iraq?

I saw the Miniseries but didn't read the book in full. I started it once but it was a little bit too soon for me at the time. The unit referenced, 1st Recon Battalion, was the recon unit for 1st Marine division, which was lead up by 1st Battalion 4th Marines, Alpha Co, which is the company I was in. A lot of designations, but essentially that says that we were mirroring each other during the war. I was not recon or SF of any kind, I don't want to give the wrong impression. But we did a lot of the same missions and the miniseries on HBO nailed it. It was like watching the documentary. For a good look, compare the Netflix Documentary "Severe Clear" to the same event.

I will. If you're up to it, pick up a copy of the book. The miniseries did an absolutely top tier job of relating the events of the book but as you can expect, left a lot out. I can't remember if it was your battalions Alpha Company or 1st Recon Battalion's but there were numerous mentions and anecdotes about at least one Alpha Company in the book. You may even read about yourself.

Yeah, I will check it out again. I think I am a little better headspace these days.

As a 17 year old preparing to enter the service what would you recommend I learn before entering? Also what was most satisfying during your service?

Don't learn anything. Expect to learn everything. Be open and be honest to your brothers. The worst things I ever did in the marines was when I betrayed my brothers. They are there for you. Always try to find the balance between being honest with command and not selling out your peers. I don't have a great satisfying story off the top of my head but my words of caution probably reveal some of my disappointments

As a person who watched the invasion occur on the news 10 years ago , I would like to as your opinion on what do you think of the US efforts to rebuild the country is like.

And what is your stance on how the US handles its policies concerning war ? Looking at what is going on today (Syria in particular) why is it that the US (under the George W. Bush administration) chose to attack Iraq ? For the purpose of having 'WMDs" ? Or for the oil ? I've chatted with a serviceman before who griped about the Iraq invasion and how he told me that the invasion is merely an excuse for the resources (aka oil) in Iraq.

And even though I'm not a US citizen , I highly appreciate the efforts of servicemen like you considering how the country I'm in once fought a war against insurgency and recently against invaders in Lahad Datu.

What these servicemen and women in the frontlines sacrifice for the sake of others is something not to be underestimated or forgotten and should always be remembered by future generations to help prevent the mistakes of the past from happening ever again.

I totally agree. We must learn from our past. The earth is big enough for everyone. I don't know how they are doing with rebuilding the country. I think it's hard to rebuild a country that is damaged from 2000 years of war.

Was there ever a moment you felt was 'awesome' I know most combat is just horrifying, but was there ever an exception?

I had a piece of metal from a mortar whiz by my face so close it burned my eye brows. I looked at it sizzling in the berm next to me and I thought, "Invincible. You are fucking invincible."

Did you guys find any oil?

Seriously, there was no oil in that country. I found gold bars in a truck once though.

What is the worst thing you have seen US soldiers do? When you first saw action, do you think your training had you prepared for it?

I don't know about the worst. The best thing I saw them do was be there for each other unconditionally. I think you get adequately removed from your emotions enough in boot camp to prepare you for the eventuality that you may have to take someone's life. That's the most important thing, I think.

I have a question you may or may not know the answer to.

When the British took Basra, who were the first in? My mate was in the 1st Light Infantry and swears blind his unit was the first to cross into Iraq and the first to clear Basra. But the Paras were given the credit in the UK.

Also, any near misses that made you re-evaluate your life?

I think its really hard for anyone to pin point who was first into any area because at any one time there was a hundred operations going on. I remember thinking we were the first people into Baghdad and then we turn a corner and there's another unit right there. Who knows, you know?

I had so many near misses I thought I was invincible until I got hurt.

What was your greatest motivation for serving, and what is the most valuable thing you learned from it?

I don't really know anymore. I have said every thing. 9/11, I love my country, pride... a woman. I guess you never really know what drives your life in certain directions. There was this moment, and on one side of that moment I had made a decision to do something and I couldn't go back.

I think the most valuable thing I learned was how to understand people. I feel like I can see through people, understand their true core natures, sometimes even better than themselves. I think that when you look into the eyes of a person who truly wants you dead and is willing to sacrifice their own life to make it happen, you suddenly gain an awareness into all emotion.

Any elaboration on the woman? Nothing personal, of course, but in what way did she motivate you, directly, or just as something you wanted to defend?

haha I was in love with a beautiful girl and I thought being a Marine was gonna make me a man for her. I eventually broke up with her because I was an idiot and regretted it forever.

Would you mind sharing some of your more memorable events that happened ? Whether it was good or bad ?

I've shared a few but mostly bad so here's a good one. The first time we were over there it was pretty much a free for all in the smaller towns as far as leadership because obviously, we had eradicated all the major leadership. So the tasks of handing out money to civil servants and getting them back to work fell to small unit leaders. For example, my platoon commander was put in charge of an iraqi bank with 5 million American dollars in it. Every night while guarding the bank, we would discuss ways to rob it. We never did... Back to the story. After guarding this bank for a few months we had managed to make friends with all the locals around the bank that were of the immoral type. Since Iraq is mostly a dry country, we would pay them to get us some beers or something boozy to drink. Well, they don't really have beer so this dude brings us shitty gin in a can. Well we decide to start drinking it and getting rowdy with our iraqi friends. For some reason, dude in my platoon thinks its a good idea to let the Iraqi dude pop off a few rounds. He lets loose on a dog down on the street and the next thing we know half the damn Army is banging on the door of the bank looking for where the shots came from and if we know anything. Of course we're all drunk so we had to quickly hide our Iraqi friends, all the booze, the dead dog and the Marines that were too drunk. The next day we heard some dude at the battalion headquarters bragging about the firefight he got into at our bank. We just laughed.

Haha wow , that sounds like something you people would do for shits and giggles. Upvoted for making me chuckle when I imagined what happened.

p/s : Drinking on the job as well ? Doesn't get any better than that.

I almost got busted down for it another time... booze is bad mmmmkay?

What ship did you take over there? I was on the Boxer around the same time.

I was on the dubuque (Sp?). I remember the boxer, some dude fell off it on the way. My friend Zeppa told every one it was his brother but it wasn't

Thank you for your service. I'm sorry that our country has failed to adequately care for every veteran of every war. I strongly believe that we should not have invaded Iraq, but I also believe every individual soldier, marine, airman and sailor should be offered whatever they need to readjust to civilian life, and those who did not come home should be able to rest in peace knowing their families will not be forgotten.

Again, thank you for your service. Just wanted to say this.

Thank you. It's a heavy load to care for that many people so I understand.

Would you of rather gone to Afghanistan instead?

Nah, I heard afghanistan was cold. Fuck the cold.

First of all, thank you for your service and your willingness to answer questions. I'm not sure if you can answer this one, but I'm curious: What were your directions in regards to WMDs? Where you actively looking, told to keep an eye out, or directed to specifically ask surrendering enemy soldiers about them? Did you or anyone else every feel pressured to lie about WMDs?

No we were looking every where for them. Man, did we fucking look every where. We went to a whole lot of places that they weren't. I did get to ride a scud missile and a sacred Babylon lion like a mechanical bull so there's that.

At what point during all of that looking did you guys start to come to the consensus that you were wasting your time? Or did you?

Man, if you asked any PFC in April of 2003 if there was WMD's in Iraq he would've told you to fuck off. We looked everywhere.

Thought you guys did an amphibious operation to kick off the ground war in Desert Storm? Ah...some info...

http://blog.usni.org/2009/05/25/amphibious-operations-1990-1999

Carry on.

There was a fake amphibious operation. The old Stormin Norman Hammerhead move. I remember that.

What did it feel like to get shot?

I told someone this before but its like getting hit with a super hot sledgehammer. Burning pressure.

What were things your battalion did in Iraq in 2003? I was just a little kid at the time and am curious at what went on when we first got into Iraq.

We took a bridge in Nasiryah and got ambushed. We actually had to do a night time drive by through Nasiryah because it was a total war zone. I remember sleeping in a trash dump outside Nasiryah, waiting for our turn to drive through a burning city. There were flies every where and as soon as you stopped moving, they covered you too. They were on your food, on your shit, and in your mouth. Every where.

Edit: Grammar

What kind of music could be heard before heading out on a mission? Something smooth to calm y'all's nerves? Or maybe some lamb of god to get y'all fucking jacked?

A lot of Rage Against the Machine and Soundgarden. Also, to be fair, I was kinda fagging out on Incubus at the time. Mp3's didn't really exist until my third deployment so we were still rocking cds in the desert.

I want to know something simple, what was the average day in Iraq like? What did you do to pass the time?

Bonus Question: Have you seen Restrepo on netflix? If so, what are your thoughts on it?

On off days it was a lot of Spades games and game boys. The rest of the time it was one step from insanity. Hot, miserable and demanding.

whos 1st battalion 4th marine division? Do you mean 4th marine regiment? The fact that you got your unit completely wrong makes me suspect.

I accidentally a word bro. 1st battalion 4th Marines 1st Mar Div.

Cool, it happens. I was with them for a deployment, Bravo Co. Surprised no one commented on the mistake.

Yeah me too actually. I said it right a few other times... God I think I did. Now I should go check

My question might be a little late, but I figure I'd still ask:

Seeing that you have a different viewpoint of the war you fought in from when you first enlisted, how do you respond/feel to those that do nothing but praise and thank you for doing what you did? Blind patriotism, so-to-speak... Do you shrug that off as well, like you do the stories from those self-proclaimed "war heroes"?

I bashfully accept. You ever get thanked for something you felt like you didn't really have anything to do with but you know it would be rude to say so? Its like that.

Holy fuck that sounds like first sergeant young and I know sgt Sandoval had to be there.

That's him. You must be one of their guys.

Did you encounter any cheers or praise from Iraqi civilians and children? In your experience were you greeted as a liberator?

Absolutely. Everyone was in the streets yelling "Good Bush! Good America! I love you!"

I was also there providing you and your guys support.

I was with 1st FSSG. I was the advance party, we were sent months prior to set up. I was a LCpl so yeah, I was the working party. I helped create Camp Coyote out of nothing. I picked up Cpl while out there.

I volunteered for some security patrols into Baghdad.

I also volunteered for mortuary affrais to help bring our fallen brothers home.

I was also sent TAD and attached to Task Force Tarawa.

Man, a bunch of the guys in my unit were part of that advance party. I feel for you bro. I remember when we first got there coyote was a dump and I remember thinking, "Those dudes have been here for 3 months already!"

What economic changes did you see happen as the country changed from a socialist system to a capitalist?

Didn't seem like anything changed. They started using dollars and every one was poor. I prolly missed any real economic development because when I got out we were still fighting a war there, not just "insurgents"

What did you think of Chaplain Cash?...did you read his book?

I'm not familiar with him at all.

Is it fun to invade a country? Do you get to loot and pillage stuff you find?

I took a gas mask and a hookah. I'm a regular Leif Erickson.

so uh... what do you use the gas mask for?

I always dreamed of making a bong out of it but it just sits at my dad's place in Pennsylvania and I smoke out of bowls like an adult

Did you smoke before you joined the military? I ask because I know a few veterans who started smoking when they came home to cope with PTS, depression, etc.

I did when i was in high school but I became a serious user after i got out. It stops me from dreaming at night which is pretty helpful.

Im really sorry to force you to relive your horrible experiences but I am honestly curious and you seem like a man with enough perspective to understand why I want to know.

Have you ever killed anyone? Question already answered.

Could you tell a specific story about something really horrible or sobering you saw there? When you think of Iraq What is the event that comes to mind?

What would you say to a sophomore in High School who is considering joining the Armed Forces?

I shared my brush with death above. See that for a horro story. If you read that and you are ok with joining after that, then go for it. It wouldn't have changed anything for me. There is a type of person that puts his life on the line for no reason. If you wonder if you are that type of person then you probably aren't.

After everything, do you still support the war in Iraq? I hope that doesn't seem offensive, I'm not trying to be. You have served your country well and I hope you nothing but the best. Thank you for taking the time to do this AMA

I don't support the war in Iraq. I support my brothers who fought with me and I support the people who helped keep us safe.

Did you know what you were getting into? For example if the local people would be hostile or friendly concerning your presence in their homeland? How did that change once you experienced it? And also can you put into scope just how big of a caracter ir oersonal imprint did going to war lave on/in you, if any at all? (I don't mean to be offensive, i apologize if it sounds like i am, I'm not)

-Chris

We were told the locals would cheer our presence, which they did at first. It was mostly what I expected.

Thank you for the answer! Im studying Vietnam at the moment and i feel there is a heavy correlation between the two!

Definitely.

First of all, thank you! I was wondering what your opinion was of President Bush's handling of the entire war?

I dunno. It seems unlikely that someone would purposely handle a situation like a war with such complete idiocy but sometimes it sure seems that way, doesn't it?

Do you have a missing eye/leg/arm?

How many of your bros died and how many of them have missing body parts?

I did say anything... no, no missing parts. My sural nerve in my leg was severed by shrapnel so I can't feel my foot though. My best friend lost his jaw and it was repaired by taking a piece of his hip.

What's the big deal? I was there in '90-'91.

cool man.

This AMA has been removed until proof can be provided. Sorry about the hassle.

Hello! Nice talking with you. Hopefully you can put this back up soon. I have been waiting for a minute now and its sad that it takes one dick 5 minutes to get someone's good AMA booted off but it takes an hour to get it back up after proof is submitted? What gives?

I have sent proof. Hopefully the AMA will be back up soon because I feel like it was a very popular and beneficial AMA for all involved except one angry dude who disagreed.

This sounds so fake. You guys smoking in one picture looks like a bunch of out of shape vehicle drivers. Then the reunion pic is a bunch of guy in relatively swole shape. Throw in the use of buzzwords like "sandbox" and "tip of the spear."

Did you piss hot at MEPS? Did they let you keep the T-shirt?

Dude, the first 4 months of the Iraq war we didn't get any food. Of course we look like out of shape truckers. We hadn't eaten in months. The reunion pic every one looks swoll because thats what happens when you get out. I'm not offended by your comment because I served, proudly. I have a purple heart. You don't get those pissing hot at MEPS. I was an 0351 for 5 years. 4 years on contract and 8 months as a voluntary extension to do my last pump. Don't be an asshole.

You said that you went back your second time after being shot in 2004. Yet the interwebs said your unit went into Iraq initially in 2004. I may be wrong, but I didn't see anything about how you could have been in Afghanistan for that first rotation. Looks like your unit was supporting Noble Eagle stateside for a bit and then not much else. Then something in Timor for relief of whatever happened there until 2002.

Also, if you were shot once and took shrapnel again and can't feel your leg... wouldn't that be two purple hearts?

Don't know where you got the info on 1/4 but its all wrong. I was in Iraq in 2003 from March to September and then in 2004 from May to September when I was injured. I never claimed to have been in Afghanistan. Don't know where you got that. I was injured by both enemy fire of a rocket and also by friendly machine gun fire that went through a wall before hitting me. Your information may be skewed because often they refer to unit by its MEU (Marine Expeditionary Unit) designation. For example, we were part of the 11th and 13th MEU if IIRC. I understand you made this account to prove me to be a liar but I am not. Take your witch hunt else where.

Just a post a picture, it is that easy dude.

What if I made an AMA about being Jimmy Page and posted my proof as some old pic of him playing?

what of dude? a picture of me in the desert? i got like 50 and they wouldn't even be of the right desert. Don't be retarded man, a picture means nothing. You're just being a stubborn dick. Nothing I have said shows anything but the truth.

Your a dick. I see no reason not to believe Tuna.

Maybe because his proof was shit? He gives really vague and canned answers? If he posted something up with his BMT cert or a side by side of his unit pic/current, sure. But this all sounds like bullshit to me. You guys are eating this shit up and I see no reason without something solid.

You want my DD214 ass clown? You have no idea what you are talking about. You sound like some dumbfuck MEPS dropout with something to prove. Because one asshole doesn't believe me I should start posting my sensitive info all over the internet? Fuck off dude.

I just don't know why you can't provide a face photo and another pic of you deployed. You link group photos and link stuff that isn't that concrete. I googled about 2nd logistics, you may have been attached with them.. idk

I am really surprised mods let this get this far without questioning you. I am actually deployed right now kicking it in some sweet sweet A/C. Stumbled across this while we are slow and just couldn't help but think it is fake. I could probably ask some Marine's I know about your story, but it is so vague and similar to everything else I hear it would be like "yeah, that unit did that."

Did you seriously try to use my own accusation? I guess you are dumb enough to be a Marine... story checks out, sorry guys. Must be legit.

haha dude, I don't need to continue to defend myself against the one person who doesn't believe me. It's silly. If you are that mad, ask a mod to demand my proof and I will provide it to them. I have plenty. All my pics have my name tapes on them because I was in uniform. If you want to message me privately I will gladly answer any questions you have and even provide you personally with some proof. Otherwise dude, fuck off. For real, fuck off.

I messaged the mods.

Cool! When they message me I will provide them with any proof they desire.

Fuck you and the tens of thousand of others like you who were stupid enough to participate in the murder of hundreds of thousands of civilians.

I'm sorry that you are so angry about this. I was a very young person who made a life decision that happened to be a difficult moral position. I hope you sort out the anger in your life.

Response with Humility and class. Good for you man.

I think its amazing how I can go through and read a part of your story... beats the news and TV media any day. The internet is an amazing thing. Best of luck to you.

Thank you. Can't let them rustle your jimmies.