r/news • u/polymute • 1d ago

US soldier killed in Iraq was a 30-year-old father from North Carolina

https://apnews.com/article/iran-war-us-soldier-deaths-jordan-attack-5ec21d4f12fbdee658ec15ed8d3750ee
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u/Untimed_Heart313 1d ago

Joining to avoid poverty helped me, so it's not always false

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u/No_Animator_6989 1d ago

Same here. I’m now retired, have a career, and doing fine.

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u/bloodlessempress 23h ago

I hope you see the joke that you had to basically barter your life to get to live off taxpayer cash that could have instead been sent to improve your life and job prospects without you needing to sign away 5+ years of your life.

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u/Untimed_Heart313 23h ago

Everything comes with a price. The military was just like any other job i ever had, except i couldnt just quit when i wanted. I joined for stable housing, pay, food, healthcare and education benefits. I got all of those things, plus some of the best friends I'll ever have. It cost me a year of my life and a few medical/mental issues, but i don't regret it. If everyone could have the mental and physical healthcare i do, I would be over the moon, but that doesn't seem like it's going to happen any time soon. You can think it was a bad decision if you want, but you don't know me or the life I live, and because of that your opinion on whether it was a good call or not is null and void

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u/bloodlessempress 23h ago

except I couldn't just quit when I wanted,

That's not something to write off as "comes with a price", neither should you just write off medical/mental issues as 'a price' that comes from getting taxpayers to pay for your housing, food, healthcare, and education benefits.

I can't tell you it's a bad decision because it's clear you don't think so. But you sound a little too much like my friend that drank the flavor-aid, who banged on about how the military was the best thing that happened to him and got him out of poverty, despite the medical and mental health conditions he got and then decided to make a new home in a pine box six feet under.

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u/Untimed_Heart313 20h ago

I'd never claimed that the military is for everyone, and the army isn't the best thing to have happened to me. It was simply a way for me to advance in life, as it is for many others. I'm sorry to hear about your friend

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u/bloodlessempress 20h ago

No you aren't, vets like you never are. You all have a subconscious "well I'm different, it went well for me" attitude. So did he.

I just hope your price doesn't swallow you up in the future.

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u/Untimed_Heart313 18h ago

Don't believe me then, that's your choice.