by NewChapter 71 Replies latest watchtower beliefs
I am a simply guy, a guy that served his country and seen lots of crap, but also someone that considers himself educated
PSac,
I've respect for you and how you present yourself and your beliefs. I've learned a few things from you.
I've been curious though regarding your service and if the actions required of you played a part in forming your beliefs or were they there before?
No angle to the question and if it's too personal or not something you wish to discuss here, I understand.
I've respect for you and how you present yourself and your beliefs. I've learned a few things from you.
Very kind of you to say, ditto my friend.
I've been curious though regarding your service and if the actions required of you played a part in forming your beliefs or were they there before?
I was a sniper in Bosnia, counter-sniper was my role most of the time ( big problem with serbian snipers when we got there)
I was closer to atheist than anything else at the time, to be honest.
What I saw there didn't really do much for my faith, the issue of God letting people suffer is very much an issue in any warzone.
I did see what faith in God can do and the strength that it gave so many over there, I saw missionaries ( Christian) helping the Bosnias ( muslims), I saw the love that is suppose to be between God's children, a love that religious creeds can't do justice and that opposing beliefs are powerless to do anything about.
I see that NOW, but then...there was a bit too much hate in my heart to truly understand all I was seeing.
No angle to the question and if it's too personal or not something you wish to discuss here, I understand.
My time there was...well...it was and that is enough.
I saw the worse and the best of humanity, and saw it from all types of people.
I saw what hate can do and saw that nothing stops hate except for violence, though I didn't understand that at the time.
It is a vicious circle.
It was very hard to understand why, IF God exists, things like that happen.
I understand it now (even if I may not agree all the time), but it still hurts.
I saw what hate can do and saw that nothing stops hate except for violence, though I didn't understand that at the time.
Very interesting PSac. Sniper? Wow, that's some specialized training there. I can't imagine what the impact of your experiences would have on my views/beliefs...but would rather not find out.
Very interesting PSac. Sniper? Wow, that's some specialized training there. I can't imagine what the impact of your experiences would have on my views/beliefs...but would rather not find out.
War is war, and one does what one has to.
When we volunteer to serve we know what we are getting into and when it was suggested to me to go into specialized weapons training, I understood what I meant and I have to live with what I have done, as we all do.
Under the circumstances of my service (peackeeper in Bosnia) one can argue that what I did was for protection and in the service of those that couldn't not protect themselves, but I am under no delusions that all those the serve on BOTH sides are humans, are the sons and brothers and husbands of people that love them and that we left many a child without a father, wife a widow, father and mother without a son.
I saw what hate can do and saw that nothing stops hate except for violence, though I didn't understand that at the time. It is a vicious circle.
This statement stood out to me. If indeed true, and you would know far better than I, then someone has to do it. And for that, I respect your choice and admire your bravery. There's a grade school friend I've kept in touch with and he has served time in Afghanistan. I'm amazed at what makes guys like you and him tick....and grateful for it.
Since this thread is already off the rails....what would you say was your core motivation or values that lead you to serve in the CAF? (If you don't mind me asking.)
This statement stood out to me. If indeed true, and you would know far better than I, then someone has to do it. And for that, I respect your choice and admire your bravery. There's a grade school friend I've kept in touch with and he has served time in Afghanistan. I'm amazed at what makes guys like you and him tick....and grateful for it.
Looking back at what I said I am surprised I said that.
Hate begets hate and violence begets violence and I am a tad surprised that I worded it that way...
Violence does indeed stop hate ( at the time), but not the source of hate and it breed further hate and violence into an endless cycle that only love and forgiveness can fix.
I think that in expressing what I felt at the time it seems that I came off condoning it. Sorry.
Since this thread is already off the rails....what would you say was your core motivation or values that lead you to serve in the CAF? (If you don't mind me asking.)
I am a Martial Artist, have been since I was 9.
The military seemed the thing to do at the time, to serve, to test myself, to make myself a better "warrior" for lack of a better word.
At the time I believed that was the path for me ( though I knew I would not make it a career) and it was all I expected and more, all the good and bad that came with it.
I was a marksman and was airborne too ( I was already jump qualified as a civilian) and had the opportunity to train and compete with SAS, SEALS and even a couple of Attachement Delta guys.
The 4 1/2 years I spent there were good and bad but I don't regret it at all.
Active service was something that I didn't really count on, not the way it happened at least but I am gald that it was in a peackeeping role.
I had a friend that was a sniiper. I didn't understand him at first because he was always so incredibly cool. (not as in groovy, but as in calm). I thought he didn't like me at first, because his resting facial expression was--I guess intense would cover it. He didn't seem emotional at all. He didn't always laugh at jokes or smile in the expected places.
But I kept trying to get to know hiim. And I learned he's just as goofy as the rest of us, but very controlled. I learned to disregard his facial expression, because I started to see that he would say the most emotional thing but not change his face. I learned that he had deep emotion, he just didn't make it obvious.
So I wonder. Is that typical PS? Are you a cool cookie in person? When I learned he had been a sniper, I wondered if his intense control made that possible. I never actually asked him about it, and I can't now. But I always wondered. He always calmly broke a problem down into logical steps, and while I learned that sometimes his anxiety was raging, it didn't seem to affect his thinking.
And just to be clear, he did laugh and smile and joke. Just not always.
NC
I don't knwo how typical ANY sniper is but yes, we do tend to be "cool" under pressure, very analytical BUT also very laid back and easy going.
Most people don't understand that shooting someone in the middle of a fire fighter or even an ambush is very "impersonal", you shoot and they shoot back and every one is shooting and you are shooting at a "center mass" and the training kicks in, etc.
Sniping is far more personal, you see their eyes, you see their faces, almost read their emotions, so you have to be trained to be "technical", you run down the things you need, check the range, wind, you make it a mathematical situation and then you focus on technique, the person becomes a target...the chest becomes a section, the section becomes a patch, the path becomes a button, the button becomes a hole in the button ( aim small miss small, aim big miss big), you hold your breath, you feel your heart beat, you depress the trigger ever so slightly, don't anticipate the recoil, you get "surprised' by the sound, you check the target after you reload, you claim the jacket...
On shot...it is very personal nom atter how technical you make it...
Wow, this is probably the most I have spoken about this in ages...
NC - You said a lot of nice things the page before, honest things that helped me see you a bit better. Your feelings on religious/faith matters, I mean... you come off pretty clear in your caring of others. So thank you.
PSac, I am just so glad that you are home. That you found peace and Christ and love and your beautiful family, and that you got to see the best (even the worst) of people in a horrible situation. Its a perspective most don't get, and I don't suppose most would want to have.
Peace,
Tammy
Psac,
I recall seeing a sniper "competition" on the Military Channel some years ago, where US, Cdn and British snipers competed at some base in the States. The Canadian snipers had a good reputation apparently and were the team to beat as I recall. The program "fuzzed" out their faces and you couldn't recognize them but some of them must have been from Quebec (can't mistake the accent). Strange, as all the other snipers were shown and interviewed on camera.
Methinks I played a little too much Ghost Recon back in the day, ;) Dark Angel made the best mods tho...
