StaceyW

There is much controversy over whether or not the soldiers should remain in Iraq or come home. Sgt. First Class Willie Buckels says: “I loved the Army. I have served the Army faithfully and I have done everything the Army has asked me to do. Now my whole idea about the U.S. Army has changed. I am treated like a third- class citizen.” Some believe it is horrible that soldiers are not treated with the respect they deserve. Some believe that it is not so bad; that they are doing this for their country and that should be good enough. The lives of the soldiers in Iraq are different based on their rankings in the Armed Forces. Being a soldier is hard no matter what a person’s ranking is in the Armed Forces. They are kept [|away from their families] and everyday life as they risk their lives to save our country. I believe that if it is necessary for solders to stay in Iraq then they should be able to visit with their loved ones more than one or two weeks. Different rankings have different responsibilities and outlooks on the war. A higher ranking officer such as a general would have a higher outlook on the war than a lower one such as a private. A general is more likely to live in the green zone (safe area) and a private probably lives in the red zone (combat zone) or a place close to a battle zone. Higher ranking officers have the opportunity to live in trailers that have air conditioning, flushing toilets, and showers that are readily available when needed. They also have dining facilities, swimming pools, gyms and other recreational items. Privates or other low ranking soldiers live in beat up two man tents in the middle of the desert or in D- huts which are buildings made out of old wood. They do not have flushable toilets and their showers are not available for every day use. A lot of the living conditions for the lower ranking soldiers are not very good. I believe that if the soldiers must be over there then they should at least have more privileges. Some people think that Iraq is a scary place to be. An anonymous soldier quotes: “I don’t think this place is worth another soldier’s life.” While being in Iraq a soldier has to risk death or the possibility of becoming a Prisoner of War. Many soldiers do not have good living facilities. They live in bombed buildings and tents deemed unfit for any human. They live in the middle of the desert and in combat zones. They see their friends and other soldiers with missing limbs or may even see them dead on the street. Soldiers have to worry about being blown up by road side bombs or suicide bombers. They see stray dogs eating dead bodies that just lay on the road. They do not know if they will see tomorrow, next week, or next bmonth. We should be preserving the life of our soldiers. Human life and mental health should be more highly valued. A different outlook on the war is that the soldier’s presence in Iraq is a great thing because they are helping the Iraqi people as well as protecting our country. Soldiers risk their lives to protect us and some people feel they should stay over there to make sure everything is okay. I believe that if the soldiers must stay over there to protect us they should be able to come home to be with their families for longer than a week or two. It takes longer than a couple weeks to catch up with loved ones that they might not have seen in months or years. Soldiers deserve all the respect in the world for what they are doing for us. Many people believe that soldiers over there have nothing good like we have over here when in reality the higher ranking officers have many recreational activities and things to keep them occupied when not in combat; however, the lower ranking soldiers are not so lucky. All soldiers live in harsh weather all year round, it can get up to 120 degrees and down to below zero. Soldiers have to be away from their families for long periods of time and when they do come home it is not for very long. When [|soldiers reunite with their families] it is a very emotional and beautiful thing. There are a lot of tears and declarations of love along with laughter and joy. Soldiers should be able to be with their families one week for every month they have been deployed. Catching up with loved ones takes a long time and they should have as much time as they need for the heroic actions they perform for us each and every day. A soldier goes through much vigorous training and boot camp. They go through tough training physically, mentally, and emotionally. They go through all of this to help us, the least we can do is return the favor. Soldiers go through a lot to protect our country. While some view it as nothing but unprecedented hardship, others see it as a heroic act that is helping Iraq and the United States in the long run. Soldiers are away from their loved ones for a long time, they go away to a foreign country and fight, and they fight all day for what they believe is right and true. Soldiers should not be criticized, nor should they be shamed. They should be rewarded, respected, and praised. A soldier is a hero inside and out and we should be thankful to have such brave men and women serving us. I believe that every person who has or is currently serving in the U.S. Armed Forces is and always will be a hero deserving any help possible to improve their circumstances. Works cited "A soldier's eye view." __The union__. 18/4/20006. The Union. 7 May 2008 <[|http://www.theunion.com/article/20060418/NEWS/60417015>. Balan, Matthew. "Soldiers words on Iraq." __Newbusters__. 30/10/2007. CNN and WaPo. 7 May 2008 <[|http://newsbusters.org/blogs/matthew-balan/2007/10/30/both-cnn-washington-post-play-bitter-soldier-s-words-iraq>. “Military Ranks Summary." __Dig a List__. 24/6/2006. Creative Commons. 7 May 2008   <[|http://www.digalist.com/list/910>.]    "Soldiers surprising their kids." __you tube__. 22/12/2007. You tube. 7 May 2008 .    "Soldiers view on Iraq ." __AlterNet__. 16/4/2003. AlterNet. 7 May 2008 <[|http://www.alternet.org/waroniraq/2003/10/001314.html>.   "U.S. Marine embracing his wife." 6/05/2007. Flickr. 7 May 2008 <[|http://www.flickr.com/photos/mapplegate/486155468/>. 