Letter: Joni Ernst is not a combat veteran.

[Savannahmann]

42. I disagree. In fact, I could not disagree more.

The wars we are fighting now are unlike anything we've experienced before. Those truck convoys have come under attack. The secure areas have come under attack. People fight their way through to the destination firing at enemy locations, and taking fire. This is why we armored up all of our vehicles. It wasn't so that huge cargo carrying trucks could rush to the front, but so that the supplies could get from secure area through the unsecured areas, to another base, which is theoretically secure.

I take issue with most everything that Ernst says. I can't think of a single issue I am in agreement with her about. However, the one area I do not take issue with is her service. By the standards of this asinine letter Tammy Duckworth is not a Combat Veteran, which must be a big surprise for the people who supply her wheelchair. I mean, she was flying from one secure area to another right?

Did Senator Duckworth get the Combat Infantrymans Badge? No? Why not if she was in combat? Because it is available to one small segment of the military, the Infantry. They do not award infantry badges to truck drivers, Engineers, Armor units, or anyone but Infantry.

The reason we want all of our troops out of Iraq and Afghanistan is not because the infantry gets shot at. But because all of them are in danger for a goal that is either indescribable, or unacheivable. Too much risk, for little or no gain.

But to tell those who were injured, or the families of those killed by IED's, RPG's, Machine gun fire, or whatever death visited them during the convoy that they were not in combat for cheesy political points is asinine.

Take issue with Ernst on issues. Absolutely show that she's a hypocrite for taking farm subsidies while decrying them for others. Show she's an idiot on every single issue. But don't tell the families of those maimed, or killed, that they were not in combat because you want to go for the trifecta. Whoever wrote that letter is an ass. Quoting them because you hate Joni Ernst diminishes all of us, and belittles the thousands who were injured, or killed, and didn't get the coveted CIB because they weren't in an infantry unit.

Watch some videos on Youtube. Look up convoy attacked. See the bombs go off, the rockets flying, the people hit, maimed, killed. Tell me that they are not in combat because they aren't in the Infantry.