With more older troops on battlefield, Army sees rise in noncombat ailments

...even the one's in great shape.
We aren't what we were in our twenties...
Some ways better, some worse.

I have no sympathy for these guys when the door out of their current predicament has been open right in front of their eyes. All they need to do is to "out" themselves as homosexuals, even though they are not, and they will be home with their families instead of fighting in Iraq for Bush's Imperial Legions.

This phenomenon apparently even shows up on the battlefield. And how, pray tell, is a 47-year soldier ANY kind of a match for a 32-year old Mujahedeen, who's got a Kalashnikov and is ready to die for his clan, his country, his faith?

Americans are not the most fit in the world, as it is. Even a younger soldier could be nothing but "cannon fodder" as he struggles to carry his weapon, heavy uniform & heavy helmet.

I've read that the gear can weigh as much as 20 pounds extra (including weapon). Try doing that with a spare tire and flabby muscles from living in a soft consumer culture back home.

Now aggravate this by walking around in searing heat, bugs & sand fleas which get into your clothing, a hostile population which hates you, and booby traps everywhere you turn.

A blood-chilling fact: here the US, supposedly the world's Strongest military, occupies a country for 2 years, and is losing against a country with NO military.:smoke:

just got back..dam i`m 58 and there is no way in hell i could stand that kind of life. oh well ,wasn`t hitler using old men and boys during the final days of the war? we are a very sick society