I Got Soul But I'm Not A Soldier

[poliphilo]

This has been a tough week.

I've been keeping quiet about it because- well- I guess because I wanted to make sure it was really happening before I committed myself to print.

My son- the one who moved in last week- is in dispute with his employers.

Popularly known as the British Army.

His case is that he's too ill to work for them any more.

Their case is "Get back here at once you disgusting little oik or I'll have you up on a charge."

I don't know exactly how much bearing it has on things (I would submit quite a lot) but he did do his six months in Iraq a couple of years back.

We're in the thick of it right now, but we've got our medical back-up in place and we're trusting the Army will be smart enough not to insist on his return when it's being a soldier that's making him sick.

Comments

[pickwick.livejournal.com]

:o( Hope it works out OK.

This is one of my biggest issues with the army - the difficulty involved in trying to leave it.

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

Thanks.

We've been put in touch with this army welfare group that seems to be staffed by regular human beings and one of them is coming here to assess the situation on Tuesday.

We'll see....

[halfmoon-mollie.livejournal.com]

I am sorry, it's a nasty situation. I hope all works out okay.

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

Thanks.

We're playing things by the rules and adopting a conciliatory, civilised approach.

I just hope they'll be civilised back.

[lblanchard.livejournal.com]

This is a tough situation. My thoughts and prayers are with you.

[dadi.livejournal.com]

argh. this is bad. I did not know he was sick :(. I hope those army people get their shit together :(

[kishenehn.livejournal.com]

My best wishes to both you and your son. Good luck.

[heleninwales.livejournal.com]

Good luck. I hope you can resolve things as amicably as possible and that the army see sense and release your son from what has obviously become an intolerable situation for your son.

[queen-in-autumn.livejournal.com]

What a terrible situation. My prayers will be with you all.

[glitzfrau.livejournal.com]

Oh, shit, I am so sorry. What a horrible situation. I do hope that all works out for him, and am glad that he is in such a supportive environment at home with you two. x

[airstrip.livejournal.com]

we're trusting the Army will be smart enough not to insist on his return when it's being a soldier that's making him sick.

Eep. Is it the actual job or just becoming tired of it to point of malaise? I mean, both are understandable (few other jobs require many years of contractual obligation).

[saskia139.livejournal.com]

Putting you all on the prayer list, dear friend. Hang in there.

[tx-cronopio.livejournal.com]

That's rough. I'll be keeping your family in my thoughts. Pat

[ibid.livejournal.com]

*crosses fingers* I hope he gets out!

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

Thanks,

I really appreciate it.

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

The sickness is caused by the army. If he returned he'd get sicker. I'm hoping they're going to see things that way.

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

Thanks.

We've got this holiday weekend to relax in before the "action" starts again on Tuesday.

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

Thanks.

The army doesn't like letting people go, but I don't see how they can really want to hold onto someone who has got so he detests the life.

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

Thank you.

This means a lot to me.

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

Thanks.

This is the holiday weekend, so we've got a bit of a breathing space. We took him and Sarah out for lunch today and it (almost) felt like normal.

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

I think Iraq has a lot to do with it. He was in Basra for six months and it was pretty horrible.

I haven't wanted to dig too deep, but I think it's got so that everything about the life- the monotony, the institutionalised brutality, the stupidity- now revolts him.

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

Thanks.

I'm very grateful.

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

Thanks.

I really appreciate your support.

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

Thanks.

Army life is dull and brutal and stupid- and it's got so he detests it.

He did a tour of duty in Iraq, you know, and ever since then things have gone from bad to worse.

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

Thanks.

I don't see how they can keep him in.

And we're making a point of doing things by the book....

[airstrip.livejournal.com]

This doesn't surprise me. I had a cousin who returned to Iraq and left for Tahiti for about three months to put himself back together and, as he put it, "disarm."

"i got soul but i'm not a soldier"

[four-thorns.livejournal.com]

have you been listening to The Killers, or did they get that line from somewhere else?

regardless, i do hope all works out well for your son. perhaps if all else fails, he can go awol to canada like we americans do.

[jackiejj.livejournal.com]

Tony, this may be for the best. May the medical back-up have compassion and help your son-surely he has done his part for them, and they should allow him to go.

I'm very sorry. Thinking of you--I'm glad, by the way, that Joe has you to be there at this hard time.

My love to you all.

[philtration.livejournal.com]

Wow. I hope things work out in the end. I almost Joined the U.S. Navy when I was 18 but I thought long and hard about it and changed my mind. One of the best moves that I ever made.

Re: "i got soul but i'm not a soldier"

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

I've been listening to the Killers. :)

I love that line!

We don't really have an equivalent to Canada- No handy, ill-policed border one can just slip accross. I think the nearest equivalent (for a citizen of the European union) is Sweden....

But we're hoping it doesn't come to that....

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

I was never that happy with him being a soldier. I've seen how military culture brutalizes people.

Joe himself is confident that they'll let him go on medical grounds. He's seen it happen in other cases.

Thank you so much for your thoughts....

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

Joe joined up after dropping out of college. At the time it seemed like a promising career option, with structure and discipline etc....

That was before your Mr B and our Mr B took us into an illegal war.

Re: "i got soul but i'm not a soldier"

[four-thorns.livejournal.com]

the killers are excellent! i saw them in boston last summer. this is intriguing. who/what else have you been listening to?

also, reading your latest post, i'm glad things have worked out for joe...

Re: "i got soul but i'm not a soldier"

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

Thanks.

I saw the Killers perform on Live8 and thought they were the most interesting of the bands I hadn't come across before.

So I bought the album.

But actually I don't listen to a whole lot of music- of any kind. Recent purchases have included Springsteen's Devils and Dust and a cheap Billie Holiday compilation disc.