Red Fridays
It’s easy to become desensitised to the news reports from Afghanistan and Iraq. Over the years, a steady stream of headlines and role calls of the dead have been splashed across tabloid front pages (and gradually moved from the front to 3rd, 4th pages as the years go by). But when you know someone who has lost their life fighting for their country, or have loved ones still over there, it’s never ‘just another news story’. I can claim to have experienced both. My school friend, RAF Regiment Gunner Duncan Pritchard, was tragically killed on May 8th 2003 whilst serving in Iraq, aged 22. His loss is never forgotten, least of all by his twin sister, family and friends.
But it’s not just the British forces fighting in the war. Although the British media reports keenly on our British troops, we shouldn’t forget about soldiers from other countries. One of my good friends is a para in the US Army, currently stationed in Afghanistan. He’s lucky enough to have internet access intermittently, but the misconception that all American troops have a nice cosy base complete with MacDonald’s and a Starbucks is totally and utterly wrong. He regularly messages and emails me when he can (I think he’s given up on writing letters to me, which was how we first started communicating whilst he was still on base in the states, as all 3 letters posted from Afghanistan have never reached me), and although an extremely positive and upbeat person, his messages are sometimes more than a little upsetting. His latest email (which he agreed to let me post anonymously) is one example:
I’ve learnt that half the stuff the government says about the war is bull. Pulling troops out, sending more in, it’s all telling the public what they want to hear. Every time a news story appears on the TV or newspapers, I’m torn between the blissful ignorance of not knowing, and needing to read to know what’s happened. I’d say 90% of the stuff that he experiences over there he doesn’t tell me, partly because it’s classified and partly because all it would do is worry me. Political reasoning aside, I’d just like to say, with 11th November coming up, spare a thought for not only those troops who have lost a life in every war over the years, but send some prayer to those who are still over there. Red Fridays are a way of remembering those who are deployed and sending our thoughts for their safety.
But it’s not just the British forces fighting in the war. Although the British media reports keenly on our British troops, we shouldn’t forget about soldiers from other countries. One of my good friends is a para in the US Army, currently stationed in Afghanistan. He’s lucky enough to have internet access intermittently, but the misconception that all American troops have a nice cosy base complete with MacDonald’s and a Starbucks is totally and utterly wrong. He regularly messages and emails me when he can (I think he’s given up on writing letters to me, which was how we first started communicating whilst he was still on base in the states, as all 3 letters posted from Afghanistan have never reached me), and although an extremely positive and upbeat person, his messages are sometimes more than a little upsetting. His latest email (which he agreed to let me post anonymously) is one example:
“The worst feeling in the world is patrolling a local village on an empty stomach. As the sun set and the night begin to freeze over. The only thing you smell is dinner cooking over a hot open fire from inside the the local's hut. man... I feel like a bum!!! hungry and cold!!! gotta love it.
Sometimes I think the government have forgotten about us. I mean in Iraq, the soldiers are living in barracks (2 man room), they have little convenient stores on base. It's been 8 years for Afghanistan we we're still living in a 10 man tent. Still living out of a couple of duffel bags and a ruck sack. I've left the states about 3 months ago, and already our unit is schedule to deploy right back over here again in 2011!!! what the hell!!! can't we get a break???”
I’ve learnt that half the stuff the government says about the war is bull. Pulling troops out, sending more in, it’s all telling the public what they want to hear. Every time a news story appears on the TV or newspapers, I’m torn between the blissful ignorance of not knowing, and needing to read to know what’s happened. I’d say 90% of the stuff that he experiences over there he doesn’t tell me, partly because it’s classified and partly because all it would do is worry me. Political reasoning aside, I’d just like to say, with 11th November coming up, spare a thought for not only those troops who have lost a life in every war over the years, but send some prayer to those who are still over there. Red Fridays are a way of remembering those who are deployed and sending our thoughts for their safety.
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