What's a girl to do...

Comment by Jim Bethea on October 30, 2010 at 12:03pm

Hi Becca,
I hate being out of work and looking for a job. No one likes rejection, it's a real poke in the self-esteem. But when you do land a job, and you will, you feel on top of the world. Wait for it...it's coming.
Same-o same-o here in central Washington. Fall is here accompanied by cloudy skys and beautiful trees.
Though I don't hunt, deer and elk seasons are either open or will open soon.
We have one traffic light here. It's in Coulee Dam and it's a caution light.
We've ordered RESTREPO, I think it will be here in november sometime.
My wife and I are putting together a trial package to send to Afghanistan to see how it goes.
Anyway, good look with your job hunt.

Comment by Becca Bryan on October 31, 2010 at 8:13am

Thanks Jim! I am surely waiting for the good one to come my way.
If you ordered RESTREPO from National Geographic, it will ship on Dec 7. But you can watch it on the NatGeo channel Nov 29 at 9.

I missed some important things the first 2 times I saw the film. Like when the host of the website was in the Humvee and they drive over an unseen IED. Holy cow! There is nothing like feeling like you're right there. That had to be one scene that made an impact on me.

It's such an incredible film. You really do feel like you are on this deployment. Hope you get to see it soon!

Comment by Jim Bethea on October 31, 2010 at 8:52pm

I know what you mean about a film having an impact like that.
The first time I saw Platoon it just blew me away. I saw it with my wife and young son and when it was over I took them home and went back to the theater and watched it again.
There were so many aspects of the story that are similar to my own experiences.
Night in the jungle on an ambush, the insects, sleeping in the rain. The fear.
In addition we had two NCOs who were enemies and one finally killed the other with an M-16.
It was like the wild west. We even had a gunfight in the company street.
I make it a point to watch VN war films, see if they are trying to keep it real.
These young men who are fighting today, I mean the ones that are pulling the triggers, are fantastic. I'm so proud of them!
2d Battalion, 173d Airborne was my battalion in Vietnam.

Comment by Becca Bryan on November 2, 2010 at 10:30am

Jim,

I have seen Platoon many many times and then finally bought the DVD. Although I was a kid at the time, there is something about this war that grabs my interest and passion. Beats me what it is though.

I think one of the reasons I keep going back to see RESTREPO is that it makes me feel like I'm on the deployment, on patrol, in a Humvee, at the OP. I know I was never there and can't really relate all that closely to what the men went through, it still feels very real to me.

I too am very proud of what these men accomplished. They are beautiful, honest representatives of the best of the US.

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