For U.S. soldier injured by friendly fire, the wounds run deep

[NNN0LHI]

http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/215699_soldier12.html

SNOHOMISH -- Though he was wounded in Iraq last fall, Sgt. 1st Class Rick White gets no Purple Heart.

White, 43, a 26-year career soldier and member of the Washington Army National Guard's 81st Brigade Combat Team, nearly lost his right leg Oct. 19. The shooter was not the enemy, but another U.S. soldier mishandling a machine gun.

White, however, is recuperating not at home with his wife and 3-year-old daughter, but with his sister, Teresa Alldredge, in Snohomish. His two-year marriage -- his second -- also became a casualty while he was away.

"If not for my sister, I don't know where I'd live, what I'd come home to," he said. "I have my good days and my down days. The down days are the ones when I can start crying at the drop of a hat."

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[ausiedownunderground]

1. Doesn't surprise! Coalition forces keep "well" away from Us forces!

People in Oz forces, whether Regular or Special ops, tell me that they try to keep as far away from American soldiers as possible, if they can. American soldiers seem to come from the lower classes in America. They have a very poor understanding of the world! This of course gets them killed or wounded. But when an American gets hurt in comabat, it seems that its his friends duty to extract some sort of revenge!! This is where other armed forces like to remove themselves. Remember Pat Tillman!!!!

[Name removed]

2. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[TX-RAT]

3. I find your entire post insulting.

There are active duty DUers, prior service DUers and retired DUers, and you have insulted them all.
Care to delete your post?

[NorthernSpy]

4. being "lower class" doesn't make a person stupid

They do come from the lower classes, for a variety of reasons, and they are not always the sharpest tools in the shed.

Not everyone leaves school with a ton of options, opportunities, and good advice. That's the reality for working class people. What the hell's so "progressive" in making derogatory remarks about these people you dismiss as "the lower classes"?

Besides, if the army weren't filled with these "lower class" volunteers, the government would almost certainly have drafted your precious ass by now. You might want to think about that for a while.