Yup, it was the team leader, Sgt. Eric Kocher.
My mistake.
Bill, you’re correct I was confusing who called out which idiot commanding officer.
So I finally got around to watching the last episode. I can’t say that I wasn’t warned, but it still felt like eating broken glass.
I could talk about the perfect encapsulation of shit rolling downhill that Kocher and Captain America’s adventures represent. I could say that yes, there are interesting comments to be made about the nature of military command and perspective, and how sometimes it feels like the closer you are to something the less truth you know about it.
But the fact is that episode was a kick in the gut, a reminder that every moment I am away from there is a betrayal. Correspondingly, it is a reminder that sometimes a betrayal like that is the only way you can survive. I hope someday I can make my peace with it.
I’m not sure what bums me out more about Generation Kill ending - not having new episodes to watch, or not having LK’s posts to look forward to.
Yeah, I watch it and see my brother laid out starting to get his PTSD in some scenes. I understand that he trained for this, I understand that he volunteered for this, but to see this trust violated for political ends and watch the PTSD tear apart the psyche of my family. I object. I just hope I can reach him in a few years.
It sucks when you you can both identify with psychotic killers blowing away your friends.
Finally finished this, and I really liked it. It’s not as ambiguous or heartwrenching as The Wire to me, but really entertaining. It also didn’t seem as subtle or deep. But in all fairness, it was only 7 episodes. I thought Skaarsgard, Ransone, and Lt. Fick were particularly good. “Rolling Stone” seemed a little flat to me.
When I think of it, the piece of dialogue that always comes to my mind first is, “Interrogative…”. I don’t know if that indicates some deep underlying theme about the series or just that I don’t normally hear people talk that way. I’m guessing the latter :P
In all seriousness, why are questions preceded with that? I also noticed that not all of them are–is it just the important ones?
Also, what’s the deal with Ferrando’s right hand man carrying a shotgun? I guess it seems like it would be useful for close-range fighting, like cqb or breaching a door, but it seems unlikely that he would be involved in that sort of thing…
I’m sorry, can you explain this a bit, if you can? I’m not sure I understand what you mean.
Mostly for communication clarity issues–you’re telling someone on the other line that you’re asking a question, because that may not be readily apparent (or ending your line of discussion with an “over”, or in the old days indicating the end of a sentence with a “stop”) over a wireless transmission.
— Alan
Alan is correct. It’s just radio protocol for asking a question.
Also, what’s the deal with Ferrando’s right hand man carrying a shotgun? I guess it seems like it would be useful for close-range fighting, like cqb or breaching a door, but it seems unlikely that he would be involved in that sort of thing…
I mentioned that earlier in the thread. They call him Major “Benelli” in Fick’s book because of that affectation (and that’s all it is). Much like the Company Gunny (Casey Kasem) and all of his night vision/thermal peripherals. It’s one of those handy indicators that you’re dealing with an asshole at heart when they use their rank to acquire all the stuff they can have vs what they need.
I don’t know how else to put it, except that it reminds me of everything I loved and hated about my experience in the Corps and Iraq, all at once, without any mental filters kicking in.
Actually, it was more your talk of betrayal. I didn’t understand who/what.
Videos -> Extras -> A Conversation with 1st Recon Marines
Fun to hear from the actual guys and compare faces, etc. I didn’t actually realize who the real Kocher was actually playing, though soon as I saw him I knew who it was. Reading from the book, he got fairly messed up later on but really managed to recover and still fight.
I also thought it was interesting that Wynn wasn’t really up on the portrayal of Marine officers, Ray is still funny, Rudy is Rudy (and Iceman is Iceman), and there’s a lot of good humor in there (especially about the gay porn stuff).
— Alan
It blows my mind that Rudy is actually Rudy. I was 100% sure he was a Hollywood creation. Wow. He has some serious charisma, and I can totally see him doing well in action roles. If the Rock can do it, so can Rudy…
During a four year enlistment, the entire last year or so is spent guilt tripping you about getting out. Sure, they’ll give you the “you’ve done your part” every now and then, but as retention becomes more critical it becomes a part of your routine. No matter how good your reasons, you still feel like you should be there, and only part of that is motivated by all that begging/browbeating/etc.
Nate Fick gave a talk at the Pritzker Military Library about his book and the Marine Corps in July 2006. I got it as a podcast through iTunes, but it’s also here: http://www.podcastdirectory.com/podshows/669652 (The blue headphones are a direct download link.)
I’m necro-ing this thread as I finally got to watch it on DVD
(I’ll be catching the last two episodes tonight)
Great series, and this thread is a great companion.
I might get into specific characters and performances after I finish but I wanted to ask (make?) a general point.
How would this series be changed if Victory (the kicking Saddam’s ass sense) wasn’t a forgone conclusion? The possibility that the US could lose (again, in a traditional military sense) were zero. Things that seemed like big sacrifices / outrages in the show - no batteries for night vision goggles for instance - were probably that because the priority of the Marines was to have as few casualties as possible within the constraints of their orders.
I always thought that was pretty odd, especially for a Recon battalion. Isn’t their job to be the eyes on the front? You would think that NVGs would be necessary for their job.
Speaking strictly from an Army POV, batteries for NVGs are always in short supply and coveted by all. (Partly because they are standard AA batteries that can be used in all manner of devices.) Think of them like cigarettes in prison.
I’m not sure what you are getting at here. How would this series be different if it was about something other than OIF I? I don’t know how you separate essential characteristics from a nonfiction account.
Things that seemed like big sacrifices / outrages in the show - no batteries for night vision goggles for instance - were probably that because the priority of the Marines was to have as few casualties as possible within the constraints of their orders.
Why would fewer batteries lead to fewer casualties?
It’s not odd. It’s par for the course. Meanwhile, a Security Forces detachment in an embassy somewhere will receive crates of AA’s in order to combat venereal disease from local prostitutes more effectively.
if this is the case, we should see if anyone has set up a “send the boys batteries” fund. bulk AAs can’t be all that expensive
They aren’t, but the shipping will kill you. Also, as Lizard King pointed out, any large shipments of batteries will just get diverted to rearguard units with more battery-powered comfort knick-knackery.