Apparently my 18-year-old cousin landed in Kuwait yesterday as the beginning of his deployment to Iraq. I’ve had other family memebers deployed around the world, but this is definitely the youngest and the first in wartime. His older brother is in special forces training for a bit longer, then goes over as well.
Puts a more personal spin on things out there. Here’s hoping things go smoothly for those two.
over the rise 
my prayers are with him along with the other people i know over there.
my prayers are with him along with the other people i know over there.
did he go by choice?
Oh ya, both brothers signed up to the Marines quite willingly. I’m actually one of only 2 male cousins on my dad’s side that has not done military service. I’ve had cousins in SEALS touring in the Middle East, Special Ops doing a tour in SE Asia, and Navy stationed in the Pacific. So far, only one cousin signed up out of “necessity”. Our grandpa also served tours in the Marines during WWII and Korea, along with a fairly prestegious military history on our grandma’s side back to the Civil War, so it’s something of a family tradition.
did he go by choice?
Oh ya, both brothers signed up to the Marines quite willingly. I’m actually one of only 2 male cousins on my dad’s side that has not done military service. I’ve had cousins in SEALS touring in the Middle East, Special Ops doing a tour in SE Asia, and Navy stationed in the Pacific. So far, only one cousin signed up out of “necessity”. Our grandpa also served tours in the Marines during WWII and Korea, along with a fairly prestegious military history on our grandma’s side back to the Civil War, so it’s something of a family tradition.