military question

cameragirl21 wrote: Idk if anyone here will know the answer to this but I thought I'd ask to see if anyone does.
Ok, so I've been following the situation in gaza with interest. Israeli soldiers have gone in, many of them still in their teens and they also have bomb sniffing dogs. Obviously, this is guerilla warfare where the enemy hides among civilians so it's not as if you are fighting an army that you can identify as a target.
So...where do these soldiers sleep? How can they be sure they're safe when asleep? I get that some guys stay awake and guard while the others sleep but where do they sleep...in their tanks? And how do they sleep well with all this bombing going on and knowing they are on enemy territory...I'd be afraid to sleep. And what about the dogs...how do they walk them? I get that they're working dogs and not there for fun and games but they still have to poop and pee so how do the troops get all this done and where do the dogs sleep?
I can't imagine the guys are getting much sleep but they seem to be fresh as a daisy given how well they're doing their job and how efficiently they're working. I know maybe it's just military discipline but they are still human beings and like I said, many of them are quite young...some of the officers are only in their 20s.
I was really amazed to hear what one of the soldier's father said--"for the first time, my son is defending me instead of me defending my son." I literally cried when I heard that...they really must be the proudest people on earth...I had a roommate in college who was Israeli...she and her family moved here before she had to go into the army but her friend came to visit us from Tel Aviv and she was in the army...at the time, I thought the idea of having to go into the military as absolutely horrible and asked if she tried to get out of service. In fact, her situation was the opposite--she was so underweight that they disqualified her and she insisted on eating like a pig just so she could qualify to serve. They leave the military and are so proud of their service to their country. I absolutely hate guns but I have to admit that sometimes when I see Israeli troops in pictures, I feel a bit jealous. Btw, this pride extends, of course, to those soldiers serving in the US military as well, and to Canada too.
Just wanted to share one of my fave pics of IDF soldiers from this battle in gaza--Operation Cast Lead. Obviously, it's not a pic I took, I found it in one of the many newspaper articles written about this latest escalation in this ongoing conflict. I just love this picture.

CantWait replied: Jennifer, overseas when guys are in the middle of no mans land, that's exactly where they sleep, in their carriers whichever one that may be (not sure if you're familier with the terms, bison, LAVS, etc.). They may set up a cot outside as well, as it's usally anywhere from 4-6 guys in a small enclosed space, and I mean small.

The guys for the most part get used to it, they differentiate whether or not the bombing is close by or not, if it's far enough away they can usually sleep, obviously if it's close they are awake in combat mode, and yes there are always soldiers on patrol.

I also have friends that are with AMK9 overseas, (dogs), and you don't wander to far. Dog or human. The dogs are babies to their handlers and they sleep with them. They have their kennels for travelling, but unless they're in a vehical, they are not really used. My friend and his dog sleep in the same bed. I actually just talked to him yesterday for the first time in forever, and when I asked how the puppy was doing, he told me great, he's sleeping in my bed as we speak lol.

As for being awake, they don't get a lot of sleep out there most days, and yes it's all discipline. When they come back into the base, they're worn out beyond belief, but they handle it well. I was amazed to see the soldiers coming in from "outside the wire" and the good spirits they were in regardless of what went on "out there".

cameragirl21 replied: Thanks so much for the info, Marie, soldiers like you are my hero, seriously.

cameragirl21 replied: Also, Marie, do they take showers? Operation Cast Lead is going into its 18th day...so have these soldiers not showered in all that time? I do recall that girl from Tel Aviv saying that sometimes in the barracks they have to go a long time without showering...that can't be easy. And where do they keep their food...they do eat, don't they?
This military stuff has me fascinated. Israelis started a thing where you can go there and have army simulation, like they have you in army camp, for lack of a better term, for a week and you go through the drills, have a mock invasion, have a mock terrorist attack, etc.
Apparently, it's become a very popular vacation spot...I'm serious.

A&A'smommy replied: Jennifer have you never heard of an MRE?? thats usually what they eat.. they are compact dehydrated mealshttp://theepicenter.com/mre_military_meal_ready_to_eat.html

thats what they look like and I'm probably an oddball but I think they are super yummy

It really depends on where they are going to be at if they get a shower or not

Nina J replied: It must be very tramatic for them. I read that at least 80% of Palestinians are in need of counselling because they are suffering from extreme trauma, especially the children.

The things that bothers me the most is the dead children. What did they ever do to deserve to have this happen? Last time I checked over 200 Palestinian children died. I think, irregardless of which side you're supporting, you have to feel extremely bad for those poor kids. If they don't get killed, they have to see dead bodies and bombs every day. How will they ever get over it? My Opa saw Jewish people being taken away in WWII and it is one of the things he can never forget. He was only a child and powerless, but it haunts him to this day that he saw them go. So I cannot imagine how those poor kids feel, seeing so many around them die and they're powerless.

That is a very nice picture. And I think soldiers are very admirable, I cannot even fathom what it would be like.

cameragirl21 replied:
I am very saddened about the children and I totally agree with you with regard to the trauma they must be feeling...in as much as I side with Israel, I often wonder what it must be like for Gazans right now to have bombs dropping all around them.
But in all fairness, they did vote in a terrorist government whose platform was that they would go to war against Israel so to be fair, the people are getting exactly what they voted for.
I hope the lesson that terrorism doesn't pay is learned here but somehow I doubt it....

Nina J replied: The children did not vote.

No child, no matter if their parents voted for a terrorist government, deserves to be bombed to pieces. They do not deserve to witness terrors we never will. And if they manage not to be killed by the carnage going on around them, they will be traumatised by the horrific events they have witnessed. I doubt anyone here could go into the area they are in and not leave with some form of lasting mental trauma.

It is to sad. I doubt they even understand what is happening, or why. It just breaks my heart to see those dead children on television. How many more of them will be killed or maimed? How many parents have been denied the right to bury their child because their child body has been destroyed by a bomb? Or even say goodbye because there baby is maimed beyong recognition?

I should add that even though I am very saddened by the suffering of the children, I also feel for the soldiers. They do a job I never could, and undoubtledly suffer trauma and pain in their line of duty.

cameragirl21 replied:
I agree that the children did not vote, Nina, but I also think that these children's parents have be responsible when they make these sorts of decisions that they know will effect the children. Hamas members actually grab children off the street and use them as human shields.
In all fairness, though, rockets have been falling on Israeli kindergartens and homes, killing and traumatizing children in Israel for 8 years now. The Israeli govt warned hamas that they would do this if the rockets don't stop. They didn't stop and the Israelis had to take action.
Anyway, I don't mean to turn this into a political debate, was just wondering about the logistical details of this sort of combat.

Nina J replied: I understand what you mean.

I am just saying that in a perfect world, innocent children would not be punished for the choices of their parents. It will never happen, though. But there is no justification for the killing of innocent children, whether they live in Palestine, Israel or any country in the world. IMO, it will never be right. Whether their parents voted for someone, or their country killed children from another, no child deserves to die before they ever got a chance to live. I just can't comprehend it, I don't think I will ever be able to.

I have not had much of a chance to really read about the happenings of the world in recent weeks, I have been meaning to bring myself up to speed. I wouldn't be able to get in to a political debate because I don't really have the knowledge about the situation to be able to argue I have only really seen the news footage of the dead or injured children, I am not that good at keeping up with current events at the moment

CantWait replied:
haha thanks Jennifer, but I lived the high life while overseas. I had messes to eat at, hot meals everyday, showers, activities, fast food, and the list goes on. The ones that are outside without all above are the real heroes.

To answer your below questions.

If soldiers are outside of their bases, than showers are outside of the question, they can go weeks without having one, I've seen guys come back that haven't had a shower in as much as a month (that's why babywipes are so important overseas, they go a long way). Shaving though is still neccesary in our military, (depending on who the commander is) at least every second day I do believe. Helps to keep you clean, in appearance, and hygeine wise, and keeps bugs out of it.

Like Jessy said, their food is usually MRE (in Canada it's called something else, but it's floated for a bit and I can't think of it, all the same though). They have a forever shelf life, and can either be boiled in the bag, or put in a special little heat pouch. Some are really good, some are not. One thing they all have in common is the havic it takes on your body, including gas and other things that are best left for the P&I forum, not to mention the lack of nutrition they provide.

When you think about it, soldiers are getting no fresh vegetables or fruit, a pouch of what would be canned fruit is usually provided, but I've never seen a vegetable in any of our meals, and the bread provided (white bread only) is hard and dry. There's lots of chocolate, cookies, and candy usually provided (fake quick energy), and pop most times, sometimes a juice box, but not usually. There is NO dairy either. I can't count the number of guys that would come in from the field and drink (what I thought was NASTY) milk at the mess. It's the milk that has a forever shelf life as well, not real milk, actually the milk that is HUGE here in Russia. I could never drink it, but with the guys it was a big hit.

A&A'smommy replied:


no doubt and its FULL of carb calories AND on top of that they have to be able to eat it WAY quick (I can't remember the exact amount of time). Thats actually part of the basic here (army anyway) and they are SOOO bad for you. I sat and picked through several reading the calories and stuff OMG. Anyway they sometimes get to eat pretty good depending on where they are at for the moment and what their "job" is. My best friends husband eats better than us they have Lobster and steak every Friday

CantWait replied:
When I was in KAF, my camp overseas, we have nasty lobster, or shrimp and nasty steak every Friday.

Special forces guys get seafood, and good stuff, every day in their compound.

cameragirl21 replied: well, I don't mean to be gross but if they're eating that sort of food that doesn't have any nutritional value then they will have diarrhea...so where do the soldiers poop and pee? Behind a tree? What if they have diarrhea, how do they fight?
If they go without a shower for so long, they must stink like crazy when it's over. Do they change their clothes and underwear?
I know Israeli soldiers carry chlorine tablets to drop into water to make it clean so they can find water, any water and make it drinkable.
I wonder if Israeli soldiers in gaza, since they are so close to the border go in shifts, like one shift goes in for a week, then a new shift comes and relieves them, etc. Doesn't seem like that's the case in gaza, though, from what I've been reading.
Are those tanks big inside? To keep all those soldiers and dogs? What kind of dogs do they usually use and where do the dogs go when they're not on a mission, do they live with the soldiers in their homes and if so, who gets to decide whose the dog is?
I know these may seem like stupid, juvenile questions but this whole thing has me so curious. One the one hand, I am envious because they are brave and they are defending their country from existential threats but on the other hand, I hate guns and Idk if I could kill a person, unless of course, that person was threatening someone I love (like my family whom I'd be protecting if I were a soldier) but then again, I think doing so would still haunt me. Also, I like the idea of being a soldier but living on unhealthy food without a shower or change of undies for weeks on end doesn't appeal to me at all.
I am, by nature, not a very practical person so it's a rare case that I would be so curious about the practicalities of things.

CantWait replied:
Yes diarrehea would be part of it, but your body becomes accustomed to it as well, and they do their business in holes. They dig holes away from where they sleep and bury it (just like a dog would).

They sometimes change clothes, but yes when they get back into camp they stink, a lot sometimes. Something else I got use to very quick as dh stunk some bad when he got out of the field, plus you realize what they're doing out there, and so you don't give it a second thought.

We have water techs in our military that also do things to the water to make it drinkable, bottled water is also carried around. On camp, we had palates of bottled water everywhere, drinking water from the taps was a HUGE no no.

The tanks and that are not big at all, very very small, not good if you're clastophobic. The dogs are usually like sheppards of some sort, I'll post a pic of my friends dog so you can see. The dogs are owned by the handlers, they have the same dog all the time, so when the handler goes home, so does the dog, when the handler leaves the service, the dog goes with them...they really are best friends and have a one of a kind relationship.

Being curious is a good thing Jennifer, it shows that you do not want to be ignorant to things. Don't be ashamed for that.

Now let me look for that pic.

CantWait replied: Photobucket is not working right now so hopefully this posts ok.

I did not include a pic with his handler as he is still currently overseas not in camp working with Special Forces and therefore showing his face would not be good.

cameragirl21 replied: omg, that is a gorgeous dog. So...they sleep inside those tiny tanks? I know you had mentioned setting up a cot outside but it's cold in gaza right now so I doubt they can do that. One article I read mentioned that Israeli soldiers slept in a building they took over one night...so I guess they might take over buildings and set up a sort of command center there...? But they are constantly changing locations.
I know it may sound silly but what happens if soldiers get ambushed while doing their business...like getting caught with their pants down, I mean, how can they be sure when they do their thing that they are safe doing it? Other soldiers guarding...?
I sure hope they carry toilet paper into combat with them....

CantWait replied:
Not all the time.