Backpack Conflict Journo

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Re: Backpack Conflict Journo

Postby Shujaa » Fri Sep 18, 2009 9:23 am

nowonmai wrote:
Hell, I've even considered joining the Australian Army for a Journalism scholarship thingy but don't think I'd survive long in the shitiness that is the Aussie Army.


I think you're right.


Meaning...
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Re: Backpack Conflict Journo

Postby coldharvest » Fri Sep 18, 2009 10:31 am

Shujaa wrote:
nowonmai wrote:
Hell, I've even considered joining the Australian Army for a Journalism scholarship thingy but don't think I'd survive long in the shitiness that is the Aussie Army.


I think you're right.


Meaning...

If you already believe in the shittiness of the army then why bother?
....in combat you tend to want to be with guys who are into it.
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Re: Backpack Conflict Journo

Postby Shujaa » Sat Sep 26, 2009 12:05 pm

Not that I think armies in general are shitty, just that the Australian army is pretty weak in a military sense, is sent out on a variety of useless missions, gives you minimal money for being yelled at and doesn't seem to attract Australia's best and brightest. Not to say that I am or anything.
Made a new video on world conflicts: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3fXrabo8xc0
Please comment and let me know what you, think, no matter how cruel or horrible.
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Re: Backpack Conflict Journo

Postby media » Sun Sep 27, 2009 4:05 am

is sent out on a variety of useless missions, gives you minimal money for being yelled at and doesn't seem to attract Australia's best and brightest


Same could be said for most armies now days. Seriously when was the last time you saw a news headline where Australia was involved in a battle and actually had a KIA?

Go ahead and join, if your competition for officer is as lame as you say you may be a general before you know it.
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Re: Backpack Conflict Journo

Postby Dr. V » Sun Sep 27, 2009 8:50 am

media wrote:Same could be said for most armies now days. Seriously when was the last time you saw a news headline where Australia was involved in a battle and actually had a KIA?
.


11 in Afghanistan
http://www.icasualties.org/OEF/Nationality.aspx

2 in Iraq
http://www.icasualties.org/OEF/Nationality.aspx

and as the filter isn't working you'll have to tot up the number of contractors killed yourself:
http://icasualties.org/Iraq/Contractors.aspx

Plus there seems to be some debate about the number of wounded as this article appears in several different guises

Australian military hiding Afghanistan casualties
North Korea Times
Saturday 26th September, 2009

Checked in by the military under false names, medical personnel are under orders not to reveal the true identities.
Australian soldiers wounded in Afghanistan have been hidden in hospitals around the country.

Checked in by the military under false names, medical personnel are under orders not to reveal the true identities, the nature of injuries, or anything to do with the wounded troops.

The revelation has come in a story published Saturday by The Weekend Australian.

Journalist Paul Toohey writes one soldier in his early 20s, is in a private hospital in NSW recovering from the loss of both his legs. The doctors and nurses treating him, he says, are sworn to secrecy. "Were someone to ring the hospital's reception, asking for him by his real name, he would not exist," writes Toohey.

"As far as the public knows, his terrible injuries never happened. There was no media release from the Defence Department giving even cursory details of this man's suffering."

The Australian Defence Department, which elaborately honours soldiers killed in Afghanistan (there have been 11 so far), with public ceremonies and full military funerals attended by top officials, usually including Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd, has a different policy when it comes to the wounded.

"In order to protect the privacy of wounded personnel and to aid convalescence, Defence does not publicly release details of the repatriation of wounded personnel," a statement provided to The Weekend Australian said. "Tragically, some of these have been seriously wounded. However, the figures also include those with minor wounds who recover quickly and continue to serve in theatre."

Australia knows almost nothing about its wounded soldiers, writes Toohey. Defence revealed, in response to questions from The Weekend Australian, that 83 soldiers had suffered various forms of wounds in Afghanistan since late 2005, when Australians re-engaged in the war. It says the soldiers have a range of damage, from severe bruising, concussion and fractures, to gunshot and shrapnel wounds and significant blast trauma. Any further breakdown of those figures is not available.

The Weekend Australian says the Defence department has issued 22 media releases relating to only fifty two of the 83 wounded Australian military personnel.
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Re: Backpack Conflict Journo

Postby media » Sun Sep 27, 2009 8:39 pm

vlindsay, not to be a dick or anything but 11 in Afghanistan and 2 in Iraq doesn't make headlines anywhere except Australia. Hell I bet that many were killed in training last month in the US armed forces. I'll even bet you the Russians lost that many in hostage rescue training in the month of Sept, As far as contractors go they don't count to me. I know we have a few on here, LOVE Ya but hey you choose to be a soldier of fortune so deal with it.

And seriously don't ever quote the North Korea Times......
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Re: Backpack Conflict Journo

Postby Dr. V » Sun Sep 27, 2009 8:53 pm

media wrote:

And seriously don't ever quote the North Korea Times......


1 - actually if you read what I wrote properly you will see that I point out that the North Korea Times is one example of one of several news stories all reporting the same story in different places around the world.


2 : you asked

media wrote: when was the last time you saw a news headline where Australia was involved in a battle and actually had a KIA?


Insinuating that none had recently been KIA - whereas I was merely pointing out that you were wrong and that Australians had been recently killed in action and therefore you were wrong in your assumption that no Australians had been 'involved in battle and actually killed in action'.

3
media wrote:doesn't make headlines anywhere except Australia


I wasn't aware that making the headlines anywhere (Australia, US or even the North Korea Times) made someone's death more important than anyone else's and was an accurate measurement of the value of either their life or way of death - but if that is what you believe then.....................
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Re: Backpack Conflict Journo

Postby media » Sun Sep 27, 2009 9:39 pm

LMAO!
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