Meet a Real Hero

An American Soldier

from JoeUser Forums
With all of the hullaballoo about which candidate is:
A. A War Criminal
B. A Hero for all to admire
C. A Deserter
D. A Phony
I decided to clue you in to a person who I had the privilege of serving with in the Second Infantry Division in the Republic of Korea.
Not a politician but a real person.
His name, Tommy Ray Franks. General, US Army Retired.

You may know him from his recent interviews on Cable TV, or from his press conferences when he was Commander of Central Command leading US and Coalition forces during the Afghanistan war and Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Now to the left he may embody the conservative militaristic Boogie-Man of their nightmares but those who have met this man know that he is a person who is compassionate, caring, intelligent and someone who is a fine role model for anyone to emulate.

These traits come out with whomever he speaks with, Private, Sergeant, Colonel, or civilian. His book is available at most retail shops and if you would like an idea about how a great man thinks, get a hold of a copy and read it. He may even bring tears to your eyes a time or two.
He may bring back the feelings of anger that many of us had on 9/11, I know I felt it.

He's a no B.S. kind of guy who knows that loyalty and respect work in both directions, this is the quality that makes him a hero and a leader.

Read it and let me know.
politics
12,812 views 18 replies
Reply #1 from JoeUser Forums Top
I assume the SSG stands for Staff Sergeant? Tommy Franks is a good man. And sometimes that is the best compliment you can give someone.
Reply #2 from JoeUser Forums Top
Went to Barnes & Noble today, 8/18/04, in Indianapolis. Found the book, American Soldier. Read a couple of chapters. Liked it so instead of buying the book, I bought it on CD so we could listen to it as we travel along. It should make the miles fly by. Thanks for the idea.
Sins of a Solar Empire: Rebellion
Reply #3 from JoeUser Forums Top
I really think that he is a modern version of U.S. Grant in quite a few ways.
Most of all in the ways that he deals with others. Having met him in Korea
and having my barracks mates who served as his aircrew there, we got to hear
quite a few stories about him and they made him out to be a real Joe.
BTW: No matter what a few babblers here think about him due to his role in OEF and OIF,
I think he did the best that he could and due to him we had the successes that we had
early in those conflicts. Let me know here or thru GW what you thought.
Who is reading it??
Reply #4 from JoeUser Forums Top
I will let you know. We will be heading for GA on Monday so will have time to listen to a great deal of it. My SO and I will be listening to it. I usually read as he drives but I have a slight cold so it will be pleasant to listen rather than read.
Reply #6 from JoeUser Forums Top
I picked up the book at Costco today. Look forward to starting it this weekend. Thanks for the heads up on this one.
Reply #7 from PolMach Forums Top
I have a question about General Franks, Sergeant.

Was he a gung-ho in the trenches type or more General type, I know some Generals like to get muddy and some don't, just wondering if he was the type to be down in the trenches with the rest of the army, and that's my question.

Side question: How did you put the SSG on, I served with the Army as SPC for two years three months before I was discharged because of service-related back injury, went through a medical board and everything, just wondering how you were able to put SSG, because I am little annoyed with it saying Citizen, when SPC sounds better.
Reply #8 from JoeUser Forums Top
shoZan~ yes I think SPC sounds better than Citizen here on JU but it's not my site. (brad has moneymaking business to conduct not giveing us options on our titles)
Gen franks was the kind of General who basically demanded that the respect a junior soldier had to give to a superior, was returned by the superior.
He was all about the soldier, and not about playing "General Patton". My present platoon Sergeant and one of my Warrant Officers used to brief him daily at 2 ID and
they both think he is the man too. And they dealt with him on a much more frequent basis than most. My Company in Korea (2nd of 4 tours)provided his helicopter crew.
He rated a UH-60 black hawk since he had to travel all over the place. They all thought he was the best.
If you read his book and take note of the things he learns about dealing with seniors and subordinates in the first 150 pages you will see.
I meet junior officers in the PX and Bookstores and tell them that he has some lessons I'd like every junior officer to learn in those pages.
I made SSG at 6 years in the Army but I had 4 years in the Marine Corps Infantry that ended 7 1/2 years before i came back on active duty. So I
came back in as a PV2 and worked my way up.
Reply #9 from PolMach Forums Top
Well I will make sure to pick up his book, my father (Retired after 28 years (4 active - 24 reserve) LTC Field Artillery, US Army) might also like to read it.
Reply #10 from PolMach Forums Top
SPC sounds better than Citizen here on JU but it's not my site. (brad has moneymaking business to conduct not giveing us options on our titles)


Is it the Premium Blog Service or the Game? If it's the premium blog service, how much does that run.
Reply #11 from JoeUser Forums Top
Brad has a lot of things working, all of the window's iterfaces, games and in the future JU premium, so maybe that will be an option.
He doesn't mind suggestions but demands from free users is a bit of a sore spot. see his article on
Free Ice Cream and you will understand. Link
Reply #12 from PolMach Forums Top
Well hell I will pay for names, and I was thinking of getting the game, I support services I use.
Reply #13 from PolMach Forums Top
Just wanted to know if the name thing comes with the game, I would slap down some money to take Citizen off, yeah I read it and I think little_whip posted something about it and replied it's an earn thing for me not a deserve thing. Just wanted to know if you can choose a name with purchasing the game or something to that effect.
Reply #14 from JoeUser Forums Top
Don't know, but I'll pay if there are a few bennies
Reply #15 from PolMach Forums Top
Okay so my question is besides moderators, I have noticed some with Citizen, and some without, is that because they purchased the game or were on JU longer, or something else and it removes the Citizen, which I guess it donates a free user or something, not sure.
Reply #16 from JoeUser Forums Top
I have noticed some with Citizen, and some without


Most users are level 1 citizens. As of right now, I think the only way to become a different level is for Brad (and maybe javabrain) to promote the user. Even if a user gets promoted to level 3 elite, it looks like they keep the citizen in front of their nickname. Don't know if there is a way to take it off but you could ask Brad or JU tech support.
Reply #17 from PolMach Forums Top
Answers my question, thanks for the info all, and I will stick with the CItizen for now, oh well I think I have gotten used to it.