F**K!

There is something about army and Cursing. This thing not only exists in the SAF I think, but in most armies around the world. What convinced me of that fact is the movie "Jarhead" If I had a dollar for every "f" word uttered in the movie I would be a very rich man.

"Jarhead" was a good movie, not fantastic, just good. I liked the part where Jake talks about the man and his rifle. It goes something like this.

"A man gets his rifle and learns how to use it. And whatever he does after that, buy a house, love a woman, drive a car, he will still not forget the feeling of the rifle in his hands."

Although it is an American movie, I find that it portrays the NSF mentality very well. There is this scene near the end of the movie whereby Jake tells Troy, "it's funny, you would do anything to stay in and I would do anything to get out." That quote is especially true in my case because I would do anything to get out but I know of army regulars who would do anything to get into where I am today.

The movie also portrays the aftermath of service in the army, whereby the army drops you off at the exact spot in your civilian life at which you joined it and leaves you wondering whether you are a better man for all the shit you have been through or worse. Still you try to pick up the pieces but it is never the same, you find yourself in crisis, caught in between a clash of the military and civilian worlds.

But back to the cursing, I know one army friend who has the ability to spout curses two minutes long insulting all your ancestors three generations upwards. I once asked him why he has to curse so much, he answered and I quote, "what the f**k! With all the f**king things happening around me I think I earned the right to f**king curse!" I took a look at everything happening around me at that moment, I think he has a point.