I'm going to shoot you a PM. I have a few questions if you're willing to answer would provide me with more info before I respond. You'll either put wind in my sails or take it out, but I'm fine with either outcome.
Questions from AWP, I think they are important and the answers are ones that would benefit others so here we go…
“Are you still in the Guard? “
No I ETS’d last year.
“You are a sworn member of the Ukrainian military" oath, contract, etc.?”
I am not, though most volunteers are. I have a VA pension and when I asked the VA if signing up with a foreign army would affect that, I did not get a straight answer from them, only that being a contractor was OK, so I have refused to sign a contract. This has placed some significant restrictions on my actions here.
“Do you wear a Ukrainian uniform? Have a Ukrainian ID card?”
I do wear a uniform when I’m doing military work, the Ukrainian army is short of uniforms so there is a mix of Ukrainian camo and whatever else you have. I can’t get the ID card because I’m not a sworn member, everyone who is sworn in has one though.
“Are they paying you? Cash, gold, stock options, whatever.”
No because I have no contract, everyone who is sworn in receives regular Ukrainian military wages however.
“Are you pulling a trigger or doing non-combatant type stuff on the front lines like medic or CASEVAC?”
Trigger pulling/medical, same role as a US Army combat medic.
“The Americans and other foreigners you're around, good or bad people, how many were combat arms or support in their country?”
Most are just normal people who are motivated to do the right thing and stop the USSR’s westward expansion. That said there are a few people here that are a little unhinged, but they tend to self deselect or are fired by the units they are with. I could write more on this but another time. Most are infantry I’d say, with some support folks. Maybe 70/30 ratio.
“Are those former support types now at the front as infantry?”
Most yes.
“What percentage in combat, in your experience, are experienced pros from a combat arms background vs. support types of all flavors now working as infantry?”
Experienced pros? hmm that’s tough, 30% maybe. Vast majority are military, some are combat vets, most are not though.
The combat here is nothing like GWOT combat, we are the underdogs in a BIG way. Most combat is sitting in a trench being shelled until you either get hit or your unit eventually pulls off the line weeks later.