Veteran's Day 2013

[Rod]

I have to agree with PawPaw here. I feel like a fraud when someone thanks me for my service. I got to travel to places I'd only read about in school, got to do things that people would pay money to do, and met some of the finest people in the world and I feel truly humbled to be numbered among them.

To all my brothers-in-arms, thank you for making it such a great ride!

I think most of us who took the whole 20+ kind of think the same way. I got to blow things up, fired everything up to and including a 105 main gun, called in artillery and air strikes. Saw strange and exotic places, met interesting people, made a few lifelong friends who I would help bury bodies for in an instant. Never joined the Legion or VFW because joining the best group was enough for me.

[First Shirt]

Never joined the Legion or VFW because joining the best group was enough for me.

Yeah, no sense stepping down just 'cause we retired, right?

[The Wizard]

I might not have done my whole 20 but I'm in agreement, while I admit that I didn't enjoy EVERY second, the good times far outweight the bad and for a po' boy from the sticks it let me do things if have never even heard of otherwise.

[Cobar]

Totally late.

I served a whole total of 60 days. When I get thanked I feel like crap because I didn't earn a thing. To you guys who did, thank you.

[Cybrludite]

Totally late.

I served a whole total of 60 days. When I get thanked I feel like crap because I didn't earn a thing. To you guys who did, thank you.

What Cobar just said, down the the only having two months in uniform myself. Thank you.

[Rumpshot]

Compared to a couple of folks on here, I am a latecomer. Joined the US Navy and spent Thanksgiving and Christmas of '68 at Naval Training Center, San Diego. School in Georgia, a couple years at NAS Los Alamitos, CA. Then the USS Coral Sea (CVA-43) in '71. Deployed just before Thanksgiving and arrived in Vietnamese waters about 15 Dec, '71. One of the people I worked with to keep records was the Air Group LSO (landing signal officer). He was shot down on 4 Jan, 72. I took re-enlistment leave and flew home. I saw him on TV on the 6th of Jan. He was a POW.

Anyway to make a long story short. I spent 24 years getting in 20 years to retire with 22 for pay. Retired at NAS Miramar as the Tower Chief in Dec '92. Fully retired in 2002.

Had some real fun times and some not so fun times. 6 1/2 years aboard two aircraft carriers.

Two cruises to Viet Nam. One Indian Ocean cruise (with BE603), a North Pacific cruise to Alaska (110 knot winds over the deck!) and anchored in the bay just off of Anchorage. A photo tour of Kenya including a night half way up Mt. Kilimanjaro.

The Navy has/had(?) two officially sanctioned initiation ceremonies. Chief Petty Officer initiation and Crossing the Line (equator). I had the pleasure of surviving both.

[blackeagle603]

([strike]110[/strike] 114 knot winds over the deck!)


At least on the PLAT... But what's 4 kts among friends.

[308Mike]

As far as I'm concerned, those folks who at least tried went a WHOLE LOT further towards the security of this nation than those who didn't even try. And for even trying, *I* THANK YOU!!! Because without people like you even trying, we wouldn't be able to have the all-volunteer military we have today and be as successful and well trained (because the people WANT to be there), compared to years past (and we've gotten a WHOLE LOT MORE TECHNICAL since then).

Regardless of the reason you got out, no matter how long you served, you STILL served FAR LONGER than over 95% of the US population!! So, even if you didn't serve long, you STILL have reasons to be proud of your service - especially because you VOLUNTEERED in the first damned place!!

THANK YOU!!

[The Wizard]

I was thinking about it and if you broaden the definition of veteran a little bit the entirety of this forum could count, not too many here are chairborne commandos, most actively practice shooting and other needed skills, most prepare in some form or fashion, and I might be wrong but I believe that if Red Dawn happened most of this forum would be wolverines, and those that wouldn't be would be supporting those that are.

Just a thought