In The USA Today We Honor all Veterans

[JBonez]

made bm1 in 4 1/2 years, never got paid for it, just a frocked first class, then my wife said no more navy and i got out.

e3 out of bootcamp
e4 6 months after reporting to command
e5 one year later, made it first time up, dont know how, i guess the ep helped.
e6 2 years later, assumed rank, but never got paid for it. oh well! ep again!

 

[mojosat]

I made E6 (SSG) in about 22 months but tabbed guys maxed out on points so promotion boards were just a formality. Spent time in Somalia, Haiti, Central America, Sinai, and Afghanistan. Glad to be out, but not a day goes by that I don't miss something about it. You just cant make friends in the civilian world the way you did in the military.

 

[JBonez]

I made E6 (SSG) in about 22 months but tabbed guys maxed out on points so promotion boards were just a formality. Spent time in Somalia, Haiti, Central America, Sinai, and Afghanistan. Glad to be out, but not a day goes by that I don't miss something about it. You just cant make friends in the civilian world the way you did in the military.

dang, thought i was a hard charger.

and that is true man, i stay in touch with my buddies i was in with, something about living with your friends for 4 years, you cant get a closer bond in the civilian world, i guess, i mean, the things we saw and experienced, no one goes through that.

 

[mojosat]

U.S. Navy Seabee here

NMCB-1 'First And The Finest' Alpha Dawg 50cal gunner...

yup..

Give the skinny guy the big gun...seems logical.

Thats always the way. Every 240 gunner I ever knew was a shrimpy guy, something about the napolean complex that makes them hump further then guys a foot taller I guess.

 

[blancolighter]

Oh man, seabees. I got to have the pleasure of being attached with some seabees in Thailand, best time of my life, seabees do some partyin.

Marine combatt engineer here, seargent of Marines, nice to see so many of Uncle Sams children still serving by growing some of the countries better herb!

 

[jb247]

Thanks for the thank you, I did my stint in 'Nam, got to see places like Saigon, Pleiku and Nha Trang...still look back on that time as one of the most exciting, eye opening times of my life...got spit on when I came home at SeaTac airport, but folks have mellowed out about our involvement in that ungodly war...no hard feelings on either side

Peace...j.b.

 

[JBonez]

Thanks for the thank you, I did my stint in 'Nam, got to see places like Saigon, Pleiku and Nha Trang...still look back on that time as one of the most exciting, eye opening times of my life...got spit on when I came home at SeaTac airport, but folks have mellowed out about our involvement in that ungodly war...no hard feelings on either side

Peace...j.b.

My hats off to you brother, and thanks for your service, i was fortunate to serve in a somewhat less hectic time i suppose.

 

[mojosat]

I have seen both sides of the coin towards vets and to tell you the truth sometimes I think I would rather be spit on. It just makes me so uncomfortable when complete strangers come up to me and thank me for my service. I have a Purple Heart plate on my car and am thinking about getting rid of it because I can't go the grocery store without some stranger asking me about it, and about 70 percent of the time they follow it up with the "did you kill anyone" line.

I know most are well intentioned, but I darn sure did not serve or fight for them and therefore feel embarresed about being thanked. Most people don't understand that when the bullets start to fly, regardless of your reason for joining, politics, God, country, all that goes out the window. It becomes about you and the guys on your left and right.

 

[JBonez]

If i could thank you more, i would.

 

[The Effen Gee]

Glad to be out, but not a day goes by that I don't miss something about it. You just cant make friends in the civilian world the way you did in the military.

I hear that.

 

[The Effen Gee]

I know most are well intentioned, but I darn sure did not serve or fight for them and therefore feel embarresed about being thanked. Most people don't understand that when the bullets start to fly, regardless of your reason for joining, politics, God, country, all that goes out the window. It becomes about you and the guys on your left and right.

...I REALLY hear that...

 

[blancolighter]

Yea, its nice being in an orginization where everyone you see, whether you have met them or not, whether they like you or not, they're all ready to take a bullet for you. I miss that kind of comradery.