Military sound off

[vulcan75001]

Amen.. to that Deb..

 

[lisacsco]

I signed up for the Marines in 84 to leave in summer of 85. I worked my tail off to make it easier for me in boot camp. Could run, not jog, 5 miles. I had two classmates from the year before me helping me. They had gone in the Marines the year before. I would get 1 mile down and they would add another and so on. By the time I got 5 miles down, they added a pack on my back. I was 5' 9", strong as hell, and ran like I was on fire. I was so proud of myself. Those 2 guys kicked my butt...lol. Then 4 months almost to the day I was to leave, I started having petit mal seizures, and recieved a diagnosis of epilespy. I wasnt going to tell the Marines because I wanted in so bad. Then they went into grand mal seizures. And I was forced out. 22 years have passed and it still bothers me to this day I couldnt go. The Marines hold my heart and I wish all the time I could have gone in. I always wondered at the same time, maybe it wasnt suppose to be but when my brother went in 2 years later and was thru with boot camp and home from time to time, he said to me one day, 'you would have loved it, you really would have'.

 

[deejaydebi]

I can empathize Lisa. Jessie actually went into OCS USMC and had to graduate in the top 10 to get a height waver - she missed by 2 points on her finally and is still sad about it 37 years later!

 

[lisacsco]

That is so terribly sad....

At least I know I am not the only one for still thinking about missing out after all this time.
You can let her know, she is not alone.

Lisa

 

[blackhawk19]

Jim, heres another story from the site, these were all my friends but I left
country in Oct and it was years before I knew this happened
http://www.187thahc.net/Stories/Trialbyfirestory.htm

 

[richtee]

FASCINATING!
You Might Not Ever Guess

Captain Kangaroo passed away on January 23, 2004 as age 76 , which is odd, because he always looked to be 76. (DOB: 6/27/27 ) His death reminded me of the following story.

Some people have been a bit offended that the actor, Lee Marvin, is buried in a grave alongside 3 and 4 star generals at Arlington National Cemetery . His marker gives his name, rank (PVT) and service (USMC). Nothing else. Here's a guy who was only a famous movie star who served his time, why the heck does he rate burial with these guys? Well, following is the amazing answer:

I always liked Lee Marvin, but didn't know the extent of his Corps experiences.

In a time when many Hollywood stars served their country in the armed forces often in rear echelon posts where they were carefully protected, only to be trotted out to perform for the cameras in war bond promotions, Lee Marvin was a genuine hero. He won the Navy Cross at Iwo Jima There is only one higher Naval award... the Medal Of Honor


If that is a surprising comment on the true character of the man, he credits his sergeant with an even greater show of bravery.

Dialog from "The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson": His guest was Lee Marvin Johnny said, "Lee, I'll bet a lot of people are unaware that you were a Marine in the initial landing at Iwo Jima ..and that during the course of that action you earned the Navy Cross and were severely wounded."


"Yeah, yeah... I got shot square in the bottom and they gave me the Cross for securing a hot spot about halfway up Suribachi. Bad thing about getting shot up on a mountain is guys getting' shot hauling you down. But,Johnny, at Iwo I served under the bravest man I ever knew... We both got the cross the same day, but what he did for his Cross made mine look cheap in comparison. That dumb guy actually stood up on Red beach and directed his troops to move forward and get the hell off the beach. Bullets flying by, with mortar rounds landing everywhere and he stood there as the main target of gunfire so that he could get his men to safety. He did this on more than one occasion because his men's safety was more important than his own life.
That Sergeant and I have been lifelong friends. When they brought me off Suribachi we passed the Sergeant and he lit a smoke and passed it to me, lying on my belly on the litter and said, where'd they get you Lee?' Well Bob... if you make it home be fore me, tell Mom to sell the outhouse!"
Johnny, I'm not lying, Sergeant Keeshan was the bravest man I ever knew.
The Sergeant's name is Bob Keeshan. You and the world know him as Captain Kangaroo."
<On another note, there was this wimpy little man (who just passed away) on PBS, gentle and quiet. Mr. Rogers is another of those you would least suspect of being anything but what he now portrays to our youth. But Mr. Rogers was a U.S. Navy Seal, combat-proven in Vietnam with over twenty-five confirmed kills to his name. He wore a long-sleeved sweater on TV, to cover the many tattoos on his forearm and biceps. He was a master in small arms and hand-to-hand combat, able to disarm or kill in a heartbeat

After the war Mr. Rogers became an ordained Presbyterian minister and therefore a pacifist. Vowing to never harm another human and also dedicating the rest of his life to trying to help lead children on the right path in life. He hid away the tattoos and his past life and won our hearts with his quiet wit and charm.
America's real heroes don't flaunt what they did; they quietly go about their day-to-day lives, doing what they do best They earned our respect and the freedoms that we all enjoy.
Look around and see if you can find one of those heroes in your midst.
Often, they are the ones you'd least suspect, but would most like to have on your side if anything ever happened
Take the time to thank anyone that has fought for our freedom. With encouragement they could be the next Captain Kangaroo or Mr.Rogers


Send this on will you please? Nothing will happen to you if you don't but it will tell what a HERO is made of.

 

[gypsyseagod]

lisa, you can always go into a vfw or american legion hall & take a plate of goodies, or volunteer to do anything & though it's not the same- we know ya wanted to & ya tried & well.... yer still a patriot,an american, a damn good person, back ina day they 4-f'd ya for being flatfooted...

 

[lisacsco]

Thanks Gypsy :) I am always into something at the base (AF) and I make 200-300 Valentines for the Vets in the hospital on Valentines Day at Fort Carson every year and I get my co-workers to help me. I fly my flag at my home everyday and it has a light on it for the night time. I support our soldiers :)


Lisa

 

[gypsyseagod]

p.s. lisa- just so you know - even if ya didn't serve- if you have an immediate family member- up to grandparent who did & is still alive... they can sign off on you to join the a.l. hall and those are great cheap places for a beer w/ a lot of vets & families thereof. and even though i am not a member of the vfw- cause i never served in a foreign war ( now korea,vietnam, & grenada have been included) i still go & pay great respect to our brothers & sisters in arms and 1 thing i used to do when i lived back in corpus christi-i'd go to the airport 1 day a week,and any uniformed man or woman got a welcome home drink from me.

 

[lisacsco]

my grandmother made me a lifetime member when I was about 8 years old :)

I can remember helping her there when I was really young until I was in my early 20's when I moved out of state. I loved Bingo night...lol

 

[gypsyseagod]

oh those old ladies are mean..... i learned quickfast never to sell fresh shrimp to bingo ladies... sell to the husbands & they can make the wives clean them later- lol the only thing tougher than a marine.... is his wife.

 

[lisacsco]

LOLOLOLOLOLOL

 

[watery eyes]

Served in the United States Air Force from 1981 - 1989

I was first an Aircraft Electrician on F-15's, F-16's and F-4's - then I went into Digital Electronics working on the terrain Following Radar system of the F-111.

Did all of my time state side out west - just missed going to Korea(darn) and my only overseas base for the F-111 was England.

I have many, many, many stories and can even tell a few in mixed company. I treasure every day that I served and the experience that made me the person I am today.


Question - if you never served overseas can you still be a member of the American Legion or Veteran of Foreign Wars?

 

[gypsyseagod]

the "law"- statute is still changing- it's a screwed up deal(in my opinion) i remember my uncle coming hone from "south east asia"- they were heroes to me & thats what made me join ( other than my grandfather volunterring @ 8:01 am on dec. 8th,1941- i always thought korea & vietnam were wars- just ask a serviceperson.... to me any skirmish,conflict,firefight- brother for brother against another, deserves our nation's highest honors & respect..... i won't tell war stories & laughs or any other story here ( those are mine) but the "war on *****" and central america- it's the same as it is now.... for the last 45 years- americans do not dare get taken prisoner..... i'll leave it @ that- let's leave the b.s. to congress- i have respect for 2 men in all our govt.- our president- cause he is, & john mccain- cause he did. on a lighter note- what f-4's ? i always loved the f4f & f-4e know a private owner in ft. worth texas- member of the conf. airforce.

 

[gypsyseagod]

according to congress & the monthly vfw mag.- korea & southeast asia police action(what a tag) as of about 3-4 years ago were allowed vfw membership,along w/ the grenada "operation", and i think(don't qoute me) anyone that served u.s. deployment to bosnia(for the u.n. peacekeeping force)desert storm,afghan, & current deployments in "the war on terror" are also included. i hate to get into it big time but to me - anyone that served on foreign soil w/ our flag on their shoulder- should be included. but then again- ya walk into a v, or a.l. hall- no one will dispute your service to the flag or the principles under which you serve or served.- or would serve again.

 

[flagriller]

Thanks. I'm making it a personal goal to read every story written there. I'm almost half through. I've worked with several Viet Nam vets in the past, and the stories and expierences they've told me are really interesting. I had one not to long ago talk with me for about three hours, and afterwards he looked me right in the eyse and said, and I quote, "ya know, I've never told anyone some, well most of the things I've just told you." I huged him and thanked him ever so gratefully.

 

[shellbellc]

Seem like there were a few of us

that served at the

same time, I was 3/87 - 6/91, USMC! Boot Camp at PI, 3 months in the heat of summer at 29 Palms, one year in Okinawa, with a little visit to S.Korea, Camp Lejeune from 88 - 91 with a couple visits back to 29 Palms and to the bigger sanbox in Saudi/Kuwait. Wouldn't trade my experiences for anything in the world...

Lisa, we had a girl in boot camp that made it all the way through, literally one week to graduation, she was our guide on and everything, found out she was pregnant, wouldn't let her graduate and she never received the title of Marine, in my opinion, she certainly earned it though. She named her daughter after our Sr DI! She was so upset at going through all of that and not getting it...

 

[shellbellc]

By the way, any Marines out there, please visit the link below, it's a website for all Marines, there are over 100,000+ registered. If you do sign up though, if there is some place to mention that I invited you, I'm shellchris on that site, or Cpl Michelle Christman...any doc's out there that served with the FMF, please sign up also!

http://marines.togetherweserved.com/usmc/index.jsp

 

[shellbellc]

I'm the Commander of our local VFW, I qualify from over in Desert Storm, for the VFW you had to have served overseas in a theatre of war, e.g., Korean War, actually served in country (and actually is still considered eligible of you serve today over there).

For the legion, you had to have served one day of active duty during the dates below...

Aug 2,1990 - Open
Dec 20,1989 - Jan 31,1990
Aug 24,1982 - July 31,1984
Feb 28,1961 - May 7,1975
June 25,1950 - Jan 31,1955
Dec 7,1941 - Dec 31,1946
Apr 6,1917 - Nov 11,1918

 

[retired newbie]

Thanks CPL, Shellbellc for the information on togetherweserved. I just completed the form to join and updated my status. I joined as SSG John McCown. Thanks and Semper Fi