Real Life Military Experience

[Robert Vermaat]

Ha! Good for you!

[hoplite14gr]

Charles you scored more points in my esteem.
It is more difficult to make a stand in peace-time and you are doing it.
Laudes for you.

Kind regards

[stevesarak]

hmmm, On Thursday I was told to stop dwelling on my 12 years of military service, and to "just throw away" the bullet my body armor stopped. Also asked to not wear my Disabled Veteran's hat into the University meeting! Obviously, even close to Veteran's Day here in the USA, there are many of my countrymen who don't want to think about serving in the military. Most of them seem to be teachers of higher education, passing their lack of patriotism and service to the best and brightest of the next generations.

You know, almost every man I met in FSU countires was a veteran, (except for those under 30)...

If you are a veteran in ths USA you are being encouraged to wear your ribbons or medals on Saturday 11 November to make the public aware of the number of veterans in the population. One of my Ukrainian friends has polished off all of his Soviet medlas to wear, he says "why not, I'm a veteran, too".

I’m sure you don’t hear this enough, but thanks for what you did.

[Matt Lukes]

hmmm, On Thursday I was told to ... "just throw away" the bullet my body armor stopped.

hock: Wow- given that body armor wasn't really intended to save the wearer from bullets until the inclusion of ceramic plates, that's pretty amazing- how can anyone not understand having 'special place' for the one that didn't get you?

And kudos for your lack of diplomacy :wink:

[A_Volpe]

I never did go into the service...I had always "dreamed" of doing so when I was a kid, being an A-10 Hog Driver, or an AV-8B Harrier pilot, but it was not to be.

But I appreciate everything that all of you in the service have done for me, so all I can say is a huge THANK YOU. Being in Reenactment has given me much to think about and be grateful for, portraying life as a soldier on the weekend.

In our group, we currently have some members on active duty in the "sand box", and I never thought I would have met so many Veterans when I got into reenacting, nevermind the near dozen in our group alone. I also never thought I would know anyone currently in service, now I know some, and I'm still [amazed] that not a day goes by I don't think of that, and how I hope they all come back.

[Magnus]

I was in the Canadian Army Reserves, Lincoln and Welland Regiment (infantry and recce) for 5 years, attaining the rank of Corporal. Had a chance to go overseas but didn't because of a stupid girl. But that's another story...lol.

There is a movement going around about some of these peace-niks wearing white poppies that say something stupid about "peace" on the petals. And they have the gall to wear them on the same day as Remembrance Day. Like are you F**king kidding me? Why don't you just find the closest veteran and take a turd on his shoe as he walks by.

Far too many people, especially some younger generations have forgotten where we've had to go through, to get where we are today. It really ticks me off to see these big mouthed teens showing absolutely no respect to anything (including themselves), meanwhile, in every major war people their exact same age were doing things that can only be measured on a heroic scale (even though some of these acts were also terrible), in order to ensure we have the good life we enjoy today.

It also galls me to think, that many people can't see the harsh reality that peace can sometimes be found only on the other side of war.

I think for every person who protests wars and so on, should be rounded up and made to serve in front-line combat units. If they're still upset about war after that..fine, but at least then they'd have an idea of what they were talking about.

Sorry, didn't mean to turn this into a rant...I just hate tree-hugging peace humpers.

[Caius Valens]

Hello Caius here, I was also in the Canadain Forces Military Reserves, for a number of years roughly 10. I was an Infantryman. I was also in the Naval Reseve for a peroid of time(3 years). I reached the rank of Corperal in the Army Reserves and Leading Seamen in the Naval Reserves. I wish I was back in, now that we are fighting in Afangstain. I miss many aspects of the Military life. Take care Caius/Thomas

[M.H. White]

/salute to all the veterans

Being a student of classical military history, it is my continual shame that I didn't join the army after high school, or do ROTC. Because of a girl, for the most part(still with her 3 years later, so I guess it wasn't a totally bad call).

[MARCvSVIBIvSMAvRINvS]

very true! no matter what my opinion on the sand-boxes war is, and no matter how happy i am that the democrats finally won to form a voice to speak up to the war-mongerors and hawks in your present day government, I do have the utmost respect for all the guys and girls out there laying their lives on the line at the moment, and who have done so in the past!!!

I know a lot of veterans, and one of them (82nd WWII) startled me a while ago saying that looking at the world situation and the home country situation at this moment, he sometimes didnt feel they made a difference at all back then.


so a big yea to the veterans and the soldiers of today, and a big NO to the politicians!

tree hugging peace-humpers should be crucified!

(if they like trees that much!) :twisted:

M.VIB.M.

[Restitvtvs]

U.S. Army 1975-1985; USA & BRD.

I salute those who honorably serve/served in military & civilian armed services for truly just & honorable causes.

I also salute those who non-violently serve/served in civilian life and/or services (unarmed) to stand up for truly just & honorable causes, despite unjust threats and violent (sometimes deadly) attacks against them, their families, their friends, and/or others. +r

[Ioannis]

WOW! Thank you all for contributing to this board! I didn't expect to see so many people with some sort of military experience.

[Johnny Shumate]

Tried to enlist back in '85 but I failed my physical. My spine is shaped like a pretzel..!
Johnny

[mcbishop]

I did the RAF officer selection course at Biggin Hill back in 1976 and failed miserably. The problem was mainly the eyesight, but my lack of enthusiasm for killing others can't have helped.

Mike Bishop

[Tarbicus]

I think for every person who protests wars and so on, should be rounded up and made to serve in front-line combat units. If they're still upset about war after that..fine, but at least then they'd have an idea of what they were talking about.

A bit harsh ain't it Matt? How would you like it if someone forced you to hug a tree for a week?

[Cornelius Quintus]

Far too many people, especially some younger generations have forgotten where we've had to go through, to get where we are today.

Ave Matt,

cool statement while stating your personal age being 29 ;-) )

I think for every person who protests wars and so on, should be rounded up and made to serve in front-line combat units. If they're still upset about war after that..fine, but at least then they'd have an idea of what they were talking about.

Funny, another theory is nearly the same, just changing ‘protest’ into ‘politician’ and ‘upset’ into ‘praising’…

It’s a pity that you can’t talk with my late dad about that. He had some personal reasons to disagree with any kind of war. But you perhaps would have agreed, that his experiences were obviously not comparable to what he could have learned if he had been in the Canadian Army Reserves :wink:

BTW – he was awarded a medal for rescuing some people out of a burning house (when he was 15), was sent into war when he was 16, lost his best friend in the first weeks, served with eight-eight AA guns against Tanks, when his unit was fatally mixed up by Russian T 34’s, was invented to a free 5 years and 6 month holiday in Siberia by ‘Stalin tours’ (including stay in a luxurious five star asbest mine), luckily returned home as one of six (which started as party of nearly 150 kids – another way to lose your playfellows), and when the train from Russia back to home reached the German border, had to hand over his last cigarettes to the customs, because he wasn’t able to pay the tax…

He never hated the army or the Russians (lots of Russians dissidents were killed in that Siberian Camps, too). But he saw enough of the real face of war, far from politician’s speeches and bar-table discussions, to stay away from any further commitment in such action.

So perhaps not all who dislike war are much younger than you and without any front-line experiences.

Good news: I’m no peace-nik, but highly respect modern democratic soldiers who risk their lives to ensure peace. And as a hobby pilot, my dad kept away from any tree by at least thirty meters vertically. :lol: