Military

[Oregonhunter5]

kinda got emotional tonight. I see a marine commercial and I have so many regrets I didn't know what I know now then. I would of joined either that branch or the navy. Really really irritated I didn't have that opportunity to serve and to learn some valuable lessons about life.

Read More

 

[slimmer13]

kinda got emotional tonight. I see a marine commercial and I have so many regrets I didn't know what I know now then. I would of joined either that branch or the navy. Really really irritated I didn't have that opportunity to serve and to learn some valuable lessons about life.

It's not too late to serve in other ways. Volunteer EMT, fire, SAR are always looking for people and can be rewarding.

 

[clearconscience]

I feel the same way. I think about it everyday.
Only way I know to give back now is helping Vets in any way I can.

 

[Joe13]

kinda got emotional tonight. I see a marine commercial and I have so many regrets I didn't know what I know now then. I would of joined either that branch or the navy. Really really irritated I didn't have that opportunity to serve and to learn some valuable lessons about life.

Try living with joining and getting an honorable medical discharge before you really even got started.

 

[Medic!]

Don't feel bad. I picked up the slack and joined both the Navy and the Army.
I still can't tell you what the heck was going through my mind back in those days.

There are so many possible paths to take when you're a young person.
And your right. You don't know then, what you do now. Nobody dose.

Anyways before you know it your well down some path.
Then you blink, and your 50.

As long as you turned out all right. Then you need not feel any sorrow.

 

[edslhead]

I thought I was the luckiest kid on earth when I got my draft number. Thinking back now, I might have grown up a lot faster If I'd served. Not many wanted to go to Nam back then.

 

[Oathkeeper1775]

A former lieutenant (and dear brother in arms) sent me a photo today; he the Platoon Leader, me the Platoon Sergeant, and our Senior Scout. Two of our 10 HMMWVs.

We were in our prime; serving in Germany. A blank check for fuel, ammo, weapons, night vision, explosives, rockets, missiles, food, equipment, etc.

We were away from our families just over 200 days/year x3 years.

6 minute miles, benching 270, long ruck-marches, played rugby and soccer, slammed each other in the sawdust pit....

Waiting for the commies to cross the border....

The commies had already invaded the US and we didn't realize it...

What I would give to be young again.

 

[Ura-Ki]

Enlisted in 88, retired in 2008! Got voluntold to try out for P.J. school, so I did, and was hooked! Had no idea what I was getting into, but found out when the medical school started! I don' regret any part and would make the same choices again, knowing what I know know!
There is no shame in choosing another path, there are so many choices we could make at 18 years old, and it' not always clear!
I always tell youngsters contemplating service, it's risky in a lot of jobs, not just combat jobs, and as long as you have both eyes open when making that choice, then it' an honorable thing to do! And if they decide it's not the life they want, then it' ok not to!
Both my son' are currently serving, my oldest just re upped and is going for his 20, my youngest is a year and a half away from that choice, and I believe he will also re up! I'm extremely proud of them, and they are continuing the family tradition of every male serving!

 

[Caveman Jim]

I made the decision to join when I was about 4 years old, I wanted to be just like my Dad, a SF green beret commando.
Before I enlisted we would talk about what was happening in the world & our country and he steered me away from combat duty because we were in peace time.
I don't regret serving but I regret not serving my 20 as both my brothers had......

As long as a person supports our troops and Vets he should regret nothing.

 

[Andy54Hawken]

Far be it from me to say how someone should feel....So please do not take this the wrong way.

I wouldn't worry about not serving in the military.
You can't go back and change things and dwelling too much on life in the past , can cause you to lose sight of life in the present.

Service to others takes many forms.
You can give part of yourself to helping your local community , church , visiting a old folks home , meals on wheels....that sorta thing.
What little you give to someone everyday may mean the world to them.
Andy

 

[ageingstudent]

Far be it from me to say how someone should feel....So please do not take this the wrong way.

I wouldn't worry about not serving in the military.
You can't go back and change things and dwelling too much on life in the past , can cause you to lose sight of life in the present.

Service to others takes many forms.
You can give part of yourself to helping your local community , church , visiting a old folks home , meals on wheels....that sorta thing.
What little you give to someone everyday may mean the world to them.
Andy

Some serve so others don't have to (not many). Some just want the GI bill. I just couldn't wait to get away from Aloha. Then I couldn't get back soon enough.

It was good for me though. It's a real wake up call for a 19-year-old running from nothing towards nothing. As someone who served I appreciate the sentiment from the OP but don't sweat it brother. You can still serve in other ways and and show some esprit de corp. You're an American Citizen with a vote and that makes you different and part of something greater right there.

If you really want the experience though I am sure Andy would be happy to come over and yell at you and tell you things you don't want to know about yourself and family while you do pushups until sweaty and then make you roll around in a sand pit and call you 'sugar cookie' for the rest of the day. Good times...

 

[cooper]

Poncho and Lefty. .....now that takes me back. My late Wife loved that song...me too.playing in my head....and they POOR poncho down.
GOING TO BE A GOOD AM

 

[Oregonhunter5]

Poncho and Lefty. .....now that takes me back. My late Wife loved that song...me too.playing in my head....and they POOR poncho down.
GOING TO BE A GOOD AM

Top 10 song of all time. Album in fact.

 

[cooper]

Crack in up...yep I have the album.

 

[etrain16]

kinda got emotional tonight. I see a marine commercial and I have so many regrets I didn't know what I know now then. I would of joined either that branch or the navy. Really really irritated I didn't have that opportunity to serve and to learn some valuable lessons about life.

I feel that way myself sometimes, have said as much on the forum before. I know my life had another path planned that didn't involve the military, but I still feel like I missed out on something that would have been important. Looking back, there is a chance I may have gotten a medical discharge as during the time I would have been in, I was diagnosed as a diabetic (Type 1 I later found out), so I may not have been able to be in anyway. I also think about the fact that I would have gone in in 1987, which would have had me in during the 1st Gulf War - would I have ended up over there? Who knows. Could have been something I didn't come back from.

To top it off, my father, a Vietnam vet, was mixed on the idea of me going in. He had some good and some very bad experiences in the military, and while he said he would do it again, he wasn't sure if he wanted to encourage me to follow in that same path.

As always, I'm thankful for our military and for all those that serve. For me, it wasn't in the plan, but I won't let that get me down since there are so many other ways to help and serve others.

 

[Oathkeeper1775]

Guilty feelings may be a factor!

I've had many conversations with war survivors who told me they felt guilty for.....surviving.

Soldiers who made it back from China-Burma-India (Merrill's Marauders), or Korea (Rakkasans), or Hamburger Hill (Rakkasans), or Omaha Beach.......and they felt guilty.....?

Really?

So I asked LTC(R) Robert Murray about my own guilty feelings....(that persist ).

LTC(R) Murray commanded the 4th Ranger Battalion in WWII. He told me:

"The hills on Sicily we're not that high, but we still had to climb them".

Guilty feelings may not be the best, the most productive, or the most popular, but they are natural.

LTC(R) Murray told me that all we can do is do our job (whatever it is), do it well, and be satisfied with our role...our part as history unfolds.

G

 

[EPS]

Poncho and Lefty. .....now that takes me back. My late Wife loved that song...me too.playing in my head....and they POOR poncho down.
GOING TO BE A GOOD AM

Not s huge country fan but love Willie and that song

 

[EPS]

As for service I didn't do it came real close to the Navy but didn't do it I have guys I work with and lots of friends that did kinda jealous of some of there story's lol

 

[Oathkeeper1775]

Well, to underscore a key concept hit-on by one of Andy's comments and those of LTC(R) Murray; don't be distracted by the past.

Don't let thoughts of the past interfere with the task at hand.

Focus on doing well until the current mission is complete.

Another thought is floating around in my mind, but the memory comes and goes (a few head injuries.).

Ah....nope, cannot capture that thought..

But it's not too late; we can focus on the next generation; we may not be the "Spearhead" of the next amphibious assault on Anzio, but we can still finish strong!

 

[EPS]

Even though I never served I much respect for those that did and are serving my sister was coast guard my dad and all Uncles grandfather got the full on military funeral flag 21 gun for his service in military and after working at JPL