Military

[slimmer13]

Like I've said before there are lots of ways to be of service to your country. Not calling anyone out or pretending to know anyone's heart but I suspect that a lot of guys who regret not serving in the military (guilty of this a bit myself) feel that way for self serving reasons, rather than a noble selfless regret for not serving.

I think for some it's a macho thing. They are jealous of the reverence being a vet commands. They wonder how they would have stacked up being tested in the ultimate manhood measuring contest. Being able to say you were there and a warrior sounds bad a$$.

Could be full of crap, who knows, just a random thought.

 

[EPS]

Don't worry folks you may get your chance haven't you heard some people are planning a over throw of the government lol #civil war hehehe I live in a target rich environment thank God I'm buying lots of ammo on the 19th

 

[EPS]

Antifa please please please let me run the streets shooting guys in skinny jeans and there hair in a bun please let this happen LOL

 

[Andy54Hawken]

I can say that at least in my experience , being shot at and shooting back , did not make me feel like a warrior , hero , bad azz etc...
( I can see how it might sound like this to others... Just saying it was not that way for me )

Being shot at and shooting back , to me now after many years of reflection , simply means that I shot better than the enemy and had some luck and skill on my side...
Again to me , its not something I make a big deal about....
Granted this is how I feel now at 48 ... I had different feelings when I was just out of the Army.
Andy

 

[EPS]

I can say that at least in my experience , being shot at and shooting back , did not make me feel like a warrior , hero , bad azz etc...
( I can see how it might sound like this to others... Just saying it was not that way for me )

Being shot at and shooting back , to me now after many years of reflection , simply means that I shot better than the enemy and had some luck and skill on my side...
Again to me , its not something I make a big deal about....
Granted this is how I feel now at 48 ... I had different feelings when I was just out of the Army.
Andy

Yep the one time I got shot at or was it the second time I can't remember but both times was scary lol did I mention I used to be a dumbass running around Tacoma bar's you don't need to join the military to get shot at if that's the rush your looking for joining the military is more than that your making a choice to serve all of us all over the world

 

[EPS]

I have three newphew that were shot lol gang bangers are stupid now they are older and tell me every time I see them they should have listened to me they were shot in drive-by shooting s the youngest was shot when he was 13 mmmmmm and I have two newphews in prison for shooting people in West Seattle and Tacoma mmmmmm

 

[EPS]

Maybe if they would have made the choice to join the military like I told them go learn something they might not be in prison some people need someone to take charge and teach them something obviously I was not it maybe a drill sergeant could have changed there ways we will never know

 

[Oathkeeper1775]

People who think they may have missed something by not serving in the military....

Try moving to Oregon or anywhere for the 1st time and starting a new type of life at 40...

No friends
No family (not all that bad..)
No House
No Land
No Job (2nd career).
Not familiar with local hunting
Not familiar with local angling
Totally blind to far left Catholicism
Totally blind to far left politics
Don't know any:
Bankers
Realtors
Doctors
Dentists
Lawyers
Auto Shops
Car Dealers
Contractors
Plumbers
Electricians
Bar tenders...

You think you made new friends until they all stop talking every time you enter the room....

I gladly left my home town in 79; but it cost me a lot of familiarity that staying in one town/city/area has to offer.

Edit: no regrets!

 

[EPS]

People who think they may have missed something by not serving in the military....

Try moving to Oregon or anywhere for the 1st time and starting a new type of life at 40...

No friends
No family (not all that bad..)
No House
No Land
No Job (2nd career).
Not familiar with local hunting
Not familiar with local angling
Totally blind to far left Catholicism
Totally blind to far left politics
Don't know any:
Bankers
Realtors
Doctors
Dentists
Lawyers
Auto Shops
Car Dealers
Contractors
Plumbers
Electricians
Bar tenders...

You think you made new friends until they all stop talking every time you enter the room....

I gladly left my home town in 79; but it cost me a lot of familiarity that staying in one town/city/area has to offer.

Put on some skinny jeans grow your hair long put it in a bun smoke weed 5 or 6 times a day go to anti Trump protest in Portland and you will make friends lol but there not going to help you in the hunting areas lol WHY DO YOU HUNT BRO YOU CAN GO BUY MEAT AT THE STORE THEY MAKE IT THERE LOL

 

[Oathkeeper1775]

Put on some skinny jeans grow your hair long put it in a bun smoke weed 5 or 6 times a day go to anti Trump protest in Portland and you will make friends lol but there not going to help you in the hunting areas lol WHY DO YOU HUNT BRO YOU CAN GO BUY MEAT AT THE STORE THEY MAKE IT THERE LOL

 

[Ura-Ki]

Or, you come back home after 20 years, and the home It is, isn' even close to what it was! Every thing went side ways, and every one has changed! Your "Friends " all think you abandoned them and then suddenly there you are, and they don' even care!
Best thing thing I did was leave OryGun, and I don' regret it at all, but I do really miss you guys, and have been enjoying meeting every One while I'm on a Non-Vacation back in the PNW

 

[cigars]

QUOTE="Oregonhunter5, post: 1805962, member: 6563"]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.[/QUOTE]
To be a great American there's no requirement to have served in the military. Your actions and behavior will prove your mettle. Don't sweat it. Being a good
neighbor, parent, son/daughter and citizen is bigly
important too. We're screwed as a country without such excellent folks.

 

[CoastRange57]

I tried to enlist in the Airforce in 1975 with a pilots license. I wore glasses and was an only child and they were RIFing people like crazy after Vietnam. They wanted nothing to do with me and I was not interested in the other services. Did the college thing and got jobs, married and kids. Became a volunteer firefighter / EMT and then was a paid one for a while.

In 2005 two of my sons joined the Marine Corps and then a third one in 2007. Tough bastards they are, lot more so that I was at their age. Two were deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan at the same time. 11 months of that. I too feel guilty that they and all you other guys took this on, my Dad went ashore at Normandy as did my father on law, and I did not do a gdamn thing as far as protecting or serving our country.

The only way I can make up for that is to serve those who have served in what ever way I can. I have worked at the USO, I support warfighters.org , I support the local VFW and Legion with donations, I participate in work days for disabled veterans, but it is all pretty small really. I know the brotherhood feelings from my time in fire service and can imagine how much more intense they would be in combat situations. I don't let it get me down, but my dedication to serving veterans will be a life long thing with me.

My contributions do not amount to a knats azz, I am grateful for all who have served.

 

[CountryGent]

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

^ Nailed it. Words of wisdom.

And I'd add you might want to check out Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) as an option. Godspeed.

 

[cigars]

I tried to enlist in the Airforce in 1975 with a pilots license. I wore glasses and was an only child and they were RIFing people like crazy after Vietnam. They wanted nothing to do with me and I was not interested in the other services. Did the college thing and got jobs, married and kids. Became a volunteer firefighter / EMT and then was a paid one for a while.

In 2005 two of my sons joined the Marine Corps and
then a third one in 2007. Tough bastards they are, lot
more so that I was at their age. Two were deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan at the same time. 11 months of that. I too feel guilty that they and all you other guys took this on, my Dad went ashore at Normandy as did my father on law, and I did not do a gdamn thing as far as protecting or serving our country.


The only way I can make up for that is to serve those who have served in what ever way I can. I have worked at the USO, I support warfighters.org , I support the local VFW and Legion with donations, I participate in
work days for disabled veterans, but it is all pretty small really. I know the brotherhood feelings from my time in fire service and can imagine how much more intense they would be in combat situations. I don't let it get me down, but my dedication to serving veterans will be a life long thing with me.


My contributions do not amount to a knats azz, I am grateful for all who have served.

Sounds like to me that you raised some mighty fine children who went on to serve their country admirably. You are indeed a great father and patriot. If you were my neighbor it would be the greatest honor.

 

[CoastRange57]

Thank you sir, I appreciate it. I did try and raise them right and feel it worked well. Somehow they picked up the slack I left out there. You are right a patriot can serve in many different ways and I am honored you would call me that.

 

[Ura-Ki]

It takes a whole lot of good folks, Patriots to support the military. You don' have to serve in the Mil. But there is so much that can be do e to support it. The Ship yards, aircraft manuacturing, ground vehicles construction, ect...... all are vital needs and are absolutely nesessary for the mil to do its job. There is great need for all the support that makes our nations military the best in the world, and with out that, we wouldn' have gotten where we are today!

 

[BillGabby1]

The Marines Motto "Semper Fi", "Ever Faithful"
Is one we all should try to live up to, whether you served or not.
Over the years that has truly struck a chord with me and as an old fart
I still try to help those who need it most, at the time I'm there to give a hand.
So you can still be Ever Faithful in your daily lives!
I was Navy and had lots of Jar Head buddies, and one of my proudest moments was being selected by the M.C. leader of our ships Landing Party to march in the Armed Forces Day parade down Fifth Avenue NY wearing Lance Corporal stripes and full dress blues. They were impressed with my abilities enough to honor me by inviting me along to fill out their ranks. Not really anything to brag about but it is one of my fondest memories, being a Marine for a day! Damn they have the sharpest uniforms too!
Another kick for me is my ship now resides in NY and is now the Air and Space Museum, often starring in TV cop shows as the venue for chases down shipboard passageways HALLS to you lubbers. The Fighting I, USS Intrepid CVS-11, Essex class A/C Carrier , my home for a year and a half prior to my Honorable Discharge in 1964, what a long time ago, seems almost like yesterday.
Gabby

 

[CoastRange57]

They told us at the boys boot camp graduation that when you get the Marine you get the whole family. There was over 5,000 people at each of our boys graduations. I have been flying a Marine Corps flag in front of my place, ( under the US flag of course) and over the last 12 years, I have had 3 guys pull into my driveway and say they saw the flag and knew it was OK it contact me. One needed a place to park some work trucks for a couple weeks, the other was working construction close by and the other was just cruising around.

Flying the flag means Marines are welcome at all times and can find sanctuary and comfort there, and I have no problem providing it for them, knowing full well the place is better protected then I have had Army guys stop too, all branches are welcome at my place.

 

[orygun]

I don't have regrets, but I certainly do wonder what would have come about if I had joined the military right out of high school. I'd taken the ASVAB tests and apparently had scored highly. Recruiters were calling all of the time and I turned them down... I shouldn't have. My respect to all that did serve.

Still, I'm happy with the path I've taken.