All Veterans

[NATO AIR]

The fact that you are active duty means you will be a vet, no matter what.

i see. i always just drew a line of distinction between myself and folks like my parents, uncles and my friends in iraq and afghanistan.

i intend to visit walter reed at the end of the month, i can't wait to tell those guys/gals how much i appreciate what they do and bring a poster or two with get well signatures from people on my ship.

 

[CSM]

i see. i always just drew a line of distinction between myself and folks like my parents, uncles and my friends in iraq and afghanistan.

i intend to visit walter reed at the end of the month, i can't wait to tell those guys/gals how much i appreciate what they do and bring a poster or two with get well signatures from people on my ship.

It is rather strange but I tend to discriminate between vets myself. I am in awe of my father, uncles, and other WWII vets. My brother and myself are Viet Nam vets (though I did play in SWA too), and my sons are Persian Gulf vets. I often feel that what my brother and I did was somehow "less" of a contribution than that of my father/uncles and my sons. Don't worry, those thoughts dont last long!

 

[NATO AIR]

It is rather strange but I tend to discriminate between vets myself. I am in awe of my father, uncles, and other WWII vets. My brother and myself are Viet Nam vets (though I did play in SWA too), and my sons are Persian Gulf vets. I often feel that what my brother and I did was somehow "less" of a contribution than that of my father/uncles and my sons. Don't worry, those thoughts dont last long!

i see that is interesting. not to try to open a huge can of worms here, but it haunts me sometimes because my father never talks of vietnam. all i know is from my mother, that he was on the ground for his first tour, a helicopter medic his second, and a helicopter mechanic his third. he doesn't talk about it though, so i can only imagine from what i hear others say, what i read and what i've watched in movies and on the history channel.

its not like my grandfather, who left behind (he died a year after i was born) audio tapes that tell me about bombing the germans, liberating a concentration camp and dealing with the craziness of ww2's aftermath in germany.

but i feel the vietnam vets are the most amazing heroes of all, they returned not to acolades but to hate, contempt or at best with many, indifference. you all were never really recognized until much, much later. you endured so much, not just in the war but afterwards, or at least some did after the war.

 

[Mr. P]

It is rather strange but I tend to discriminate between vets myself. I am in awe of my father, uncles, and other WWII vets. My brother and myself are Viet Nam vets (though I did play in SWA too), and my sons are Persian Gulf vets. I often feel that what my brother and I did was somehow "less" of a contribution than that of my father/uncles and my sons. Don't worry, those thoughts dont last long!

I think this is common among vets..I must say I feel the same way.
Unworthy in a way, to stand beside a "combat" vet as a vet.

 

[NATO AIR]

I think this is common among vets..I must say I feel the same way.
Unworthy in a way, to stand beside a "combat" vet as a vet.

yea, when i drink with my buddies from iwakuni who've been in iraq and afghanistan, i feel like a firefighter and medic, not a vet.

they took the sailing out of "sailor" a long time ago with all this technology...

 

[CSM]

Make no mistake. Combat vet or not, a vet is a vet. Many folks think that the only REAL vet is the guy who stood in the trenches and traded shots with the enemy. I vigorously deny that. Every man and woman who did his job in the military in peace or in war, made it possible for the guy/gal who shoots the bullet to do his/her job. I never underestimate the value of ANY soldier, airman, marine or sailor.

 

[CSM]

yea, when i drink with my buddies from iwakuni who've been in iraq and afghanistan, i feel like a firefighter and medic, not a vet.

they took the sailing out of "sailor" a long time ago with all this technology...

My oldest son was on a carrier (USS America) during the first Persian Gulf. He was a techy and spent most of his time repairing F-14s or loading TARPS. I consider him one of my heroes. Be proud of your work there NATO, What you do every bit as meaningful as anything anyone else in the service does.

 

[Mr. P]

Make no mistake. Combat vet or not, a vet is a vet. Many folks think that the only REAL vet is the guy who stood in the trenches and traded shots with the enemy. I vigorously deny that. Every man and woman who did his job in the military in peace or in war, made it possible for the guy/gal who shoots the bullet to do his/her job. I never underestimate the value of ANY soldier, airman, marine or sailor.

True CSM...it took me many years to come to that understanding. I was in an unusual situation.
1973 the "official" war ended and I never stepped into SEA but was surrounded for 4 years
by everyone that had, or so it seemed. That just increased my feeling of unworthiness
to some degree. I did experience much of what the Vietnam Vets were going through publicly,
as anyone in uniform was a target of at least verbal abuse.
I always felt somehow cheated that I never got to do my part as they did. I mentioned this to a psychologist friend of mine and he told me it was very common among Vietnam "era" vets to feel that way.
With that realization, I've come to grips with the fact that I had no control over my part in history and the fact is, I like millions of others, who were active duty, were at the ready if called on.

 

[CSM]

True CSM...it took me many years to come to that understanding. I was in an unusual situation.
1973 the "official" war ended and I never stepped into SEA but was surrounded for 4 years
by everyone that had, or so it seemed. That just increased my feeling of unworthiness
to some degree. I did experience much of what the Vietnam Vets were going through publicly,
as anyone in uniform was a target of at least verbal abuse.
I always felt somehow cheated that I never got to do my part as they did. I mentioned this to a psychologist friend of mine and he told me it was very common among Vietnam "era" vets to feel that way.
With that realization, I've come to grips with the fact that I had no control over my part in history and the fact is, I like millions of others, who were active duty, were at the ready if called on.

If no vet ever had to fire a shot in anger ever again, then we could truthfully say "Mission accomplished!"

 

[5stringJeff]

If no vet ever had to fire a shot in anger ever again, then we could truthfully say "Mission accomplished!"

 

[freeandfun1]

Make no mistake. Combat vet or not, a vet is a vet. Many folks think that the only REAL vet is the guy who stood in the trenches and traded shots with the enemy. I vigorously deny that. Every man and woman who did his job in the military in peace or in war, made it possible for the guy/gal who shoots the bullet to do his/her job. I never underestimate the value of ANY soldier, airman, marine or sailor.

Amen!

 

[no1tovote4]

Please PM me your rank , dates and branch of service.
ALL OF YOU! (Merlin).

*Please, try to keep this in new posts so all can read and respond*

EDIT: Active also..sorry typing to fast
for an ole fart...Guard/Reserve too!

Aye Aye! Sir!

 

[JOKER96BRAVO]

Hooah!!!

 

[Mr. P]

Times a tickin...any other vets or active duty folks out there?

 

[gaffer]

True CSM...it took me many years to come to that understanding. I was in an unusual situation.
1973 the "official" war ended and I never stepped into SEA but was surrounded for 4 years
by everyone that had, or so it seemed. That just increased my feeling of unworthiness
to some degree. I did experience much of what the Vietnam Vets were going through publicly,
as anyone in uniform was a target of at least verbal abuse.
I always felt somehow cheated that I never got to do my part as they did. I mentioned this to a psychologist friend of mine and he told me it was very common among Vietnam "era" vets to feel that way.
With that realization, I've come to grips with the fact that I had no control over my part in history and the fact is, I like millions of others, who were active duty, were at the ready if called on.

The cold war was still ongoing and you were a part of that as a member of the military. You were subject at anytime to be called on to fight or support a fight. So that makes you as important as the guy in the front line.

For every combat troop it takes ten to support him. He can't do it without their support. And many of them were and are in harms way in performing that support.

Every job in the military is important, no matter how menial it may seem. And every job is a little piece of the overall mission which is to defend and protect the country.

 

[CSM]

The cold war was still ongoing and you were a part of that as a member of the military. You were subject at anytime to be called on to fight or support a fight. So that makes you as important as the guy in the front line.

For every combat troop it takes ten to support him. He can't do it without their support. And many of them were and are in harms way in performing that support.

Every job in the military is important, no matter how menial it may seem. And every job is a little piece of the overall mission which is to defend and protect the country.

Yeah, what he said.

 

[JOKER96BRAVO]

Originally Posted by Mr. P
Please PM me your rank , dates and branch of service.
ALL OF YOU! (Merlin).

*Please, try to keep this in new posts so all can read and respond*

EDIT: Active also..sorry typing to fast
for an ole fart...Guard/Reserve too!


Just doin my part, before tomorrow!!!

 

[Mr. P]

Originally Posted by Mr. P
Please PM me your rank , dates and branch of service.
ALL OF YOU! (Merlin).

*Please, try to keep this in new posts so all can read and respond*

EDIT: Active also..sorry typing to fast
for an ole fart...Guard/Reserve too!


Just doin my part, before tomorrow!!!

Thanks Joker!

 

[JOKER96BRAVO]

You're welcome....

Carry on.

 

[gaffer]