Militray service and politics

[Jarhead]

I wasn't asked if I was homosexual. I was asked if I had any such encounters. No, I didn't, and I was never asked anything of the sort again in my years of activity. Since I had a compartmentalized TSC, I must have been investigated, but simply was never asked again.

I think you are wrong on this.

I enlisted in 78, when did you enlist. Maybe the Army was different but I doubt it.

Several years before you. Maybe the Army was different but I doubt it. Maybe are memories are slipping, and while I can't answer for you, I don't think mine has gone.

I am going to look up my papers. They are all buried in the files up in the attic storage. I will do that tonight.

Dont...

It will make for a long depressing night.

Trust me.

 

[bodecea]

That's right, SFC Ollie. I knew guys who left the service because of homosexuality, and I am sure you did as well. I was asked once about any encounters, never about my orientation.

Maybe I am making too much of this? I have had a wonderful relationship with each of my two wives. I have never known another women outside of them, not before my first wife passed, not in between my marriages, not during my second marriage, never when I was on active duty and gone elsewhere.

I just don't understand all this interest about someone's sexuality.

You just dont the history of my complete dislike of Bodey thats all. When she posts her crap it sets me off, I should put her on ignore.

And I don't know you from Adam....or at least I didn't til you came onto this message board and started calling me "bulldyke" etc. Obviously, you've been tramatized by strong women.

 

[SFC Ollie]

I enlisted in 78, when did you enlist. Maybe the Army was different but I doubt it.

Several years before you. Maybe the Army was different but I doubt it. Maybe are memories are slipping, and while I can't answer for you, I don't think mine has gone.

I am going to look up my papers. They are all buried in the files up in the attic storage. I will do that tonight.

Dont...

It will make for a long depressing night.

Trust me.

No way, I enjoy looking through my old papers sometimes..... I even have my "I Love me" wall mostly all set up...........

 

[High_Gravity]

Several years before you. Maybe the Army was different but I doubt it. Maybe are memories are slipping, and while I can't answer for you, I don't think mine has gone.

I am going to look up my papers. They are all buried in the files up in the attic storage. I will do that tonight.

Dont...

It will make for a long depressing night.

Trust me.

No way, I enjoy looking through my old papers sometimes..... I even have my "I Love me" wall mostly all set up...........

I enjoy looking at my old Military stuff too, Separation orders, DD 214 etc etc

 

[bodecea]

I enlisted in 78, when did you enlist. Maybe the Army was different but I doubt it.

Several years before you. Maybe the Army was different but I doubt it. Maybe are memories are slipping, and while I can't answer for you, I don't think mine has gone.

I am going to look up my papers. They are all buried in the files up in the attic storage. I will do that tonight.

Dont...

It will make for a long depressing night.

Trust me.

Yes....trying to fit my dress blues....ugly. and my dress whites are now dress yellows.

 

[JakeStarkey]

I still my have my "love me" wall plaques etc on the wall in my den. I still get a kick when the grand kids look at the wall and go "did you really ski in Alaska" and "see the North Koreans" and "jump out of airplanes" and "meet Jimmy Carter and Ronald Reagan?" and ask "Whose John Wayne?"

 

[Jarhead]

Several years before you. Maybe the Army was different but I doubt it. Maybe are memories are slipping, and while I can't answer for you, I don't think mine has gone.

I am going to look up my papers. They are all buried in the files up in the attic storage. I will do that tonight.

Dont...

It will make for a long depressing night.

Trust me.

No way, I enjoy looking through my old papers sometimes..... I even have my "I Love me" wall mostly all set up...........

I was a quitter.

And I regret it.

If I only had the work ethic back then that I have now...and have hjad siunce I "woke up".

I would likely be less successful financially.......but much more fulfilled....and much prouder of my acheivments.

But whatever....I love my wife and kids....thats whats important.

 

[JakeStarkey]

Jarhead, I don't know what you mean, at all.

Everything I am is due to my family. The service was very fulfilling but I would have dumped it in a heartbeat if it had meant injuring or making my family less meaningful.

I am considered a very successful middle class American man in my communities, business and political and religious.

Far more important than those recognitions are the "you are the best father a boy ever could have had" and "you are the best husband a woman ever could have had." I would sweep gutters for a living in return for those endearments.

 

[bodecea]

Several years before you. Maybe the Army was different but I doubt it. Maybe are memories are slipping, and while I can't answer for you, I don't think mine has gone.

I am going to look up my papers. They are all buried in the files up in the attic storage. I will do that tonight.

Dont...

It will make for a long depressing night.

Trust me.

No way, I enjoy looking through my old papers sometimes..... I even have my "I Love me" wall mostly all set up...........

We have an "I love me" Room in our computer room...and a "look where we've been" display with our shadow boxes in a large cabinet in our living room....stuff from pretty much everywhere we've been...which is all 7 continents between my wife and myself.

 

[SFC Ollie]

The one on the bottom right is a Letter of appreciation to the Mrs. For her support and loneliness all those years............. And there were too many times she didn't know exactly where I was or how long I'd be gone. But she never doubted I'd be back......

 

[Lovebears65]

he was of age during a time when we drafted.

He used his religion to keep from fighting while many poor kids died for their country under this draft.

You bet it matters

Clinton was a draft dodger as well but I dont see you harping on him do you

 

[Too Tall]

Were COs of river boats treated as real COs? Or more like OinCs? He was only an LT.....and then there is the issue of....one may recommend....but it STILL has to be approved by those up the Chain of Command.

He was the CO of his boat, and he went to his next in command and put in for a purple heart after getting a medic to put a band aid on his wound. He then went on another patrol the next day.

small correction...he did not "put in" for a purple heart.

Assuming he is the one who "put it in"...he submitted a recommendation for review and consideration.

Bad choice of words on my part.

SBVT member Grant Hibbard, who was Kerry's commander at the time, has claimed that Kerry came to him the morning after the incident, after he had been to sick bay, stating that he was eligible for a Purple Heart. Hibbard has also claimed that he denied Kerry’s request and does not know how the award eventually came to be granted, although he had initially stated that he acquiesced on the matter of the award.

 

[The T]

he was of age during a time when we drafted.

He used his religion to keep from fighting while many poor kids died for their country under this draft.

You bet it matters

Clinton was a draft dodger as well but I dont see you harping on him do you

Exactly...

LINK to his letter to Colonel Homes (His ROTC Commander) as he sat over in England as a Rhodes Scholar...

" From my work I came to believe that the draft system itself is illegitimate. No government really rooted in limited, parliamentary democracy should have the power to make its citizens fight and kill and die in a war they may oppose, a war which even possibly may be wrong, a war which, in any case, does not involve immediately the peace and freedom of the nation. "

"Because of my opposition to the draft and the war, I am in great sympathy with those who are not willing to fight, kill, and maybe die for their country, that is, the particular policy of a particular government, right or wrong. Two of my friends at Oxford are conscientious objectors. I wrote a letter of recommendation for one of them to his Mississippi draft board, a letter which I am more proud of than anything else I wrote at Oxford last year. One of my roommates is a draft resister who is possibly under indictment and may never be able to go home again. He is one of the bravest, best men I know. His country needs men like him more than they know. That he is considered a criminal is an obscenity."

"And that is where I am now, writing to you because you have been good to me and have a right to know what I think and feel. I am writing too in the hope that my telling this one story will help you to understand more clearly how so many fine people have come to find themselves still loving their country but loathing the military, to which you and other good men have devoted years, lifetimes, of the best service you could give. To many of us, it is no longer clear what is service and what is disservice, or if it is clear, the conclusion is likely to be illegal..."

 

[JakeStarkey]

The T is right on this. Don't be banging on Romney if you defended Clinton. Now the T can't be banging on Clinton for this anymore.

 

[bodecea]

he was of age during a time when we drafted.

He used his religion to keep from fighting while many poor kids died for their country under this draft.

You bet it matters

Clinton was a draft dodger as well but I dont see you harping on him do you

Yes he was. Now...I need your help to remember. How many military members did he send to their deaths?

 

[Procrustes Stretched]

he was of age during a time when we drafted.

He used his religion to keep from fighting while many poor kids died for their country under this draft.

You bet it matters

Clinton was a draft dodger as well but I dont see you harping on him do you

Yes he was. Now...I need your help to remember. How many military members did he send to their deaths?

Clinton saved freedom and liberty in central Europe with little loss of life

 

[Procrustes Stretched]

At least they aren't out trying to sound like a "real good guy" like Warren Buffett who claims he wants to pay more taxes, yet he owes what about a billion in back taxes he refuses to pay?

Oh, is it a left-wing thing to attack the children and grandchildren of Republican candidates, yeah, it is.

Left wing? I attacked Republicans for supporting Cheney who dodged the draft 5 times while never blinking when sending other people's children to wars he would never have fought.

Romney's family has reaped the cream at the top of American society. Most old time Dems and Repubs of old felt a sense of obligation for their place in society. What the hell is wrong with these 1%ers?

Take, and never give? Romney is always talking about keeping America strong. He wants a strong America? It's time for his ilk to step up and sacrifice. The main reason troops had so many tours in Iraq and Afghanistan is NOT enough loud and proud flag wavers volunteered when needed.

..

Day by Day - Godspell

 

[Vidi]

Is current or past military service (of ones self or ones family) the only indicator of patriotism?

Should lack of military service (personally) disqualify someone from holding public office?

Is it fair to criticize Romney for seeking the Presidency when neither he nor his children ever served in the military, and yet NOT criticize Obama, who never served in the military?

Discuss.

You asked three questions.

1) I knew several men back who I served with who I would not call "patriots" but they served, for whatever reason they chose, and I respect each and every one of them for it.

2) No. Absolutely not. Lack of service should not disqualify someone from public office.

3) It is completely unfair, hypocritical and utter bullshit to say Romney never served so shouldnt be a candidate and then support Obama, who also never served.

 

[USMCSergeant]

Military service is a good thing for anyone that will possibly be CIC. But it isn't necessary.

As long as the person has a brilliant mind, can do good things for our country, I have no issue with him running for President. I do wish the media would bash all the candidates less, liberal, conservative both for their past mistakes, everyone makes them. Less bashing would promote more people to run for office and we'd have more brilliant minds to choose from.

 

[The T]

Military service is a good thing for anyone that will possibly be CIC. But it isn't necessary.

As long as the person has a brilliant mind, can do good things for our country, I have no issue with him running for President. I do wish the media would bash all the candidates less, liberal, conservative both for their past mistakes, everyone makes them. Less bashing would promote more people to run for office and we'd have more brilliant minds to choose from.

With protection of Liberty being job ONE.