To all veterans

Thanks lurch! Ditto what you said.

When I first got drafted in 1970 I never considered sentiments like that, I just did my duty and went back into town and thanks to my Father's influence from his Air Corps days, I joined the Air Force.  After signing the agreement to join I thought that at least it got me out of town where I would not have to worry about working at the RCA record plant, the factory where my grandmother was making engines for the new C-5 transport, or worse yet the new glass factory I toured or any of the many other dead end jobs in town.

At the end of my first 4 year term I realized that my b est bet was staying where I was.  I was in Law Enforcement and by that time I was fairly good at it.  With really nowhere to go I stayed and by my second re-enlistment I had two Vietnam tours and some connection with the 1973 Yom-Kippur War but a better understanding of things.  My girlfriend from H.S. went to college and broke our ingagement near the end of my second tour but I found somebody who didn't mind my job once she got used to us carrying weapons.  We got married in 1977 and are still together.  

During that time I came to realize what our responsibillity wasand the cost of upholding it.  During that time I had taken some hostile fire, taken on some unfriendly people on both sides of the fence, almost gotten killed in a couple ways, been mistreated by numerous people I came across until I finally was forced to leave.

Despite the wandering, the point is that eventually everyone who wears a uniform, military or otherwise, will usually come to understand the meaning of that quote.  

In some cases ordinary people understand and live by those words.

hopefully this makes some sence to to the reader.

Amen guys.  A lot of us will also note there wasn't an ending date or sunset clause on the oath taken.  And we stand ready to answer the call again if needed.

You both are so correct . I to served for 12 years and experianced things and lost friends in places like Somalia , Beruit, and Irak. not knowing if I was ever going to make it home for chtistmas or even a family members birthday. I truely thank the veterans that served before me and the ones that served after me or the ones that are serving now. If only some of them knew and understood what wen went thru and the memories that we have both good and bad. them maybe this world would be a better place.There has been 129 views of this post and only 2 replies. Not realy sure what that means . Good or bad.

Lurch,

That quote of yours has been floating around for a number of years. I like it, but it only tells half the story. For a great number of veterans, the tale goes something like this;

Needed a job .  .  .  went to bootcamp .  .  . departed bootcamp feeling "Enemies of America, watch out, cuz here I come!" .  .  .  Got to duty station(s) and found out what the 'real' job was .  .  . "Oh Crap!" .  .  . survived (somehow) .  .  .  Grew up a lot.

Then either stayed in or got out .  .  .   but you did your time. And with all that done you hopefully can look back on it and be proud.

For many of us, the real story was 'shot at and missed, *** at and hit' and then we move on.

The enemy missed, but the Air Force got me.  There are some internal politics and forces that will work against you   You can only fight for long, sit in so many discharge review boards (trials for seperation) and win, when the obsessive squadron commander makes winning impossible and through whatever practices he uses gives the choice of one more and the last chance of a honorable discharge.  By this time all favorable witnesses hav disappeared and bad information is given by the drfrnse lawyer.  No chance, you loose and are pretty confused and messed up.

Good luck finding a decent job back home.

It's hard to know what to say here. For any of us who have pulled on a boot it leaves its scars, some by enemy action, some by negative experiences within our own branch of service, some through accidents, some through the selfish actions of poiticians and some from an ignorant civilian population. Whatever your scars, emotional or physical, you are now part of a family that knows your pain, whatever your service, be proud of it. We are all brothers and sisters and we stand together.