All ex- military members

Yup Stik it is sometimes hard but we adapt or die...thats somthing south Africans are damn good at.

Like I say, there is no official "hate" policy by the current Gov but we are regularly reminded that all the problems in the country was due to the system we upheald, even though the new Gov has been in charge for over 27 odd years now.

The old gov basically also abandoned us, I have mates that were de-mobed from the Angolan war and never recieved any form of Psyc "tools" to deal with what later makes its way out of the deepest part of your mind.

I was never in the bush war in Angola but was deployed in the black townships during the 90's in a COIN Urban role, almost like the "troubles" in northen Ireland.

Those of you guys hwo have been in a tight close COIN urban theatre will know it also bring a whole new set of stresses. A mate of mine had a number of petrol bombs explode on his armored ambulance and others were shot at by someone you never even see because the suburbs were so overgrown and neglected

But having said all that, we persevere and oneday the local population will be "election educated" and vote for a gov that actually looks after them, not just their own pockets. That is the one cenario, the other is that we will become just another failed african state.

Lets hope the first option comes to light, we have huge potential here and you will find that 95% of the population, white, mixed race,black or indian does not really have a problem with the other races, they just want a Gov that works and basic service dlivery. it is mostly the political talk during election time that polotitions use to score cheap points and play the groups against each other.

I have to concure WRT the training we got back in the day, we were a small defence force compared to the majority of the enemy forces we faced but we managed to keep the fight away from or borders and homeland for over 20 odd years while the rest of the world had us under sanctions. I can still recall almost all my Mech Infantery aswell as my medical drills and protocolls from over 30 years ago! go figure LOL

Theuns

Theuns, that's gotta be a tough feeling deep inside. When the government that you served and put your life on the line for in wartime falls, and those that you fought are now in charge where you live. I've came across several South African and Rhodesian ex pats who left those countries and joined the US military before it came to that point. The ones that I served with were damn good soldiers. 

Yup, here (like you guys diring Vietnam) there was a conscription of all 18year old white males to serve the then Aparteid Gov. 

In 94 ( I went in 2 feb '90) the new "black Gov" (please dont see as a racial slur) was elected by the majority of people in SA.

Now we all know that history is written by the victor so us who served in the old system are not harrased or anything like that, basically just ignored and hoping that history will eventually forget us and the cause we served. I can see it in my kid's school history lessons. Us being made out as the enemy and the Gov being the liberators and freedom fighters.

Im not bitter about it, it is how things go sometimes and where we are now ,with all the problems of corruption and crime in SA it is still better than how very close we came to a full on civil war in the early 90's

I like to think that us who served had a part in stopping that war and power being handed over to the new Gov. Thats enough for me :-)

Theuns

(PS- thats enough post Hi jacking from me LOL)

I can't say I was personally harrassed by anyone in particular, but any students I came across in the early '70's certainly didn't want to walk on the same side of the street as me, especially if I was in uniform. Glad I never had to come back from overseas and land on the west coast. 

I was pretty much ignored when I came into Travis.  After getting out it was more of the same until both sandboxes and people realized that we were in the same unwinnable situation in our time.

It's still a strange, weird sensation to have someone say thank you, or do something unexpected as a thank you.

Back in the 60s and 70s there was a strong dislike toward us from a segment of the population.  I remember after landing at Travis from my first tour one of the things we were told was that after clearing customs we had to get out of our uniforms or we would not be allowed on the bus to the civilian airport, no explanitation.  We didn't know why but did what we were told.

After getting to the airport there were some locals that decided to harass us about what we were and what they thought we had done even though they knew nothing about us, just that we were obviously military by our haircuts.  As we made our way through the concourse some of these people decided to focus on a couple guys who they outnumbered.  Very soon they found themselves outnumbered and they slunk off to some hole or other, not to be seen again.

That kind of attitude remained for some time but not as much as before.  Things finally reversed after the gulf war when it was acceptable to welcome G.I.s back.  Although I am adapting it's still strange to hear someone say thankyou for your service.

Here in South Africa I was one of the last conscript intakes (dodging this could end up in a few years prison time) but after my service I joined the permanet Force and ended my time as a spec force combat Medic, Staff Sgt.

Now however the majority Gov of the day does not really think much of us who served with "the enimy" before so there is no real "day" for us, just the guys who get toghether amongst themselves to rememer.

You guys seem to have respect and love from your fellow civy population, appreciate it ;-)

Theuns

S/Sgt 

South African Defence Force '90-'97

US Air Force here and thanks to all that served.

Semper Paratus

   Thank you to my Viet Nam brothers who made it better for me. Thank you to the fine men and women I served with. THANK YOU to the men and women in harms way now, quartermaster to scout sniper, deck ape to aviator, I sleep in peace because you do the hard work.

    AE3 USN 1986-1994.

Stik & Rob

A very well expressed sentiment. I could not have said it better.

Rob Gronovius

While I will always consider myself a soldier of the Army of the United States of America, I appreciate the sentiment and extend my best wishes to my fellow bretheran in arms.

 

Likewise! To those who came before, thank you for setting the example and showing the way. To those who served alongside, thank you for showing up. To those who have come after, thank you for taking up the call and carrying on. Happy Veterans Day to all comrades in arms!

While I will always consider myself a soldier of the Army of the United States of America, I appreciate the sentiment and extend my best wishes to my fellow bretheran in arms.

Thank you and Semper Fidelis.

Same with me.... to all our men and women who have served under the colors, and still doing so, you have my utmost respect and thanks.

USAF 1972-76, with a year in SEA.

I concur, and thank all of my comrades in arms. I realize that it is different in other countries, but in the U.S., whether you are or were, a combatant by MOS / NEC / etc., or not; you are appreciated. You are a veteran. And I thank you for your service.

20 years, Navy Machinist's Mate / Diver

Hoo Hah Deep Sea!!!

Agreed, a heart felt thanks and happy veterans day to all who have served. We are all indebted to you.

Thanks for starting this thread.

Thank you and a forward to all other Veterans out there.

Retired US Army Artilleryman

King of Battle!!!

I'll second that. 

frpm a ex-zoomie