Open Thread - Are you a Vet or on Active Duty? If so please sign in below.
May 31, 2015 08:18:51 #
Well bloke, I don't think this is for Brits and especially Trombone players. Just kidding. We have something in common. I am a trombone player. It would seem that I am the oldest Vet here. I served in 44-46. WW2. My prayer for this country is that we have not served in vain since all we fought for seems to be going down the drain. We seem to be sliding around (like a trombone player) not knowing what to do about anything.
May 31, 2015 08:25:24 #
Vern Denman wrote:
Well bloke, I don't think this is for Brits and especially Trombone players. Just kidding. We have something in common. I am a trombone player. It would seem that I am the oldest Vet here. I served in 44-46. WW2. My prayer for this country is that we have not served in vain since all we fought for seems to be going down the drain. We seem to be sliding around (like a trombone player) not knowing what to do about anything.
A big AMEN and God bless you for your service in a monumental effort.
May 31, 2015 10:08:21 #
Bloke wrote:
It is amazing that with 10 pages on here, I am the only Brit who listed... I know we don't use the term 'Vet' - that's an animal doctor, but I certainly understood the use of it in the US. There are a bunch of Brits on here, surely some others must have taken the Queen's Shilling???
Hey Bloke You and your fellow Bloke's qualify. You've been with us in every war we've fought since WWI and including our FIRST ones in 1776 and 1812. So welcome aboard!
May 31, 2015 10:26:55 #
I'm really not sure but I don't think the British were totally on our side in 1776.
May 31, 2015 10:40:38 #
MattPhox wrote:
I'm really not sure but I don't think the British were totally on our side in 1776.
Are they vets:?: They lost, even more reason to honor them, and be thankful for that!
Times change, while we don't agree with their reasoning for 1776, they are still vets. (Although I don't think they have any, vets from 1776, still on active duty.) :D
May 31, 2015 11:01:54 #
Maybe 1 or 2 from 1812 might be on active duty. :lol: :lol: :lol:
traveler90712 wrote:
Are they vets:?: They lost, even more reason to honor them, and be thankful for that!
Times change, while we don't agree with their reasoning for 1776, they are still vets. (Although I don't think they have any, vets from 1776, still on active duty.) :D
Times change, while we don't agree with their reasoning for 1776, they are still vets. (Although I don't think they have any, vets from 1776, still on active duty.) :D
May 31, 2015 11:07:50 #
May 31, 2015 11:09:13 #
So true! Most of us who were in that war came back for others after on one side or the other. AS Soldiers we seldom get to pick which side we fight on it seems since Governments choose the War and we just end up fighting and dying in them. Conscription was ALWAYS a lousy deal for the Soldier! At least the kids going to War for the US today are all Volunteers, at least today. I vote for Kings and Presidents to do the War stuff, personally, for a change. They are the ones with an arguments usually. The rest of us just do the Bleeding and Dying! Personally I prefer PEACE!!
May 31, 2015 11:14:29 #
I agree with you, but today it is a different world and there are people out there that want to kill you if they had a chance, not because of war that was declared just because you are different or think different from them. I think we live in a more dangerous world than we did during the cold war.
Cougar wrote:
So true! Most of us who were in that war came back... (show quote)
May 31, 2015 11:52:46 #
Army 1960-63
New York Army National Guard 1974 - 85
Back to full time National Guard 1985- 2001
Retired
New York Army National Guard 1974 - 85
Back to full time National Guard 1985- 2001
Retired
May 31, 2015 13:07:57 #
Brucej67 wrote:
Maybe 1 or 2 from 1812 might be on active duty. :lol: :lol: :lol:
Might want to try the Royal Hospital, Chelsea. Certainly the oldest-surviving veterans of any of our wars will be found there.
Yeah, while we may have taken a 'tactical withdrawal' in 1776, at least we came back and said hello in 1812... Shame about the White House, although it probably wouldn't *be* the White House if we hadn't burnt it!
Can you imagine anyone fighting a war these days, where the chain of command entailed months on a sailing ship?
May 31, 2015 13:11:25 #
Bloke wrote:
Might want to try the Royal Hospital, Chelsea. Certainly the oldest-surviving veterans of any of our wars will be found there.
Yeah, while we may have taken a 'tactical withdrawal' in 1776, at least we came back and said hello in 1812... Shame about the White House, although it probably wouldn't *be* the White House if we hadn't burnt it!
Can you imagine anyone fighting a war these days, where the chain of command entailed months on a sailing ship?
Yeah, while we may have taken a 'tactical withdrawal' in 1776, at least we came back and said hello in 1812... Shame about the White House, although it probably wouldn't *be* the White House if we hadn't burnt it!
Can you imagine anyone fighting a war these days, where the chain of command entailed months on a sailing ship?
You demonstrate the wonderful British sense of humor very ably!
May 31, 2015 14:13:50 #
This will probably go way over every body's head bloke. Us trombone players can do it in 7 positions. Heh! Heh! Now go practice on your horn and forget that the Brits lost it all.
May 31, 2015 14:59:29 #
To the citizens of the United States of America from Her Sovereign Majesty Queen Elizabeth II
In light of your failure in recent years to nominate competent candidates for President of the USA and thus to govern yourselves, we hereby give notice of the revocation of your independence, effective immediately.
(You should look up revocation in the Oxford English Dictionary.)
Her Sovereign Majesty Queen Elizabeth II will resume monarchical duties over all states, commonwealths, and territories (except Kansas, which she does not fancy).
Your new Prime Minister, David Cameron , will appoint a Governor for America without the need for further elections.
Congress and the Senate will be disbanded. A questionnaire may be circulated next year to determine whether any of you noticed.
To aid in the transition to a British Crown dependency, the following rules are introduced with immediate effect:
1. The letter U will be reinstated in words such as colour, favour, labour and neighbour. Likewise, you will learn to spell doughnut without skipping half the letters, and the suffix -ize will be replaced by the suffix -ise. Generally, you will be expected to raise your vocabulary to acceptable levels. (look up vocabulary).
2. Using the same twenty-seven words interspersed with filler noises such as like and you know is an unacceptable and inefficient form of communication. There is no such thing as U.S. English. We will let Microsoft know on your behalf. The Microsoft spell-checker will be adjusted to take into account the reinstated letter u and the elimination of -ize.
3. July 4th will no longer be celebrated as a holiday.
4. You will learn to resolve personal issues without using guns, lawyers, or therapists. The fact that you need so many lawyers and therapists shows that youre not quite ready to be independent. Guns should only be used for shooting grouse. If you cant sort things out without suing someone or speaking to a therapist, then youre not ready to shoot grouse.
5. Therefore, you will no longer be allowed to own or carry anything more dangerous than a vegetable peeler. Although a permit will be required if you wish to carry a vegetable peeler in public.
6. All intersections will be replaced with roundabouts, and you will start driving on the left side with immediate effect. At the same time, you will go metric with immediate effect and without the benefit of conversion tables. Both roundabouts and metrication will help you understand the British sense of humour.
7. The former USA will adopt UK prices on petrol (which you have been calling gasoline) of roughly $10/US gallon. Get used to it.
8. You will learn to make real chips. Those things you call French fries are not real chips, and those things you insist on calling potato chips are properly called crisps. Real chips are thick cut, fried in animal fat, and dressed not with catsup but with vinegar.
9. The cold, tasteless stuff you insist on calling beer is not actually beer at all. Henceforth, only proper British Bitter will be referred to as beer, and European brews of known and accepted provenance will be referred to as Lager. South African beer is also acceptable, as they are pound for pound the greatest sporting nation on earth and it can only be due to the beer. They are also part of the British Commonwealth see what it did for them. American brands will be referred to as Near-Frozen Gnats Urine, so that all can be sold without risk of further confusion.
10. Hollywood will be required occasionally to cast English actors as good guys. Hollywood will also be required to cast English actors to play English characters. Watching Andie Macdowell attempt English dialogue in Four Weddings and a Funeral was an experience akin to having ones ears removed with a cheese grater.
11. You will cease playing American football. There is only one kind of proper football; you call it soccer. Those of you brave enough will, in time, be allowed to play rugby (which has some similarities to American football, but does not involve stopping for a rest every twenty seconds or wearing full kevlar body armour like a bunch of nancies).
12. Further, you will stop playing baseball. It is not reasonable to host an event called the World Series for a game which is not played outside ofAmerica. Since only 2.1% of you are aware there is a world beyond your borders, your error is understandable. You will learn cricket, and we will let you face the South Africans first to take the sting out of their deliveries.
13. You must tell us who killed JFK. Its been driving us mad.
14. An internal revenue agent (i.e. tax collector) from Her Majestys Government will be with you shortly to ensure the acquisition of all monies due (backdated to 1776).
15. Daily Tea Time begins promptly at 4 p.m. with proper cups, with saucers, and never mugs, with high quality biscuits (cookies) and cakes; plus strawberries (with cream) when in season.
God Save the Queen!
In light of your failure in recent years to nominate competent candidates for President of the USA and thus to govern yourselves, we hereby give notice of the revocation of your independence, effective immediately.
(You should look up revocation in the Oxford English Dictionary.)
Her Sovereign Majesty Queen Elizabeth II will resume monarchical duties over all states, commonwealths, and territories (except Kansas, which she does not fancy).
Your new Prime Minister, David Cameron , will appoint a Governor for America without the need for further elections.
Congress and the Senate will be disbanded. A questionnaire may be circulated next year to determine whether any of you noticed.
To aid in the transition to a British Crown dependency, the following rules are introduced with immediate effect:
1. The letter U will be reinstated in words such as colour, favour, labour and neighbour. Likewise, you will learn to spell doughnut without skipping half the letters, and the suffix -ize will be replaced by the suffix -ise. Generally, you will be expected to raise your vocabulary to acceptable levels. (look up vocabulary).
2. Using the same twenty-seven words interspersed with filler noises such as like and you know is an unacceptable and inefficient form of communication. There is no such thing as U.S. English. We will let Microsoft know on your behalf. The Microsoft spell-checker will be adjusted to take into account the reinstated letter u and the elimination of -ize.
3. July 4th will no longer be celebrated as a holiday.
4. You will learn to resolve personal issues without using guns, lawyers, or therapists. The fact that you need so many lawyers and therapists shows that youre not quite ready to be independent. Guns should only be used for shooting grouse. If you cant sort things out without suing someone or speaking to a therapist, then youre not ready to shoot grouse.
5. Therefore, you will no longer be allowed to own or carry anything more dangerous than a vegetable peeler. Although a permit will be required if you wish to carry a vegetable peeler in public.
6. All intersections will be replaced with roundabouts, and you will start driving on the left side with immediate effect. At the same time, you will go metric with immediate effect and without the benefit of conversion tables. Both roundabouts and metrication will help you understand the British sense of humour.
7. The former USA will adopt UK prices on petrol (which you have been calling gasoline) of roughly $10/US gallon. Get used to it.
8. You will learn to make real chips. Those things you call French fries are not real chips, and those things you insist on calling potato chips are properly called crisps. Real chips are thick cut, fried in animal fat, and dressed not with catsup but with vinegar.
9. The cold, tasteless stuff you insist on calling beer is not actually beer at all. Henceforth, only proper British Bitter will be referred to as beer, and European brews of known and accepted provenance will be referred to as Lager. South African beer is also acceptable, as they are pound for pound the greatest sporting nation on earth and it can only be due to the beer. They are also part of the British Commonwealth see what it did for them. American brands will be referred to as Near-Frozen Gnats Urine, so that all can be sold without risk of further confusion.
10. Hollywood will be required occasionally to cast English actors as good guys. Hollywood will also be required to cast English actors to play English characters. Watching Andie Macdowell attempt English dialogue in Four Weddings and a Funeral was an experience akin to having ones ears removed with a cheese grater.
11. You will cease playing American football. There is only one kind of proper football; you call it soccer. Those of you brave enough will, in time, be allowed to play rugby (which has some similarities to American football, but does not involve stopping for a rest every twenty seconds or wearing full kevlar body armour like a bunch of nancies).
12. Further, you will stop playing baseball. It is not reasonable to host an event called the World Series for a game which is not played outside ofAmerica. Since only 2.1% of you are aware there is a world beyond your borders, your error is understandable. You will learn cricket, and we will let you face the South Africans first to take the sting out of their deliveries.
13. You must tell us who killed JFK. Its been driving us mad.
14. An internal revenue agent (i.e. tax collector) from Her Majestys Government will be with you shortly to ensure the acquisition of all monies due (backdated to 1776).
15. Daily Tea Time begins promptly at 4 p.m. with proper cups, with saucers, and never mugs, with high quality biscuits (cookies) and cakes; plus strawberries (with cream) when in season.
God Save the Queen!
Bloke wrote:
Might want to try the Royal Hospital, Chelsea. Certainly the oldest-surviving veterans of any of our wars will be found there.
Yeah, while we may have taken a 'tactical withdrawal' in 1776, at least we came back and said hello in 1812... Shame about the White House, although it probably wouldn't *be* the White House if we hadn't burnt it!
Can you imagine anyone fighting a war these days, where the chain of command entailed months on a sailing ship?
Yeah, while we may have taken a 'tactical withdrawal' in 1776, at least we came back and said hello in 1812... Shame about the White House, although it probably wouldn't *be* the White House if we hadn't burnt it!
Can you imagine anyone fighting a war these days, where the chain of command entailed months on a sailing ship?
May 31, 2015 15:09:32 #
nick Popovich
Loc: California
nick Popovich wrote:
U.S. Navy 1952-1955 USS Loeser DE 680
not on active duty.
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