gessman Loc: Colorado

I read that to mean that you're asking for drama because you seem to be doing exactly what you are trying to discourage others from doing

You've made two other posts in this thread as well so I want to ask you, since you find it so necessary to comment in a thread designed for veterans to state their experience, are you a veteran.

I seem to have missed where you told us what your service to our country has been. Looks to me like you volunteered to tell two men who have served what is wrong with them and what is wrong with the current military also even though I've seen in other posts where you have admitted to not even being a native of this country.

Am I wrong or should you perhaps heed your own council and cease to make comments on something that doesn't seem to concern you.

Lmarc Loc: Ojojona, Honduras

:thumbup: :thumbup:

Though we may be misunderstanding what she's meaning. If my "options" she's meaning "opinions", then it's true that those who have a negative opinion of the military are asking for some drama by expressing that opinion. However, the title of the thread clearly states "VETERANS", so I think those negative opinions, unless it's from a veteran, are not appropriate here. And even veterans with an ax to grind should not disparage those who served honorably and are proud of it! My opinion only! :wink:

tinosa Loc: Grand Rapids Michigan

I was sworn into the Navy on my 17th birthday. (needed my parents consent !) and stayed for 11 years.. After bootcamp and radio school, I volunteered for the Submarine Service. As a radioman, I Served on both an old diesel boat U.S.S. Cavalla (SS244) and a nuclear fast attack Tinosa (SSN 606). This was during the cold war and we spent a lot of time covertly tracking Russian submarines in the North Atlantic.Spent time on shore duty at NAVCOMMSTA Yokosuka Japan and NAVCOMMSTA Rota spain. I'm glad to share my photography adventure with the fellow Verterans here. God bless America !

Lmarc Loc: Ojojona, Honduras

NAVCOMMSTA......That semi-acronym certainly brings back memories. I assume you were an RM. If so, you probably ran into a few of our CT's in Yokosuka and Rota. We always seemed to have a little CRS crypto station embedded somewhere in just about every COMMSTA. Seems LOTS of our people wanted to go to Yokosuka, Rota or Edzell but those duty stations somehow usually went to sons of admirals and politicians. The rest of us always got WESTPAC, but NOT Japan. I spent some time in Wahiawa, San Miguel Philippines and TAD in points east. We just felt lucky to dodge the bullets of Midway, Guan and French Frigate Shoals.

Good to hear from a fellow NAVCOMM.

angelcamp Loc: Angels Camp, California

I served 30 years in the Navy and retired in 1978 as a CDR (O-5). My MOS (if you will) was as a ship driver (Surface Warfare) I made two deployments to Korea on a DE, participated in the Cuban Missile blockade on a DD and had a tour (1969-70) in the IV Corps area of Vietnam in River assault Craft. I served one tour in Puerto Rico as a meteorologist forcasting hurricanes among other flight forecasting. One accomplishment which I'm particularly proud is that I learned to fly helicopters when in Nam getting just under 200 hours of flight time - not bad for a "blackshoe".

My family has a military history. My father was a USN corpsman in France in WWI. My older brother flew 52 missions in Europe as a pilot of a B-17 in WW II and now my grandson is finishing up a second deplyment (this one in Afganistan) as an EOD tech in the USAF.

By the way, I love my country and am proud to have served!

gessman Loc: Colorado

Not that it's mandatory that anyone go out of their way to make me happy, I'm just not terribly pleased when people who have nothing to add to a conversation interject themselves into it anyway where they clearly have no identifiable contextual role other than to exercise their freedom of speech.

I would prefer to see a situation where those with a little more positive attitude about their experience in the military could be a little more understanding and lenient of their fellow members who did not have such a pleasant experience. Not everyone had a pleasant experience. Many men were victims of circumstances at the behest of the branch of service they were in and from the VA afterwards. I know plenty of men who have every right to be bitter. I do not necessarily agree that it is prudent of them to voice their disenchantment each and every time they get even the slightest opportunity to point it out but I think those of us who didn't walk in their shoes could be a little more understanding just as we are understanding of the ex-GIs who are out there living under a bridge somewhere.

I don't like seeing those who had a good experience automatically presume that all those who didn't have a similar experience are to automatically be condemned if they do voice a negative opinion due to their circumstances. We're all still "brothers-in-arms" and those who have a reason for their discontent deserve respect as much as those who are not discontent. We all know men who were screwed over and we recognize that it is an inherent part of the system that it is going to happen. Some of us were screwed over by being assigned a task way beneath our abilities. Others were screwed over when it came to promotion time. There were no end to the ways some of us were screwed over and many of us do not have the temperament for being screwed over.

I feel like we all ought to try to back off of any strong feelings we may have about both sides of the fence and realize that "our" war is over now. If the American soldiers, sailors, marines, and airmen can come together with their German and Japanese counterparts in a reunion of respect, glory, and fellowship, we should be able to do that here in this instance.

Roadrunner Loc: Quebec, Canada

Here is a photocopy of my gr-grandfather George Youngs' Civil War discharge. I have the original discharge framed and mounted over my computer....

Roadrunner Loc: Quebec, Canada

The history of this man is something. He was born in Québec, Canada and crossed over to Wisconsin in a covered wagon. He enlisted and two years after his discharge, he became an American citizen. His maternal roots go back to Vermont

photophly Loc: Old Bridge NJ

That's really cool........a great momento as well as a great piece of history

Lmarc Loc: Ojojona, Honduras

Gessman.....I understand and agree completely! :thumbup:

I apologize if I didn't make my stand clear, but I only meant that there is a difference between someone being bitter at the military or the government, right or wrong, veteran or not, and being bitter to the point of disparaging an individual who served in the military. The first two are institutions, the third is a person.

All in all, the military was a very positive experience for me. I had a lot of good times, and a few not so great, but I'd do it all again if necessary.

jolly1

Just another Bubble Head, Huh!?!
My son won his Air Crew wings in the Navy as a boom operator on Anti-Submarine aircraft. Second Class Petty Officer.
Then he was selected to go to University of Texas to get a Degree and his Commission. Went from there directly to Nuclear training and the "boats."
Short story: He retired last year as a Navy Captain (Mustang) with thirty-four years service. He loved the "boats."
Now he's got a great civilian job supporting the Seals. So he's been around the track several times.

fgavigan Loc: Norwich, CT

The military and our service in it are two separate things, however without those willing to devote their efforts ,and sometimes more, to something larger than themselves .... our nation would be a much poorer place. God bless our men and women in uniform.

jolly1

You should be! And that comes from an airdale who was flying off of the big flattops. In heavy seas we used to watch you guys go under and come up for air every so often. We often prayed that you would come up again. Always seemed so touch and go many times.
I was in the great hurricane of '45 when we lost sixty feet of our flight deck, but also two, or three, of our tincans that never surfaced after taking headers into the monster waves.
God Bless the Tincan sailors.

Roadrunner Loc: Quebec, Canada

Thanx a lot bro.....Jim

gessman Loc: Colorado

:thumbup: In a heartbeat!