Saying Goodbye

[SpringfieldXD.40]

[jdavionic]

Originally Posted by east_stingray

Picking up your ball and going home? Sorry this thread didn't turn into what you wanted (read: knee-jerk sad picture anti-war reaction) and instead turned into our own little XDTalk honor ceremony for those serving.

Once again: God bless the men and women wearing our uniform.

I believe this guy hit the nail on the head with the bolded part. The rant response that the guy posted to JGB was amusing given that JGB has served and, IIRC, his wife is presently serving in the military.

So rather than further an anti-war rant, I'd like to extend a sincere thanks for those that served and sacrificed for our country. Like Dan, I opted for a different path and will readily admit that I did not serve in the military. My Dad was in the Army when I was a kid and when I reached high school, he was adamant that I needed to go to college first and get a degree. That's what I did.

One last item - a reminder - on Veterans Day, try to set aside some time to pay tribute to our vets. Last year I did a post where I walked with my family through a cemetery and put small American flags on graves of our vets. It's a good experience for all...old & young. And it's the least we can do to let the families of these soldiers know that we sincerely appreciate the sacrifice that their loved ones made for our freedom. I was young when my Dad took us to Arlington National Cemetery. If you've never gone, you should. I doubt you'll ever forget the experience. I know I won't forget.

[SpringfieldXD.40]

+1 I never served and honestly feel bad that I didn't.

Originally Posted by jdavionic

I was young when my Dad took us to Arlington National Cemetery. If you've never gone, you should. I doubt you'll ever forget the experience. I know I won't forget.

Big +1...I figure the least I can do is honor the ones who did. I make a trip at least once a year to Arlington...I'll be there for Memorial Day again this year. If you have never gone, I too HIGHLY recommend it!

[So Flo]

Originally Posted by jkswiss

I wonder how many of you chicken hawks actually served in the armed forces. KIDS is RIGHT. ITS oh so RIGHT. You who haven't served have no idea.

In case you come back, Mr. jkswiss, please note the Combat Infantry Badge to your left. I served 81-87 and saw combat in Grenada.

These 'kids' voluntarily join then become some of the best trained soldiers (at any of their MOS's) in the world. This has become their career and those that care at all are tremendous soldiers!

Good bye and God Bless.

[LUVMYSIGP225]

Originally Posted by jkswiss

I guess I can't stand to be in the same forum as chicken hawks and neocons anymore. Drink your Kool Aid, keep your head in the sand, and pretend all is well in this world.

Jkswiss is out of here, I guess the title of the thread is fitting.

One down. Hasta, baby!

[jtkratzer]

Originally Posted by jkswiss

Tell me how anything thats happening in Iraq is keeping us more free..please, go on. There are things that are worth dying for and there are things that are not. Iraq did not threaten my way of life. A dictatorship thousands of miles away had nothing to do with me.

Don't tell me you swallow that BullSh!T that ANYTHING that they are doing in Iraq has to do with maintaining our way of life. That is complete and utter BS and anyone that drinks up that patriotism BS is a goober. Our agenda there has nothing to do with freedom, our way of life, anything.

I wonder how many of you chicken hawks actually served in the armed forces. KIDS is RIGHT. ITS oh so RIGHT. You who haven't served have no idea. If you've ever taken a look around in a boot camp class and you see all the kids straight out of high school, yes kids. If you put us in civilian clothes and put us in a classroom, it would look just like the average class in high school. They are kids. They don't train their whole lives for combat. These are the kids that wondered why they were sobbing during their first call to home after a month into basic. I know, because I was sobbing right beside them. You get three months of boot camp and 6 months of a specialty school tops before you ship out. Train their whole lives to be warriors indeed.

They are kids, 17-20 year old kids. I used to be one of them. The way one looks at the world at that age is far different than you do now. You don't fully understand the consequence of what your doing until your actually there. I matured and grew a lot in the service, but that took well past the age of 18 to happen. But hey, what do I know, I was only in the service while I was 17 to 23.

For honor and glory to serve? Please, most people that are enlisted come from under privileged backgrounds. Lot of folks from the mid-west, a disproportionate amount of minorities, the kids who couldn't afford to go to college. A lot of us did it because they said they'd pay for our school, that we'd get a college fund, that we'd get health benefits and a steady pay check. Some of us just wanted to see the world. Its always a poor mans war.

I guess I can't stand to be in the same forum as chicken hawks and neocons anymore. Drink your Kool Aid, keep your head in the sand, and pretend all is well in this world.

Jkswiss is out of here, I guess the title of the thread is fitting.

And here we see the selfishness of the immature. We're only worried about ourselves. Who cares about those living under a dictatorship? Who cares about the national soccer team getting tortured because of a poor outing in an international match? Who cares about the rapes and murders by the tyrannical government? Who cares right? You have your XBOX to worry about.

Isn't SELFLESS SERVICE one of the core values of the military? Selfless, as in focused on others, service, as in working for the good of others?

I'm glad you like to paint with a broad brush and throw around terms like "neocon" and "chicken hawk." It really shows your level of intelligence and intellectualism when you use those liberal-created terms that, for the most part, don't even apply.

Go check out the definition of a paleocon.

Originally Posted by AZXD

Hmm, I'm pretty sure everyone who has responded thus far, is prior service.
So ..... I guess I'll just say goodby to you as you're not gonna read this anyway.

I'll also come to the front and say that I have yet to serve, but I have a meeting scheduled with a recruiter on Thursday. I'm 25 years old and will be 26 before I go to basic. I'm glad I took the time to learn some things before considering the service. I'm not brainwashed and utterly confused like the original poster, to whom I say: Have a nice life and hopefully you figure out a way to shed your bitterness.

[justgotback]

I have read a number of you that say you regret not serving. While I appreciate your feelings, I want you to know that those of us that do serve and do serve appreciate your support just as much. When I go to the store in my battle dress uniform and a man I have never met stops ans shakes my hand, or a women stops and hugs me and says thank you for serving, that does more for the morale and sense of duty for a soldier than you will ever know. So when you do that, you are in a sense "serving", because the morale of the troops is a big factor and you are contributing to their sense of pride in what they are doing. So I want to say on befalf of my soldiers and myself, a big Thank You to those that support us and show it in so many ways!!

[jdavionic]

Originally Posted by justgotback

I have read a number of you that say you regret not serving. While I appreciate your feelings, I want you to know that those of us that do serve and do serve appreciate your support just as much. When I go to the store in my battle dress uniform and a man I have never met stops ans shakes my hand, or a women stops and hugs me and says thank you for serving, that does more for the morale and sense of duty for a soldier than you will ever know. So when you do that, you are in a sense "serving", because the morale of the troops is a big factor and you are contributing to their sense of pride in what they are doing. So I want to say on behalf of my soldiers and myself, a big Thank You to those that support us and show it in so many ways!!

For me, I don't have any regrets for the path that I chose. My Dad was right that it was the best path for me. In my career, I have been fortunate to work in many areas that help our military. For example, I worked on designs that are used throughout the military for saving our pilots' lives that are forced to eject from their aircraft and prevent them from drowning. We used to get letters from pilots that experienced our products firsthand. They were very sincere and moving.

I've also worked on military products that are used by our special ops groups (e.g., pre-breathers) and various missile, radar, etc products. So I don't feel any regret. I think I have been able to apply my talents and help in my own way.

Lastly, I don't want any misconception at all. These contributions were part of my job at the time. They are NO WAY even close or in the same ballpark as the contributions & sacrifices that those who served in military made on my & everyone elses behalf. Regret? Not me. Grateful? You bet!!! Thank you!

[justgotback]

Originally Posted by jdavionic

For me, I don't have any regrets for the path that I chose. My Dad was right that it was the best path for me. In my career, I have been fortunate to work in many areas that help our military. For example, I worked on designs that are used throughout the military for saving our pilots' lives that are forced to eject from their aircraft and prevent them from drowning. We used to get letters from pilots that experienced our products firsthand. They were very sincere and moving.

I've also worked on military products that are used by our special ops groups (e.g., pre-breathers) and various missile, radar, etc products. So I don't feel any regret. I think I have been able to apply my talents and help in my own way.

Lastly, I don't want any misconception at all. These contributions were part of my job at the time. They are NO WAY even close or in the same ballpark as the contributions & sacrifices that those who served in military made on my & everyone elses behalf. Regret? Not me. Grateful? You bet!!! Thank you!

Wow JD!!! That is some great stuff you worked on!!

[SpringfieldXD.40]

Well...I do regret it...but a lot of that has to do with the fact that I am 24 and have had several friends serve in Iraq, one of whom was fortunate enough to return in the same condition he left. It's just hard to see all of the horrible things these men have endured, and then think about how easy I have had it back here in The States. It's one of those "What makes me special?" kind of things. Answer: Absolutely nothing...and that's the problem.