Have you served your country?

Are you active military or a veteran?

  • Yes

    Votes: 517 71.3%

  • No

    Votes: 208 28.7%
  • Total voters
    725
Yes,

United States Air Force 1980 to 1984. SGT Security Police, what is now called Security Forces. 437th SPS Defender Force and 437th SPS Emergency Services Team. Grenada in 1983 and some time in El Salvador, Honduras, Panama, Guatamala and some other places in that area.
 
I can click "yes" cause I was in Iraq, otherwise I would have had to answer "kind of" cause I was a reservist. Hahaha.
USMC 00-07
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I'm not listening to anybody talk down the reservists - I was in an organized reserve Marine Artillery Battalion in 1950 - most of us were "retreads" from WWII. We were packed and ready for our annual 2 week cruise at Camp Pendleton when June 25th - 4:00 PM came and the Korean war broke out. Orders were changed to activate us and the unit departed Denver 17 July 1950 and in 2 months (minus 2 days) on 15 September -were invading Inchon. Three months later at Chosin - most of us were in sedentary work and can you imagine what shape that puts you in for combat.

Our country has every reason to be very proud of our reservists and they have reason to be proud also !!

If you were a Marine in 1950 and were told this smooth faced kid was your Assistant Battalion Surgeon, would that inspire confidence or just give you even more reason to try to avoid getting wounded??;)

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:D
 
Well I'm not talking reservists down cause I was one. I was simply joking to myself as far as the whole active/reserve animosity goes. It's ok to say here in the States, and I agree with that since I didn't serve full time, but things can be way different over there.

We were doing our RIP left seat right seat thing with unnamed Marine unit and these active duty guys already had several negligent discharges at the gate before leaving the wire on a 240. We were thinking to ourselves, don't these guys do this all the time, not to mention the workup and all the training they just had for Iraq? Their knowledge of other equip like the radios and this thing called the Blue Force Tracker was also not so hot. I don't know, maybe it's a bigger picture problem with the military in general but they didn't seem to know what was going on, and we had a real simple job.

Bottom line comes to common sense. Some people got it and some don't. It doesn't matter the service or the status (active/reserve). Sure, some have less than others most of the time but in general that's all it is.
 
Well I'm not talking reservists down cause I was one. I was simply joking to myself as far as the whole active/reserve animosity goes. It's ok to say here in the States, and I agree with that since I didn't serve full time, but things can be way different over there.
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I guess my post came across more serious than I meant it.

Reservists have always been the real thing, though, when the bacon needed to be saved. Most here weren't alive at the time and, thus, wouldn't remember that the "Heroes of Bataan" - those troops defending the Bataan Peninsula (1941-42) - were mostly (I think at least 80%) activated National Guard units and Reservists. They did a great job of fighting, ended up on the infamous Bataan Death March, and in the horrible Cabanatuan prison camp.

Our full time troops ( all services) are the greatest and our reservists aren't second class! I've been on both sides.

:D :D :D
 
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The 29th Infantry Division that landed on Omaha Beach 6 June 1944 was a National Guard Division. It still is.

I've served in the Regular Army, Army Reserve, and National Guard. All have their advantages and disadvantages. Anyone who looks down on any of these components has not served in one yet.
 
If you raised you hand, took the oath, and were prepared to do as asked, you served. IMHO.
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Ditto that from me. You wore the uniform, you served, whether it was over there or over here. I served with National Guardsmen who had to hear "NG means 'No Good'" from the regulars (mostly draftees) and I'll tell you who I wanted to be around: NG. Thank you again, one and all, for your service, be it past or present. You make me proud to have worn the uniform.
Don
 
Given few decent choices, I served the US Air Force in 1968 - 1972. It was okay for me as I was a computer operator before any of you knew what a computer was.

I served my country far better in 2002 - 2006 as state chair of the Libertarian Party of Idaho and as candidate for Governor who won* two debates on state-wide television.

*according to my biased fans
 
Thank you.

Just wanted to say thanks to all the vets here.

I am not one, so I appreciate all you guys taking time to serve the rest of us. My little brother is a vet though and I am proud as hell of him, he just got back from Iraq about 1.5 years ago and signed back up for the reserves.

1st Cav, he is a good kid/man
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USMC 2003-2007. 0351 turned 0311 squad leader because my job is obselete. I'm proud as hell and would do it over, but I am tired so I decided to get out. Thinking of joining the AF reserve as a combat controller, but not yet. Thanks to everyone for the support, and to brothers still over now... God bless you. I will continue to pray for you and will not rest "Until they are all home".



A couple of the boys are missing from this picture, importantly "uncle Spinner" who usually advised me to not flip out when I was about to.

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Here's me with several close friends. Taken at cax in May of 06. Rapavi was shot and killed by a sniper, one of the few good pictures I have of him... God rest Rapavi

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