As Memorial Day approaches, Veterans/Active/Reserve let us know your specs...

[M1911A1]

USMC 1980-Present
Most recently OIF
MSgt

My wife is the real hero in the family for putting up with the deployments.

[M1911A1]

I liked the rank of Sgt so much I pinned it on twice...

[M0sby]

Thank you dear...but I was GLAD to stay here with the children...as you know I would've MELTED in that heat!!!

[Do not dub me shapka broham]

Several, actually.

It was also posted on ProtestWarrior at the time.

I just thought that it merited inclusion, considering who we're honoring on this thread.

That op-ed probably contains more insight than all of the dreadful speeches delivered by Chirac, Schroeder, Verhofstadt, and all of the other feckless Eurotrash during the past two+ years.

:)

[lowbridge]

Awwwwwwwwww...poor DUers feel the need to try to prove their manhood. :-)

Sorry DUers. But its a fact that we have more vets over here. You can build up your thread to over a thousand posts (and try to weed out the phony vets on your thread), we'll still have more vets over here. The ever increasing size of your thread doesn't change that fact.

Father: Vietnam Vet, Army
Uncle: Air Force, stationed in Germany in the mid 60s.

[marmar]

USAF 1988-PRES
Aircraft Armament Sys Spec 462 or 2W1
McConnell AFB
Bentwaters/Wood Bridge
2 TDYs to Turkey for Provide Comfort
452 ASTS
Medic 4N0
Operation Footprint (Gallup NM)
Oman SEEB 320 EMEDS
944 MDS Air Mobility Command Ramstien AB Germany
USJFCOM Norfolk VA
In line to go back to Ramstien in Aug to Move Wounded Warriors...........
Prayers always welcome.......Martha

[airborne]

1978-1981 82nd Airborne Infantry (11B)

[ScreamingFist]

USAF - 1979-1983
6916 Electronic Security Squadron, Hellenicon AFB, Athens Greece.
RC-135 crews do it longer in sensitive areas.

[John Lenin]

Do you know that at military funerals, the 21-gun salute stands for the sum of the numbers in the year 1776?

Have you ever noticed the honor guard pays meticulous attention to correctly folding the American flag 13 times? You probably thought it was to symbolize the original 13 colonies, but we learn something new every day!

The 1st fold of our flag is a symbol of life

The 2nd fold is a symbol of our belief in eternal life.

The 3rd fold is made in honor and remembrance of the veterans departing our ranks who gave a portion of their lives for the defense of our country to attain peace throughout the world.

The 4th fold represents our weaker nature, for as American citizens trusting in God, it is to Him we turn in times of peace as well as in time of war for His divine guidance.

The 5th fold is a tribute to our country, for in the words of Stephen Decatur, "Our Country, in dealing with other countries, may she always be right; but it is still our country, right or wrong.

The 6th fold is for where our hearts lie. It is with our heart that We pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States Of America, and the Republic for which it stands, one Nation under God, indivisible, with Liberty and Justice for all.

The 7th fold is a tribute to our Armed Forces, for it is through the Armed Forces that we protect our country and our flag against all her enemies, whether they be found within or without the boundaries of our republic

The 8th fold is a tribute to the one who entered into the valley of the shadow of death, that we might see the light of day.

The 9th fold is a tribute to womanhood, and Mothers. For it has been through their faith, their love, loyalty and devotion that the character of the men and women who have made this country great has been molded.

The 10th fold is a tribute to the father, for he, too, has given his sons and daughters for the defense of our country since they were first born.

The 11th fold represents the lower portion of the seal of King David and King Solomon and glorifies in the Hebrews eyes, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.

The 12th fold represents an emblem of eternity and glorifies, in the Christians eyes, God the Father, the Son and Holy Spirit.

The 13th fold, or when the flag is completely folded, the stars are uppermost reminding us of our nations motto, "In God We Trust."

[GreyPatriot]

http://www.snopes.com/military/flagfold.htm

Urban Legend - false

Sorry - dont like wrong info being spread as truth

[sgtzim]

United States Army 1972-1999

25th Infantry Division 1973-1975
82d Airborne Division 1977-1979
1st Infantry Division 1987-1993
2nd Infantry Division 1994-1996

Desert Shield/Storm 1990-1991

[ScreamingFist]

Democrat Underground welfare monkeys are looking into this thread. Guess they should have waited for more vets to check in before acting all high and mighty.

Their thread is over 600 replies. I helped by posting a thank you to all their vets and active service. Service is what counts on Memorial Weekend, not politics.

[Democratshavenobrains]

Yeah I know. I just get pissed when they bring out the old lame chickenhawk charge. If the military was as left wing as they act like, it would not have voted for Reagan, Dole, and the Bushes. A lot of conservatives don't like to brag about what they did, unlike the majority of lefties.

[oh8eleven]

I had one office hours w/ a 6 month suspended bust. Went to RVN and was promoted twice ... in 6 months.

Since you're still active maybe you can answer a question. What's up with promotions in the Corps? I see Marines with CARs and PUCs and they're still L/Cpls. I also see Sgts with two hash marks! This being a time of war I thought making rank might be a whole lot easier.

[M1911A1]

You would think so. There is a push to retain Marines after the first cruise, but the administrative end of things is still what it is...time in grade, time in service and other requirements are what promote most Marines. There is an allowance for meritorious promotion ahead of schedule, but wartime does not always equal a faster ladder up.

There is an element of the career minded being eager to "get the ticket punched" with a tour in SWA, but for most of the young guys with the newly colorful chests they are competing against a group of peers that have the same record as they do.

I'm still active in the Reserve. A lot of reservists are getting plenty of active duty time.

[ALOHA RONNIE]

.

HAL G. MOORE: The Legacy and Lessons of an American Warrior

http://www.strategyzoneonline.com/forums/showthread.php?t=14752


RICK RESCORLA: Help honor 911 Lifesaving Hero

http://www.strategyzoneonline.com/forums/showthread.php?t=24361




Signed:.."ALOHA RONNIE" Guyer
Veteran-"WE WERE SOLDIERS" Battle of IA DRANG-1965, Landing Zone Falcon

http://www.WeWereSoldiers.com
http://www.lzxray.com/guyer_collection.htm

.

[oh8eleven]

There is an allowance for meritorious promotion ahead of schedule, but wartime does not always equal a faster ladder up.

I hate to say this - "back in the day" (or gee, how did I get this old?) almost every Marine I knew was getting meritorious promos, one after another. In fact all four of mine were meritorious and I made Sgt in about 26 months.

Now I was an 0811 (as in my screenname) and maybe it was more prevalent within the three combat MOSs. Nonetheless, I'm still shocked to see all that fruit salad and no stripes.

[end socialism now]

US Army, 1980 - 1983 2/62, 32nd ADA, stationed outside of Bitburg Germany.

[ScreamingFist]

Yeah I know. I just get pissed when they bring out the old lame chickenhawk charge.

I know. My dial-up connection took a long time to download all the smiley-face, graphic stuff. Frankly I was surprised at the number of vets on their site (yea, there are posers and little old ladies on the thread, but vets know their own ;)). I've never posted on DU before, but I'll say this, the vitriol between the two websites is freakin' incredible.

[Paulus Invictus]

Paulus: Drafted into the US Army Air Corps (gives away my age), and served in San Antonio at Kelly Air Base as military instructor and in Japan in the 8th Photo Reconnaissance Squadron. We made the first full aerial maps of Japan and Korea and the latter came to be very useful in 1950.