A Thank You to all the Veterans on Here

[kutter]

Just wanted to say thanks to all those who are serving and have served. And if you are still out there, stay safe, come back to us.

J W Rome, OSC, USCG (Ret)
Semper Paratus

[Mahlrem]

And a thank you from me too. I have unending respect for every single member of our all-volunteer military force. I wouldn't trade my time in the USAF for anything.

[JustDan]

A huge thank you from me as well. I was raised on Air Force bases, and my dad got in his 30 years before they kicked him out of the air force, only to come calling again and bring him back as a civilian.

Thank you for all that you do to keep us free.

[Gelston]

I'm just ready to go eat free food about 6 times today.

[AnticorRifling]

Thanks guys.

[Ardwen]

Indeed a heartfelt thanks to you all, and make sure you all get the free food!

[Androidpk]

Free food!?

[Gompers]

Who here still fits in their dress uniforms? I sure as shit don't.

[Warriorbird]

Thank you.

[Androidpk]

Who here still fits in their dress uniforms? I sure as shit don't.

Barely.

[kutter]

Who here still fits in their dress uniforms? I sure as shit don't.

I have actually lost a little weight since I retired, but after today, that may be gone.

And for the person that gave me a neg rep for this thread, we served for you to have the right to have such a nasty disposition.

[Gelston]

Who here still fits in their dress uniforms? I sure as shit don't.

I never bought that stuff, and I got out JUST before it became a required item.

[cwolff]

I never bought that stuff, and I got out JUST before it became a required item.

We were all issued dress blues when I graduated Parris Island but then again, Al Gray was the man and we didn't have a war to pay for.

[cwolff]

I found this article pretty moto for Veteran's Day. AND...we're fixing to launch the first of 10 new carriers.

http://www.vice.com/read/we-asked-a-military-expert-if-the-whole-world-could-conquer-the-united-states

[Back]

I have an uncle who died in Korea, a grandfather who enlisted during WWII, a little brother who went to Somalia, a good friend who snuck me on to Camp Pendleton once, and a dear friend who thankfully came home from Iraq.

Thanks guys and gals in uniform.

[Gelston]

We were all issued dress blues when I graduated Parris Island but then again, Al Gray was the man and we didn't have a war to pay for.

They stopped it a few years before I came in because they said it was too much trouble to size for that many uniforms. Only the Guide got a set. I was also the last platoon of the last company to get issued the tricolor cammies in boot camp... Which sucked because I had to go buy all the digitals a few years later.

[diethx]

Thanks fellas.

[Gelston]

The Marines don't have multicam, and we have different digitals then the Army.

Our digitals were pretty good. We also didn't try to make a one cammie for all situations uniform.

[Gelston]

There are marines in the nato task forces. Not enlisted but still Marines. They wear multicam

There are lots of Marines in NATO task forces, most notably ISAF. They do not wear multicam. It isn't an authorized uniform except in very special circumstances.

[Gelston]

All the ones I've seen wear the same uniform as everyone else.

There is actually a FB page that is trying to get a petition going to allow Marines to wear multicam.

https://scontent-a-mia.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash2/392666_486196664762526_533335890_n.jpg

One is Multicam, one is MarPat.

Although when I was in ISAF, we wore the Desert MarPat.

[cwolff]

All the ones I've seen wear the same uniform as everyone else.

Check out this picture. Is he wearing multicam?

http://www.isaf.nato.int/about-isaf/leadership/general-john-r.-allen.html

[senorgordoburro]

I was in Afghanistan this time last year, we wore USMC Digitals.

Also, I had a good day. Didn't get to grab any free food but the wife made a nice dinner and I grabbed a couple fancy deserts on the way home. Working on a bottle or Larceny now.

[Gelston]

https://scontent-a-mia.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-frc3/1467487_554572757954811_1746920204_n.jpg

None of us in Multicam either :P

[senorgordoburro]

Check out this picture. Is he wearing multicam?

http://www.isaf.nato.int/about-isaf/leadership/general-john-r.-allen.html

LOL, that is USMC digital tan.

[senorgordoburro]

https://scontent-a-mia.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-frc3/1467487_554572757954811_1746920204_n.jpg

None of us in Multicam either :P

It bothers me that rifle is in the dirt on its side.

Who were you with?

[Gelston]

It bothers me that rifle is in the dirt on its side.

Who were you with?

Yeah, the dumb combat camera dude's rifle. This was when I was yanked out of my job as a coyote at 29 Palms and stuck into 3rd LAAD for their deployment.

[senorgordoburro]

Also, the DoD has been in talks of going to multicam with all branches as a cost saving option.

I doubt the facebook page will influence the decision much.......

[senorgordoburro]

Yeah, the dumb combat camera dude's rifle. This was when I was yanked out of my job as a coyote at 29 Palms and stuck into 3rd LAAD for their deployment.

When were you a coyote, I had a few buddies FAP'd out to that in 2007-2009 or so, not sure of the years exactly.

[Gelston]

When were you a coyote, I had a few buddies FAP'd out to that in 2007-2009 or so, not sure of the years exactly.

2009. I was there for about a month, had like 10 months left on my second enlistment, and they took me and another guy (and some other infantry guys that were short from elsewhere) and sent us out to 3rd LAAD. I can't say I was mad about it, because 29 Palms really sucked.

[AnticorRifling]

They also wanted to change the Marine Corps dress blue covers to some horrid horrid shit. I'm glad the world's problems are solved and effort is being put into things that don't need attention.

[Gelston]

They also wanted to change the Marine Corps dress blue covers to some horrid horrid shit. I'm glad the world's problems are solved and effort is being put into things that don't need attention.

Heh, they decided not to due to massive negative responses. Though the cover they wanted to change it to was historical.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/48/DanielDaly.jpg

That cover.

[cwolff]

This is already happening on the ground as far as I have been able to tell. I think the reasoning for this is simply supply demand. The other large Nato military forces are using it and it's easy to replace something when everyone around you us using it as well.

I won't be surprised if the Marine Corps fights it.


Heh, they decided not to due to massive negative responses. Though the cover they wanted to change it to was historical.


That cover.

Ya, when I heard it was the Dan Daly cover I kind of changed my mind about that. At first I thought it looked way too French Foreign Legion.

[Gelston]

I won't be surprised if the Marine Corps fights it.

There is an air winger commandant right now though.

[cwolff]

There is an air winger commandant right now though.

Nice! Long hair for everyone.

I've heard people are hatin' him.

[AnticorRifling]

Heh, they decided not to due to massive negative responses. Though the cover they wanted to change it to was historical.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/48/DanielDaly.jpg

That cover.

I know, but I don't like it as much as the current cover.

Even if I did...not really something that needs energy directed towards it when there are actual problems that need corrected.

[Gelston]

I think it is ugly too. They said it would be cheaper though, as it would be the same cover for males and females. I say just stick females in the current male cover.

[cwolff]

I think it is ugly too. They said it would be cheaper though, as it would be the same cover for males and females. I say just stick females in the current male cover.

Ditto. It'll be weird though. I was always turned on when my gf's wore my cover. They look like strippers.

[Gelston]

Oh, and the MRAP in that picture was my truck! We named her Cheyenne. It was the only truck to make it through the entire deployment and the last MRAP in our company.

[senorgordoburro]

They look like strippers.

Considering the divorce rates of junior enlisted Marines, I think that is the preferred look.

[AnticorRifling]

Ditto. It'll be weird though. I was always turned on when my gf's wore my cover. They look like strippers.

There is so much truth to that.

[Gelston]

I like the one pictured above - it's sleek and minimal. The current cover has always seemed overly large to me.

They only planned to change the dress cover. The service was never looked at, although most people usually wore the garrison cover with service uniforms.

http://www.stripes.com/polopoly_fs/1.248964.1382665596!/image/image.jpg_gen/derivatives/landscape_804/image.jpg

It just looks terrible.

[cwolff]

You guys should definitely start a thread of deployment/military pics.

Throw in some of those wookie strippers in the dress blue cover too. BTW: Did you guys know Drew Carey was in the Marines? He may even have been in my old unit. Guess he was an 0341.


They only planned to change the dress cover. The service was never looked at, although most people usually wore the garrison cover with service uniforms.

I hated that burger king cover.

[Latrinsorm]

Did you know his dad's name was Harry Carey? Then he died... there can be only one.

[cwolff]

Did you know his dad's name was Harry Carey? Then he died... there can be only one.

5869

[cwolff]

Hahaha drew carey srs. Jimi Hedrix was a shitbird soldier with a DD!

I heard Paul Newman was a PFC, painted his amtrac pink and drove in town which prompted his discharge. Then again, you hear a lot of shit.

Scratch that. He was Navy. Maybe it was Steve McQueen.

[Gelston]

Hendrix had an honorable. He should have gotten a general, based on the write up though. He claimed a medical though.

[Gelston]

Heh, just saw this on FB

https://scontent-b-mia.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-prn2/1471263_570419689679321_644727386_n.jpg

[cwolff]

Thanks for the correction, I read a blog about it a long while back. I wonder if there's a list out there for famous people who blew it during Nam.

Read an article about "Did you know these celebrities were in the Military?" Almost all of them were discharged early, but then again they all said honorable too. Makes you wonder.


Heh, just saw this on FB

https://scontent-b-mia.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-prn2/1471263_570419689679321_644727386_n.jpg

How do you make pictures bigger than a thumbnail? I still haven't figured that out.

[Gelston]

You type "link address" with no quotes. Or click the image box.

http://i.cdn.turner.com/dr/teg/tsg/release/sites/default/files/imagecache/750x970/documents/0803051jimi7.gif

A fun read.

[cwolff]

You type "link address" with no quotes. Or click the image box.

A fun read.

That's hilarious. He should have been a Marine.

I did that image thing you linked my image is HUGE. Can you size them?

[Taernath]

101st Choking Chickens live up to their nickname once again!

[Gelston]

http://i.cdn.turner.com/dr/teg/tsg/release/sites/default/files/imagecache/750x970/documents/0803051jimi10.gif

I like the things the 1stSgt says about Hendrix and his guitar.

[cwolff]

No shit! That's great. "Plays a musical instrument during his off duty or so he says". I bet this guy told everyone they were best friends.

[Archigeek]

Just want to add my thanks. We wouldn't be the country we are without you guys, and I'm pretty fond of what we've got here, so Thank You!

[Taernath]

That's not his PT score.

[Gelston]

I'm assuming she misread AFQT.

[cwolff]

yup, that's what I get for skimming.

Looks like he was CatIIIA percentile score range. That's not that bad.

He was given a choice. Military or Jail. At least that's what I read.

BTW: 2 months from my now my avatar will be the same, but the year will be updated.

[Gelston]

He was given a choice. Military or Jail. At least that's what I read.

Military.com says two years in prison or join the military. He had some problem with stolen cars or something.

[cwolff]

Military.com says two years in prison or join the military. He had some problem with stolen cars or something.

Could you imagine that? Talk about a bunch of guys with a shit attitude.

[Gelston]

I am pretty glad I didn't have to deal with draftees like they did in the 60s and 70s. The closest I had was dudes that got yanked out of the IRR.

OH NICE AVATAR.

[cwolff]

I am pretty glad I didn't have to deal with draftees like they did in the 60s and 70s. The closest I had was dudes that got yanked out of the IRR.

I could imagine.

I saw some IRR guys when I was activated for Desert Storm. One of them was so fat, he had to have two web belts in order to fit his girth. Man, He was PISSED about the change of events in his life too.


Everything I'm reading says he got busted for joyriding or "riding in stolen cars".

I bet he did. That sounds like the kind of thing they'd send you to the Army for. It also makes for good movies when you need that stock character who knows how to hot wire. LOL

[Gelston]

Everything I'm reading says he got busted for joyriding or "riding in stolen cars".

It could be. I am sure he'd have faced more than 2 years if he was found to be the one that actually stole the cars.

[cwolff]

I got threatened with IRR in 2010. IRR is the mucking worst. Backdoor draft.

Were you Army?

[cwolff]

Yup. I was like oh fuck no. Within a week I dropped out of school and contracted out to translate for G4S. I faxed a few papers to St. Louis while I was in country and that was the end of that.

I bet that paid a lot better. Did you go to Moneterrey for language school? I almost enlisted in the Army as a radio intercept/translator or some shit. It's because I spoke German pretty fluently when I got out of high school. I didn't want the job, but I would kill to go to language school there.

[Gompers]

Our IRR guys were all badass, great guys and we all learned a lot from them. Might have been a shitbag or two, but a majority were awesome.

[Gompers]

I was an 0351, most of our IRR guys were 31s and 41s (machine gunners and mortar men )

[Gelston]

I was an 0351, most of our IRR guys were 31s and 41s (machine gunners and mortar men )

We didn't have any in our unit, but I was running a range that had nothing but IRR from various MOSes. I never heard more bitching in my life and most of them just seemed to have no drive or will to be there... And my god, I don't see how the Marine Corps saw some of these people and said "You are good to be back on duty." A few of them were grossly overweight.

I don't blame them for their attitude or even their health though (although every contract you sign says 8 years total), but damn.

[Gompers]

A lot of our IRR guys were overweight, sure - but we were heading to war, so it was good to have some guys with a few deployments under them. Maybe we just lucked out on the attitude. 29 palms sucked how ever you sliced it, so everybody was used to a shitty attitude. You of all people know that, Gelston.!

[KneeCapper]

Shipmates with Kutter and got his ass hooked with GS3. Sorry for your (OUR) addiction.

M. C. Metz MKC, USCG (Retired)

[Gelston]

A lot of our IRR guys were overweight, sure - but we were heading to war, so it was good to have some guys with a few deployments under them. Maybe we just lucked out on the attitude. 29 palms sucked how ever you sliced it, so everybody was used to a shitty attitude. You of all people know that, Gelston.!

Heh, this one was over at Pendleton, though it was on Horno which sucks pretty hard too.

[senorgordoburro]

I was in 29 Palms for 5+ years... Then went to Quantico and Lejeune.

[Gelston]

I was in 29 Palms for 5+ years... Then went to Quantico and Lejeune.

You poor guy. Quantico isn't bad, but I hated Lejeune.

[AnticorRifling]

Don't you mean Fort Camp Lejeune?!

And yes that place is a shit hole, I couldn't get deployed out of there fast enough.

29 to Lejeune, then I finished out swinging with the wing in Cherry Point.

[Gelston]

I was technically under the wing when I was assigned to 3rd LAAD, but they really are only under the wing because they shoot missiles into the air at such altitudes that they have to fall under them. Honestly, their job seemed more like it should be an 03 MOS to me, like TOW gunners and stuff(Though I never would have told any of them that!.)

[cwolff]

I was technically under the wing when I was assigned to 3rd LAAD, but they really are only under the wing because they shoot missiles into the air at such altitudes that they have to fall under them. Honestly, their job seemed more like it should be an 03 MOS to me, like TOW gunners and stuff(Though I never would have told any of them that!.)

How'd you like being a coyote? Every safety briefing the gave us started with a story of how one of them got shot by some stupid non-rate. Not sure if ALL of their stories were true or not, but it's definitely not a job I'd volunteer for. Not to mention that I'd hate to live at 29 palms. I would have loved to be an instructor at Bridgeport though.

[Gompers]

The only times i was in Pendleton was for SOI and division schools. I got to travel a lot during my time in the corps. I went to 29 palms, then Iraq...back to 29 palms. 8 months later I'm back in Iraq, then back to 29 palms, then they managed to squeeze another deployment out of my ass for the third time to Iraq...and to think that my gunny was so surprised when I told him that I was getting out.

[cwolff]

The only times i was in Pendleton was for SOI and division schools. I got to travel a lot during my time in the corps. I went to 29 palms, then Iraq...back to 29 palms. 8 months later I'm back in Iraq, then back to 29 palms, then they managed to squeeze another deployment out of my ass for the third time to Iraq...and to think that my gunny was so surprised when I told him that I was getting out.

Your memoir should be titled "Out of the Frying Pan, Into the Fryer"

[Gelston]

How'd you like being a coyote? Every safety briefing the gave us started with a story of how one of them got shot by some stupid non-rate. Not sure if ALL of their stories were true or not, but it's definitely not a job I'd volunteer for. Not to mention that I'd hate to live at 29 palms. I would have loved to be an instructor at Bridgeport though.

It was alright. You get a LOT of time off when there isn't a unit out, you'd get like 4 days of only being there for 5 minutes and then a weekend. Most of us made enough in per diem to get a place out in time, because the barracks was shit and the people incharge of the barracks didn't care that we would be out all day and most of the nights, because damn it, your room better be fielddayed! I moved into a cheap hotel, like $25 a night, off base.. So after per diem, I pretty much broke even. I had an easy ass class to teach, just had to teach distances for setting up road blocks and crap... Which consisted of just setting up cones and telling people that is how far a distance is. I also loooooved the card that indicated someone was shot in the head with an RPG. Especially when people would still try to give the dude medical attention.

[Latrinsorm]

It's just a flesh wound.

[senorgordoburro]

Personally I did not like coyotes. They had a shitty job of enforcing rules that were put into place because an idiot found a way to hurt himself by being a jackass, so that made them hard to like anyway. But a lot of them were just not friendly or willing to have a rational discussion. Also, when you get put into check fire because a couple douche bag scrappers come into the impact area and they don't let us keep shooting was also pretty lame.

[Gelston]

Personally I did not like coyotes. They had a shitty job of enforcing rules that were put into place because an idiot found a way to hurt himself by being a jackass, so that made them hard to like anyway. But a lot of them were just not friendly or willing to have a rational discussion. Also, when you get put into check fire because a couple douche bag scrappers come into the impact area and they don't let us keep shooting was also pretty lame.

All the coyotes I knew were cool dudes. We may have seemed distant because you were all one of thousands we push through there... And you know, you also get units full of dicks that try to argue with every single thing you say. SNCOs are the worst. They don't seem to realize that you are teaching/enforcing straight-up Marine Corps doctrine, not unit SOP. Also, most are close to EASing, and just don't really want to put up with BS as much anymore.

[senorgordoburro]

How'd you like being a coyote? Every safety briefing the gave us started with a story of how one of them got shot by some stupid non-rate. Not sure if ALL of their stories were true or not, but it's definitely not a job I'd volunteer for. Not to mention that I'd hate to live at 29 palms. I would have loved to be an instructor at Bridgeport though.

Yea, I was in the same boat. I did 3 pumps to Iraq while stationed in 29 Palms, then did about 2 years in Quantico as an instructor and then bounced over to Lejeune just in time to do another Mojave Viper in 29 Palms and a trip to Afghan. Needless to say my 70ish days of terminal I took were awesome.

[senorgordoburro]

All the coyotes I knew were cool dudes. We may have seemed distant because you were all one of thousands we push through there... And you know, you also get units full of dicks that try to argue with every single thing you say. SNCOs are the worst. They don't seem to realize that you are teaching/enforcing straight-up Marine Corps doctrine, not unit SOP. Also, most are close to EASing, and just don't really want to put up with BS as much anymore.

Hah, I was an instructor at TBS and every spring you teach the Warrant Officer class. Try teaching a platoon of recently selected Gunner's MOUT, Helo Ops, Patrolling, Ambushes, etc and then PSOing them on live fire ranges. They all thought they were the baddest dude around, and sadly it really changed my opinion of the Gunner's in the USMC.

[Gelston]

Yea, I was in the same boat. I did 3 pumps to Iraq while stationed in 29 Palms, then did about 2 years in Quantico as an instructor and then bounced over to Lejeune just in time to do another Mojave Viper in 29 Palms and a trip to Afghan. Needless to say my 70ish days of terminal I took were awesome.

Hah, I took no terminal leave at all. When I got back from Afghan, I didn't have enough time left to take all of it, so I sold it all. The last month I never went into work anyways.


Hah, I was an instructor at TBS and every spring you teach the Warrant Officer class. Try teaching a platoon of recently selected Gunner's MOUT, Helo Ops, Patrolling, Ambushes, etc and then PSOing them on live fire ranges. They all thought they were the baddest dude around, and sadly it really changed my opinion of the Gunner's in the USMC.

All of my Gunner's (Well, all two of them) were always cool as shit. The one from 1/1 especially. I'm pretty positive he read weapon's manuals all day and/or ran ranges.

[senorgordoburro]

All of my Gunner's (Well, all two of them) were always cool as shit. The one from 1/1 especially. I'm pretty positive he read weapon's manuals all day and/or ran ranges.

I like to think that this is along the lines of what a Gunny told me once.

It was something along the lines of the fact that a room full of E9s is no different than a room full of E3s. They are both telling dick jokes and starting shit.

In the 2 infantry battalions that I was in, the Gunner's were good. One was downright amazing and has been written about in multiple articles. Maybe they just act like jackasses when you put a bunch of them in the same platoon.

[Gompers]

Hah, I was an instructor at TBS

What years?

[senorgordoburro]

09-11

[Gelston]

Did you know a guy named Maston? He probably would have been leaving around 09.