Veteran's, past and present check in on this Veterans Day.

[MarineCombatEngineer]

USMC MGySgt Dware, 1964-1999, reporting for duty.

Semper Fi.

[hamsterjill]

1. I'm not a Veteran, but

I sincerely appreciate and am grateful for the sacrifice that all of the Veterans have made for me over the decades of my life and before.

Thank you.

[MarineCombatEngineer]

2. +100. nt

[70sEraVet]

3. USN Boiler Tech Petty Officer 3rd Class, 1973-1977, of the USS Rustbucket, here.

[MarineCombatEngineer]

5. Welcome aboard Sailor.

[HAB911]

4. Present

SGT, HHC 3rd Bde, 2nd Infantry Division, Korean DMZ, 1970

[MarineCombatEngineer]

6. Thank you for your service.

[HAB911]

7. back at cha

[Donkees]

8. In Remembrance: Pinboy3niner

[MarineCombatEngineer]

9. +100.

[sl8]

10. +1. nt

[Glorfindel]

11. US Army, SP5, 1966-1968

Served at Headquarters, IFFV, Nha Trang, Vietnam 1966-1967

[MarineCombatEngineer]

12. Thank you for your service.

[Genki Hikari]

13. Veteran

USAF, Sgt, 1986-1990.

Don't need any thanks or pats on the back for choosing to sign up for a job, and then doing it like I said I would. That was the deal.

Got paychecks while I was there, a DD-214 and the VA bennies out of it.

Good enough for me.

[MarineCombatEngineer]

14. +100. nt

[Genki Hikari]

15. And I mean it about no "thank you for your service" stuff.

I hate that.

And I mean HATE it.

[HAB911]

23. I kind of hate it too

but I consider the source on a one by one basis. If I know the person that says it and I know what they really mean is "thank you for your service so I didn't have to", then it pisses me off. And I get pissed off very often.

[Wounded Bear]

31. It often annoys me as well, but I take it as it comes...nt

[sarisataka]

37. I wouldn't say I hate it

But feel it's unnecessary and awkward.

I knew the job description when I signed up. I said I'd do it so when the time came I did it.

[hwmnbn]

67. I respond by saying with a smile...

Thanks, but wasn't my idea. I was drafted.

[Genki Hikari]

79. Well, I wasn't drafted

But I'm the one who went down to the recruiter's office. I'm the one who signed on the dotted line to do the job.

I didn't do it for thanks. First of all, I don't give a crap what other people think, so why would I want their thanks for anything then or now? F that.

I did it because I wanted some security in my life, for a change. The 80s were devastating for poor white trash like me. I was laid off so many times that I found it hard to get up and look for yet another job, yet again. I knew I'd have to be a colossal f-up to get fired by the military.

I also did it for a chance to learn something new.

I did it because 7 of my 8 (maternal) uncles had served, but the only person in my generation who had done it was a world-class dirtbag who could mess up a one-car funeral parade. And did. He couldn't hack it for a full enlistment. So I signed up, to bring back some honor for the family tradition. Me. The GIRL.

Not much of it was for the hoo-rah patriotic crap. I mean, a bit of it was there, but it was waaaaaayyyyyyyy down the list.

When my mother told people I was in the USAF, they actually LAUGHED. Her? The military? That's mixing oil and water! And yet I thrived in the Air Force. Go figure.

If it hadn't been for my then-husband, also USAF, getting transferred across the country, I would have retired from the service. But that family duty thing... To be honest, given what would soon happen to the marriage, I should have ditched the idiot husband and kept the military, because I actually LIKED being in the service. Granted, not everything about it was easy, but I liked both my fellow airmen in our shop, and the work we did.

That didn't happen very often for me.

[hwmnbn]

83. Wow...

That's quite a story. You've had so many twists and turns in your life and you are here today posting on a liberal forum. Thank you for sharing your insights and intensity with us.

[Beausoleil]

16. USN here

FTG2, '75-'79

[MarineCombatEngineer]

17. Welcome aboard Sailor.

[tinymontgomery]

19. USN 1980 to 2003 Seaman recruit to retired LCDR

[MarineCombatEngineer]

20. Welcome aboard LCDR.

[tinymontgomery]

25. Thanks Marine

Served on 5 amphibious ships bussing lots of marines across the seas.

[MarineCombatEngineer]

26. I may have been one of those Marines.

If so, thank you for getting us to our destinations safely.

[lpbk2713]

21. Some gave all. All gave some.

USN 65 -69

AK2 (E-5) On separation

[MarineCombatEngineer]

22. Welcome aboard Sailor.

[maxrandb]

24. USN LCDR, 1984-2013

"Fair Winds and Following Seas" to call of your Vets that still understand what your Oath of Enlistment, or Oath of Office truly mean.

[MarineCombatEngineer]

27. Welcome aboard LCDR.

[BigOleDummy]

28. Spec 4

Spec 4 Jones 64C10 Motor Transportation Operator , 66th Trans Company Kleber Kaserne USAEUR 1976-79

[MarineCombatEngineer]

29. Thank you for your service.

[sarisataka]

30. USMC 1989

On detached duty in civilian world since 2009

Desert Storm 2MARDIV
OIF/GWOT 1MARDIV, 34TH ID, 42ND ID

[MarineCombatEngineer]

32. Thank you for your service.

I believe we found out that your outfit did overwatch for us as we cleared a path through a minefield along the Highway 80 land corridor to Kuwait City, also known as the Highway of Death.

[sarisataka]

42. Yes we had unknowingly crossed paths

Walking the same sand. Now we share bytes and bits.

A big thanks to you, all others checking in and our families who supported our duty.

[Emile]

33. US Navy

1969-1973

[MarineCombatEngineer]

35. Welcome aboard Sailor.

[Wounded Bear]

34. USMC SSgt 1970-77...

Non combat air wing. '72-73 aboard USS Forrestal CV-59

[MarineCombatEngineer]

38. Thank you for your service.

Semper Fi.

[Wounded Bear]

43. Semper Fi!

[SKKY]

36. USN IT1(SW) formerly CTO1, 1992 - 2012 reporting as ordered.

[MarineCombatEngineer]

40. Welcome aboard Sailor.

[SKKY]

56. Ooorah Top!

[48656c6c6f20]

39. I used to kind of like these check-ins

Anymore I feel like I defended a country not deserving of me.

[MarineCombatEngineer]

41. Thank you for your service.

I understand where you're coming from.

[kairos12]

44. Army Ranger and Paratrooper here.

[MarineCombatEngineer]

45. Rangers lead the way.

Thank you for your service.

[kairos12]

46. Happy post BD to the Marines.

[unweird]

47. Present

USArmy Spec 5 1978-1982
A year of Ft Bliss and three in Germany

[MarineCombatEngineer]

50. Thank you for your service.

[JustABozoOnThisBus]

48. US Army, 66-68, SP5

After training, completed my term stationed near Stuttgart.

Prost!

[MarineCombatEngineer]

52. Thank you for your service.

[Elwood P Dowd]

49. US Army 1970-72.

Hard to believe it's been over 50 years.

[MarineCombatEngineer]

53. Thank you for your service.

[usonian]

51. USCG 1971-1975. EM3. Keeping the navigation lights on.

Semper Paratus. Always ready.


Red Right Returning.
WAIT!
https://www.safe-skipper.com/an-explanation-of-the-iala-maritime-buoyage-systems-iala-a-and-iala-b/
https://www.brighthubengineering.com/seafaring/26526-iala-buoyage-identifying-buoys-and-channel-markers-when-approaching-port/

In North and South America, Japan and the Philippines.
The remainder of the World uses the reverse.

Sail with caution. Read the charts, and safe journey, all!

[MarineCombatEngineer]

54. Welcome aboard Coastie.

I used to hear some Navy guys call the USCG puddle pirates.

[usonian]

55. Never heard that one.

Coasties have heard: "The Hooligan Navy", "McHale's Navy", and
"Thank goodness, you're here. We were waiting for FEMA!"


If you're ever in Oakland, CA please visit former Coast Guard Cutter USS Potomac
F.D.R.'s "Floating White House"
https://usspotomac.org/history/
Very ship-shape.

[4Q2u2]

57. Sea Bee

1990-2013
Fireman Recruit to Senior Chief
Cross decked in 94.
Deployed with I MEF and II MEF.

[MarineCombatEngineer]

58. During the Gulf War, we had some Seabees

in our unit helping us clear a path through the minefield along the Highway 80 land corridor,
really great guys.

Worked with the Seabees in Vietnam and throughout my career, there never was a better bunch of guys, IMO, the Seabees were crazier than we were, and that's a hard thing to do.

Seabee motto: We Build, We Fight, We Party all night.
Can Do.

[HAB911]

63. My dad and brother were SeaBees

I always felt they operated outside normal channels to get things done. Dad brought back a chest of contraband from New Guinea including a pistol that an Aussie friend was not allowed to take back to Australia, must have been his personal weapon, a Webley Mk VI. If you ran out of ammo, you could use it as a club

[MarineCombatEngineer]

64. Your dad was a WWII SeaBee?

That means he was at the beginning of the SeaBees.

Hat tip to your dad and brother.

[VGNonly]

76. Were you at JEB-Little Creek?

My father was at Camp Bradford which was converted from SeaBees to a LST training center.

[MarineCombatEngineer]

85. No, I wasn't that I recall,

There was only one SeaBee base I was stationed at during my career, that was Port Hueneme, home of the Pacific SeaBees but other than that, it was mostly at Marine Camps, I did do a 2 year stint with the MarSec forces, but then returned to my MOS.

[4Q2u2]

72. I was in Boot Camp

For the first Gulf War. Made few trips on the Second one.
Always loved working for the Corps. Now my son is a newly minted 0331.
In the 1/8.

[Stinky The Clown]

59. SK2 Stinky 1967-1973 . . . . . . still vertical

[MarineCombatEngineer]

61. Welcome aboard Sailor.

[DVRacer]

60. US Navy

Intelligence Specialist did some stuff worked with people far better than myself got injured overseas. Still get paid the first of every month.
I am third generation military.
Mom’s Dad landed in Italy with Patton’s third army
Dad’s Dad Marine landed at Guadalcanal stayed in and was a Frozen Chosin in Korea
Dad was Special Forces first trip as an “advisor” in ‘65 in 1990-91 planned ODA’s for Gulf War
Brother 1 Marine then FBI he keeps us safe even now
Brother 2 Marine then Army in 2004 watched him give an update on CNN for Baghdad

Dad would often remind us we answered to our elected leaders so vote for the boss that won’t get you killed.

[MarineCombatEngineer]

62. Welcome aboard Sailor.

Quite the family history, I dare any MAGAt to challenge anyone here on our patriotism to our country, civilian or otherwise, instead of to a tyrant like Benedict Donald and the repukes.

[DVRacer]

66. He can never be allowed

To touch power again I still can not fathom how he ever did. I still stumble onto military installations and thankfully many are against MAGAt ideology. The events of 1/6 are not forgotten so opposite of the oath we take.

[hwmnbn]

65. Reporting for duty...

US Army
Nov. 1966 to Nov. 1968
MOS 11Bravo
Sgt E5

[UTUSN]

68. Is it Reveille already?

[onethatcares]

70. U S Army/USARAL

72-75 REMF (Personnel)

[Darwins_Retriever]

71. US Army Counterintelligence

I was a Counterintelligence agent from 80-85. I was a SGT. One week before my separation I was offered Warrant and DAES (Defense Against Electronic Surveillance). But wife said no, should have divorced her then instead of waiting 10 unhappy years.

[VGNonly]

73. My father

was an Ensign later Lt.jg on LST 938 from 44-46, with Admiral Kinkaid of the 7th Fleet. He was one of the engineers. He served at the tail end of the Leyte landings. He was at Mindanao and the pitched battle of Balikpapan (Borneo). He passed in 2011.

My grandfather served in WW1. He was stateside for the entirety of his service, a carpenter and cabinet maker at Ft. Niagara.

[IBEWVET]

74. Army 68 to 70

25th inf divison

[Brother Buzz]

75. Just a dumb draftee that added....

no value, no advantage, really, to the United States armed services, or so I was told.

[Dysfunctional]

77. Army 1961-1965 Russian linguist and interrogator 528th Military Intel.

100% service-connected disabled

[Aristus]

78. Sergeant, United States Army, 1989-1993. M1A1 Abrams tank crewman.

Deployed to the Gulf in 1991, but did not serve in combat. Took hostile fire from an Iraqi Scud missile, which fortunately missed our base.

[aka-chmeee]

80. US ARMY Signal School 1970-72 nt

[Jedi Guy]

81. Not a vet myself, but the son and grandson of vets.

Dad served in the USAF for almost 23 years, served in Desert Shield/Storm as a weapons controller with 7th ACCS, retired in 1992 as a major. He started as enlisted, got his degree, and went to OTS (as it was called at the time).

Grandfather was a tank mechanic in the US Army, 11th Armored Division. He saw action in the Battle of the Bulge and helped liberate the Mauthausen concentration camp. He told me a great deal about his experiences in the war (I was the only grandkid of five who cared to ask), but he never spoke of what he saw at Mauthausen. What he saw there stayed with him for the rest of his life. He passed away in 2015 and I miss him every day.

To you, MCE, and to all vets... thank you. Thank you for writing that blank check to America and putting it all on the line for the rest of us.

Even though I'm an Air Force brat... Semper fi, Marine.

[BlackSkimmer]

82. USAF. nt

[Kaleva]

84. USN Fire Controlman 1st Class