Welcome...

[D. Key]

Patiently waiting.    

[Straight Shootin']

I'll be back!

[Rustic]

Thanks Terry...I'll stop by later.

[centaur]

Hurry up and wait. Fall in according to height, and stand by. Dang, I think I have been here before.

[mbugland]

This must be the 15min prior to the 15 min prior forum.  

Really, looks like it is a new forum in it's entirety. Tradgang>National Bowhunting Forums>Veterans...
Hopefully, closed forum, for personal reasons.

Can appreciate the thought and double brotherhood

[kevsuperg]

Aim high

[Roger Norris]

A cyber mystery!  

[Roger Norris]

A Veterans Forum....pretty cool!!

[MnFn]

Well, while we are waiting..
I don't know if any of you feel the same way, but I think I got far more out of my service in the US Army than any cost to me. I grew up an awful lot.

When I went in the Army at age 20 I literally had nothing going for me. A dead end minimum wage job and no prospects.
The Army taught me a lot, including that I could succeed in college, etc.  Because of my service, I had the GI Bill for education; a leg up getting into the Federal Government workforce.  I think of the US Army as a great equalizer, or maybe enabler is a better word.
I wonder where I would be if I had not enlisted.
I am extremely thankful for those benefits.

[Broken Quiver]

Do we line-up by the height we once were, or as it is today  

[centaur]

Originally posted by MnFn:
Well, while we are waiting..
I don't know if any of you feel the same way, but I think I got far more out of my service in the US Army than any cost to me. I grew up an awful lot.

When I went in the Army at age 20 I literally had nothing going for me. A dead end minimum wage job and no prospects.
The Army taught me a lot, including that I could succeed in college, etc.  Because of my service, I had the GI Bill for education; a leg up getting into the Federal Government workforce.  I think of the US Army as a great equalizer, or maybe enabler is a better word.
I wonder where I would be if I had not enlisted.
I am extremely thankful for those benefits.

I bet a lot of us feel the same way. I went in at 19, my rich Uncle taught me how to fly helicopters and sent me on an all expenses paid vacation to SE Asia. That will grow you up in a hurry.
The GI Bill made it possible to finish college, and the time in the Green Machine gave me insights well beyond my years.
I know it will not happen, but I believe that some mandatory military service would benefit our young people, and I have high praise for the current crop that volunteered to join. You don't have to necessarily serve in a combat capacity to gain maturity and insight from a military experience.

[Broken Quiver]

So here we all are-trained, honed and ready--riding the Razor's Edge. Who has the Plan Of Attack? Oh Yeah, that was 45 years ago. Seems like yesterday.

In all truth, a lot of my fondest memories occurred while working for my uncle, and I too came away with things and opportunities that will last me a life-time. Thankful for the opportunity and proud I made the stand. Thank You All!
John

[stumpsniper]

[BAK]

I didn't always agree with everything I was told to do, but then I was seldom given incite into all the elements that made up the process.  It would have been my career if not for an unhappy wife.

I don't blame her though, hard to be a family when half of the members are off in a war zone for a year at a time.

[Duker]

[T Folts]

It sure helped me in my life. I also have two sons who currently serve and am very proud of them. One is on his secound tour and in South Korea for the second time soon to be returning to Colorado. My second son is on his first tour toughing it out in Hawaii.

[RonD]

The Army was a tremendous experience and a difficult one. Like BAK, I would have made a career of the service but my wife was not happy being a military wife. After 49 years of marriage and I still think about it. It is impossible to tell people and have them understand what a big family we were. Fortunately for me I served at Army bases until 1967 at which time I was transferred to a Marine base (Camp H.M. Smith) and served under a Marine Major General and a Marine LTC in the J3 Operations Division as a member of a joint staff. At age 22 upon entering the service I was considered by most as an old man compared to 17, 18, and 19 year olds, and these guys gave me the nickname of "Short Pop". I do believe that the Korean War and the Vietnam has come to define the United States today on an international level. Finally, I love my brothers and always will and not a day goes by that I don't think of them and miss them.

[Terry Green]

Yes...its a closed forum for you guys only.  

No real mystery....just have fun for the moment...

[Roadkill]

All of us took something from our time in a brotherhood that cannot be explained to those who have not served.  Some of my friends are closer to me than my brothers.  Funny how we laugh now at things that scared us straight in those days. Raise a toast to them when next having a short one!

[M60gunner]

I never regret my USMC service. I might have stayed in but at that time (1968) living conditions for married men E-5 and below where the pits and I am being nice here. "Retention" was not in the militarys vocabulary other than "ship over bonus". I was an O3 which meant at least another trip back across the pond which meant another person very close to me living day to day hoping they do not open the door to Marines in dress blues with the telegram in their hands.
I do want to thank Terry for putting up this thread. I know I am not alone in having issues talking about our experiences with family or those who have not served.