HOW DID YOU FEEL... - The Firearms Forum

inplanotx · 03-08-2003, 03:33 PM

hope6970
*VMBB Staff*
Posts: 1498
(2/7/03 3:51:31 pm)
Reply HOW DID YOU FEEL...
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.....when the last day of your military days came around and you wore your uniform for the last time? Sad, glad or just plain halarious or nothing at all?

I remember when my enlistment was about up, I was headed back to the states from Nam with a few months left, I was not about to extend. I had a difficult time going from fatigues and combat boots to a dress uniform with all the gadgets on it. I knew then that three years of my life was all I was going to volunteer.

However, I knew I would miss the military and the people that I was so very lucky to have met. It took a while to get back to a civilian way of life and put away in my memory three years that I didn't care to let anyone in on for the lack of interest on their part.

Now, how about all of you?

Hope

high2fly
*Senior Chief Of Staff*
Posts: 1654
(2/7/03 4:14:03 pm)
Reply Re: HOW DID YOU FEEL...
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You youngsters call guys like me 'lifers'---mostly it was a good natured quip---like when a Marine calls a sailor a 'squid'--I went from a 17 year old high school graduate into the navy and stayed 20 years---during that time I married and had four children to raise---I went on a GI Training program called PROJECT TRANSITION the last 90 days I was on active duty---my retirement ceremonies last 20 minutes and went right back to work at Sears Roebuck where I was being trained under the Transition program. Yeah--sure enough I missed it --old friends used to stop by---they might be shipping out on deployment---might be just lokking for a good buy in my home improvement department at Sears---you bet your sweet bippie I missed the life---!!! Sometimes I still do---I dream of things that happened--not always the horror dreams of combat. Damned right I miss it and I'd go back in a New York minute if they even gave me a hint they needed my services---I still think I could offer much but I may be just concieted. wilborn

hope6970
*VMBB Staff*
Posts: 1499
(2/7/03 6:04:05 pm)
Reply Re: HOW DID YOU FEEL...
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Chief....didn't you notice I didn't use the endearing term "Lifer" out of respect for the Sn. Chief Navy Guy you are? Now, that is not saying I wasn't going to because I did erase the word and changed the wording.

It can not be said that Army people had no repsect for the Navy, cause look how nice I was. LOL, LOL - Hope

high2fly
*Senior Chief Of Staff*
Posts: 1657
(2/8/03 7:33:34 am)
Reply Re: HOW DID YOU FEEL...
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You're really too kind Ms. Army---but that gesture is certainly appreciated. The CNO!!!!

ruffitt
*VMBB Staff*
Posts: 106
(2/11/03 8:57:05 am)
Reply

Re: HOW DID YOU FEEL...
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Much like our esteemed Senior Chief, I entered the service shortly after my 17th birthday with a then envisioned thought of making the Military my "life". Sure enough 20 years four months and 1 day after my first enlistment I closed the doors to the military quarters my family and I had resided in for 5 long years and headed northward to the Water Wonderland State of Michigan. My tour at Fort Knox Kentucky ended as it had begun; uneventful and void of fanfare. My military career actually began on the 30th of April 1959 at the Fort Wayne Induction Center in Detroit whereupon I was transferred to Fort Knox for both Basic and Advanced Individual Training. My retirement from the same Military Post those 20 years later was just a quiet departure without (at my insistence) a formal send off. I was there one day, and gone the next. Just exactly the way I planned it when I told them I was retiring. I gave them exactly two weeks notice (announcing my intention to retire on July 15th) to face the reality that I was departing on terminal leave on 1 August for retirement on the First of September 1979.

Had things transpired differently during 1979, I probably would have remained for another 10 or so years. But my promised transfer to Alaska was not to be, and administrative shortcomings and indifferences within the organization were rampant, so I decided my best choice was to "retire" at an early age and make the best of whatever the future held in store for me.

I have not regretted my choice for one moment since my family and I left so many friends (many of whom we still visit and correspond with) those 23 1/2 long years ago.
Sometimes it is hard to for me to realize that I have now been retired for a longer period of time than I served on Active Duty.

In any event, time, and life, marches on.

berto64
*VMBB Staff*
Posts: 814
(2/11/03 9:13:14 pm)
Reply Re: HOW DID YOU FEEL...
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I ets'd at Oakland at the end of my third tour. I had to wear my 'Class A' uniform in order to fly home standby. At the time I didn't think about that much, just a means to get me Home!

After I arrived home it hung in my closet for quite a few yrs.
A few yrs back I had it dry cleaned and it hangs in my closet yet today. Of course mine will never fit again but I take it out and look at it now & again just to admire it & remember those days once more, and to remember the pride with whitch I wore it.

berto

Endeaver to Persevere<br>

03-08-2003, 03:33 PM	#1
inplanotx Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Texas Posts: 8,897	HOW DID YOU FEEL... hope6970 VMBB Staff Posts: 1498 (2/7/03 3:51:31 pm) Reply HOW DID YOU FEEL... -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- .....when the last day of your military days came around and you wore your uniform for the last time? Sad, glad or just plain halarious or nothing at all? I remember when my enlistment was about up, I was headed back to the states from Nam with a few months left, I was not about to extend. I had a difficult time going from fatigues and combat boots to a dress uniform with all the gadgets on it. I knew then that three years of my life was all I was going to volunteer. However, I knew I would miss the military and the people that I was so very lucky to have met. It took a while to get back to a civilian way of life and put away in my memory three years that I didn't care to let anyone in on for the lack of interest on their part. Now, how about all of you? Hope high2fly Senior Chief Of Staff Posts: 1654 (2/7/03 4:14:03 pm) Reply Re: HOW DID YOU FEEL... -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- You youngsters call guys like me 'lifers'---mostly it was a good natured quip---like when a Marine calls a sailor a 'squid'--I went from a 17 year old high school graduate into the navy and stayed 20 years---during that time I married and had four children to raise---I went on a GI Training program called PROJECT TRANSITION the last 90 days I was on active duty---my retirement ceremonies last 20 minutes and went right back to work at Sears Roebuck where I was being trained under the Transition program. Yeah--sure enough I missed it --old friends used to stop by---they might be shipping out on deployment---might be just lokking for a good buy in my home improvement department at Sears---you bet your sweet bippie I missed the life---!!! Sometimes I still do---I dream of things that happened--not always the horror dreams of combat. Damned right I miss it and I'd go back in a New York minute if they even gave me a hint they needed my services---I still think I could offer much but I may be just concieted. wilborn hope6970 VMBB Staff Posts: 1499 (2/7/03 6:04:05 pm) Reply Re: HOW DID YOU FEEL... -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Chief....didn't you notice I didn't use the endearing term "Lifer" out of respect for the Sn. Chief Navy Guy you are? Now, that is not saying I wasn't going to because I did erase the word and changed the wording. It can not be said that Army people had no repsect for the Navy, cause look how nice I was. LOL, LOL - Hope high2fly Senior Chief Of Staff Posts: 1657 (2/8/03 7:33:34 am) Reply Re: HOW DID YOU FEEL... -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- You're really too kind Ms. Army---but that gesture is certainly appreciated. The CNO!!!! ruffitt VMBB Staff Posts: 106 (2/11/03 8:57:05 am) Reply Re: HOW DID YOU FEEL... -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Much like our esteemed Senior Chief, I entered the service shortly after my 17th birthday with a then envisioned thought of making the Military my "life". Sure enough 20 years four months and 1 day after my first enlistment I closed the doors to the military quarters my family and I had resided in for 5 long years and headed northward to the Water Wonderland State of Michigan. My tour at Fort Knox Kentucky ended as it had begun; uneventful and void of fanfare. My military career actually began on the 30th of April 1959 at the Fort Wayne Induction Center in Detroit whereupon I was transferred to Fort Knox for both Basic and Advanced Individual Training. My retirement from the same Military Post those 20 years later was just a quiet departure without (at my insistence) a formal send off. I was there one day, and gone the next. Just exactly the way I planned it when I told them I was retiring. I gave them exactly two weeks notice (announcing my intention to retire on July 15th) to face the reality that I was departing on terminal leave on 1 August for retirement on the First of September 1979. Had things transpired differently during 1979, I probably would have remained for another 10 or so years. But my promised transfer to Alaska was not to be, and administrative shortcomings and indifferences within the organization were rampant, so I decided my best choice was to "retire" at an early age and make the best of whatever the future held in store for me. I have not regretted my choice for one moment since my family and I left so many friends (many of whom we still visit and correspond with) those 23 1/2 long years ago. Sometimes it is hard to for me to realize that I have now been retired for a longer period of time than I served on Active Duty. In any event, time, and life, marches on. berto64 VMBB Staff Posts: 814 (2/11/03 9:13:14 pm) Reply Re: HOW DID YOU FEEL... -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- I ets'd at Oakland at the end of my third tour. I had to wear my 'Class A' uniform in order to fly home standby. At the time I didn't think about that much, just a means to get me Home! After I arrived home it hung in my closet for quite a few yrs. A few yrs back I had it dry cleaned and it hangs in my closet yet today. Of course mine will never fit again but I take it out and look at it now & again just to admire it & remember those days once more, and to remember the pride with whitch I wore it. berto Endeaver to Persevere<br> -->