Maggie’s From Veteran to Veteran

[RJW]

First of all Merry Christmas to all Veterans. This says it all about us and wanted to share.

When a Veteran leaves the 'job' and retires to a
better life, many are jealous, some are pleased, and others,
who may have already retired, wonder if he knows what he is
leaving behind, because we already know.

1. We know, for example, that after a lifetime of
camaraderie that few experience, it will remain as a longing
for those past times.

2. We know in the Military life there is a fellowship which
lasts long after the uniforms are hung up in the back of the
closet.

3. We know even if he throws them away, they will be on him
with every step and breath that remains in his life. We also
know how the very bearing of the man speaks of what he was
and in his heart still is.

These are the burdens of the job. You will still look at
people suspiciously, still see what others do not see or
choose to ignore and always will look at the rest of the
Military world with a respect for what they do; only grown
in a lifetime of knowing.

Never think for one moment you are escaping from that life.
You are only escaping the 'job' and merely being
allowed to leave 'active' duty.

So what I wish for you is that whenever you ease into
retirement, in your heart you never forget for one moment
that you are still a member of the greatest fraternity the
world has ever known.

NOW! Civilian Friends vs. Veteran Friends Comparisons

CIVILIAN FRIENDS: Get upset if you're too busy to talk
to them for a week.
VETERAN FRIENDS: Are glad to see you after years, and will
happily carry on the same conversation you were having the
last time you met.
------------------------------ ---------------------
CIVILIAN FRIENDS: Have never seen you cry.
VETERAN FRIENDS: Have cried with you.
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CIVILIAN FRIENDS: Keep your stuff so long they forget
it's yours.
VETERAN FRIENDS: Borrow your stuff for a few days then give
it back.
------------------------------ -------------------
CIVILIAN FRIENDS: Know a few things about you.
VETERAN FRIENDS: Could write a book with direct quotes from
you.
---------------------------------------------------
CIVILIAN FRIENDS: Will leave you behind if that's what
the crowd is doing.
VETERAN FRIENDS: Will kick the crowd's ass that left
you behind.
---------------------------------------------------
CIVILIAN FRIENDS: Are for a while.
VETERAN FRIENDS: Are for life.
----------------------------------------------------------
CIVILIAN FRIENDS: Have shared a few experiences.
VETERAN FRIENDS: Have shared a lifetime of experiences no
citizen could ever dream of.
---------------------------------------------------
CIVILIAN FRIENDS: Will take your drink away when they think
you've had enough.
VETERAN FRIENDS: Will look at you stumbling all over the
place and say, You better drink the rest of that before
you spill it! Then carry you home safely and put you to
bed...
----------------------------------------------------
CIVILIAN FRIENDS: Will talk crap to the person who talks
crap about you.
VETERAN FRIENDS: Will knock the hell out OF THEM for
using your name in vain.
---------------------------------------------------
CIVILIAN FRIENDS: Will ignore this.
VETERAN FRIENDS: Will forward this.
----------------------------------------------------
A veteran - whether active duty, retired, or reserve- is
someone who, at one point in their life, wrote a blank check
made payable to The Government of the United States of
America for an amount of 'up to and including my
life.
From one Veteran to another, it's an honor to be in your company.

 

[Redmanss]

Re: From Veteran to Veteran

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: RJW</div><div class="ubbcode-body">CIVILIAN FRIENDS: Get upset if you're too busy to talk
to them for a week.
VETERAN FRIENDS: Are glad to see you after years, and will
happily carry on the same conversation you were having the
last time you met.</div></div> How true this is, just replace civilian friends with family.

 

[bigwill214]

Re: From Veteran to Veteran

All too true. Those are things we all know to be true and its nice to see someone put it down in writing.

 

[Mac21]

Re: From Veteran to Veteran

It's good to know that soldiers all over the world have the same outlook. May you have the best of seasons, and may the "What if's" be few and far between in the coming year(s)

 

[Col Kurtz]

Re: From Veteran to Veteran

How very true, and people in the National Guard who are "activated" think they're the same as active duty. I told them no, that there was a differance, but they'll never understand. Me, I was active duty for over 8 years, and what did I do today? I called and spoke to an old army buddy that I served with over ten years ago, and most hearing us, would have thought it was yesterday. Merry Christmas, and God Bless all Veterans.

 

[Ratbert]

Re: From Veteran to Veteran

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: RJW</div><div class="ubbcode-body">
---------------------------------------------------
CIVILIAN FRIENDS: Will ignore this.
VETERAN FRIENDS: Will forward this.
----------------------------------------------------
</div></div>

It seems kind of sad that the author assumes veterans are the type of people who most easily succumb to the persuasions of chain letters.

 

[kstraughen]

Re: From Veteran to Veteran

I am not a veteran but well said. I appreciate all that our military men and women have done for me and my family.

Thank you and Merry Christmas.

may all your wishes and dreams come true.

Straughen family.

 

[Switchblade]

Re: From Veteran to Veteran

Col Kurz,
I would ask you to tell that to the families of the Guard Soldiers who went home in a flag covered box. A Combat Veteran is a Combat Veteran and each will share their stories to each other until the day they die. Having served in both active duty and two National Guard units I know this to be true. Never had this warrior had such great friends and each is always ready to open the door. The face reads it all as they smile remembering the last time they saw one another and the trials they went through 'over there'.

As a Veteran I DID forward this to two of my Veteran buddies. I received it twice from two of my former veteran buddies who I have not spoken to in a long time, but keep in contact with.
A Warrior is a Warrior when the same sand is eaten and the same death is given a salute because death knows no difference between a National Guard Soldier or a Marine.
Merry Christmas to all, and to all a Happy New Year
To my VeteranFriends, live well, you have more than earned the right. To my civilian friends, live well and do well by others and you too earn the right to enjoy life

 

[bigwill214]

Re: From Veteran to Veteran

I dont think that Col Kurz meant it quite that way you may have taken it Switchblade. You are right that there a combat vet is a combat vet no question there. I think he may have been referring to those in the NG or Reserves that were never active first. Not all but some have a different mind set. My buddy was in the reserves and griped when he got activated saying that it wasn't his job to go fight.. that it was the job of active duty. So from that I can see where he may be coming from if that is what he was thinking of.

Just my .02

 

[PhOnEpHrEaK]

Re: From Veteran to Veteran

I'm not a veteran YET but I have one friend I can think of that covers all of the veteran friend qualities. 20 years he's always been there. Once he got back from basic things were awkward with everybody else for him, his wife, his family, but he was normal around me after 5 months. Like he'd never left. (including part of his AIT)

 

[Switchblade]

Re: From Veteran to Veteran

Veteran's are a group that is bound by our work. Civilians who have never served often times do not understand the bond. This bond threads one generation to another throughout time. I have only seen it in one other place as to civilians. That was within the bounds of good ol country horse and cattle trade. They shared similiar bonds. I think farming generations may also share it. Cops, Firemen, etc, well they refer to everyone else as civilians so I am certain they have a similiar bond.
As to my statement regarding the former, well if I took it out of context so be it, but I stand by my words until I am corrected by the individual who used them.
Me, I'll toast many a Vet and leave it at that

 

[stefan73]

Re: From Veteran to Veteran

I have had the opportunity to have some of the best damn soldiers there are!

If my boys vented and talked about me it was cool. But heaven forbid that someone outside my organization talk about me!!!! They would enjoy a very long visit to the TMC.
Its soldiers like that I miss! I had guys like that on my team this last time in Najaf, they backed me up and I backed them up!!
As a small (extremely small)team that was how it worked.
I miss those days, being in school sucks because I don't have any soldiers/joes.

 

[hunter81]

Re: From Veteran to Veteran

POGs don't count

 

[Switchblade]

Re: From Veteran to Veteran

Panty 6 pointed out something that any vet would see last night.
We were watching the final Lord of the Rings flick, and at the end, our four heroic hobbits were in a bar sitting at a table together over a cold one. As they looked around the tavern, they saw they no longer really fit in except at the table where they were at. Her look was enough, then she says,"I think I understand it now"
The things they saw, and the things they endured over the scope of 13 months bonded them together with a bond some never see or can even comprehend. Sure it was an imaginary move based on a fantastic book but the end result of those four hero's speaks the same the world over

 

[RJW]

Re: From Veteran to Veteran

Smart lady you have there.

 

[11B101ABN]

Re: From Veteran to Veteran

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Col Kurtz</div><div class="ubbcode-body">How very true, and people in the National Guard who are "activated" think they're the same as active duty. I told them no, that there was a differance, but they'll never understand. Me, I was active duty for over 8 years, and what did I do today? I called and spoke to an old army buddy that I served with over ten years ago, and most hearing us, would have thought it was yesterday. Merry Christmas, and God Bless all Veterans.</div></div>

The comment about the Guard is ignorant. Guardsmen live in the same communities, and remain in the same units w/ thier comrades for longer periods than thier active duy counterparts and form bonds that cannot be replicated. A Guardsman ciuld spend his entire career in the same company or battalion.

The "Active duty vs. National Guard" comparisons no longer hold any water. " They used to call us Nasty Girls. Now they just call us".

I would put my platoon up against any other grunt platoon, any where, anytime.

 

[Switchblade]

Re: From Veteran to Veteran

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: 11B101ABN</div><div class="ubbcode-body"> <div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Col Kurtz</div><div class="ubbcode-body">How very true, and people in the National Guard who are "activated" think they're the same as active duty. I told them no, that there was a differance, but they'll never understand. Me, I was active duty for over 8 years, and what did I do today? I called and spoke to an old army buddy that I served with over ten years ago, and most hearing us, would have thought it was yesterday. Merry Christmas, and God Bless all Veterans.</div></div>

The comment about the Guard is ignorant. Guardsmen live in the same communities, and remain in the same units w/ thier comrades for longer periods than thier active duy counterparts and form bonds that cannot be replicated. A Guardsman ciuld spend his entire career in the same company or battalion.

The "Active duty vs. National Guard" comparisons no longer hold any water. " They used to call us Nasty Girls. Now they just call us".

I would put my platoon up against any other grunt platoon, any where, anytime. </div></div>

Both the 579th ENG CBT, and 1/487th FA showed high marks and earned many medals during their multiple missions to OIF and OEF. I belonged to both before the GWOT and still have friends in the 579th(retarded), and the 1/487th. It is very true, not one comment was made about National Guard when the 579th arrived on the ground during OEF VII. They were recived as Soldiers, and were quite good at their jobs. We worked hard 'back in the day' to get that unit to a 'Trained' and respected status. Once that was done the unit has only been seen in the highest regards when a mission is ready to go.

 

[bigwill214]

Re: From Veteran to Veteran

That may be true for some NG units which shows that there are always exceptions. The NG unit that relieved mine during the summer of '05 took 3 times to go through the program at NTC and was even worse in country. I'm not going to name what state they came from but when you have soldiers and NCO's on night patrol and they are all asleep laying on the hoods of the HMMMWV's and next to the road with their gear open and the only guys awake are the NCOs from the Active unit they were replacing, there is a serious problem there. This is just one example of why some say what they do. Now on the other side of teh coin there was a different state's NG unit that relieved us and they did their jobs well BUT no one talks about them, just the ones that we figured would get someone killed within the first week in sector.

There is always going to be a seperation between the NG/Reserves and the active units just as there is a sepration between the Army and Marines and the rest of the branches. I think the biggest differece between NG/Reserves and active duty is that we eat, sleep, joke, fight together day in and day out. Sometimes married soldiers are in gov. housing but they are still surrounded by soldiers. Its just the life we live. The non-active personnel have other jobs in offices, stores, and other parts of business. So there is definitely a difference in the bonds we all share. Just my .02 on the matter. I was an Infantry Team Leader with the "cowboys of Sadr City".. If I could get the old unit back together I'm sure my CO and 1SG would happily take your bet 11B101ABN.