Thank you for your service, @Raymond!
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Iâm a honorable discharged army veteran and prior new Mexico state sheriffâs officer.
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Same here, but 1978-1981 Active, 1981-1984 Reserve.
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Thank you both for your service, @Peter and @Fish! I am always honored when our military/veterans and LEOs take part in the Community!
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US Army Security Agency
1974-1976
US Army Intelligence and Security Command
1977
USAR Psychological Operations
1977-1980
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Really appreciating that there are so many veterans and LEOs here.
Thank you.
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A thank you to all. First to all of my Brothers and Sisters in Arms, past, present, and Future.
Second⊠.
I grew up in the Vietnam Era and watched thousands of veterans come home to be spit on and derided by protesters.
I served in the Post Vietnam Era when for the first time since the end of the war Veterans and Active Duty again began to be respected after Reagan was elected.
I was in college just prior to the Gulf War and saw resentment again building for the military and was called back to Active Duty. Ten months later when I returned I again saw endless hostility towards veterans and active duty again on display.
On 9-11 suddenly everyone again at least pretended to show great respect and admiration for those serving and for veterans which again waned within a few years as politics split the country again along with support for the Services and those serving or who had served.
Somehow though weâve mantained a continuing level of respect and admiration for all serving or who have served like we havenât seen since the Post WWII/Korean era for decades from the general public and you donât know how much it means especially to those currently serving overseas and to our wounded vets coming home trying to restore their lives.
For all of that, Iâl be bold and speak for the rest of us and say, we thank you, you have no idea what it means to us to have your admiration and continuing support.
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Thank you all, It was my honor and privilege to serve this nation in some interesting times, in some interesting places doing interesting things with interesting people.
USN 1985 - 2009
Cheers,
Craig6
@Dawn, what is this special pricing you speak of?
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Thank You Charles, much appreciation. I came home after a year on a 30 day leave in October 1969 before I went back for a second tour so I knew what to expect when I came home again but my second tour ended in 7 months after I was shot and wounded I came back home in May 1970. I was a platoon leader in a Grunt Company I was on my way to getting promoted to O3 but a NVA bullet ended my stay in Vietnam and between my first coming home and second the country seemed worse. Walter Cronkite was reporting body count every evening and the country was a mess. When we left there we were very much encouraged to change into civilian clothing and I did after take off.
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The Military/Veteran/First Responder rate is 10% any level of membership. Iâll message you privately to get some info. 
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Kronkite was a traitor and should have been run out of the country for declaring the war lost after Tet.
My dad graduated NMMI in 56 and MIT in 58 so as you can imagine about 90% of his classmates went to Vietnam so I spent much of my life around those guys and saw what not only the war, but the âwelcomeâ they got coming home did to them.
My generation of soldier was much luckier and the guys serving today are finally getting the kind of treatment during and after their service they deserve.
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Youâre right Charles Walter Cronkite was a piece of crap whatâs the white shirt and tie unfortunately most people watched him because there was no other news at the time or very little news but thatâs the past and this is now we canât go back in time. It hurts to even think about it so I try not to. Happy weekend to you sir @WildRose
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I try to focus on the present and future but the past is always there and it still puts me on boil.
As screwed up as we are today in many ways itâs a much better nation in terms of how we are now treating active/reserve/vets and they deserve it and more.
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I just donât think about my overseas experiences. I block it all as much as I can. Right now I have enough to get through this weekend and have extreme tinnitus and a dizzy head from things I did 50 years ago. Goodnight see you next week.
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@ Robert8 Huh, Iâm sorry, what did you say?
According to OSHA I need to wear double hearing protection to protect me from myself as my 6000Hz threshold is about 105dB in the right ear and 115 in the left. Auditory exclusion is a wonderful thing but the damage left behind from a gun fight is forever.
Hint to all: If you can avoid it NEVER light off an M-60 inside a building.
Cheers,
Craig6
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Itâs not from inside any buildings, there wasnât much buildings in the Nam Craig. I do not talk very much about it and I block my experiences from there as much as possible. Itâs from stress from there and not related to any M60 Machine gun fire. Donât worry I will be fine just checking out now for the weekend and not going to even think about guns or gun fire for a few days or so. Donât worry Craig nothing you did brother. Itâs just I donât want to think about my experiences and I really try to block them off. You didnât offend me not at all. I shouldnât have brought it up and just been quiet and signed off for the weekend. You didnât do anything Craig.
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When we left there we were very much encouraged to change into civilian clothing and I did after take off.
my husband says the same⊠The world he came back to from the Vietnam War did not appreciate him, did not want to know his story, and did not want him back.
It wasnât until after he and I were married a bit more than 20 years ago that he felt any appreciation from âthe general publicâ. Things are different now, and he gets acknowledged for his service, with gratitude, from time to time.
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Dawn, My Brother Earl Tilley showed me this site and I joined because of him
We are both Army Veterans. Earl 1st Sgt Retired & retired from Pentagon Duties as well.
Me: Last of the Womenâs Army Corp honorably Discharged in 1975
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Retired Navy served in 4 ships USS Guadalcanal LPH7, USS Forrestal CV59, USS Enterprise CVN65, and USS Wasp LHD1.
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