Military.......

[Patrick Hand]

I was in the U.S. Army for four years.... 1976- 1980..... I am proud to have served my country....

Who else was in the military............

[Mad Matt]

Aye! Here, here. United States Marine Corps 1993-1997. Proud jarhead veteran. Lookin' to get back in shape to reenlist in the Reserves, but the drink may be my downfall.

[Skull pyrate Carter]

Infantry active service, Korea 1995-1996, Fort Hood, Texas 1996-1997. National Guard for a few more. I'm glad I'm not in now, though, it's a whole different army.

[Christine]

Both my parents were in the Army. It's also where they met each other.

[Capt. Marcus Keys]

Aye Proud US Navy man 1986 to 1990. I got out shortly before the whole Gulf thing started. I always felt I let my boys down by leaving before Desert Storm shoud have stayed in until that one ended.

[blackjohn]

THROUGH A GLASS, DARKLY

by Gen. George S. Patton, Jr.

Through the travail of the ages,

Midst the pomp and toil of war,

Have I fought and strove and perished

Countless times upon this star.

In the form of many people

In all panoplies of time

Have I seen the luring vision

Of the Victory Maid, sublime.

I have battled for fresh mammoth,

I have warred for pastures new,

I have listed to the whispers

When the race trek instinct grew.

I have known the call to battle

In each changeless changing shape

From the high souled voice of conscience

To the beastly lust for rape.

I have sinned and I have suffered,

Played the hero and the knave;

Fought for belly, shame, or country,

And for each have found a grave.

I cannot name my battles

For the visions are not clear,

Yet, I see the twisted faces

And I feel the rending spear.

Perhaps I stabbed our Savior

In His sacred helpless side.

Yet, I've called His name in blessing

When after times I died.

In the dimness of the shadows

Where we hairy heathens warred,

I can taste in thought the lifeblood;

We used teeth before the sword.

While in later clearer vision

I can sense the coppery sweat,

Feel the pikes grow wet and slippery

When our Phalanx, Cyrus met.

Hear the rattle of the harness

Where the Persian darts bounced clear,

See their chariots wheel in panic

From the Hoplite's leveled spear.

See the goal grow monthly longer,

Reaching for the walls of Tyre.

Hear the crash of tons of granite,

Smell the quenchless eastern fire.

Still more clearly as a Roman,

Can I see the Legion close,

As our third rank moved in forward

And the short sword found our foes.

Once again I feel the anguish

Of that blistering treeless plain

When the Parthian showered death bolts,

And our discipline was in vain.

I remember all the suffering

Of those arrows in my neck.

Yet, I stabbed a grinning savage

As I died upon my back.

Once again I smell the heat sparks

When my Flemish plate gave way

And the lance ripped through my entrails

As on Crecy's field I lay.

In the windless, blinding stillness

Of the glittering tropic sea

I can see the bubbles rising

Where we set the captives free.

Midst the spume of half a tempest

I have heard the bulwarks go

When the crashing, point blank round shot

Sent destruction to our foe.

I have fought with gun and cutlass

On the red and slippery deck

With all Hell aflame within me

And a rope around my neck.

And still later as a General

Have I galloped with Murat

When we laughed at death and numbers

Trusting in the Emperor's Star.

Till at last our star faded,

And we shouted to our doom

Where the sunken road of Ohein

Closed us in it's quivering gloom.

So but now with Tanks a'clatter

Have I waddled on the foe

Belching death at twenty paces,

By the star shell's ghastly glow.

So as through a glass, and darkly

The age long strife I see

Where I fought in many guises,

Many names, but always me.

And I see not in my blindness

What the objects were I wrought,

But as God rules o'er our bickerings

It was through His will I fought.

So forever in the future,

Shall I battle as of yore,

Dying to be born a fighter,

But to die again, once more.

[Blackbead]

I was in the Army's Judge Advocate General's Corps from 1987 to 1996 - nine years, eight months and 27 days . . . but who's counting? I still serve my Country but now as a civilian employee of the Defense Contract Management Agency. I hope to retire from Government service in 2017.

But you can still call me Blackbead!

PS: And, yes, I'm enough of a military historian to be proud to be the first post after the Patton poem.

[Pirate Petee]

Spc. Peterson 94 to 97 US. Army Infantry 2/16th Inf. Aco 3rd platoon. BIG RED ONE HOORAH!

[Captain Midnight]

I'm a veteran of the U.S. Army 3/187th Infantry Regiment, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) "Rakkasans". Served during the invasion of Panama, and got out just before Desert Storm. Like another previously mentioned, I sure felt guilty about leaving, but I'm sure glad I'm not in now. I still miss the ever-loving hell out of it at times, though...

[Pirate Petee]

I'm a veteran of the U.S. Army 3/187th Infantry Regiment, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) "Rakkasans". Served during the invasion of Panama, and got out just before Desert Storm. Like another previously mentioned, I sure felt guilty about leaving, but I'm sure glad I'm not in now. I still miss the ever-loving hell out of it at times, though...

Me too mate, kinda makes this life feel a little boring dont it.

[Captain Midnight]

Aye, that it does, my friend. "Band of Brothers" is aptly named...you form a kinship with the guys you serve with, like brothers. I miss the hell out of them and the comradery we shared.

[BLACK JACK SHALAQ]

I JOINED IN 1976. RETIRED 1998 Gny Sgt .......I DID MY THING FOR KING AND COUNTRY AND DAMN PROUD OF IT!

[Capt. Morgan]

I'm still running and gunning with the Marine Corps... went to Boot Camp in 1994, served on active duty as a grunt til 1998, and went back to the grunts as a reservist after September 11th... served part of a combat tour in Iraq until I was injured in battle... I still feel bad that I was sent home early while the rest of my boys were still in the dust and the dirt...

[silverhearted maggie]

Was never in the military but just wanted the folks who were/are how much we appreciate the time, hard work and commitment you've made for us.

Whether you were/are in war and seen action or not, he military is hard work and I raise a glass to you all.

Thank you.

Drinks all around !!!!!

[Deadeye]

Aviation Structural Mechanic Airman Freer, United States Navy, July 28, 2004 - present, serving with Pride at Helicopter Combat Support Squadron Two at NAS Norfolk, HOOYA!

[Skull pyrate Carter]

in the new movie "Jarhead" I think he makes a good point, that no matter what else you do in life, your hand misses the touch of the rifle, and how it never forgets that feeling.

[BLACK JACK SHALAQ]

in the new movie "Jarhead" I think he makes a good point, that no matter what else you do in life, your hand misses the touch of the rifle, and how it never forgets that feeling.

YA OUTTA READ THE BOOK NEXT MATE....IT'LL GIVE YA SERIOUS WOOD!

[Sir Eric]

Haven't seen Jarhead... was in the Army for 6 years, and one thing I'll tell ya for sure... my hand does NOT miss the feel of a rifle.

Frankly, I cant see how anyone who has seen another human fall at the oppostie end of that weapon could ever think of missing it.

[Skull pyrate Carter]

I don't quite mean like that...It's wierd. Were you infantry? 'Cause, maybe that's what it was. I don't so much mean I wish I could hold it, I mean it's almost like when a person loses an arm and they still feel it..."ghost limb".

[Silent]

I'm still feeling out my paper work, I couldn't beleave how much there is. Well my ex/future wife joined the army, my cousin's been in for 9 or 10 years now, a friend of mine in the army, two friends in the marines, another in the navy. My Dad's father Army WWII and my Mom's dad in the Navy korean war

[Deadeye]

I mean it's almost like when a person loses an arm and they still feel it..."ghost limb".

Well, I may not be infantry, and really the only time i ever Hold/fire a weapon is during qualifications, but i know one thing i certainly will NOT miss....

13 (count 'em 13) Bloody buttons on the front of my Dress Blues! Makes it difficult to use the head, be sure! not to mention other things!

[BLACK JACK SHALAQ]

Haven't seen Jarhead... was in the Army for 6 years, and one thing I'll tell ya for sure... my hand does NOT miss the feel of a rifle.

Frankly, I cant see how anyone who has seen another human fall at the oppostie end of that weapon could ever think of missing it.

I ALWAYS HAD A SINCE OF GUILT AFTER WAXING AN ENEMY. BUT AT THE TIME THEY WEREN'T HUMAN, THEY WERE SOME BASTARD TRYIN TO KILL ME IF I DIDN'T KILL THEM. IT'S...THEY ONLY WAY I HAD TO COPE WITH IT...AFTER A WHILE YOU GET NUMB TO...

[Coastie04]

Proud Puddle Pirate, 2000-present (and counting)

Not infantry, but my hand is always missing my firearms. Of course, that's when underway. Since moving to Alaska, I can pretty much shoot whenever I'm in homeport and have the ammo.

Coastie

[Scupper]

AD3 Kevin Burke US NAVY 1979 to 1983

Operation Eagle- aborted rescue of Americans in Iran

Marine barracks Bombing Beruit

Operation Urgent Fury. Invasion of Grenada

Door gunner ch-53 assigned to support Seal Team 3

[Pirate Petee]

in the new movie "Jarhead" I think he makes a good point, that no matter what else you do in life, your hand misses the touch of the rifle, and how it never forgets that feeling.

They didn’t say “Miss the rifle” in the movie, they said “You’ll never put it away, even if you think you have, you will always know the feel of the rifle, you will never forget.” I think what this means is that they train you and train you and train you to be this instrument of war. Yet they never really un-train you, they just throw you back out into society and expect you to be normal, and you never really will be. Crazy thing is nobody will really ever understand, no matter how much you can explain it to them. The really crazy thing is, and I speak for myself here is that sometimes I long for that life again.