The Veteran Thread

[theoddz]

On another note.......

This in today's news:

http://usnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2013...in-combat?lite

Personally, I knew of/served with a handful of Women Marines who, IMHO, could have held their own in combat. One friend of mine used to work down at the base Motor Pool and she could carry a bus tire under each arm. She was tough as nails, strong as an ox and meaner than a snake, too!!! I think she could have made the grade, though I also knew some who wouldn't have been able to hack it.

What say you all?? Opinions???

Semper Fi,
~Theo~

[theoddz]

Originally Posted by traumaqueen

Nice to find this thread!

Army 1998-2009

HOOOO AH Army!!!!

Welcome and THANK YOU for your service!!!!

Semper Fi,
~Theo~

[Greyson]

Originally Posted by theoddz

On another note.......

This in today's news:

http://usnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2013...in-combat?lite

Personally, I knew of/served with a handful of Women Marines who, IMHO, could have held their own in combat. One friend of mine used to work down at the base Motor Pool and she could carry a bus tire under each arm. She was tough as nails, strong as an ox and meaner than a snake, too!!! I think she could have made the grade, though I also knew some who wouldn't have been able to hack it.

What say you all?? Opinions???

Semper Fi,
~Theo~

"For years, women in the military, and outside groups such as the American Civil Liberties Union, have argued that women already serve on the front lines but are not recognized for it. Women constitute 15 percent of the active-duty military."

It is about time. I have come to realize through many Toughy posts, indeed it is the military that has lead the way for many advances in equality.

[Wolfsong]

Originally Posted by theoddz

On another note.......

This in today's news:

http://usnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2013...in-combat?lite

Personally, I knew of/served with a handful of Women Marines who, IMHO, could have held their own in combat. One friend of mine used to work down at the base Motor Pool and she could carry a bus tire under each arm. She was tough as nails, strong as an ox and meaner than a snake, too!!! I think she could have made the grade, though I also knew some who wouldn't have been able to hack it.

What say you all?? Opinions???

Semper Fi,
~Theo~

I think if you can do your job it shouldn't matter. It will be interesting to see how many sign up for 11 Bravo school. I'd be more interested in other more technical combat arms like FA or Air Cav. I suspect you'll see more women there than Infantry.

You know, it is easy to get nostalgic over the romantic notion of high speed - low drag infantry but hey....y'all remember doing this?



That was me......."I can't see, I can't see" and bouncing off a tree.

[*Anya*]

Originally Posted by Wolfsong

I think if you can do your job it shouldn't matter. It will be interesting to see how many sign up for 11 Bravo school. I'd be more interested in other more technical combat arms like FA or Air Cav. I suspect you'll see more women there than Infantry.

You know, it is easy to get nostalgic over the romantic notion of high speed - low drag infantry but hey....y'all remember doing this?



That was me......."I can't see, I can't see" and bouncing off a tree.

My hat is off to all of you.

Not only did I feel claustrophobic watching it but think I started to wheeze a little!

[theoddz]

Originally Posted by Wolfsong

That was me......."I can't see, I can't see" and bouncing off a tree. [/FONT]

Don't forget the long strings of snot pouring from your nose and mouth. Everything with a mucus membrane was wringing with it....eyes, ears, nose, mouth....everything.

~Theo~

[Corkey]

Originally Posted by theoddz

Don't forget the long strings of snot pouring from your nose and mouth. Everything with a mucus membrane was wringing with it....eyes, ears, nose, mouth....everything.

~Theo~

Those were the days! We laughed we cried, then threw up... Good times. Thankfully over.

[Wolfsong]

Originally Posted by theoddz

Don't forget the long strings of snot pouring from your nose and mouth. Everything with a mucus membrane was wringing with it....eyes, ears, nose, mouth....everything.

~Theo~

I am still amazed that there is that much packed in there.

Originally Posted by Corkey

Those were the days! We laughed we cried, then threw up... Good times. Thankfully over.

Yup yup glad we can laugh about it now......it was not so funny at the time

[theoddz]

Originally Posted by Corkey

Those were the days! We laughed we cried, then threw up... Good times. Thankfully over.

Ya, I'm not sorry I did it, but I wouldn't want to do it again.

For us, I think this about says it all:



Semper Fi,
~Theo~

[Wolfsong]

I wish I had been a little wiser, I wasted a lot of opportunities. I should have never, ever, ETS'd. That was one of the biggest inner turmoil's that I'd ever experienced in my life. That argument with myself to re-up or get out to go to college went on for an entire year. If there was anything I'd ever been born to do it was career Army. I knew though that in spite of the fact the military claims you can go to college while your on active is an option, it really is not. There was no way I was ever going to pass some of my courses and do the things that I was expected to do. I figured I'd gone in the Army to go to college and I needed to do the right thing and actually go to college. Ah well I have a degree.....and a commission.....which I likely would not have gotten if I stayed in. (OCS was not really on my radar while on active). The Reserves and the Guard were good to me but it was never really the same.

I think opening combat arms will open opportunities for women. If I was a kid now I'd go in and stay considering the economy. I don't know. You guys know that I have 2 buddies, Tim and Steve, that I got commissioned with that have spent the entirety of their adult lives at war? Literally from the 1st grain of sand in Desert Shield. They both recently came home for good safely and amazingly in one piece. I just don't know how you would assimilate to a civilian life after that. I ETS'd in February and by the following spring I was enrolled in college. That was the most miserable few months of my life. I didn't know how to be a civilian. I can't help but think about the kids now that have been stuck in this cycle for some real time. I think that it will change an entire generation in terms of how women view themselves, conduct their lives, and raise their children.

[Wolfsong]

Daughters and moms now consider rape before applying to military

To be honest this never entered my thinking, at least, not from our own. It did occur to me while we were training pre-deployment to Desert Shield that this was something that could happen at the hands of local civilians, allied military members, and, of course, enemy combatants.

Thankfully, I never knew anyone that was attacked or even heard of it happening in our battalion or the combat arms battalions we were supporting. There was ALOT of hanky panky going on among the married hetero group. It was high comedy (and ok that kind of vile disgust that you feel watching Jerry Springer) to watch who's door is opening and closing through the night, tip-toeing their walk of shame, while on CQ.

It isn't the same Army though. I'm not certain that the 17 year old Wolf today would make the same decisions that 17 year old Wolf did then.

[BoDy*ShOt]

Thank you T! I'm officially in the VA system now .. and adore the Minneapolis hospital!! On the top of my ME to-do list is get applied.. and I did find an advocate group to help w it all!

Originally Posted by Toughy

Apply whenever you want. I was in during the 70's and did not start my service connection stuff until about 2 years ago. I got caught in the backlog, however....they all the sudden are scheduling appointments and sending papers. It seems my case was transferred to another Regional Office...Lincoln NE for me....other folks I know have had their case sent to Oklahoma City. Things are looking up!

(The Oakland VA Regional Office (the worst backlog in the country) farmed out hundreds in not thousands of their backlog claims to other VA Regional Offices.)

Go to your local Vet Center Office and they can help you out. Some states also have advocates to help you file the claim.

[Greyson]

New Study: Transgender People Face Substantial Discrimination in Military Service

Press Release
August 1, 2013

“Despite the repeal of ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,’ this study highlights the ongoing discrimination faced by transgender people who have served in the military,” said Herman. Nine percent of those who served reported that they were discharged on account of being transgender or gender non-conforming.

The study will be published in the forthcoming issue of the LGBTQ Public Policy Journal at the Harvard Kennedy School.

http://williamsinstitute.law.ucla.ed...es/1-aug-2013/

[Dykea]

So the CG get's NO RESPECT [[especially from squids and jarheads]] LOL
I'm a Coast Guard Vet... I have a 2 daughters active duty, a son just graduating from CG Basic and another Philistine daughter enlisting, leaving for Basic in January.

MY master plan??
To take over the Coast Guard.

[Wolfsong]

Originally Posted by Dykea

So the CG get's NO RESPECT [[especially from squids and jarheads]] LOL
I'm a Coast Guard Vet... I have a 2 daughters active duty, a son just graduating from CG Basic and another Philistine daughter enlisting, leaving for Basic in January.

MY master plan??
To take over the Coast Guard.

Aw don't let those guys call you a bath tub sailor......your mission is bad ass. I'd be puking in my boots at the first set of 20' waves.

[Dykea]

Originally Posted by Wolfsong

Aw don't let those guys call you a bath tub sailor......your mission is bad ass. I'd be puking in my boots at the first set of 20' waves.

Hahaha!! Bathtub Sailor, Puddle Pirate... Baby Navy?? I've heard them all.

But which Branch of the Services has TWO of their own popular reality TV Shows?? Yea.. Coast Guard.

No one gives a SHIT about the CG, until your ass is hanging onto a floating piece of busted up shit that use to be BOAT or a HOUSE w/40 knot winds!! lol

THEN were fucking Wonder WOMAN in a invisible plane!!
lol

[Corkey]

One of my friends was a Coastie, he worked the hook.

As a sailor, they are da BOMB!

Has needed a tow or two in my lifetime.

[MysticOceansFL]

I'm a U S Army military Intelligence vet <<<<

[Dykea]

First of all with the fun *jabbing* aside between all the [[grunts, jarheads, squids, blue shirts and someday another fellow coastie -- not to soon, i enjoy my loan spot]]
Military Branches...

I want to thank ALL of my fellow Service Members for serving their country. Whether you ID as lez, femme, butch, dyke, queer or tg...

We were closeted in a dominate male environment and only we know the good w/the bad that we lived with daily.

With the media and Pentagon attention on rape in the Military and people NEVER listening to those who lived w/this issues I am proud to announce that my middle daughter who is a 3rd CPO in the CG, just informed me she is now a Sexual Assault Prevention Representative for District 5.

I could NOT be more proud that one of MY Philistines [kids] is going to be part of the SOLUTION.

SEMPER PARATUS!

[Wolfsong]

Originally Posted by Dykea

First of all with the fun *jabbing* aside between all the [[grunts, jarheads, squids, blue shirts and someday another fellow coastie -- not to soon, i enjoy my loan spot]]
Military Branches...

I want to thank ALL of my fellow Service Members for serving their country. Whether you ID as lez, femme, butch, dyke, queer or tg...

We were closeted in a dominate male environment and only we know the good w/the bad that we lived with daily.

With the media and Pentagon attention on rape in the Military and people NEVER listening to those who lived w/this issues I am proud to announce that my middle daughter who is a 3rd CPO in the CG, just informed me she is now a Sexual Assault Prevention Representative for District 5.

I could NOT be more proud that one of MY Philistines [kids] is going to be part of the SOLUTION.

SEMPER PARATUS!

Hoo Ahh........


Boy those witch hunts of old could stop your heart couldn't they? They always seemed to happen in the next company over to mine or somewhere close enough to my door step that it felt like I was next. I dunno what I was so scared of......what were they gonna do? Bend my dog tags and send me home? It felt like so much more then.

I can't even imagine what it was like for our WWII era brothers and sisters where being homosexual could earn you a vacation out in Leavenworth. Now THAT would be scary!