SwiftVets.com

[Pajoly]

Dear all,

While not feeling worthy of being called a "vet," I am an honorably discharged active duty veteran. My service was brief and in a period of relative tranquility in the mid-80's. Not being a combat veteran like many of you, I feel almost sheepish, but I am comfortable in the knowledge that I freely signed that dotted line giving Uncle Sam claim to life and limb.

I was Army, originally 05C (radio teletype), which became 31C, but I acquired an ASI of V9 (satcom terminal operator) that put me in a Pershing II nuke missile battery in what was then West Germany. The only danger we faced were agitated protestors and a weird phenomenon of static charge build-up in the 1st stage solid rocket fuel that caused 5 of my fellows to be killed when it ignited due simply to a PMCS tightening of the ground strap.

Anyway, the Colors fly high at our household, which overlooks the well-trod hills of Camp Pendleton. My young daughters drift to sleep as freedom's lullaby is sounded by the earnest artillery training in those hills. (I am proud to note that the first word my daughter asked me to spell was "America flag.") So I'm here to show my support for the brave efforts of these few humble men -- you men who returned unheralded to an openly hostile nation then quietly went about building and re-building your lives.

You could have continued on that path in anonymity. Instead, you remembered your vows and remembered your buddies who suffered with you and those who did not make it home. You refuse to let their service be defiled by calculated ambition, by one who chose to be a "turncoat" for political expediency as surely and as facile as he today trots out a claim to "war hero" status. For you, honor is not a hobby. And damn sure it is not a strategy.
_________________
With deepest thanks for you service to country then...and now in this battle

[LewWaters]

Never feel peacetime service is lesser. Just because you didn't serve in combat doesn't mean that you weren't prepared and may have been called to duty. Any service is appreciated and maintaining a strong standing for over 50 years is what finally ended the Cold War.

Hold your head high and welcome.
_________________
Clark County Conservative

[Navy_Navy_Navy]

Welcome aboard pajoly!

Beautiful letter - I know it will bring a smile to the Vietnam Vets here. That's what many of us peacetime vets are doing here - we are supporting our brothers and sisters.

Thanks for joining us.
_________________
~ Echo Juliet ~
Altering course to starboard - On Fire, Keep Clear
Navy woman, Navy wife, Navy mother

[Spiess]

Well writen, Amazing how vets from all services all times can come to anothers aid in time of need. I am proud I served, more so then ever before. Welcome.

[ALMOUNT]

[lundymicron]

Pajoly,

Those of us who served in the 1980's were very lucky. We served under Ronald Reagan and very few of us were ever called to combat. But as Lew said, we were ready...

I am so glad to see the military getting the respect it is due FINALLY, from the general population. Long overdue and the VietNam era vets deserve great credit for their service and real apologies from the likes of traitors such as Hanoi Jane and that flippin' Kerry jerk.
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"Those who forget the past are condemned to relive it." -Santayana

[chunderman]

Thankfully a majority of us throughout history have served in peacetime. A major reason for that was because of those veterans who did fight and took care of business to achieve peace.

“Power perceived is power achieved”.

[steamer51]

I have the greatest respect for combat veterans of war yet all veterans
should be honored. We all had a choice to make and made the right one.
Even draftees could have run away or gone to jail, but they chose to serve.

I am a Viet Nam "Era" USNR vet 71-79, active 72-74 whose draft number
was drawn after I was already in boot camp. Not a good place to find out
your number is 265 and not likely to be called, but absolutely no regrets.
I served with many who joined the Navy to avoid the draft and Viet Nam
yet they all served honorably and none were traitors or communist
sympathizers like Kerry. Any vet could have been called to combat if fate
had demanded a war while they were in the service. While I personally
was not called to serve in Viet Nam, a fellow "A" school graduate joined
the Navy to avoid Nam and got into communications because it was mostly
shore based at the time and he did not want to go to sea. First duty
station out of school was a ship in Nam, so you never know.
_________________
"Never suppose that in any possible situation, or under any circumstances, it is best for you
to do a dishonorable thing..." --Thomas Jefferson