Of Marines and Veterans

[Reloadron]

I have noticed that THR has no shortage of veterans and US Marine Corps veterans. I would like to wish all the former Marines out there in THR land a most happy & safe 238th birthday on today 10 November 2013.

Tomorrow is Veteran's Day and I would like to wish all the Veteran THR members a happy and safe Veteran's Day. Thank you for your service.

In keeping with a gun theme:

This is my rifle. There are many like it, but this one is mine.

My rifle is my best friend. It is my life. I must master it as I must master my life.

My rifle, without me, is useless. Without my rifle, I am useless. I must fire my rifle true. I must shoot straighter than my enemy who is trying to kill me. I must shoot him before he shoots me. I will...

My rifle and I know that what counts in this war is not the rounds we fire, the noise of our burst, nor the smoke we make. We know that it is the hits that count. We will hit...

My rifle is human, even as I, because it is my life. Thus, I will learn it as a brother. I will learn its weaknesses, its strength, its parts, its accessories, its sights and its barrel. I will keep my rifle clean and ready, even as I am clean and ready. We will become part of each other. We will...

Before God, I swear this creed. My rifle and I are the defenders of my country. We are the masters of our enemy. We are the saviors of my life.

So be it, until victory is America's and there is no enemy, but peace!

Semper Fi
Ron

 

[skoro]

Then there's the "other" rifleman's creed I learned at basic:

This is my rifle
That is my gun
This one's for shooting
That one's for fun

Semper Fi

 

[Reloadron]

Ah, such fond memories.

Ron

 

[longknife12]

Sir, it was my honor. Thanks for the wishes.
Dan

 

[Centurian22]

Yes thank you to all those who serve and a happy Marine Corp B-Day as well. I'm honored to share my date of birth (day not year) with such an elite group.

 

[mugsie]

Let me relate a little story....

I am a former Special Forces Soldier. Spent 68 & 69 in Nam. When I got back, well, just about everyone knows how we were treated. Today it's different, however at times I feel with all the liberalization happening in the media and the propaganda being taught in the schools, sometimes I don't think there's much hope for our future as we know it.

Anyway, I'm also a member of the local VFW. Every year, on a few different occasions we try to raise money in support of our troops by selling poppies. Whatever people wish to donate is fine with us, from pennies to dollars, it all goes to support packages and events for our service members.

Yesterday a few of us were standing out in the cold "selling" our poppies. Several stores away were a bunch of kids playing on their bikes. I don't think they were more than 12 or 13 years old. They were in front of a food store, whooping it up and doing what kids normally do. After maybe getting chased from there, or tiring of playing in that area, they proceeded to move up towards where we were set up. When they saw us, they immediately peddled over, got off their bikes and the three of them went up to each Vet there, shook our hand and said "thank you for your service and for what you do for us". Then each kid reached into their pocket, took out whatever money they had and placed it into our jar. After we spoke to them for a while, they peddled off.

I can't begin to tell you how that made us feel, especially the Vietnam Vets. After all the liberalization going on, it's refreshing to know that some people are still bringing up their kids right, to recognize the sacrifices being made by todays Veteran, and taking the time to stop and thank them for it. Maybe there is hope for this country after all.

Guys - I can't stress enough, if you're a Vet, active duty or not, get yourself into a service organization such as the American Legion, Am Vets, VFW, Vietnam Vets of America or MOPH. These organizations have Service Officers who will keep you up to date on the benefits you have coming to you, which the government isn't very forth coming in telling you about. Even spousal pensions etc depending on the illness. Get into one - it'll be the best move you do.


To all the Veterans on here, let me thank you for your service, and for you Marines - Happy Birthday!

 

[xfyrfiter]

mugsie that was inspirational, thanks for sharing. And thanks for your service.

 

[Flfiremedic]

Semper Fi Brothers and HBD. Great times.

 

[bikerdoc]

Welcome home Mugsie.

 

[USAF_Vet]

Oorah and Seller Fi, Marines.

Here's a salute to all who served, from all generations. I'll be drinking one in your, our, honor.

 

[oldcelt]

Happy birthday Marines, Sincere thank you to all vets
Winston Churchill made a comment that would fit here, Never have so many owed so much to so few. Ain't it the truth?
In the end it is always the man with tthe rifle that gets the job done.

 

[RBid]

I wrote and deleted at least a dozen walls of text before I gave up on this and started spamming friends with text messages, instead.

I'm going to keep this short and sweet. Thank you ALL for your service, whether you were SF, a supply clerk, an Air Force desk pilot, medical staff, or an administrator. Every person who held up the man or woman next to them deserves thanks.

 

[glove]

Veterans day

Might be a day early but to all the Veterans out there have a great day.

Well another Veterans day tomorrow, and I have to work to pay my taxes so all the Government non veteran workers can have the day off with pay. To all the Veterans who have to work tomorrow I hope you have a great Veterans day. Maybe one day the private sector will get the same days off as the government workers do. By the way when I get laid off and get called back to work my employer never gave me back pay. Just a short rant.
Dave Z

 

[sgtdevildog]

Just got back from celebrating our birthday with my best friend and fellow former Marine at Buffalos Wild Wings. As we were leaving we wished each other a happy birthday and the server overheard and asked us who had the birthday. We explained it was the birthday of the Corps, he thanked us for our service, took back the tab and came back with ten bucks off. Hoorah. Thanks to all those who have served and are serving. Happy Veterans Day.

 

[Red Wind]

Thank you very much,Dave. And yes,it should be a day off for the private sector also.

 

[Officers'Wife]

Might be a day early but to all the Veterans out there have a great day.

Well another Veterans day tomorrow, and I have to work to pay my taxes so all the Government non veteran workers can have the day off with pay. To all the Veterans who have to work tomorrow I hope you have a great Veterans day. Maybe one day the private sector will get the same days off as the government workers do. By the way when I get laid off and get called back to work my employer never gave me back pay. Just a short rant.
Dave Z

Hi Dave,

FWIW, tomorrow there will be three veterans working hard to get a crop in out of the field. But they are in for a surprise. My sis in law somehow managed to get fresh shrimp and tomorrow when they stop for dinner we'll have the propane fired deep frier going strong. Shrimp, deep fried potato quarters and Dad's Zimbabwe coffee that I -uh- creatively acquired.

 

[jcwit]

And a heartfelt THANK YOU for those that remember.

 

[greenmtnguy]

I'm not a veteran, and I am workin tomorrow, but I am taking unpaid time off in the morning to play in a band for the town's Veteran's Day services - it is the least I can do to thank them, and I try to play for at least 1 town's services every year.

 

[M2 Carbine]

I think a good way to celebrate Veterans Day would be to shoot this old Veteran. (the M1, not me )

 

[Ohen Cepel]

I'll be working along with many other retirees and Vets in my company. We have a picture scheduled for 1100 of all of us which is nice.

New to the area I'm in but need to find a cemetery to pay a visit to in the evening. Just part of my thing on this and Memorial Day. I rolled the dice many times in my Army career and was lucky; as we all know, many others were not.

I never looked for special treatment or for the public to love us, but it does sadden me how it's become a BBQ at Memorial Day and Veteran's Day is pretty much just blown through.

 

[M2 Carbine]

It's hard to believe I've seen 57 Marine Corps birthdays.




Here's a toast to you all, no matter what service you were/are in.

 

[MedWheeler]

I work in EMS, another profession that knows no holidays, and I am on shift tomorrow. In fact, none of my chosen professions have been "holiday-off" ones, from US Army to firefighting, to LE, and now this one.

But, to keep this post (if not the thread) on topic, I carry a gun to and from my work station. There; that should do it.

 

[zdc1775]

I have to say this has been the best birthday I have had yet. The first I was deployed, the second I was standing duty, the third I had just been medically discharged, last year I was working, and this year I spent the day playing with the dogs, hunting squirrels, and just relaxing with the wife. So for all my brother and sister Marines I hope you also had a wonderful birthday and hope that all of you, regardless of service, who are deployed come home safely.

 

[119er]

I work tomorrow as well but took the M1, 1903A3, and M1A(close enough) out to the range today to let 'em speak.

 

[Grmlin]

Thank you,

Currently unemployed, no classes at the college but still have homework, never thought I'd be doing homework at 45. May do what has been mentioned and go out and do some target practice and my normal Veterans day functions.

Sometimes it's hard for a Veteran when they are thanked because we think about the friends that never returned. To all the Veterans and their families have a wonderful day.