MEMORIAL DAY--Thread Three--"The Bodybags of Afghanistan and Iraq"--(Roger's Story)

12/13/03 | redrock

[Alamo-Girl]

Thank you oh so very much for these!

[Grampa Dave]

Thanks Redrock!

A Memorial Day Thank You, to all the Vets who never came home from all the wars and those who did.

[MEG33]

Amen

[E.G.C.]

BTTT!!!!!!!

[Molly Pitcher]

Thank you redrock. For them....indeed.

[ride the whirlwind]

Thank you!

[Landru]

Say Tonk, I had one hellova interesting experience, yesterday.

The nursery had to come to the house to replace a tree that'd kacked & I'd told 'em *not* to send the same team out as they had, before. (~the first guys didn't know their butts from holes in the ground, as a result my beloved tree died due to the imbecile's carelessness...)

Anyway, three guys in their late 20s to early 30s show up with the new tree, & one of the guys has a Marine E5 tattoo, the kind of insig one'd see on a Marine's Class A?

The young man's the quiet type, rarely making eye contact with me, so I take the initiative & ask, "You a Marine, Mister?"
He says, "Damned straight I am." ~very matter-of-factly.
I tell him I'm ex-Army & he says, "That right, well OK."

I asked if he'd seen any combat in the War on Terror, & he tells me he'd just returned from a year in Iraq.
Was stationed outa Fort Campbell, KY, with a small Marine Reserve attachment located there.

I told him, "Welcome home my friend. Job well done!"

He looked at me (& my outstretched hand) kind of incredulosly, slowly extended his soiled hand to shake, & said, "Thanks." n Abrams M1 tank commander, no less, & then the stories start.
As it turns out his "Boss," the guy with him & the other fella -- an even quieter guy -- are Marine EOD; &, the three are childhood pals who enlisted in the Marine Reserves, together.

Man-oh-man what a time I had talking with these guys.
Between 'em, they related many great stories of their experience over there, including tales of odd lizards & the Camel Spiders.
The tanker had a degree in Social Studies & due to the timing of his return was too late to catch on with a (High) school to teach so was working with his pals at the nursery to eat & pay the rent until next semester.

They came straight faced & left with the kind of smiles only an exchange of military experiences/stories can give a guy, y'know?

BTW, we *did* talk politics and these 3 were pretty damning of the 'Rats, the Liberal-Socialist mediots overall & in particular the fruad John Kerry.
We *all* howled at the guy's 3 Purple Hearts & what they knew he'd endured to recieve 'em.
Funny how the military people know about the Kerry louse but the public hasn't a clue.

Poor 'Rats.
Given what they'd told me of their opin & that of -- virtually -- every other guy & gal in uniform?
I sure in the hell hope the 'Rats aren't looking to our fighting forces.

...for votes. :o)

[highlandbreeze]

Thank you,Redrock.

I will NEVER FORGET!!

[blackie]

MEMORIAL DAY....for 'Them' ~ Bump!

Thanks redrock!

[blackie]

Thanks for the ping, Tonkin!

[HiJinx]

Ping...

[KeyTapper]

Thanks for the ping, BB!

I did enjoy them. Hard to read, though. I have an eye infection that makes my eyes water. Although, who would have known the difference while I was reading these.

KeyTapper

[redrock]

Memorial Day BUMP!!!!

redrock

[Molly Pitcher]

Memorial Day Bump.

[redrock]

MEMORIAL DAY BUMP!!!!!!!

redrock

[redrock]

MEMORIAL DAY BUMP!!!

redrock

[redrock]

MEMORIAL DAY....

redrock

[redrock]

You're right...if that story isn't true..it ought to be.

But...I tend to believe that it's true.

redrock

[M Kehoe]

Great reading this a.m. You're trying to get sand in my eye.

5.56mm

[redrock]

"You're trying to get sand in my eye."

True....but when that sand gets in there...it only brings out whats in your heart.

(Grin)

redrock