An Officer, a Marine, and a Gentleman

townhall.com ^ | 12/31//06 | Kevin McCullough

[beyond the sea]

The night after Christmas I sat down for a homemade tamale dinner in Southern California with a newly appointed U.S. Naval Officer, and his best friend - an enlisted Marine. My time with them was as enlightening as it was enjoyable. It was a moment I wish our nation had been able to witness.

Both men were out of uniform, both were home for a few days of leave. Best friends since they were kids, the two were of course at ease with each other and the other assembled guests. Though the Marine has been in longer, there was some good natured ribbing about who would be required to salute who if they had both been in uniform. Their conversation style was polite, both of them often responding to questions with a slight smile usually followed by a "yes sir."

Much of the discussion centered around the theaters of service the Marine had just returned from, and comparing notes with what officer candidate school had been like for the newly crowned Naval Aviator. When on occasion, I would raise a question that would begin to have political ramifications to it and even though both were off duty and completely free to respond, their restraint always kept them from immediately jumping on even the easiest of targets.

When I asked what they felt about John Kerry's comments regarding the general intelligence level of the men and women who serve today, the Marine just grinned, leaned in a little and nearly whispered, "It’s not true you know?"

[beyond the sea]

"2007 may bring many ominous signs about our nation's future, but those signs stem from an ungrateful leftist slant in America. By contrast the spirit, restraint, intelligence, precision, dedication, and commitment, of a young marine, a naval officer and thousands more service men and women may just point us to the light we need to survive the toughest days which lay ahead."

[Lurker]

I really wish I had scarfed that picture of John Kerry in the mess hall in Iraq sitting all alone.

It seems that not one single service person from MA would sit with him as is traditional when a Congresscritter shows up on a foreign military base.

Not one.

That weasel had to sit at an empty table in the mess hall all by himself with nary a photo op in sight.

If he weren't such an insufferable pr*** I might almost feel sorry for him.

Might and almost being the operative words.

If I don't talk to you tomorrow, please allow me to bid you a happy, healthy, peaceful, and prosperous New Year my friend.

Try not to frighten those poor deer next year.

Making bucks jealous is just plain mean after all.

Regards,

L

[beyond the sea]

If he weren't such an insufferable pr*** I might almost feel sorry for him. Might and almost being the operative words.

Yes, I saw that picture and saw a couple more of him sitting over there basically alone, and exactly like you, I almost felt sorry for him. ALMOST! Then I thought back to how this guy was making anti-war speeches in school even before he entered the military, then I remembered how he tried to get duty with no risk, and then of course I remembered how he pretty much wounded himself to get out of the duty in which he found himself. Then of course was his pathetic, lying Congressional testimony and other crap he did when he came back to the states.

No, no feeling sorry for that rat! He is all about himself. I really disdain that creep.

****

Happy New Year to you too, Lurker. I'll be good to the deer. I just put a couple of nice salt licks down there in the woods for them. They're my buddies.

Take care.

[beyond the sea]

ping

[beyond the sea]

ping

[beyond the sea]

I really wish I had scarfed that picture of John Kerry in the mess hall in Iraq sitting all alone. It seems that not one single service person from MA would sit with him as is traditional when a Congresscritter shows up on a foreign military base. Not one. That weasel had to sit at an empty table in the mess hall all by himself with nary a photo op in sight.

****

Bummer (not)

[Lurker]

It's hard to see from that pic, but it looks to me like every single person wearing a uniform has managed to have their back to Kerry.

I wonder how that happened....

So he ends up sitting with one old bald guy (not that there's anything intrinsically wrong with old bald guys, I are one) but he most likely works for Kerry.

God Bless whoever shot that picture.

Thanks for digging it up for me.

L

[beyond the sea]

FReeper, musicman, posted another picture and wrote on another thread, "Like some other Freepers mentioned.....plenty of SWORD ROOM even in this pic...."

[period end of story]

Where'd everybody go?.

[beyond the sea]

If BS were concrete, John Jacques Strap Effin Shove It Maria Teresa Thierstein Simoes Ferreira Halp Kerry would be an Interstate Highway.

****

You’ve got to admire a fellow who sees a room full of wealthy widows as a target-rich environment. – Annie Coulter

[RedRover]

Bump and ping.

[RetiredArmy]

Jon Communist Carry is not fit to clean the latrines of these fine fighting men and women. He should be put on lifetime burial detail for dogs and pigs.

[MuttTheHoople]

Not defending Kerry (as a matter of fact, I greatly admire the troops who ignored Jon Carry in Iraq and refused to shake his hand at Walter Reed and cussed him when he tried to talk to him). However, why are the Democrats giving our troops a free pass for dogging a sitting US Senator?

Remember during the Tailhook Controversy, when a bunch of Naval Aviators did an off-color ditty:

Hickory dickory dock, Pat Schroder can **** my ****!

Those aviators got cashiered post-haste. Yet, when troops put out the "Halp us Jon Carry" sign, and Army Cadets have a poster that says, "If you're not smart, you go to Navy", there's not even the hint of talk of even quietly reprimanding them.

Don't think I'm defending Jon Carry. I despise him for what he said about my dad and his buddies (and some of my buddies) during his 1971 talk in front of Congress, and the fact he never had to pay for his lies and distortions. Just saying it's funny Dingy Harry, Speaker D'Alessandro Pelosi, or even Teddy the Swimmer aren't coming to carry's defense.

[Nancee]

Thank you for this thread!! What a wonderful Military we are blessed with!!

[oh8eleven]

Dingy Harry, Speaker D'Alessandro Pelosi, or even Teddy the Swimmer aren't coming to carry's defense.
You can't defend the indefensible.

[beyond the sea]

..... well said.

Happy New Year.

[jazusamo]

Good piece, thanks for the post and ping.

Wishing you and all a Happy New Year.

[beyond the sea]

"2007 may bring many ominous signs about our nation's future, but those signs stem from an ungrateful leftist slant in America. By contrast the spirit, restraint, intelligence, precision, dedication, and commitment, of a young marine, a naval officer and thousands more service men and women may just point us to the light we need to survive the toughest days which lay ahead."

And a Happy New Year to you..............