Why I quit... Desert Storm vet explains decision to leave Air Force after 22 years

Daily Inter Lake ^ | 11/7/10 | By MIKE BANZET

[Nachum]

I never expected to write this letter, but my Mom e-mailed me to get information about my career for a writeup on Veterans Day, and as this is the first such holiday in 22 years when I will not be on active duty, I felt compelled to let you know why I decided to quit.

Quit is a strong word, I know. Everyone I’ve talked to has repeated that I’ve had a marvelous career and that I’ve retired with honor. Maybe that’s true on paper; I guess that it’s reflected by the record. But that’s not how I feel. I feel like I’ve quit. And because I’m not a quitter, I feel I have to explain why — not that anyone is asking, but because perhaps they don’t know to ask.

Quit is a strong word, I know. Everyone I’ve talked to has repeated that I’ve had a marvelous career and that I’ve retired with honor. Maybe that’s true on paper; I guess that it’s reflected by the record. But that’s not how I feel. I feel like I’ve quit. And because I’m not a quitter, I feel I have to explain why — not that anyone is asking, but because perhaps they don’t know to ask.

Briefly, my career had been a representation of the promise of this country. Starting out on the lowest rung of the rank ladder as an F-4G Wild Weasel crew chief, continuing on F-16s and the F-117A Stealth fighter in Desert Storm, then a small part of Desert Fox as a nuclear Maintenance Officer and finally a pilot that took part in numerous deployments in Southern Watch, Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom.

[stephenjohnbanker]

” There you go - thinking like I do.
Happens a lot. I blame your above-average intelligence and knack for being right all the time.

I suffer the same malady. “

Neither one of you characters miss anything.

[The Comedian]

Neither one of you characters miss anything.

Hey, B4, look, a fellow-sufferer!

We should start a support group.

The Embarrassingly Correct and Unerringly Insightful Syndrome Sufferers Support Cadre (ECUISSSC).

First order of business: We need a better name for the support group.

Pinging several other members of the soon-to-be-renamed support group for no good reason whatsoever.

Frowning takes 68 muscles.
Smiling takes 6.
Pulling this trigger takes 2.
I'm lazy.

[MHGinTN]

Well, here’s a substitute: SIBs ... smug insensitive bastards ... when you’ve been here as long as I have, you get called a few choice things, regardless of merit.

[Quix]

INDEED.

Some of us get called more . . . things . . . than others of y’all.

LOL.

[The Comedian]

Frowning takes 68 muscles.
Smiling takes 6.
Pulling this trigger takes 2.
I'm lazy.

[houeto]

Pinging several other members of the soon-to-be-renamed support group for no good reason whatsoever.

Anonymous Secret Society of Hypethetical Opinionators and Linguistic Evaluators?

[B4Ranch]

>> We should start a support group.

The Embarrassingly Correct and Unerringly Insightful Syndrome Sufferers Support Cadre (ECUISSSC). <<

I have done a flash research of available Internet libraries and medical journals without success. I asked my learned wife and of course she had the answer right on the tip of her tongue as any husband should expect after 30+ years of marriage. According to her, the proper medication for such ailments is Preparation H. Doctors apparently have been prescribing Doan’s Pills to bachelors with some success.

[Arthur Wildfire! March]

God bless him.

[stephenjohnbanker]

” >> We should start a support group.

The Embarrassingly Correct and Unerringly Insightful Syndrome Sufferers Support Cadre (ECUISSSC). << “

LOL!!

[The Comedian]

Anonymous Secret Society of Hypethetical Opinionators and Linguistic Evaluators?

Well it's hardly anonymous or secret any more, is it?

Try again.

;-)

Frowning takes 68 muscles.
Smiling takes 6.
Pulling this trigger takes 2.
I'm lazy.

[houeto]

Well it's hardly anonymous or secret any more, is it?

Not so sure. I don't know you. Do you know me? LOL

Try again.

It will have to wait. Later bud...

[aragorn]

Whatever it ends up being christened, count me in!

Anonymous Secret Society of Hypethetical Opinionators and Linguistic Evaluators?

As a former Infantry Platoon Sergeant I like this one, as apparently I've been a member for quite some time!

[null and void]

RIMMER: Erm, I think we’re all beginning to lose sight of the real issue here, which is: what are we going to call ourselves? Erm, and I think it comes down to a choice between “The League Against Salivating Monsters” or, my own personal preference, which is “The Committee for the Liberation and Integration of Terrifying Organisms and their Rehabilitation Into Society.” Erm, one drawback with that — the abbreviation is “CLITORIS”...

[B4Ranch]

That’s real close to what we all love so very much, I presume there’s no queers in this bunch.

[B4Ranch]

Guess who demanded a tongue lashing? No, I will not say who.

[Old Student]

My youngest just started high school. At age 12. Turned 13 the week after school started. Wants to be an aeronautical engineer. My oldest is still at home, and may never leave. Asperger’s syndrome. The middle child wants to be a Marine. That might get a bit interesting, as she's a bit under 5’ and maybe 100lbs at age 16. I'm thinking unless she's got one more growth spurt in there somewhere, she maybe better go USAF, like her old man.

[The Comedian]

Anonymous Secret Society of Hypethetical Opinionators and Linguistic Evaluators?

Oh, you're in alright. Beautiful!

Frowning takes 68 muscles.
Smiling takes 6.
Pulling this trigger takes 2.
I'm lazy.

[The Comedian]

Alright Cat, we're making you The Commander

(not for sensitive ears)

Frowning takes 68 muscles.
Smiling takes 6.
Pulling this trigger takes 2.
I'm lazy.

[The Comedian]

Guess who demanded a tongue lashing? No, I will not say who.

Colonel, is that you?

Frowning takes 68 muscles.
Smiling takes 6.
Pulling this trigger takes 2.
I'm lazy.

[RJS1950]

I don’t know what their current standards are but they have taken a number of shorter people; I served with a few in the early 70s. Take a look at the Wikipedia biography of General Victor H. Krulak and in particular the group picture from 1967; he was 5’4”.