Skip to comments.
Why I quit...
Desert Storm vet explains decision
to leave Air Force after 22 years
Daily Inter Lake ^
| 11/7/10
| By MIKE BANZET
Posted on 11/07/2010 7:52:26 AM PST by 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 Ive talked to has repeated that Ive had a marvelous career and that Ive retired with honor. Maybe thats true on paper; I guess that its reflected by the record. But thats not how I feel. I feel like Ive quit. And because Im not a quitter, I feel I have to explain why not that anyone is asking, but because perhaps they dont know to ask.
Quit is a strong word, I know. Everyone Ive talked to has repeated that Ive had a marvelous career and that Ive retired with honor. Maybe thats true on paper; I guess that its reflected by the record. But thats not how I feel. I feel like Ive quit. And because Im not a quitter, I feel I have to explain why not that anyone is asking, but because perhaps they dont 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.
(Excerpt) Read more at dailyinterlake.com ...
TOPICS: Editorial; Extended News; Foreign Affairs; Front Page News; News/Current Events; US: Montana
KEYWORDS: banzet; desert; mikebanzet; military; quit; storm; vet
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-20 ... 61-80, 81-100, 101-120, 121-122 next last
To: The Comedian; B4Ranch
” 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.
To: stephenjohnbanker; B4Ranch; Lurker; a fool in paradise; houeto; null and void; Kartographer; ...
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.
![](http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2743/4175015880_cea9ebed9e_m.jpg)
Frowning takes 68 muscles.
Smiling takes 6.
Pulling this trigger takes 2.
I'm lazy.
102
posted on
11/08/2010 12:39:56 PM PST
by
The Comedian
(I really missed you. Next time, I'll adjust for windage.)
To: The Comedian
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.
103
posted on
11/08/2010 12:46:27 PM PST
by
MHGinTN
(Some, believing they can't be deceived, it's nigh impossible to convince them when they're deceived.)
To: MHGinTN; The Comedian; aragorn
INDEED.
Some of us get called more . . . things . . . than others of y’all.
LOL.
104
posted on
11/08/2010 12:57:31 PM PST
by
Quix
(Times are a changin' INSURE you have believed in your heart & confessed Jesus as Lord Come NtheFlesh)
To: MHGinTN
![](http://im.in.com/media/download/wallpapers/2009/Dec/sib_420x315.jpg)
![](http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2743/4175015880_cea9ebed9e_m.jpg)
Frowning takes 68 muscles.
Smiling takes 6.
Pulling this trigger takes 2.
I'm lazy.
105
posted on
11/08/2010 1:14:58 PM PST
by
The Comedian
(I really missed you. Next time, I'll adjust for windage.)
To: The Comedian
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?
106
posted on
11/08/2010 1:19:24 PM PST
by
houeto
("You know, I actually believe my own bullsh_t," --- BHO)
To: The Comedian; stephenjohnbanker
>> 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.
107
posted on
11/08/2010 1:39:21 PM PST
by
B4Ranch
(Conflict is inevitable; Combat is an option. Train for the fight.)
To: melancholy
108
posted on
11/08/2010 1:41:43 PM PST
by
Arthur Wildfire! March
(Our 2010 victory was won the Tea Party Way, not the RINO way.)
To: B4Ranch; The Comedian
” >> We should start a support group.
The Embarrassingly Correct and Unerringly Insightful Syndrome Sufferers Support Cadre (ECUISSSC). << “
LOL!!
To: houeto
Anonymous Secret Society of Hypethetical Opinionators and Linguistic Evaluators? Well it's hardly anonymous or secret any more, is it?
Try again.
;-)
![](http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2743/4175015880_cea9ebed9e_m.jpg)
Frowning takes 68 muscles.
Smiling takes 6.
Pulling this trigger takes 2.
I'm lazy.
110
posted on
11/08/2010 1:56:50 PM PST
by
The Comedian
(I really missed you. Next time, I'll adjust for windage.)
To: The Comedian
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...
111
posted on
11/08/2010 1:59:46 PM PST
by
houeto
("You know, I actually believe my own bullsh_t," --- BHO)
To: Quix; MHGinTN; The Comedian; stephenjohnbanker; B4Ranch; Lurker; a fool in paradise; houeto; ...
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!
112
posted on
11/08/2010 4:04:09 PM PST
by
aragorn
(We do indeed live in interesting times. NRA, GOA, SAF, CCRKBA. FUBO.)
To: aragorn; The Comedian; houeto; B4Ranch; camle; Alkhin; Professional Engineer; katana; ...
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”...
113
posted on
11/08/2010 4:10:59 PM PST
by
null and void
(We are now in day 657 of our national holiday from reality. - 0bama really isn't one of US.)
To: null and void
That’s real close to what we all love so very much, I presume there’s no queers in this bunch.
114
posted on
11/08/2010 5:00:42 PM PST
by
B4Ranch
(Conflict is inevitable; Combat is an option. Train for the fight.)
To: null and void; The Comedian
Guess who demanded a tongue lashing? No, I will not say who.
115
posted on
11/08/2010 5:02:50 PM PST
by
B4Ranch
(Conflict is inevitable; Combat is an option. Train for the fight.)
To: RJS1950
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.
To: aragorn
Anonymous Secret Society of Hypethetical Opinionators and Linguistic Evaluators? Oh, you're in alright. Beautiful!
![](http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2743/4175015880_cea9ebed9e_m.jpg)
Frowning takes 68 muscles.
Smiling takes 6.
Pulling this trigger takes 2.
I'm lazy.
117
posted on
11/08/2010 6:26:21 PM PST
by
The Comedian
(I really missed you. Next time, I'll adjust for windage.)
To: null and void
Alright Cat, we're making you
The Commander (not for sensitive ears)
![](http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2743/4175015880_cea9ebed9e_m.jpg)
Frowning takes 68 muscles.
Smiling takes 6.
Pulling this trigger takes 2.
I'm lazy.
118
posted on
11/08/2010 6:32:59 PM PST
by
The Comedian
(I really missed you. Next time, I'll adjust for windage.)
To: B4Ranch; null and void
Guess who demanded a tongue lashing? No, I will not say who. Colonel, is that you?
![](http://www.tigriffith.com/textbilder/angus_bild_neu38.jpg)
![](http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2743/4175015880_cea9ebed9e_m.jpg)
Frowning takes 68 muscles.
Smiling takes 6.
Pulling this trigger takes 2.
I'm lazy.
119
posted on
11/08/2010 6:35:39 PM PST
by
The Comedian
(I really missed you. Next time, I'll adjust for windage.)
To: Old Student
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”.
120
posted on
11/08/2010 7:59:24 PM PST
by
RJS1950
(The democrats are the "enemies foreign and domestic" cited in the federal oath)
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-20 ... 61-80, 81-100, 101-120, 121-122 next last
Disclaimer:
Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual
posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its
management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the
exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson