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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 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.

(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
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To: Nachum

and they can’t even get the ballots to the very people who are defending our freedoms to VOTE. They all make me sick. God bless this young man. He has served a career and he RETIRED. He is the real hero!!!


61 posted on 11/07/2010 10:21:39 AM PST by cubreporter ( Trust Rush and you won't go wrong.)
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To: Nachum

Wow! Well said.


62 posted on 11/07/2010 10:28:53 AM PST by Sans-Culotte ( Pray for Obama- Psalm 109:8)
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To: DTogo
I did, and my question still stands. He’s not “quitting” so much as retiring with the feeling of a knife in his back...

It may be simply semantics. I guess he could have chosen to not retire and that's why he calls it quitting.

"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."

63 posted on 11/07/2010 10:35:17 AM PST by arasina (So there.)
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To: Drumbo

Great letter from a retired USAF officer. Go read the whole thing, my FRiend.


64 posted on 11/07/2010 10:44:13 AM PST by Titan Magroyne (What one person receives without working for, another person must work for without receiving.)
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To: melancholy; All

Perhaps Green for the Conservatives (Color of Money, Capitalism) and Yellow for the Libs (Cowards!)?


65 posted on 11/07/2010 10:50:37 AM PST by MIhomeschooler
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To: 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.


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

66 posted on 11/07/2010 11:06:19 AM PST by The Comedian (I really missed you. Next time, I'll adjust for windage.)
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To: brityank; Nachum; 2rightsleftcoast; abner; ACAC; advertising guy; Arkinsaw; athelass; aumrl; ...

An excellent piece by retired Major Mike Banzet, USAF. Hopefully he’ll make his voice heard to American voters as a civilian in some manner.

Thanks for the ping, brityank and for posting, Nachum!


67 posted on 11/07/2010 11:07:41 AM PST by jazusamo (His [Obama's] political base---the young, the left and the thoughtless: Thomas Sowell)
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To: Titan Magroyne; Bushbacker1

Bump and Ping to another Montana guy. A must read!

http://www.dailyinterlake.com/article_dbcfb820-e9f6-11df-9f3f-001cc4c002e0.html


68 posted on 11/07/2010 11:08:11 AM PST by seekthetruth (Winners don't compromise, Losers Do!)
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To: seekthetruth; Brian328i; MysticMetal; BigSkyDream; high_fidelity; mcsam; MontanaMatt; ...

Ping


69 posted on 11/07/2010 11:09:34 AM PST by seekthetruth (Winners don't compromise, Losers Do!)
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To: MIhomeschooler

To me “green” is for Peaceniks and enviro whackos.

We bleed red, filthy lib cowards bleed yellow puss!


70 posted on 11/07/2010 11:09:40 AM PST by melancholy (It ain't Camelot, it's Scam-a-lot!)
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To: jazusamo

BUMP


71 posted on 11/07/2010 11:21:30 AM PST by Lancey Howard
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To: Nachum
We may need men like him soon. I have no doubt that he would be as dedicated do dealing with domestic enemies.

I just hope that there are many many more like him.

72 posted on 11/07/2010 11:45:23 AM PST by Publius6961 ("In 1964 the War on Poverty Began --- Poverty won.")
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To: Keith in Iowa

Sadly I cannot get my text enlarger to work, so I cannot read the entire article. All I have to say is that the fear of God is the beginning of wisdom. And I hear there are no atheists in foxholes. God bless our veterans all.


73 posted on 11/07/2010 11:48:08 AM PST by Paperdoll ( On the cutting edge)
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To: Nachum

Major, thank you for your service, and keep holding to that oath. Better days are coming.


74 posted on 11/07/2010 11:50:28 AM PST by Mr. Silverback (Anyone who says we need illegals to do the jobs Americans won't do has never watched "Dirty Jobs.")
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To: Admin Moderator

Does this fine article have to be excerpted, or could it be posted on FR in its entirety? It deserves much wider play than some small-town newspaper in Montana ... as in, it ought to be required reading for every voter in America.


75 posted on 11/07/2010 11:53:41 AM PST by Campion
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To: Ben Mugged
“How can we fail with men like this on our side?”

Because we may still be greatly outnumbered by those this man condemns in his article. If we can awaken enough of THEM to THEIR responsibilities, maybe we can win, but the issue is still in doubt. We'll see how this new congress does. If it becomes “business as usual” too, then we are lost.

WRM, MSgt, USAF(Ret.)

76 posted on 11/07/2010 12:09:54 PM PST by Old Student
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To: Nachum
I don't blame him for being cynical one bit...

but he is in a position to move on to something else....because he'll get a nice govt pension and lifelong medical and extra points to get another govt job...

we out here in the hinterands can't quit our jobs...won't be getting lifelong pensions...won't be getting federal health coverage for life....our options are few....

believe me, most of us would love to write our opus to the govt...."we're quitting because you tax us too much, we get too little in return, and you are spending my money on people that are not citizens, don't work, don't pay taxes or otherwise are lazy and deceitful people...."

how most of us would love to retire off the grid on a little farm near a lake with fish in it and have nothing to do with the govt ever again..

77 posted on 11/07/2010 12:10:41 PM PST by cherry
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To: jazusamo

Clearly bitter sweet letter. It obviously echos so much of what so many at this site have had to say for a long time.


78 posted on 11/07/2010 12:26:55 PM PST by Marine_Uncle (Honor must be earned....)
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To: LucyT; Candor7; danamco; rxsid

elected officials who continually defame and berate military members, whether it is the observation that if you’re not too bright, you’ll get “…stuck in Iraq” (this from a guy who has two Purple Hearts for self-inflicted wounds, and known for throwing someone else’s medals away in protest),


79 posted on 11/07/2010 12:29:52 PM PST by george76 (Ward Churchill : Fake Indian, Fake Scholarship, and Fake Art)
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To: MasterGunner01
“All these punks on the Left need to understand that men with guns stand ready to do violence on their behalf so they can sleep soundly in their beds at night.

The Lefties’ miserable, worthless existence is guaranteed by those they detest the most. How ironic . . . and sad.”

Most of those think that the men with guns are the REASON why things get bad. They don't seem to understand that it only takes ONE person to cause a problem. Mugger, home invader, or islamo-facist jihadi, they think if they can just talk to them, they'll all be able to sing “Kum-ba-Ya” together. Sometimes they survive to learn different, but don't bet on it.

WRM, MSgt, USAF(Ret.)

80 posted on 11/07/2010 12:47:07 PM PST by Old Student
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