How many military bubbas here?

[DryFly]

Army National Guard 82-88

A co. 3rd of the 116th (Stonewall Brigade)
A co. 1st of the 170th, 29 Inf. Div. (Light)

[budd4766]

US Army Reserve

412th Engineer Command, Vicksburg, MS - 8 years. BASIC/AIT @ Ft. Leonard Wood, MO.

[Instakilt]

British Army — 10 years
N. Ireland 1982-
Falkland Islands 82
N. Ireland 86

Royal Engineers
5 yrs England
5 yrs Germany

Campaign Service Medal from N.Ireland

[xena]

10 years Canadian Armed Forces.

First five years, Regular Force, Air Force uniform, Administrative Clerk, served at 407 (MP) Sqn Comox, 19 Wing Comox and finally at 2 RCR Gagetown.

Last five years, Primary Reserves, Army uniform, Admin Clerk, Seaforth Highlanders of Canada.

Royal Engineers

A "been around the block a few times" type of Sapper is walking along and passes by a young RAF Pilot Officer without saluting (something to do with not seeing the tiny little stripe or something). The young P.O. asks the sapper "Don't you salute RAF Officers in the Royal Engineers?" to which the sapper replied "We don't have RAF Officers in the Royal Engineers." He walked off leaving a certain young officer puzzled and bewhildered.

[###KILTEDKIWI###]

RNZN (Royal New Zealand Navy)

8 years

Marine Engineer

Peacekeeper -

Arabian Gulf
Bougainville
East Timor

[Sir William]

Usmc 1970-73
usmcr 1973-76
usn 1976-1982
usmc 1982-85
usmcr 1985-1999

[Chas]

Royal air Force - 12 years

Blown-up in Northern Ireland and spent three weeks in a coma.

South Atlantic (Falkland Islands) missed having my head shot off by six inches as the box I was sitting on collapsed at the same time as the bullets came through the wall. The others with me said it was woodworm - I prefer to think of it as divine intervention!

I do not regret my time in the RAF, but looking back, I don't think I would want to repeat it.

Let's not forget all the civilians who worked for and served and sometimes died for the armed services - "They also serve, who stand and wait.

Regards

Chas

[Larry124]

“…Census 2000 counted 208.1 million civilians 18 and older in the United States.
Within this population, approximately 26.4 million or 12.7 percent were veterans.”

Those 87.3 percent non-veterans likely have more reasons than you list.

[Chas]

Hi Larry,

I probably haven't explained myself properly. In the British forces, there have always been the 'Camp Followers'. A man could get his hair cut by someone in his section or he went to the camp barber - a civilian. When he went to the NAAFI (BX) for his toothpaste or deodorant he is served by civilians. When the tea wagon comes round, it might be WRVS ladies or Red Cross or NAAFI again, but definitely civilians. Mealtimes - 1000+ personnel at a serving is a lot of plates and pots to wash, again done by civilians. Going off camp, the bus driver is a civilian - staying on, the person who serves the beer in the NAAFI bar is a civilian. The people who cut the acres and acres of grass on our airfields are civilians, just like the people who fix our plumbing and electrics and the the leaky roofs in the barracks.

And what about the wives, the sisters, the brothers, the mothers, the fathers, for the most part civilians who hope and pray on a daily basis that we will come home safe - or at least that we will come home. Is there any serviceman so hard hearted that he didn't cherish a letter from home?

These are the people I am talking about, the dozens or maybe hundreds of civilians who, on a daily basis make the job of the serving man just that little bit easier.

I stand by what I originally said "They also serve, who stand and wait".

Regards

Chas

[Sir William]

Let's not forget all the civilians who worked for and served and sometimes died for the armed services - "They also serve, who stand and wait.
Chas

Chas,

In addition to my time above, I've also spent the last nearly 30 years as a government civilian (Department of Defense) - including a tour in Iraq.

Thanks for remembering that we are part of the team as well.

Sir William