For those that might not understand

[Seajay]

As you read posts by myself, Wayne the Marine, mick the Marine and other sailors and Marines as well as other fine persons that have been in every branch of armed forces defending this great nation you will read ''pings'' ''digs'', ''gags'', ''jokes'' and what you may mis construe as BANTER or BASHING between members of our armed services.
NOTHING COULD BE FURTHER FROM THE TRUTH. Every armed service person knows that ''his service group''' is the TOUGHEST, MEANEST, UGLIEST, MOST GENEROUS, FASTEST RUNNING, BEST LOVING, HANDSOMEST group of people that ever shouldered a rifle or lifted a beer. It is part of our ''service pride''. When you read Wayne and mike and myself ''jabbing'' at each other IT IS ALL IN FUN. When other services join on either ''side''... IT IS ALL IN FUN. Military people are some of the closest knit people in the world. Sure we ''jab'' at each other. It is expected of us especially between my fine Navy and that other group we haul around to guard our chow lines and stuff like that .... (pingie there Wayne and mick) To be honest, it is expected especially between Navy personnel and Mearines, Meerenes, Marreanes (them other guys).... It is the way it is and the way it was and the way it always will be between us but I will say this....... In a real street fight I will take Wayne the Marine or mick the Marine at my back any time.
I truly hope everyone understands that it ALL IN FUN AND NO ONE IS MAD AT ANYONE......
.
God bless all our service people regardless of uniform color or rank.

Seajay the sailor man...... AKA by Wayne and mick and all Marines..as 'stinkin squid', 'swab jockey', 'anchor clanker', 'wanna be Marine' 'a pile of stuff under a dixie cup' and a thousand other ''jabs''...
one more thing and then I'm done....... Did you know that there are Sailors in the Marine Corp. Ask a combat Marine whom ''Doc'' is. You want a Marine to rip you apart.... Mess with ''Doc''...... they hold ''Doc'' in as high respect as any person in the USMC and he is A SAILOR and many many times that Sailor has given their life to save a wounded Marine.......
Betcha' didn't know that did you???? And ''Doc'' helped them raise the flag on Iwo. Also true

Nuff said for now.....

[jwomack]

Seajay, you forgot to PING us "sissy fly-boys" that look down from the wild blue yonder.

[4Knights]

SeaJay,
A very nice explanation but IMHO appreciated but not needed, ( never could understand why you would sign up to sleep 4 to a bunk)

PC has it's place and for those who have not served, none of what you write applies so they should not take offense!

The life of a serviceman or woman( I know the Navy has a few) is filled with experiences that only we can understand, much less find humor in.
The places we have gone the things we have seen and done is truly unique to those that lived it. Each Branch has it's traditions that help build and maintain morale in the worst of times and places. The bond is one that can only be had by living the life and surviving the time..

Whether you served in Peace or in Combat the life is both Fantastic and absolutely horrible! Only having been there can you really know.

the time seems like 23 hours of boredom, 15 minutes of OH S&$: and 45 minutes to regroup.

Thank you SeaJay, Wayne, Mick and the many others for sharing your stories, keep em coming! Let's me know that The Army was right for keeping you guys near water!
Ron

[mick]

Seajay, it is a nice post, BUT (aint there always a but somewhere), trying to explain the bond between service people and the "outside" world , just cannot be done.

Sure we jab each other, thats part of our makeup as military . Sure we badmouth the other branchs, and yea we whip them sailor boys bvtts, but when the stuff hits the fan, who you gonna call ?

I will take a military person 100to 1 over non military. People just dont know what the wives and kids have to go thru in the mnilitary, the time away from home, the sacrafices etc. You cant educate them about it either, as we are the only ones that could possibly understand that part of life.

You just keep on posting, running your fingers off and we will keep on Jabbing you and while you cant see it, we are in the floor laughing our tails off.

And Ron, if the army knew how to swim, one day they may make it to the waters edge, but thats another story.

[read & learn]

Seajay and all the other Vets, as non-Military I thank all of you for the banter that goes on between all of you. A few years back my wife and I were in DC when they held the 10th year gathering at the Wall.
Now having worked with and some of my best Friends being former Military I knew how they all respected each other, but nothing could prepare us for what we saw in DC that day. Men, Woman and Families crying and laughing meeting again for the first in years. I have never in my life seen such LOVE, RESPECT AND FEELINGS for each other as we did there that day in November 1992.
To all my other non-Military members of iRV2 if you ever hear of a Military Unit having a Muster, go and observe the Love, Respect and true feeling they have for each other.
To all the Current and Former Military members THANK YOU FOR OUR FREEDOM that we may enjoy this RV Lifestyle.

[Route 66]

For those who understand, no explanation is necessary.

For those who don't, no explanation is possible.

[4Knights]

Originally Posted by mick

if the army knew how to swim, one day they may make it to the waters edge, but thats another story.

We do drown proofing every year but that's in case we roll over in a river. No major waterways in Afghanistan but your folks are there as well! We sure are glad because someone has to spend time by the MWR pool and we'd rather it be the Navy & Marines, those flyboys are tan enough already!
Ron

[ajlcal]

Originally Posted by Route 66

For those who understand, no explanation is necessary.

For those who don't, no explanation is possible.

I agree completely with your post. It makes me think of this popular saying: FOR THOSE WHO FOUGHT FOR IT, FREEDOM HAS A FLAVOR THAT THE PROTECTED WILL NEVER KNOW.

[Larry & Rita]

Seajay
Seems like most of the heat comes from the ones that hid under thier mommas skirt when the draft came around, or the ones that wear masks and hoodies when they riot,(most of them have no idea what they are fighting for anyway) so no one will see them, because they are not proud of what they are doing-LIKE A TRUE SERVICE PERSON.
I'm proud to have served and been there and if I were younger I would do it again.
God bless those that have served!!!!

[hondo122]

As an old ground pounder (a misnomer as I was a mechanic in the motor pool and never walked anywhere and always slept in the bed if a truck) My ex partner was a Jarhead, I always told him Marines are never discharged and told him I could pick out old Marines walking down the street. We would be walking and i would point to some one and say him!, being the extrovert I am I would walk up and introduce my self and ask if they indeed had been in the Marines. In twenty years I've never been wrong. Marines no matter the age, carry themselves with a certain bearing and pride, always erect unless prevented by infirmary. We are in Wells Maine and the other day at the Market a gentleman was ordering some meat, he was in his seventies, still erect and fit I approached and started a conversation, I"m still batting a thousand. Good job my jarhead friends

[hondo122]

Originally Posted by Larry & Rita

Seajay
Seems like most of the heat comes from the ones that hid under thier mommas skirt when the draft came around, or the ones that wear masks and hoodies when they riot,(most of them have no idea what they are fighting for anyway) so no one will see them, because they are not proud of what they are doing-LIKE A TRUE SERVICE PERSON.
I'm proud to have served and been there and if I were younger I would do it again.
God bless those that have served!!!!

Larry I think you have hit on something, we should fight our wars with us old farts leave the young and healthy to rebuild our country. Send the old politicians to fight next to us, wars win be ended very quickly and they'll save a ton on SS and Medicare. JMO You know all through history warriors were lead into battle by their Kings and fought by the nobleman and serfs. Just a thought

[Grumpytrkr]

I'm going to jump in and say no matter what branch of the military you are/were in, when you get shot, you bleed red. All the banter goes out the window when the bullets start flying. It is surprising for those who have never been in any branch of the military, when the crap hits the fan, you will see teamwork, period.

Just my 2 cents worth.

[Seajay]

Like an old salt told me once ....
''You can always ''tell'' a Marine''
''But you cant ''tell'' him much''
.........Ping.......
Operation was a success. Doin good. Just resting. Complete report probably tomorrow. Thanks for all the good thoughts guys....

Some veterans died for your freedom... think about it......

[mick]

A GOOD MARINE is like a teenager, hire one when they are young, thats when they know everything.