Carefully

[Perianne]

I want to carefully start this thread so as not to hurt, disappoint, or otherwise deny any negative feelings that any veteran may have. Those of you who know me know that I have the greatest respect for our veterans. I am not a veteran, nor is anyone in my family or close circle of friends.

I ask this:

In your own words, what benefits did serving in the military bring to you? (I don't mean benefits as in governmental benefits.)



Please don't make this a negative thread.

[Peter1469]

It was almost my entire adult life. I went in when I was 17, did at various intervals 13 years of active service and 11 years of reserve/national guard service. It defines what I am. I have been lower enlisted, an NCO, company and field grade officer. And that gives me a very broad view of the military and how it operates. Most don't get that perspective; it is usually enlisted to NCO on one end or officer on the other.


I want to carefully start this thread so as not to hurt, disappoint, or otherwise deny any negative feelings that any veteran may have. Those of you who know me know that I have the greatest respect for our veterans. I am not a veteran, nor is anyone in my family or close circle of friends.

I ask this:

In your own words, what benefits did serving in the military bring to you? (I don't mean benefits as in governmental benefits.)



Please don't make this a negative thread.

[Codename Section]

I think it was the best decision I've ever made for my life. I would never have made it into the NFL for football had I taken the scholarship and probably would have flunked out of college the way I was then.

I learned skills that less than 1% will ever learn and because I have them I have the opportunity to make real money as a contractor and do. I learned how to balance empathy with reality the hard way. I learned who has my back in life and who doesn't. I made friends that are lifelong--and this is probably the best part to the whole thing.

See, I have Wash, Lance, your pal "aldo", Mahem--all these guys who are in the business with me and who I will live near, have in my life forever. BUT, I also could call up any guy from the old days and sit around for hours with them and drink and reminisce (sp?).

I learned about loyalty and the different types. I learned how to work with people I hate because they'll still get the job done even if they hate me. I learned about brotherhood, fidelity, and honor.

I also found out that chicks dig scars, that they love guys in uniform, and that even if I weren't as hot as I am, say I looked like my friend who shall not be named, I can still get a hot chick to sleep with me by showing muscles and talking about how Afghanistan gave me PTSD.

Now I can list the bad shit too but you want the good stuff and that boils down to: skills, friendships, values, and the ability to get chicks.

[Perianne]

Very nice, Codename. I hesitate to speak of war and the military because I know little about it (and because Aly lost her husband). But I have personally been in bad situations that made me a better person. My husband dying made me more determined to be a stronger and self-sufficient woman. But I know nothing I have ever lived compares to being in war, so I make these statements with some hesitancy.

I like Wash so far, and I really like Lance. I think Aldo.... well, he's Aldo.

[Perianne]

Now I can list the bad shit too but you want the good stuff and that boils down to: skills, friendships, values, and the ability to get chicks.

Tell the bad stuff if you need to. I certainly would be interested in reading it. I just don't want this thread to turn into a negative one about baby killers and the like.

[Codename Section]

Very nice, Codename. I hesitate to speak of war and the military because I know little about it (and because Aly lost her husband). But I have personally been in bad situations that made me a better person. My husband dying made me more determined to be a stronger and self-sufficient woman. But I know nothing I have ever lived compares to being in war, so I make these statements with some hesitancy.

I like Wash so far, and I really like Lance. I think Aldo.... well, he's Aldo.


He's that guy you know that you will always tell epic stories about, who will be arrested several times but something goes wrong with his case and he gets let go, who will never be killed in war and dangerous situations and someday will choke on a tomato and die, giving you another story.

Dude is a crazy muther and honestly I am glad I met him, too. Because at the end of the day, he's 'that guy' who will say "fuck it, we may die, but let's go get that marine" and piss off every senior marine in the world (officially) but also gain their respect. He is a loyal friend who will keep your ass safe in war and then ruin your dating life, your friendships, your car, your room, etc.

That's also part of the military. :D

Wash is always that sane practical friend who's your touchpoint, and Lance is that guy who is loyal to the point of self-sacrifice. If I got nothing else out of the military I got these dudes for life.

[Codename Section]

Tell the bad stuff if you need to. I certainly would be interested in reading it. I just don't want this thread to turn into a negative one about baby killers and the like.

Just the typical stuff that everyone gets frustrated with. Our intelligence agencies send over nerds who believe every dude that shows up and has you chasing people they hate instead of chasing AQ. You end up hurting people who you're not even sure are the bad guys.

[Codename Section]

You know, I think Wash, Lance, and I can create a 500 page thread on Shit Aldo Did.

[Perianne]

You know, I think Wash, Lance, and I can create a 500 page thread on Shit Aldo Did.

You need to tell Lance to post more often.

[Perianne]

You know, I think Wash, Lance, and I can create a 500 page thread on Shit Aldo Did.

Aldo posts embarrassing stuff. But I kinda liked him. That one thread (over there) was epic, even though I was the butt of it.

[Codename Section]

You need to tell Lance to post more often.

Lance has a girlfriend now so he took a job guarding a school for our company instead of fun stuff. She's teaching summer school there so he does nothing all day but stare at her.

It's kinda cute. They're both these really sweet people. I would not be surprised if they got married before the year is out because she's SUPER CHRISTIAN and holding out on him.

[Codename Section]

Aldo posts embarrassing stuff. But I kinda liked him. That one thread (over there) was epic, even though I was the butt of it.

He screws me over with equal time. I could not even imagine him here with Montoya. Pete would fucking kill me for having to threadban him over and over and over again. :D

[Perianne]

Lance has a girlfriend now so he took a job guarding a school for our company instead of fun stuff. She's teaching summer school there so he does nothing all day but stare at her.

It's kinda cute. They're both these really sweet people. I would not be surprised if they got married before the year is out because she's SUPER CHRISTIAN and holding out on him.

You tell him "hi" from Perianne, okay?

[Codename Section]

You tell him "hi" from Perianne, okay?

I sure will. I mean I'll see if I can get him to post. Wash gets grumpy and leaves, Lance just doesn't have it in him to argue with people older than he is.

[Perianne]

I sure will. I mean I'll see if I can get him to post. Wash gets grumpy and leaves, Lance just doesn't have it in him to argue with people older than he is.

Tell Lance that I am here and I defy anyone to find any post where I argue with anyone. It can be done.

Is Wash the black guy you talked about that you would die for?

[Codename Section]

Tell Lance that I am here and I defy anyone to find any post where I argue with anyone. It can be done.

Is Wash the black guy you talked about that you would die for?

Ten times over. He's my right hand go to guy. Lance is like my, uhh, left hand go to guy. :D

Although they will kill me for saying this but after me, Mayhem (nickname) is the best operator. You'd like him, Peri, he's half Asian I think, not sure but he's tall with black hair. Chicks dig him. Maybe he's Irish. Hmmm. Whatever. He's got black hair.

[Perianne]

Ten times over. He's my right hand go to guy. Lance is like my, uhh, left hand go to guy. :D

Although they will kill me for saying this but after me, Mayhem (nickname) is the best operator. You'd like him, Peri, he's half Asian I think, not sure but he's tall with black hair. Chicks dig him. Maybe he's Irish. Hmmm. Whatever. He's got black hair.

Why don't you invite Mayhem to post here?

[Codename Section]

Why don't you invite Mayhem to post here?

Because people bitch about too many libertarians and the libertarian clique like we don't have the right to post places. Then it would be the marine libertarian clique...nobodies got time for that.

Thing is more people would post if Aldo posted but then we'd have 100 reports a day. People love and hate drama.

[Refugee]

The benefits of the UK military. It taught me self-discipline and self-reliance. It made me aware of my own capabilities, provided me with new skills and lessons in man management that I still use in daily life thirty years later. Above all, it made me not only physically strong at the time, but provided a mental toughness that has carried on far beyond those days. There are probably exceptions, but I think the ones that shout ‘kill the rich’ whilst on welfare are the ones who haven’t served and remain dependent on the individual efforts of others to get them through life.

[Perianne]

Is Mayhem aka Aldo?

[Codename Section]

Is Mayhem aka Aldo?

No. Aldo's real life nickname is "Jem".

[Perianne]

That was a funny story about Aldo threatening to beat you up over the girl. You should post it in my new 500+ thread.

[Peter1469]

What did you do in the UK Army?


The benefits of the UK military. It taught me self-discipline and self-reliance. It made me aware of my own capabilities, provided me with new skills and lessons in man management that I still use in daily life thirty years later. Above all, it made me not only physically strong at the time, but provided a mental toughness that has carried on far beyond those days. There are probably exceptions, but I think the ones that shout ‘kill the rich’ whilst on welfare are the ones who haven’t served and remain dependent on the individual efforts of others to get them through life.

[The Sage of Main Street]

I am not a veteran, nor is anyone in my family or close circle of friends.

I ask this:

In your own words, what benefits did serving in the military bring to you?



. I learned that to obey is to not be. A full person prefers being over obeying.