A Bit of Shame

[Rick Lee]

Oh, I agree totally that futures traders have run up the price of oil. However, our ever-increasing consumption, despite ever-increasing prices has vindicated their actions. If people here would just consume less, those traders would stop shooting the moon. I remember the gas price spikes after Katrina and thinking it might actually change people's behavior. But no, you still see humongous SUV's on the road all the time and people, while they complain and blame everyone else, still pay whatever it takes to fill'er up.

[John_AZ]

WWll vets are dying at over 1000 per day. 16 million served, 404,000 deaths. My uncle was the first flight mechanic on the B-29 based in India. I have listened and read many of his experiences. I took my dad back to Ipswich England where he was stationed in the Army Air Corps-later became the Air Force after the war. I have been rewarded by the sacrifice of the veterans and families of the WWll era.

John_AZ

[Moneyguy1]

John...

"Carefree Highway"? How far from Kolb and Golf Links in Tucson?

Welcome anytime to all the guys, but easier for desert rats!!

[John_AZ]

Moneyguy1,
Orig from Pima/Craycroft area. Moved north, Cave Creek/Carefree near Carefree highway.
John_AZ

[Moneyguy1]

Cool...Isn't there a street called "Ho Hum Lane" or something?

[Hard-Deck]

Sometimes when I'm out getting lunch or coffee with my troops, people come up to me and ask what they can do for them. I just tell them to say, "thank you", that's more than any service member could ask for....just a "thanks". We don't do it for money or lunch or coffee (although it is always appreciated, every time, thanks to those who've done it), we do it to serve others selflessly.

[M.D. Holloway]

sounds like you have weapon envy...

[Hard-Deck]

Originally Posted by LubeMaster77

sounds like you have weapon envy...

Huh?

[surflvr911sc]

I almost never wear a uniform in public if I can help it; many people that I interact w/ have no idea of what I do and I almost didn’t even respond to this. I will usually change at work (base) instead of driving to and from in uniform and part of it is that I just want to be an average Joe when I’m out. I don’t want people wondering what I do when I stop for gas. I sure do not want to hear about their thoughts on the war and the president. I serve in the military, I’m thankful to do it, I choose to do it, and I prefer to keep it to myself.

When somebody does make a big deal about it and thanks me I feel guilty. I accept their thanks graciously but I’m always left feeling undeserving. Too many men and women greater than me have sacrificed much more for this country.

[HardDrive]

I'm sure I come across as liberal 'hand wringing ninnie' to some, but I to sometimes regret not joining the military.

I went to Michigan State for Pre-law. I was looking at joining the Air Force to pay for my law school. It was a 6 year commitment. I didn't do it.

My life turned out better than I could have ever expected, but that was not without wasting a good 4-5 years casting about for a real life. I wonder what I could have achieved in a more structured environment.

[Moneyguy1]

Never underestimate your contribution. Humility is admirable if not taken to extremes.....

[fintstone]

Originally Posted by frogger

Have ANY of you hawks served?

31 years

[Robert Coats]

I was 20 in 1980 when Regan was elected, and joined the Navy reserves as a hedge and to make a few bucks to help pay for college. It worked out well; I only was on active duty for eight months, and spend the rest of the six years going 1, sometimes 2 weekends a month to a base in New Orleans, plus two weeks during the summer (Spain, Portugal, Bermuda). I was an aircrewman aboard a P-3 Orion and tracked (acoustically) Soviet submarines in the Atlantic.

When I graduated in early '85, I was offered to an exit out of my final contract year if I would accept a commission, give up being an aircrew, and work as an intelligence officer on the ground. Oh, and commit to *SIX* more years of service. Sign here, Robert, and you're off to charm school.

With a new wife and no job prospects, it was tempting. But, I'd seen too many other officers come and go. I felt my opportunities in the civilian world would be better in the long term.

And, it worked out fine. When the Soviet Union fell a few years later, and all those subs got parked, the US Navy also parked hundreds of P-3 aircraft, and many of those pilots, flight officers, and ground-based officers were out of work, or faced with an undesirable transfer. I was happy with my time spent, and choices made.

[Moneyguy1]

I can't match fint.......only two years of active duty and 8 in the reserves.

[Evans, Marv]

I was drafted into the Army in early 1964, and went overseas later in the year. When I was in the U.S. in uniform, I just wanted to be maybe smiled at and be treated like I was human like everybody else. Young guys in the military then seemed to be considered pretty low on the social scale. As an E-1, I made $67/mo. and made a big $164/mo. when I got out as an E-4, but offering to pick up a check for me would have been kind of insulting. Pay while I was in wasn't a whole lot to make any progress on. I'm frankly amazed at what they make now.
I had a bunch of unique experiences and learned a lot of things, but somehow always thought the old guys who had been on the line in WWII when tens of thousands were killed each month had it much worse. When I got out it felt kind of strange, since most of the young guys in the population hadn't been in and had no ideas about it.
However not everybody follows, or is taken down, the same path so people who didn't have to go in or didn't go in just had a different path in life & shouldn't worry about it. I was happy at least to get the GI bill to help when I went to college and get a CalVet loan to help buy my first house. So I felt that was some kind of pay back.

[K. Roman]

That is funny. You are not worthy? I feel guilty that I didn't become an astronaut, I avert my eyes in front of them too.

Originally Posted by legion

Whenever I see a service person in uniform, I usually avert my gaze. It's not because I don't respect them--I do. It's more because I feel that I'm not worthy of looking them eye-to-eye because I never chose to join the military.

Now I don't regret my decisions. I did what I felt was the best for me at various points in my life. I knew I wanted a career in business and that paying off student loans wouldn't be a problem. I've never been particulary interested in being in the military.

I don't regret my decisions, but I do regret that I didn't make different decisions. (Does that make sense?)

[frogger]

Originally Posted by fintstone

31 years

Excellent!

[frogger]

Originally Posted by K. Roman

That is funny. You are not worthy? I feel guilty that I didn't become an astronaut, I avert my eyes in front of them too.

I'll also carry that shame to the grave.

[legion]

Originally Posted by K. Roman

That is funny. You are not worthy? I feel guilty that I didn't become an astronaut, I avert my eyes in front of them too.

F*** off.

[stevepaa]

you got a PM, Robert.