Hello

[Wagon]

The Navy is military.......... I never cease to learn on this site. I actually think the Marines are the military arm of the Navy. We had an ensign come aboard one time and try to get us into proper ranks for muster. Height line, dress right dress, short arm interval. We looked at him like he had three heads. Then proceded to bollocks the whole thing up. He gave up.

We used to watch the Marines do sunset parade on the ship. We were all amazed and would just sit there and say, Wow! look at that. Think we could ever do something like that....... no way.

 

[reddevil1111]

My checks when I first got them said Dept of the Navy. But at the end they just said Marine Corps.

Evening Parade is real pretty if you get a chance to watch one. I still get a bit choked up doing one or seeing one. I miss those. We used to do the big Garrison flag. That takes 10 guys minimum to catch it,fold it and keep it off the deck.

I recall watching the navy try to march. They kinda waddled around. Bobbed heads, flailed arms, talked in ranks, it was like looking at 100 donald ducks. Pretty funny.

 

[Need an Oasis]

Hey Wagon, I second what you said there about the Marines. I always thought of all the branches they always look the most pulled together in parades (but maybe I just have a weak spot for their uniforms).

Also second what you said about the Cold War. I grew up in Germany, and I only caught the tail end of the Cold War, but I remember being little and one of my teachers explaining about the Fulda Gap and coming home scared because I thought any minute now the Russians are coming! But at least then we "knew" who were the good guys and the bad guys. I also remember walking my dog when "Reforger" was going on and using my school English to talk to the soldiers. I was so in awe of them. Little did I know then that I would end up being one of them and end up here! Life is strange. :(

 

[Zipperhead]

The US Navy flew me down to Pipe at a Change of Command Cerimony in 2001 (?) I was in shock. All the men on parade had their own seats, they simply marched in and sat down. Never seen anything like that before or since. That's when I had my first encounter with the Seabies. Drank well that night. Good bunch of guys. Never paid for a single drink. You'd think they'd never heard the pipes before. They kept ordering me cement mixers though (horrid stuff, curdled milk as I recall) One of the best trips South I've ever been on. Better days back then.

 

[Wagon]

You just cannnot mix ships with marching. They try but it does not work. At our boot camp graduation a dozen people passed out and our whole company almost oblicue marched right into the grandstands. And that is the last of marching I saw for 8 years. No more.

btw my spelling is bit screwed because i am using my polish room mates lap top. There is no letter between P and R in the Polish alphabet. Learn something new everyday. Not to mention I got Norwegian vowels on this damn thing.

 

[JarHed]

Welcome Oasis,

I'm a Jarhead too. Loved the Marine stuff Red. And yes SOME Marines can use multi-syllable words correctly. Maybe speled wrong, but you gotta love us anyway. :LOL:

There really isn't any real rivalry between the services, it's just for fun mostly. I always like the joke that goes; the Marine Corps is a dept of the Navy......... the MEN'S Dept. :LOL: Only kindin' , Corpsman saved my life, literally so I joke about it but it's only for fun.

As far as drinking goes, I don't really like beer. I'd rather have a scotch rocks than anything. Just a personal thing.

This is a great place to come to to talk as you can see we often get off the point, vent or just have your say. No one judges you. There's a good comfort zone. So hope you enjoy your time here. Glad to hear that you're getting help for your PTSD, it's truly the best way to get a handle on it. Best wishes and Welcome.

Jar

 

[Need an Oasis]

Hi Jar, nice to "meet" you. The psych is helping a lot, he is really good and I trust him. The weird thing is, I never really thought "PTSD." I only went to see the psychiatrist because my fiance insisted, he thought it was depression, and it all went from there. But at least now I know why I feel the way I feel. Good thing/bad thing.

Wagon... Norwegian vowels on a Polish roommate's laptop, that sounds like even more of a nationality confusion than me!

 

[Wagg]

Hi Oasis. It's good to know that you are seeing a Psych. I have a few questions, but you might want to contact through PM instead. Or in case you don't mind questions out in the open.

 

[Need an Oasis]

Either is fine, but I just sent you a PM.

 

[Fargo1]

Greetings NaO, right now I can't really add much to the conversation that others haven't already said. But good to see things are looking up for you and hope we can help push that along.

 

[Anglesachse]

The Fulda Gap

ahh that rings a bell happier days indeed. The good old "North German Plain" was our stomping ground. I remember the "this is where the might of the British Army of the Rhine will stop Ivan" Crashout were hillarious, It was like

"the russian are comming" so we would mount up in our Knockers, AEC`s, 43`s Chieftans and Centurian`s and proceed to the Parade Square. only to find half the vehicles wouldn`t make the 600mtr trip down the main drag. The main road in camp used to look like bomb alley. Litteraly everything had to be jump started, and if it cut out on route, the guy behind would just ram you till you started again LMAO I swear blind if the russains had of invaded, our Rear Esch, would have been the fighting rear guard, one action after another while the frontline troops waited in Calias for us to catch up. Top speed of our troop back in them days was 30mph. Man were we happy when 43`s were traded in for Warriors, Chieftans and Centurians for Challenger, and all the Knockers, AEC and Militants for TM`s

I even remeber going to Berlin by Mil Train to collect weapons designated for our unit. three of us, an NCO, me and another bod. 2 SMG`s and 10 9mm rounds between us to defend our worldly goods against the russain`s. Could you imagine that today?

"Cpl Jones, take this landrover and 1 other person preferably a Pte who you don`t get on with, and transport 1 LAW and 10 rounds from Nad Alli to the guys in Sangin"
"Yes Sir, Right Away Sir"
" And don`t forget to hand both your modern day SA80 Rifle and the 100 5,56 rounds in at the Armoury and collect 1 and only 1 Post WW2 9mm SMG and 10 9mmHP rounds, You will not be needing your body armour and kevlar helmet either, and be quick about it"
"With all due respect Sir. go f*ck yourself"

 

[Need an Oasis]

Heh Anglesachse, the north German plain it is. It doesn't get any flatter than the northern part of Lower Saxony!

I remember one time walking the dog during one of the Reforger exercises and coming across some British troops, all with long faces. We started talking (me in my school English) and it happened that they told me they were passed over for food, it never got there, or they had been forgotten, or something. I went home and cleaned out my parents' fridge, sausages, bread, butter, beer, everything, and got on my bike with a basket and supplied the grateful Brits. My mother freaked out (more at the thought of her girl consorting with unsavory characters (=soldiers) than the empty fridge), my father was very understanding, being military himself. Most of my early knowledge of English swearwords can be traced right back to those walks with the dog... :D