Large Scale Central

For you Jar-heads

General Discussion
#1

Dear Ma and Pa,

I am well. Hope you are. Tell Brother Walt and Brother Elmer the Marine Corps beats working for old man Minch by a mile. Tell them to join up quick before all of the places are filled.

I was restless at first because you got to stay in bed till nearly 6 a.m. but I am getting so I like to sleep late. Tell Walt and Elmer all you do before breakfast is smooth your cot, and shine some things. No hogs to slop, feed to pitch, mash to mix, wood to split, fire to lay. Practically nothing.

Men got to shave but it is not so bad, there’s warm water. Breakfast is strong on trimmings like fruit juice, cereal, eggs, bacon, etc., but kind of weak on chops, potatoes, ham, steak, fried eggplant, pie and other regular food, but tell Walt and Elmer you can always sit by the two city boys that live on coffee. Their food, plus yours,! holds you until noon when you get fed again. It’s no wonder these city boys can’t walk much.

We go on “route marches,” which the platoon sergeant says are long walks to harden us. If he th inks so, it’s not my place to tell him different A “route march” is about as far as to our mailbox at home. Then the city guys get sore feet and we all ride back in trucks.

The country is nice but awful flat. The sergeant is like a school teacher. He nags a lot. The captain is like the school board. Majors and colonels just ride around and frown. They don’t bother you none.

This next will kill Walt and Elmer with laughing. I keep getting medals for shooting. I don’t know why. The bulls-eye is near as big as a chipmunk head and don’t move, and it ain’t shooting at you like the Higgett boys at home. All you got to do is lie there all comfortable and hit it. You don’t even load your own cartridges. They come in boxes.

Then we have what they call hand-to-hand combat training. You get to wrestle with them city boys. I have to be real careful though, they break real easy. It ain’t like fighting with that ole bull at home. I’m about the best they got in this except for that Tug Jordan from over in Silver Lake. I only beat him once. He joined up the same time as me, but I’m only 5’6" & 130 pounds and he’s 6’8" & near 300 pounds dry.

Be sure to tell Walt and Elmer to hurry and join before other fellers get onto this setup and come stampeding in.

Your loving daughter,

Alice

#2

:lol:

#3

We had a guy like that in my Boot Camp Platoon. We called him “No-Neck.” Everything came easy for him, 'cept maybe the book larnin stuff.

Don’t know what happened to him, really. I heard that they made him a Sargent, real quick like, but I don’t know fer sure.

#4

In 1996, our son joined the USMC. As parents, we new he could handle what was expected of him, but we were concerned about Boot Camp. He said it wasn’t near as hard as Coach Wheeler’s 3 a day practices in August for football at the high school . Skipp was about 5’6" at that time and 130 lbs. Came home on leave with no neck. Spent 7 years in, with time in both Kuwait and Iraq at the start of this current military adventure. He’s out now. Him and his wife live about 9 miles east of us on the other side of the lake, with our 2 year old grand daughter, Payton. Sells 4 wheelers and PWC’s for a living and laughs when someone talks about poor people in the USA. Very seldom does he mention anything about the “sand box” (his term), but we have a hard time getting him to leave the county.

#5
Ric Golding said:
In 1996, our son joined the USMC. As parents, we new he could handle what was expected of him, but we were concerned about Boot Camp. He said it wasn't near as hard as Coach Wheeler's 3 a day practices in August for football at the high school . Skipp was about 5'6" at that time and 130 lbs. Came home on leave with no neck. Spent 7 years in, with time in both Kuwait and Iraq at the start of this current military adventure. He's out now. Him and his wife live about 9 miles east of us on the other side of the lake, with our 2 year old grand daughter, Payton. Sells 4 wheelers and PWC's for a living and laughs when someone talks about poor people in the USA. Very seldom does he mention anything about the "sand box" (his term), but we have a hard time getting him to leave the county.
Ric

There are many unpleasant things you don’t want to remember and talking brings them forward in your memory. Just give him the chance to let those memories fade.

On traveling, it puts you into close contact with large groups of people that you may or may not be able to trust. Think about where the bombings in the sand box occur…crowded markets and at the religious services…both happen because the large group of people crowded together create an opportunity for the most damage with the least expenditure of men & material. To survive, you learn to avoid crowds.

Marvin
Shadow Warrior

#6
Steve Featherkile said:
We had a guy like that in my Boot Camp Platoon. We called him "No-Neck." Everything came easy for him, 'cept maybe the book larnin stuff.

Don’t know what happened to him, really. I heard that they made him a Sargent, real quick like, but I don’t know fer sure.


Sheeesh, I guess there was/is something to be said for that militia system in Switzerland. Yeah, yeah, militias is a touchy subject!

They wouldn’t get away with “No-Neck” :smiley: :smiley: Must be one hell of a job to button your shirt! :wink: :slight_smile: :smiley:

#7
The Lone Railroader said:
...............................

On traveling, it puts you into close contact with large groups of people that you may or may not be able to trust. Think about where the bombings in the sand box occur…crowded markets and at the religious services…both happen because the large group of people crowded together create an opportunity for the most damage with the least expenditure of men & material. To survive, you learn to avoid crowds.

Marvin
Shadow Warrior


Marvin, you shadow warrior!

You know many of the US back-packing fraternity figured that out a long time ago:

When out of the USA attach a Canadian flag to your backpack and learn to say Eh! in a convincing manner. Second method: use the Canadian flag on the backpack and simply don’t say much at all. :slight_smile:

If someone ask where you’re from: “Reliable sources tell me real close to the Canadian border.” :slight_smile: :wink: :smiley:

#8
Hans-Joerg Mueller said:
The Lone Railroader said:
...............................

On traveling, it puts you into close contact with large groups of people that you may or may not be able to trust. Think about where the bombings in the sand box occur…crowded markets and at the religious services…both happen because the large group of people crowded together create an opportunity for the most damage with the least expenditure of men & material. To survive, you learn to avoid crowds.

Marvin
Shadow Warrior


Marvin, you shadow warrior!

You know many of the US back-packing fraternity figured that out a long time ago:

When out of the USA attach a Canadian flag to your backpack and learn to say Eh! in a convincing manner. Second method: use the Canadian flag on the backpack and simply don’t say much at all. :slight_smile:

If someone ask where you’re from: “Reliable sources tell me real close to the Canadian border.” :slight_smile: :wink: :smiley:


I sport the Red, White & Blue wherever I go…I leave cowardice to others.

Personally, I believe the subject of this thread is beyond your “never been there” comprehension.

Keep the smiley faces to yourself…“Reliable Sources” say you only comment to stir up trouble on the varioous chat forums…like you are doing on the “BTO Soapbox” and trying here now.

#9

Marvin, :wink: :slight_smile:

Contain your rage! :smiley: :smiley: BTW you backpacking would surely be a sight to behold. :smiley: :smiley: :smiley:

Ah, today has been an interesting day so far.

Perhaps I mentioned at one time that our XC area also sports biathlon facilities - as a matter of fact we hosted a Nor-Am biathlon competition in December.

Anyway, every so often they have an open house (come and try) day. Today was the day! Since my equal half is a rather proficient crossbow shooter, it was decided that it was worth a try. :wink:

Quite a line up waiting to shoot, of course I let Elisabeth shoot first. Five rounds each person. Elisabeth got four hits right off the bat, I didn’t expect anything else!!

Then it was my turn - wellllllll we all know that even a blind chicken finds a kernel sometimes. :wink: :smiley: Would you believe I hit five for five? Yes Sir, I sure did. Really haven’t shot in years, but they just kept popping off. Funny, funny!

Someone mentioned that relaxed people with relatively slow breathing patterns excel at biathlon. Of course we went for the shooting after we skied our required kilometers.
Our biathlon group plans on starting a Master’s Group (that’s the old and older farts) next year. If they do, I’ll give it a whirl. :wink: Why not? I started doing short distance triathlons when I was 39, starting biathlons at 62 sounds like a plan! :slight_smile: :wink: :slight_smile:

PS Since I’m certainly not conversant with terms like Jarheads - well yes, the military connection was obvious, but you know me and the military don’t mix;) :slight_smile: - I had to go and look it up. Very interesting: looking like a bunch of Mason jars. Hmmmmmmm … now that is different!

#10

HJ, Nobody cares!

#11
The Lone Railroader said:
HJ, Nobody cares!
Marvin,

Should I worry about that?? :wink: :slight_smile:

BTW just in case: I think “Alice” spins a wonderful tale, I’m looking forward to the letter which “Alice” receives from her parents and whatever her two illustrious brothers might add.

But so far it sure doesn’t look like any of them will be recruited into the “MI” branch (military intelligence aka “TUO” (the ultimate oxymoron)) but, hey, who am I to say? You just never know what happens next! Life is full of surprises and as I just learned while reading the “books” section of the newspaper “Telling stories is the least offensive way to communicate.”

I fully agree, beats the “this from a reliable source” assemblage of words any day of the week; at least in my book it does. :wink: :slight_smile: :smiley: :smiley:

#12
Hans-Joerg Mueller said:
The Lone Railroader said:
HJ, Nobody cares!
Marvin,

Should I worry about that?? :wink: :slight_smile:

BTW just in case: I think “Alice” spins a wonderful tale, I’m looking forward to the letter which “Alice” receives from her parents and whatever her two illustrious brothers might add.

But so far it sure doesn’t look like any of them will be recruited into the “MI” branch (military intelligence aka “TUO” (the ultimate oxymoron)) but, hey, who am I to say? You just never know what happens next! Life is full of surprises and as I just learned while reading the “books” section of the newspaper “Telling stories is the least offensive way to communicate.”

I fully agree, beats the “this from a reliable source” assemblage of words any day of the week; at least in my book it does. :wink: :slight_smile: :smiley: :smiley:


Alice??? Have you completely lost it???

#13
The Lone Railroader said:
Alice????? Have you completely lost it????????????
John Bouck said:
Then we have what they call hand-to-hand combat training. You get to wrestle with them city boys. I have to be real careful though, they break real easy. It ain't like fighting with that ole bull at home. I'm about the best they got in this except for that Tug Jordan from over in Silver Lake. I only beat him once. He joined up the same time as me, but I'm only 5'6" & 130 pounds and he's 6'8" & near 300 pounds dry.

Be sure to tell Walt and Elmer to hurry and join before other fellers get onto this setup and come stampeding in.

Your loving daughter,

Alice


As I wrote, I’m looking forward to more of Alice’s letters, now if Walt and Elmer join up this could be very entertaining. That is if they write home, too.

So obviously “Alice” isn’t the same one that owned a restaurant or visited “Wonderland”. Of course the part with “Wonderland” is still possible, if she’s sent on a “traveling show” circuit and still gets to write home.

BTW don’t worry about me losing it. :wink: :slight_smile:

Cool, calm and collected in the Great White North. :slight_smile: :slight_smile:

#14

Sigh.

Those who haven’t been there will never understand, and are only to be pitied. Someone entirely missed my earlier point, and John’s, as well. It is the people that he sneers at that allow him to have his foolish thoughts.

Somebody certainly put a burr under his saddle.

Ric, give your son my thanks for his service. For you, the knowledge that time will heal his wounds. Perhaps one of the reasons he is reluctant to leave the county is that after having traveled as he has, he now knows that there is really no place better than home, and many places far worse.

I certainly found that out in my travels. My lovely bride doesn’t understand my reluctance to travel out of “God’s Country.” She wants to go to exotic third world places like Mexico, the Caribbean, South America, Canada, the Orient. I have no desire to visit backward places like that, though I may be forced to again some day if only to keep the peace.

#15

I think Alice went on to OCS after graduating from MCBT with high honors. After graduating OCS, she went to Law School and is now a ranking officer at JAG.
Walt and Elmer didn’t follow her advice and join up. They took up runnin’ 'shine, and eventually turned into super-star stock car race drivers.
That’s what I heard, anyway.
j

#16
John Bouck said:
I think Alice went on to OCS after graduating from MCBT with high honors. After graduating OCS, she went to Law School and is now a ranking officer at JAG. Walt and Elmer didn't follow her advice and join up. They took up runnin' 'shine, and eventually turned into super-star stock car race drivers. That's what I heard, anyway. j
Figures...

The ones who weren’t smart enough to join up ended up as rich NASCAR drivers, and the one who did join up became a zero and a mouthpiece to boot.

There is a message in there somewhere, but I don’t know what it might be.

#17

…what’s this about CANADA being a “Backward Country”…hey; just because we can walk the streets at night in most cities; without a hand gun or pepper spray; DOESN’T make us backward.

Maybe you should come up to “The American Invasion” and see how we party…sure beats the locals down thar in York.

We have to bring in our friends from all over, to stage a party down thar at the ECLSTS........

 No, we are not in any way "Backward" in Canada; so please take Canada off your list.
#18

Fred,

You have mail.

Steve

#19

Steve, you’ve started another “axis of evil” flap…:lol:

#20

Many years ago, while I was attending my brother’s wedding in Sandy Ago, we took a side trip to Tijuana, Mexico. Talk about an eerie feeling crossing that border. It felt like a de-militarized zone and the hair on the back of my neck was standing up. I’d only been back from VietNam about 5 years at the time so maybe that had a lot to do with it. Since then I’ve never had any desire to visit Mexico or anywhere outside the USof A, (except for the American Invasion). So Ric, and Steve I know exactly that feeling. Too much to see and do is this great country though I’m making a small dent in it…:wink: