Military training...Army, Navy, Marines, Air Force

I suspect sumone slipped a Trouble Magnet in Dragonfly's pocket when he wasn't looking.

 

Like you i was in the Army for many years in the Same Field and i had to work on my own vehicles to keep them running from changeing out the oil to replacing diff parts on the engine and other electrical parts of the vehicle because of not makeing alot of money in the miltaty ..Plus with that knowage grain i could do basic things to the vehicles we had in our unit in the field if i need to ..

Plus i have basic skils from growing up on a farm in Texas and i know how to do the basic things from wireing a house to digging a well to running a partol and other basic grunt skills in the military ..Along with knowing how to fix a sink or toliet to basic farm animals medical care to basic human emt skills i have learned over the years ..

I can build a home and it will be put togerther good and tight but it not going to be a pretty like a person who hammer's nails for a liveing does it but it going to be dry and warm inside

My shooting skills are good and i do keep them up with pratice with a air rifle to save on the cost of ammo ..

 

In my USAF days at Tyndall AFB, Florida, I was cross-trained as a 'crew chief' onthe T-33A trainer - my specialty (we did not have 'MOS') was Avionics - of which there is precious little on the T-bird. So we cross-trained. I also qualified as Electrical. Did some Engine work. In USAF bootcamp,we shot the M-16 one afternoon, just familiarization mostly. We southern boys did prety fair, the city kids couldn't hit the barn wall.......

Got out, reupped into the USN. My rate (again, no 'MOS')was Electronic Tech, Communications. I did not do 'bootcamp' there, as I was OSVET - I did a two-week indoc course to retrain us to The Navy Way. Never shot a gun til I got onto my ship's Security Force - we were too small to carry GIrines. Even then, minimal wetfire, and NO tactical training til we got to Gitmo and the instructors there taught us ship-board anti-boarding skills. Some of that could be factored into 'home defense'. Heck, as a techy guy in the Navy, we didn't even learn line handling!

 

Wow! I mean how did I ever get so "LUCKY" to have such great neighbors?
Me and Murphy will have a real "set to" if I ever find that guy!
Anyway, the aforementioned gentleman has just been diagnosed with PTSD.
Now maybe I'm weird, BUT, That still means "Post-Traumatic Stress Syndrome" right?
I only ask, as this guy never, at any time, saw any action, anywhere.
But now the VA has him on all kinds of drugs for depression!
"Prozac".... breakfast of champions! ( I want that "T" shirt!)
Maybe it's a new form of affirmative action?
Yikes!

 

Maybe it was the stress of joining the Military & having to actually WORK!!! That'd do it to alot of folks ya see these days!

 

Takes one to know one! From the very git-go I was thinking PTSD, been there, done that, own the tee shirt, so to speak. He might have seen planes crash into carrier decks, etc., lots of things can happen that are not connected to seeing actual combat. That coupled with his relationship issues, bad choices, mood swings, lack of self respect, are all a few of the defining factors.

Gunboat sailer myself, (late 60's early 70's) we trained on everything we carried, almost all the time, even when it wasn't practice. One enlistment was enough for me, hate to think what I would have been like today had I stayed in. I got out on a medical after 4 years, and some 6-7 months of medical hold.

 

I spent a few tours in Vietnam wearing a 11B MOS. Although it would not be wise to grab me from behind; OTOH, what reason do you have to grab me? If someone is a threat to others; then they need help or to be isolated.

The right to Life, Liberty and the pursuit of happiness is a two way street.

 

I truly "feel" for the guy! I know he's got a good heart, but I think he's a few fries short of a "happy meal" at times! By himself I don't view him as anything near to a threat. But, his 'environment' would drive most to drink! Maybe that's his problem and like many others, he just can't see the forest as there are too many trees in the way!

 

I once found out my old Landlord was separated from the US Army on a Psych discharge. According to him, he was somehow (no specifics given) 'molested' by fellow troopers, and he was affected mentally - thus the Section Eight discharge. Says he was diagnosed as 'anti-social'......

He is teling me this sitting in a camper up in Georgia, where we were on a hunting trip, with a .30-06 rifle in hand cleaning it......

I very soon after bought my own propertty and moved......

 

My experiences with Military and ex military have all been good. I train with 7 of them every month with the west Michigan volunteer Militia(Michigan Militia corps) I have learned a ton of things from our Commander who is an ex SERE trained para rescue jumper who served in the first gulf war. I also train with two Marines, one ex Navy man, two regular army and one special ops guy who is pretty interesting and spooky but always helpful to me. In July we had a staff sergeant recently back from Afganistan come in and run us through some basics for two days. Also real good helpful instruction. I am sure there are many who served that have issues. I have not met one yet. My nephew is in the 10th Mountain division currently. I don't believe that the military always makes the man. I feel it takes a certain man to live up to military training. They all agree that killing another man is the toughest part to deal with after the fact. Kingfish