Thank You Veterans
 

My thanks to all you Veterans out there for your service to our Country.

Thank you!

"JimH" wrote in message
...
My thanks to all you Veterans out there for your service to our Country.

Thank you!



Both past & present...

Hear! Hear!

On Thu, 11 Nov 2004 08:57:28 -0500, "JimH" wrote:

My thanks to all you Veterans out there for your service to our Country.

Thank you!


You're quite welcome! I appreciate the thought. Today at school I
received a card signed by a bunch of students. The thought meant a
lot.

John H

On the 'PocoLoco' out of Deale, MD,
on the beautiful Chesapeake Bay!

"JohnH" wrote in message
...


You're quite welcome! I appreciate the thought. Today at school I
received a card signed by a bunch of students. The thought meant a
lot.

John H

On the 'PocoLoco' out of Deale, MD,
on the beautiful Chesapeake Bay!

Your schools are open on Remembrance Day? Here it's a holiday. Even
Walmart and Costco are closed.

On Thu, 11 Nov 2004 23:18:11 GMT, "Don White"
wrote:


"JohnH" wrote in message
.. .


You're quite welcome! I appreciate the thought. Today at school I
received a card signed by a bunch of students. The thought meant a
lot.

John H

On the 'PocoLoco' out of Deale, MD,
on the beautiful Chesapeake Bay!

Your schools are open on Remembrance Day? Here it's a holiday. Even
Walmart and Costco are closed.


Yup, Fairfax County, VA, has school on Veterans' Day. We used to wear
our uniforms on that day. The kids liked it. Now most of us can't get
into our uniforms. Saw one retired Marine wearing his. Marines just
don't gain weight, I guess!

John H

On the 'PocoLoco' out of Deale, MD,
on the beautiful Chesapeake Bay!

On Thu, 11 Nov 2004 18:55:15 -0500, JohnH
wrote:

On Thu, 11 Nov 2004 23:18:11 GMT, "Don White"
wrote:


"JohnH" wrote in message
. ..


You're quite welcome! I appreciate the thought. Today at school I
received a card signed by a bunch of students. The thought meant a
lot.

On the 'PocoLoco' out of Deale, MD,
on the beautiful Chesapeake Bay!

Your schools are open on Remembrance Day? Here it's a holiday. Even
Walmart and Costco are closed.

Yup, Fairfax County, VA, has school on Veterans' Day. We used to wear
our uniforms on that day. The kids liked it. Now most of us can't get
into our uniforms. Saw one retired Marine wearing his. Marines just
don't gain weight, I guess!

You would guess wrong. :)

Later,

Tom

On Fri, 12 Nov 2004 00:00:34 GMT, Short Wave Sportfishing
wrote:

On Thu, 11 Nov 2004 18:55:15 -0500, JohnH
wrote:

On Thu, 11 Nov 2004 23:18:11 GMT, "Don White"
wrote:


"JohnH" wrote in message
...


You're quite welcome! I appreciate the thought. Today at school I
received a card signed by a bunch of students. The thought meant a
lot.

On the 'PocoLoco' out of Deale, MD,
on the beautiful Chesapeake Bay!

Your schools are open on Remembrance Day? Here it's a holiday. Even
Walmart and Costco are closed.

Yup, Fairfax County, VA, has school on Veterans' Day. We used to wear
our uniforms on that day. The kids liked it. Now most of us can't get
into our uniforms. Saw one retired Marine wearing his. Marines just
don't gain weight, I guess!

You would guess wrong. :)

Later,

Tom

That was a big lift to my self-esteem. Thanks!

John H

On the 'PocoLoco' out of Deale, MD,
on the beautiful Chesapeake Bay!

On Thu, 11 Nov 2004 19:13:41 -0500, JohnH
wrote:

On Fri, 12 Nov 2004 00:00:34 GMT, Short Wave Sportfishing
wrote:

On Thu, 11 Nov 2004 18:55:15 -0500, JohnH
wrote:

On Thu, 11 Nov 2004 23:18:11 GMT, "Don White"
wrote:


"JohnH" wrote in message
m...


You're quite welcome! I appreciate the thought. Today at school I
received a card signed by a bunch of students. The thought meant a
lot.

On the 'PocoLoco' out of Deale, MD,
on the beautiful Chesapeake Bay!

Your schools are open on Remembrance Day? Here it's a holiday. Even
Walmart and Costco are closed.

Yup, Fairfax County, VA, has school on Veterans' Day. We used to wear
our uniforms on that day. The kids liked it. Now most of us can't get
into our uniforms. Saw one retired Marine wearing his. Marines just
don't gain weight, I guess!

You would guess wrong. :)

That was a big lift to my self-esteem. Thanks!

Must be Army huh?

I'm sorry - couldn't resist... :)

Later,

Tom

On Fri, 12 Nov 2004 00:27:33 GMT, Short Wave Sportfishing
wrote:

On Thu, 11 Nov 2004 19:13:41 -0500, JohnH
wrote:

On Fri, 12 Nov 2004 00:00:34 GMT, Short Wave Sportfishing
wrote:

On Thu, 11 Nov 2004 18:55:15 -0500, JohnH
wrote:

On Thu, 11 Nov 2004 23:18:11 GMT, "Don White"
wrote:


"JohnH" wrote in message
om...


You're quite welcome! I appreciate the thought. Today at school I
received a card signed by a bunch of students. The thought meant a
lot.

On the 'PocoLoco' out of Deale, MD,
on the beautiful Chesapeake Bay!

Your schools are open on Remembrance Day? Here it's a holiday. Even
Walmart and Costco are closed.

Yup, Fairfax County, VA, has school on Veterans' Day. We used to wear
our uniforms on that day. The kids liked it. Now most of us can't get
into our uniforms. Saw one retired Marine wearing his. Marines just
don't gain weight, I guess!

You would guess wrong. :)

That was a big lift to my self-esteem. Thanks!

Must be Army huh?

I'm sorry - couldn't resist... :)

Later,

Tom

Yeah. We were the guys without our own personal cameraman! (Couldn't
resist! :))

John H

On the 'PocoLoco' out of Deale, MD,
on the beautiful Chesapeake Bay!

JimH wrote:
My thanks to all you Veterans out there for your service to our Country.

Thank you!

You're welcome. And I add my salute to all those Amricans of every
generation who made a sacrifice for our country, especially the men &
women currently serving overseas and far from their families.

Douglas King, ex-BT1(SW)

"JohnH" wrote in message
...
On Fri, 12 Nov 2004 00:00:34 GMT, Short Wave Sportfishing
wrote:

On Thu, 11 Nov 2004 18:55:15 -0500, JohnH
wrote:

On Thu, 11 Nov 2004 23:18:11 GMT, "Don White"
wrote:


"JohnH" wrote in message
...


You're quite welcome! I appreciate the thought. Today at school I
received a card signed by a bunch of students. The thought meant a
lot.

On the 'PocoLoco' out of Deale, MD,
on the beautiful Chesapeake Bay!

Your schools are open on Remembrance Day? Here it's a holiday. Even
Walmart and Costco are closed.

Yup, Fairfax County, VA, has school on Veterans' Day. We used to wear
our uniforms on that day. The kids liked it. Now most of us can't get
into our uniforms. Saw one retired Marine wearing his. Marines just
don't gain weight, I guess!

You would guess wrong. :)

Later,

Tom

That was a big lift to my self-esteem. Thanks!

John H

On the 'PocoLoco' out of Deale, MD,
on the beautiful Chesapeake Bay!

I do not think my Air Force uniform fits. Darn shrinkage.

On Thu, 11 Nov 2004 21:28:40 -0500, DSK wrote:

BT1(SW)

I know that is Navy speak, Doug, but what is a BT1(SW)?

Later,

Tom

Short Wave Sportfishing wrote:
I know that is Navy speak, Doug, but what is a BT1(SW)?

It's a rate (in other words the job or work area, what the Army calls
MOS I believe) and rank. I was a boiler tender, in other words a ship
propulsion engineer, Petty Officer First Class (E-5), and a surface
warfare specialist.

Rather meaningless gobbledygook except to others who once lived in the
same neighborhood ;)

One of the exercise anybody can do is to learn to read military
insignia, especially ribbons. You can read someone's career at a glance
if you learn a few dozen, and easily seperate the desktop warriors from
the guys who are the real deal. Plus it's kind of interesting IMHO.

DSK

On Fri, 12 Nov 2004 06:47:39 -0500, DSK wrote:

Short Wave Sportfishing wrote:
I know that is Navy speak, Doug, but what is a BT1(SW)?

It's a rate (in other words the job or work area, what the Army calls
MOS I believe) and rank. I was a boiler tender, in other words a ship
propulsion engineer, Petty Officer First Class (E-5), and a surface
warfare specialist.

Kewl. I was always baffled by the Navy designations for enlisted.
Never spent any time ship board (except for the occasional training
float).

Rather meaningless gobbledygook except to others who once lived in the
same neighborhood ;)

Hey, I was a plain old rifleman - nothing fancy about that. :)

One of the exercise anybody can do is to learn to read military
insignia, especially ribbons. You can read someone's career at a glance
if you learn a few dozen, and easily seperate the desktop warriors from
the guys who are the real deal. Plus it's kind of interesting IMHO.

Heh. Yep.

Later,

Tom

Short Wave Sportfishing wrote:

I know that is Navy speak, Doug, but what is a BT1(SW)?

It's a rate (in other words the job or work area, what the Army calls
MOS I believe) and rank. I was a boiler tender, in other words a ship
propulsion engineer, Petty Officer First Class (E-5), and a surface
warfare specialist.



Like the rest of us, Doug is a little fuzzy in the memories. :-)
A Petty Officer First Class is an E-6. A second class petty officer is
an E-5.

Eisboch

On Fri, 12 Nov 2004 07:48:59 -0500, Eisboch
wrote:



Short Wave Sportfishing wrote:

I know that is Navy speak, Doug, but what is a BT1(SW)?

It's a rate (in other words the job or work area, what the Army calls
MOS I believe) and rank. I was a boiler tender, in other words a ship
propulsion engineer, Petty Officer First Class (E-5), and a surface
warfare specialist.



Like the rest of us, Doug is a little fuzzy in the memories. :-)
A Petty Officer First Class is an E-6. A second class petty officer is
an E-5.

Eisboch

Couldn't the Navy have come up with a better adjective than 'petty'?
That sounds so...petty.

John H

On the 'PocoLoco' out of Deale, MD,
on the beautiful Chesapeake Bay!

On Thu, 11 Nov 2004 08:57:28 -0500, "JimH" wrote:

My thanks to all you Veterans out there for your service to our Country.

Thank you!


I second that. Despite the various factions who have in the past, and
still in the present, attempt to denigrate their service, l hold that
this country would not be what it is today without the sacrifice of
those who did what was right.

Dave

On Fri, 12 Nov 2004 10:14:17 -0500, JohnH
wrote:

On Fri, 12 Nov 2004 07:48:59 -0500, Eisboch
wrote:



Short Wave Sportfishing wrote:

I know that is Navy speak, Doug, but what is a BT1(SW)?

It's a rate (in other words the job or work area, what the Army calls
MOS I believe) and rank. I was a boiler tender, in other words a ship
propulsion engineer, Petty Officer First Class (E-5), and a surface
warfare specialist.

Like the rest of us, Doug is a little fuzzy in the memories. :-)
A Petty Officer First Class is an E-6. A second class petty officer is
an E-5.

Couldn't the Navy have come up with a better adjective than 'petty'?
That sounds so...petty.

I stopped bitching about the Navy when a Corpsman literally saved my
life.

Now the Army, that's a who different story. :)

Later,

Tom

Eisboch wrote:
Like the rest of us, Doug is a little fuzzy in the memories. :-)
A Petty Officer First Class is an E-6. A second class petty officer is
an E-5.

Oops! You're right. Sorry... guess I need to go back, take a look at my
old uniform and play the stripe game...

BTW I don't mean to pry but am curious what your son does on the Truman.
I've been on carriers a few times, it's easy to get lost. Have you ever
visited him on board? That used to be quite common but maybe they
restrict things a bit more nowadays.

Regards
Doug King

DSK wrote:
Eisboch wrote:

Like the rest of us, Doug is a little fuzzy in the memories. :-)
A Petty Officer First Class is an E-6. A second class petty officer
is an E-5.


Oops! You're right. Sorry... guess I need to go back, take a look at my
old uniform and play the stripe game...

BTW I don't mean to pry but am curious what your son does on the Truman.
I've been on carriers a few times, it's easy to get lost. Have you ever
visited him on board? That used to be quite common but maybe they
restrict things a bit more nowadays.

Regards
Doug King


No, I haven't been on board yet. They do allow it, but only in limited
areas. As to what he does, I'd rather not say, mainly because I am not
100 percent sure. I know he is attached to an air squadron that flies
mini versions of an AWAC type airplane.

Eisboch

Eisboch wrote:
No, I haven't been on board yet. They do allow it, but only in limited
areas.

I hope you get the opportunity. It's very cool, an eye opening
experience, and one that will bring you closer. One of the high points
of my life was when my father stood in the engine room of our ship as we
stood out to sea (only for a brief training exercise) and rang up full
speed.


... As to what he does, I'd rather not say, mainly because I am not
100 percent sure. I know he is attached to an air squadron that flies
mini versions of an AWAC type airplane.



One of these, I bet
http://www.fas.org/man/dod-101/sys/ac/e-2.htm
These are old planes, like the F-14... but also like the F-14 there is
nothing in the world to match them.

I don't think there is much public appreciation for the strategic "ace
in the hole" the U.S. has in our carrier battle groups. A single carrier
has more air power than most nations' entire air force. And that air
power can be projected several hundred miles inland. It's expensive, but
worth it IMHO.

Fair Skies
Doug King

On Fri, 12 Nov 2004 14:15:50 -0500, DSK wrote:

Eisboch wrote:
Like the rest of us, Doug is a little fuzzy in the memories. :-)
A Petty Officer First Class is an E-6. A second class petty officer is
an E-5.

Oops! You're right. Sorry... guess I need to go back, take a look at my
old uniform and play the stripe game...

BTW I don't mean to pry but am curious what your son does on the Truman.
I've been on carriers a few times, it's easy to get lost. Have you ever
visited him on board? That used to be quite common but maybe they
restrict things a bit more nowadays.

Maybe I've told this before, but I've actually landed on one. My
oldest boy is a Marine fighter jockey and arranged it with one of this
Navy buddies. He and I came aboard on a COD - it was a thrilling ride
out from shore to the carrier. The pilot let me sit in the observer
jump seat so I could see out the windscreen.

We went back on a helo. I really wanted to launch, but it was a fun
trip anyway.

Later,

Tom

DSK wrote:


One of these, I bet
http://www.fas.org/man/dod-101/sys/ac/e-2.htm

That's the one. VAW 126

Unbelievable capabilities.

Eisboch

On Fri, 12 Nov 2004 14:38:51 -0500, Eisboch
wrote:

DSK wrote:
Eisboch wrote:

Like the rest of us, Doug is a little fuzzy in the memories. :-)
A Petty Officer First Class is an E-6. A second class petty officer
is an E-5.


Oops! You're right. Sorry... guess I need to go back, take a look at my
old uniform and play the stripe game...

BTW I don't mean to pry but am curious what your son does on the Truman.
I've been on carriers a few times, it's easy to get lost. Have you ever
visited him on board? That used to be quite common but maybe they
restrict things a bit more nowadays.

Regards
Doug King


No, I haven't been on board yet. They do allow it, but only in limited
areas. As to what he does, I'd rather not say, mainly because I am not
100 percent sure. I know he is attached to an air squadron that flies
mini versions of an AWAC type airplane.

Eisboch

You gotta read some aircraft carrier novels. God, I love 'em!

John H

On the 'PocoLoco' out of Deale, MD,
on the beautiful Chesapeake Bay!

Short Wave Sportfishing wrote:



Maybe I've told this before, but I've actually landed on one. My
oldest boy is a Marine fighter jockey and arranged it with one of this
Navy buddies. He and I came aboard on a COD - it was a thrilling ride
out from shore to the carrier. The pilot let me sit in the observer
jump seat so I could see out the windscreen.

We went back on a helo. I really wanted to launch, but it was a fun
trip anyway.

Later,

Tom


Eisboch JR. launched off the Truman last June. The carrier was on a
training cruise and he had to go back to Norfolk for another school.
He launched in a twin engine turbo prop that they use to deliver mail.
He called me that night and was still excited about the whole thing.
0 to 145 mph in 2 seconds due to the catapult.

I'd give my left nut to do that.

Eisboch

On Fri, 12 Nov 2004 15:19:02 -0500, Eisboch
wrote:

Short Wave Sportfishing wrote:

Maybe I've told this before, but I've actually landed on one. My
oldest boy is a Marine fighter jockey and arranged it with one of this
Navy buddies. He and I came aboard on a COD - it was a thrilling ride
out from shore to the carrier. The pilot let me sit in the observer
jump seat so I could see out the windscreen.

We went back on a helo. I really wanted to launch, but it was a fun
trip anyway.

Eisboch JR. launched off the Truman last June. The carrier was on a
training cruise and he had to go back to Norfolk for another school.
He launched in a twin engine turbo prop that they use to deliver mail.
He called me that night and was still excited about the whole thing.
0 to 145 mph in 2 seconds due to the catapult.

I'd give my left nut to do that.

I would have too, but the next plane off was long after they were
underway and my son had to get back ashore, so we hitched on a helo.

I forgot to mention, my ride was to the Roosevelt - CVN-71.

The thing that amazed me is just how BIG these things are. If you
stand on the bow and look stern, it just seems to fall off the
horizon. Amazing.

We did get to have lunch and dinner in Officer's country - it was true
in my day and it's still true - the freakin' food is first rate. I
must say that the Officers on board were really nice to an old grunt.

Later,

Tom

Short Wave Sportfishing wrote:
The thing that amazed me is just how BIG these things are. If you
stand on the bow and look stern, it just seems to fall off the
horizon. Amazing.

It's also incredible how big they look from the water... on a small boat
or another (inevitably smaller) ship.

But they shrink to looking very small indeed when you're approaching
from the air.

DSK

On Fri, 12 Nov 2004 15:53:00 -0500, DSK wrote:

Short Wave Sportfishing wrote:
The thing that amazed me is just how BIG these things are. If you
stand on the bow and look stern, it just seems to fall off the
horizon. Amazing.

It's also incredible how big they look from the water... on a small boat
or another (inevitably smaller) ship.

But they shrink to looking very small indeed when you're approaching
from the air.

Before we went, my son told me to watch for two things when we were
landing. The first one was the optical illusion that you are speeding
up (speed transition) the closer you get to the ship and just how fast
it goes from model boat size to gigantic humongous size.

He was right on both counts. I can't really describe it in words - it
was like floating and floating a little faster and wham, all of a
sudden the BIG deck and you think your going a zillion miles an hour.

Going from about 90 knots to zero was pretty thrilling too. :)

Later,

Tom

On Fri, 12 Nov 2004 20:06:20 GMT, Short Wave Sportfishing
wrote:

On Fri, 12 Nov 2004 14:15:50 -0500, DSK wrote:

Eisboch wrote:
Like the rest of us, Doug is a little fuzzy in the memories. :-)
A Petty Officer First Class is an E-6. A second class petty officer is
an E-5.

Oops! You're right. Sorry... guess I need to go back, take a look at my
old uniform and play the stripe game...

BTW I don't mean to pry but am curious what your son does on the Truman.
I've been on carriers a few times, it's easy to get lost. Have you ever
visited him on board? That used to be quite common but maybe they
restrict things a bit more nowadays.

Maybe I've told this before, but I've actually landed on one. My
oldest boy is a Marine fighter jockey and arranged it with one of this
Navy buddies. He and I came aboard on a COD - it was a thrilling ride
out from shore to the carrier. The pilot let me sit in the observer
jump seat so I could see out the windscreen.

We went back on a helo. I really wanted to launch, but it was a fun
trip anyway.

Later,

Tom

Ah! Now we know why Bush didn't take a helicopter!

John H

On the 'PocoLoco' out of Deale, MD,
on the beautiful Chesapeake Bay!

You're welcome!
G

"JimH" wrote in message
...
My thanks to all you Veterans out there for your service to our Country.

Thank you!

"JimH" wrote in message news:x5mdnXAl_s1N8g7cRVn-

My thanks to all you Veterans out there for your service to our Country.

Thanks for the thought, Jim, and my thanks also to all the other vets.

And to those who serve in other ways. I have a two good friends in my town
whose sons are Marines in Fallujah. My God, I don't know how they carry on.
Thirty-five years ago I didn't give much thought to what my parents were
dealing with. Sometimes I think it might be easier to be able to shoot
back.