Military members?

[Trob85]

I needed a 110 gt score to get an 18x contract.

[batman53201]

disabled vet usaf

and i respect all of those who served

[NFERGY 2011 RJT]

5 years active, 18 in the National Guard
So Op why don’t you go and tell the families of the Reserves and Guard that died that they don’t count.
Casualties by Category
Iraq and Afghanistan
• 480 Army National Guard
• 120 Army Reserves
• 90 Marine Reserves

[DocMartens]

Active duty company commander here. Joined the Army in 95 as an enlisted Soldier and switched to Officer in 07. 18 years and counting

[OVERPAR73]

Retired 22 years AF, it doesn't matter active or not we all wear the same uniform and proud of it! Have worked for the VA now for 13 years, please make sure you all get your benefits you all deserve, it's a really long process but stay with it and it will be worth it in the long run. Everyone take care and welcome to the Camaro5 family!!

[The_Blur]

Check my sig. You'll figure it out.

[AdequateTrash]

14 years active duty Navy. Worked with many weekend warriors and they have all pulled their weight some better then active duty folks.

[baby02]

24 years Air Force, retired 1990.

[DJ-Silver 2SS]

10 years active duty at fort Gordon right now. I don't think this is a good place to tar and feather anyone with any service. Anyone that has volunteered to serve has showed their nobility. None the less, thank you to all that have and are currently serving.

[Iroczlover]

Originally Posted by BottleFEED

I'm stationed in Hawaii for now, just seeing how many other members are in the service. And if you are a weekend warrior is doesn't count!

I bet you do not count spouses as serving either. or doing their duty to their country.

Originally Posted by scoticus.rex

I am active duty, 22 years now. I would also point out that with the "War on Terror," many of those 'weekend warriors' have spent more time down range than the average active duty service member over the last decade. I would be a little careful about counting them out.

thank you

Originally Posted by BottleFEED

To clear things up I am a grunt an I will always pick ok "pogs" (which is how we say it not pogue) and I have respect for the weekend warriors I just give them shit for not knowing what it's really like as active duty. So calm your birches all you politicians. I have a family and a kid and know what it's like to skype and be away for a 12 month on a fob with no internet or phones besides my afghan cell.. I have a Purple Heart an CIB I know first hand about being blown up still have metal in my leg an just had surgery to pull some out not fun. As for not knowing about Hawaii do research before you call it shame I'll leave it at that. My post was to see if there was any active duty grunts here

My husband use to play lawn darts with Army guys.

Originally Posted by 2010_Black_Stallion

I'm a "Weekend Warrior" currently deployed to Afghanistan. Last time I checked we wear U.S. ARMY, or U.S. AIR FORCE, or U.S. MARINES, or U.S. NAVY on our uniforms. We all go to the same training. Haven't heard of "weekend warriors" going to one BCT while active goes to another. This is my first deployment but my team leader has been deployed 3 times in the past 6 years, my squad leader 4 times in the last 8 years, and my former squad leader 4 times in the past 6 years. Us "weekend warriors" have 2 jobs that we have to take care of, our civilian job and the military, and one of them might not be there tomorrow so good luck trying to live off of a weekend paycheck. Have a few battle buddies that do just that because they can't find a civilian job. Active Duty as yourself has a steady job and you know you will get a check on the 1st and 15th. We can't live in on base housing, we have house payments, water bills, electric bills, etc. Things that you don't think about when living on base. We are always on call for whatever unexpected disastors happen in the states not active duty. When you see a weather disaster or a terrorist attack on tv and see the military there, thats the "weekend warriors" not active duty. So please tell me how much you have to deal with when on active duty.

I understand that active duty trains and trains when not deployed but the weekend warriors have other things on their plate from just the military. When deployed, we are still paying our bills and other expenses back at home. These are expenses that active duty don't take in consideration since most stay on base. Last time I checked not all active duty goes outside the wire either. You can't control your mission. If your mission is to go outside the wire then you go out if not then you stay in. Everyone has a part in everything. Most of my seargents have had missions where they went outside the wire and have gotten blown up and shot at and others are currently inside the wire and are getting IDF daily and getting blown up. From what I know with active duty is that you stay with your unit when you get back from deployment, with reserves and national guard that isn't always the case. My unit gets home in a few months and there are already some of us that have been transferred to other units to deploy again 1-2 months after we get home.

Thank you

I have never served my country As part of the military, but I am an army bratt & can trace my families military services in our countries to the 1600s if not farther. My dads family ran from Germany to save their lives.

I am also a proud wife of a man who has served 26yrs in the air force (15 of those years as a weekend warrior, & training those weekend warriors) & who is not longer allowed to serve because of having Fybro. He has also lost his civilian job just this last week.

My son is also active duty in the US Air Force, his career started july of last year.

[Smitty88]

Originally Posted by BottleFEED

I was tracking the 12 months were done with as of now we are set for 7-9 months .. ? Did it change back again

Deployment have changed back to 9months, UNLESS you are deploying as a Battalion or for a specific support that requires 12+. In most cases anything after this past month i think was changed to this new plan so money could be saved from SM going on R&R *dont have to pay for SM to take a round trip to wherever they wanted to go by shorting the deployment down to 9months*

[MikeSVX]

I think theres another one of these threads around here somewhere, but anyway.

Active Duty Coast Guard, 19 years.

[Dr. Evil]

Originally Posted by BottleFEED

And fast I didn't mean to stir the pot like this. I just do not like the weekenders for the reason being they know nothing of the real military life

Most all weekend warriors did at least one hitch on active duty before switching over, you need to check your fire.


and hardship for the families

You and your family are on/next door to a major base and have access to all the help and benefits that go along with it. NG and reservists in most cases do not have those resources. Gyms, base housing, recreational facilities for families, 1st sgt councils, family support groups, survivors groups, health care, relief society, BX, Commisary and support networks. The weekend warriors and their families are isolated and have none of that while they are downrange. You think its hard for you to get your pay straightened out when deployed? At least you have someone back at a base to call. Check your fire.

they play war games on weekends and think they are killers, they deploy to a base an sit inside the wire an come back with stories of war.

Keep living in your bubble. Its not just weekends anymore. Its a lot of schools and training for those guys too. They also go through the same exact predeployment training active duty goes through. Check your fire again.

They now call Kandahar rocket city like its bad there... And if you know that base it's like Disney land for the grunts suckin on the fobs. I know I thought it was awesome any time I could visit an buy a log of cope when I could. Of course I know the serve an what not but they are on a different food chain an that's why I stated they "don't count". People may have takin it out on context and got a little too emotional.. But that's up to them how they see it and honestly Idc. I just am hoping to clear things up..

And everyone called Balad, Iraq mortaritaville. Everyone has a job and a mission. I dont ever fault the guy that is a geek working in some communications specialty with a computer and an Ohm meter. If thats what he wants to do and is good at it more power to him. If its the best and only way he could serve then even more power to him. Point is, not everyone can be a grunt nor should they be. I have a lot of respect for the guys and gals that know they cant be a grunt but choose to do something, anything, to help in the best way they can. That geek behind the computer may be in a support role but if he is trying to be the best at what he does he gets my vote. Unless he's motopool, they never get my vote. Not. ever.
No one disputes that some jobs are more dangerous but people often confuse dangerous with needed. Meaning they think the only people needed in the military are the grunts. See how long those guys fight without any logistics, air power or support. You might as well start saying the Navy isnt needed either. Heres a little known fact for you. Did you know that during the battle for Guadalcanal that for every soldier or marine killed on land 3 sailors were killed in the same battle?

The reserves and national guard are absolutley needed. They more often than not bring more to the table than an active duty component. They are older (wiser) and have a much more diverse set of skills. Sure they don't have the mindset of active duty but IMO thats not a bad thing. Not saying the AD mindset is bad but try to look at the big picture. Having a 31b show up that is an FBI investigator in the civillian world isnt a bad thing. Nor is having a another guy show up that is a general contractor that can do anything with almost nothing. Those kinds of guys come in handy.
Lastly, we all get it. You're a warrior, a meat eater and the sharp tip of the spear. We get it. To simply cast aside anyone or anything else that isnt AD is incredibly short sighted, obtuse or both. I've known plenty of guardsman and reserves that spent time on a fob or convoys.
Not me though. I saw a gun once though, bout gave me a heart attack.

Stay safe, if I make it over to Hi again drinks on me

[=Stephens=]

Well said Dr. Evil. I was an 89B Ammunition Specialist. We supplied, issued, and turned-in all the of the ammunition in Camp Arifjan Kuwait. Without the Reserves and Active Duty working together as a team there wouldn't be the ammo for the fight. Every soldier plays a part in the fight.

In one week I loaded 89 PLS trailers with landmines. I said to my SSG, why am I loading landmines? We don't even use these. He stated, these mines will wrap the fobs up north, preventing any enemies from driving a vehicle into a fob. And what you are doing will probably save American lives. So my ass sweating in a forklift at 130 degrees did something to help the war on terrorism.