Patriot Heart
02-24-2005, 12:36 PM
I like this blog.
February 21, 2005
Soldiers, Marines and the Ladies that put up with this
http://strengthandhonor.typepad.com/photos/uncategorized/lt_col_k_1.JPG (http://strengthandhonor.typepad.com/photos/uncategorized/lt_col_k_1.JPG) The picture above is for "The General." You know who you are. Lt. Col. K. USMC stopped by again last night. He, the TIC and I had dinner at Chez D’FAC (Civilians: DFAC is armyspeak for Dining Facility aka Chow Hall) after I had introduced him to my Battalion Commander and they had a chance to exchange the secret Marine handshake. My battalion has many former Marines in it, and my Commander happens to be one of them. After dinner, we lit up cigars and continued to catch up. We talked a lot about our plans for when we got home. So far, these plans include but are not limited to: an expensive night at the Ritz with our wives, hunting trips, scuba diving, home improvement, kids, and other vacations to be determined later. We also talked about going back to our normal jobs and how weird it would be. He left soon after as I had to go on a raid later that night, but I digress.
As we discussed the frequency with which we were able to talk to our wives, I began to think of what a uniquely trying experience this must be for them. He and I have both been active duty before, but were single at the time. We both met our wives and got married after having joined the Reserves. When we were on active duty, the guys who were married had their wives living there at or near the post with them. Their wives all knew each other, and both the post and the unit were communities unto themselves. Now, he and I have been living in the civilian world 95% of the time, only disappearing for our monthly weekend and two weeks every summer. We put on a uniform, leave on Friday with our car packed full of gear, and return Sunday night, filthy, stinking like livestock, with a car full of filthy gear and empty paper coffee cups. I suppose they may have initially thought it was something of a man’s hobby, like fishing or hunting. There is never the day to day acclimation to military life that the spouses of our full-time brethren get. We are just civilians with an odd part-time job on the side - that doesn’t pay much.
http://strengthandhonor.typepad.com/captaink/2005/02/soldiers_marine.html
February 21, 2005
Soldiers, Marines and the Ladies that put up with this
http://strengthandhonor.typepad.com/photos/uncategorized/lt_col_k_1.JPG (http://strengthandhonor.typepad.com/photos/uncategorized/lt_col_k_1.JPG) The picture above is for "The General." You know who you are. Lt. Col. K. USMC stopped by again last night. He, the TIC and I had dinner at Chez D’FAC (Civilians: DFAC is armyspeak for Dining Facility aka Chow Hall) after I had introduced him to my Battalion Commander and they had a chance to exchange the secret Marine handshake. My battalion has many former Marines in it, and my Commander happens to be one of them. After dinner, we lit up cigars and continued to catch up. We talked a lot about our plans for when we got home. So far, these plans include but are not limited to: an expensive night at the Ritz with our wives, hunting trips, scuba diving, home improvement, kids, and other vacations to be determined later. We also talked about going back to our normal jobs and how weird it would be. He left soon after as I had to go on a raid later that night, but I digress.
As we discussed the frequency with which we were able to talk to our wives, I began to think of what a uniquely trying experience this must be for them. He and I have both been active duty before, but were single at the time. We both met our wives and got married after having joined the Reserves. When we were on active duty, the guys who were married had their wives living there at or near the post with them. Their wives all knew each other, and both the post and the unit were communities unto themselves. Now, he and I have been living in the civilian world 95% of the time, only disappearing for our monthly weekend and two weeks every summer. We put on a uniform, leave on Friday with our car packed full of gear, and return Sunday night, filthy, stinking like livestock, with a car full of filthy gear and empty paper coffee cups. I suppose they may have initially thought it was something of a man’s hobby, like fishing or hunting. There is never the day to day acclimation to military life that the spouses of our full-time brethren get. We are just civilians with an odd part-time job on the side - that doesn’t pay much.
http://strengthandhonor.typepad.com/captaink/2005/02/soldiers_marine.html