Galen, you and Bonnie are some of the most giving people I know. How kind of you to help that young man, support his mother and family as well as serve as excellent landlords. :)-->
Include my wishes for Eric to have a safe tour of duty and quick, safe trip home. I'm so glad there are young men like Eric who are willing to fight and defend people.
Now if I can just convince Eric to quit the part-time junk, and to go career.
As a part-timer, he only gets medical coverage while he is on active-duty, and his pay is based on how much time he serves each month. Generally a part-timer has to serve for 40 years to qualify to the retirement, and even then they do actually get the pension or benefits until after they turn 65.
As an active-duty servicemember he would get full medical/dental, shopping privledges, free space 'A' travel, a 20 year pension, and either free or heavily subsidized college tuition for all courses he attends. Plus most of all that for life.
But for now he is jsut a kid, he wont see the real value of it, until he is older.
Lets see-- a 20 year old who needs his very own personalized BODY ARMOR.
THAT has to be every mothers friggin nightmare!!!!!...
and in good consciense we send these kids off?"
Well, maybe I just see things differently. To me personally, I do not wish to step into a career where I will carry a loaded weapon and be expected to return fire at an agressor, without also wearing body armor.
And personally when I say "Body Armor", I do not mean a 45 pound flak-jacket this is government issue [guaranted to stop flying debri]. I mean a 8 pound vest under my uniform that is guaranteed to stop bullets.
After I finished my first tour doing 'Law Enforcement' [where a buddy of ours and fellowship member, took two bullets in his back while he was standing guard duty on a gate], Bonnie became insistant that I wear body-armor anytime that I am armed. And to make Bonnie 'happy' I have. Everytime that I am required to be armed, I am also armored. No thanks to the Navy.
:-)
As for his mother, she comes down stairs and about everyday now to share her feelings and vent her concerns. She's great.
In fact as I sit here and type this post, I just got off the telephone from ordering Eric's body Armor.
By the way if anyone else needs such I will plug: "Second Chance Body Armor" as being the best. I have worn it for years, and I have known men who took rounds while wearing it and they are still alive.
Galen, you came home ALIVE from the service. It's obvious you and Bonnie are being very supportive and offering good advice for someone who is going to be in the line of fire.
However, I see 2-Life's point. No one wants their child to be in the line of fire, while the powers that be have put the United States in that position, and while it's brave and admirable, it is not a peaches and cream situation!
Is there a fund to donate money to for the body armor? Plmk.
You and your wife sound like wonderful people, (not real sure about Dr. Pepper and Malibu)if u ever get to my neck of the woods I would be honored to have you and yours for dinner.
"Is there a fund to donate money to for the body armor? Plmk."
I have no idea, if there is or not. I have never heard of one. I would seriously contact the units based in your area and ask them. [in the Navy each command has a 'Command-Master-Cheif' that focuses on quality of life issues, and personnel Welfare and safety types of issues. I dont know what they call that function in the Army, or for the part-timers. I think the Marines call that function a 'Gunny-sargaent']
When you buy this stuff, some units buy it in bulk [small, medium, large sizes] but having worn those, I assure you that for long hours of use wearing a set that is tailored to your body is entirely different. A system of 6 measurements taken by two different people at different sittings really gives a comfortable fit. As somene who has had a wear a vest for long hours; It does make a huge difference to wear the correct size.
In America there are for example two Police Officer Unions; I am a member of the F.O.P. We raise money to purchase officers their first vest. The other union raises money to purchase officers their first weapon. So in some jurisdictions [where both unions are present] Brand new Police officers can be presented with their first vest and weapon by the unions.
When the Government buys they get a group discount, when a individual servicememeber or a PO buys he gets the same discount, when a civilian buys he pays almost twice as much. So it is better for someone with a uniform to do the purchasing.
We still collect the food coupons and send them overseas as well.
And another thing, a friend [he was coming to our home for diners and Bible-studys] and he needed to make a trip cross country for medical treatment. We were able to use our air-miles [that we had accumulated on our Credit Card] to fly him both ways for his treatments.
This is another area where everyone could give, but there does not seem to be any good center point to coordinate such. Now that we have done it once, we were thinking about contacting a Shrine Children's Hospital, to see about getting our names onto their list to help transport disabled children with our airmiles.
There are many areas wherein a person can give to help.
"You and your wife sound like wonderful people, (not real sure about Dr. Pepper and Malibu) if u ever get to my neck of the woods I would be honored to have you and yours for dinner."
I asked about it, as he should be shipping out Monday. Come to find out, the other unit needed some many billets to be filled so they had sent out a notice to surrounding units for volunteers. Since Eric had missed his unit's last movement, they had 'strongly suggested' that he would be on the list and shipping out with that other unit this coming Monday to fill the billet. But before his unit had 'volunteered' him, others from other units had already filled the empty billet. So Eric is not going right now. [big exhale for his parents].
But get this, everyone who did volunteer quickly were guys whose units had also recently returned. To fill an empty slot in one unit, other returning soldiers from other units are 'competing' or 'jumping' for the chance to fill the slot. It amazes me, at how apidly these kids want to jump into the thick of it.
It was the same during Desert Storm, I assure you.
Eric is a welder, so anytime that a unit needs a welder they can be calling his unit for the possibility of getting him.
In either case, his vest arrived today. Which is great as now I get my vest back. And he is ready to ship out whenever needed with his own vest.
Recommended Posts
dmiller
Wishing Eric *luck*, a safe tour of duty, and a safe trip home.
:)-->
David
Link to comment
Share on other sites
gc
I'm wishing the same thing...a safe tour of duty, and a safe trip home again!
:)-->
gc
Link to comment
Share on other sites
Galen
I will pass that on to him.
:-)
Link to comment
Share on other sites
Belle
Galen, you and Bonnie are some of the most giving people I know. How kind of you to help that young man, support his mother and family as well as serve as excellent landlords.
:)-->
Include my wishes for Eric to have a safe tour of duty and quick, safe trip home. I'm so glad there are young men like Eric who are willing to fight and defend people.
Link to comment
Share on other sites
Galen
Now if I can just convince Eric to quit the part-time junk, and to go career.
As a part-timer, he only gets medical coverage while he is on active-duty, and his pay is based on how much time he serves each month. Generally a part-timer has to serve for 40 years to qualify to the retirement, and even then they do actually get the pension or benefits until after they turn 65.
As an active-duty servicemember he would get full medical/dental, shopping privledges, free space 'A' travel, a 20 year pension, and either free or heavily subsidized college tuition for all courses he attends. Plus most of all that for life.
But for now he is jsut a kid, he wont see the real value of it, until he is older.
:-)
Link to comment
Share on other sites
2life
"But for now he is jsut a kid, he wont see the real value of it, until he is older. "
DAMN.
Lets see-- a 20 year old who needs his very own personalized BODY ARMOR.
THAT has to be every mothers friggin nightmare!!!!!...
and in good consciense we send these kids off?
Link to comment
Share on other sites
Galen
2life:
"DAMN.
Lets see-- a 20 year old who needs his very own personalized BODY ARMOR.
THAT has to be every mothers friggin nightmare!!!!!...
and in good consciense we send these kids off?"
Well, maybe I just see things differently. To me personally, I do not wish to step into a career where I will carry a loaded weapon and be expected to return fire at an agressor, without also wearing body armor.
And personally when I say "Body Armor", I do not mean a 45 pound flak-jacket this is government issue [guaranted to stop flying debri]. I mean a 8 pound vest under my uniform that is guaranteed to stop bullets.
After I finished my first tour doing 'Law Enforcement' [where a buddy of ours and fellowship member, took two bullets in his back while he was standing guard duty on a gate], Bonnie became insistant that I wear body-armor anytime that I am armed. And to make Bonnie 'happy' I have. Everytime that I am required to be armed, I am also armored. No thanks to the Navy.
:-)
As for his mother, she comes down stairs and about everyday now to share her feelings and vent her concerns. She's great.
In fact as I sit here and type this post, I just got off the telephone from ordering Eric's body Armor.
By the way if anyone else needs such I will plug: "Second Chance Body Armor" as being the best. I have worn it for years, and I have known men who took rounds while wearing it and they are still alive.
Link to comment
Share on other sites
reikilady
Galen, you came home ALIVE from the service. It's obvious you and Bonnie are being very supportive and offering good advice for someone who is going to be in the line of fire.
However, I see 2-Life's point. No one wants their child to be in the line of fire, while the powers that be have put the United States in that position, and while it's brave and admirable, it is not a peaches and cream situation!
Link to comment
Share on other sites
Galen
It is not the worst possible thing either.
... I dont see that military service as a huge need for apprehension.
:-)
[Edited by me to remove something that I said that was a bit too harsh, I apologize to anyone who read it and may have been offended.]
Edited by ET1 SSLink to comment
Share on other sites
sharon
Galen,
Is there a fund to donate money to for the body armor? Plmk.
You and your wife sound like wonderful people, (not real sure about Dr. Pepper and Malibu)if u ever get to my neck of the woods I would be honored to have you and yours for dinner.
Link to comment
Share on other sites
Galen
sharon:
"Is there a fund to donate money to for the body armor? Plmk."
I have no idea, if there is or not. I have never heard of one. I would seriously contact the units based in your area and ask them. [in the Navy each command has a 'Command-Master-Cheif' that focuses on quality of life issues, and personnel Welfare and safety types of issues. I dont know what they call that function in the Army, or for the part-timers. I think the Marines call that function a 'Gunny-sargaent']
When you buy this stuff, some units buy it in bulk [small, medium, large sizes] but having worn those, I assure you that for long hours of use wearing a set that is tailored to your body is entirely different. A system of 6 measurements taken by two different people at different sittings really gives a comfortable fit. As somene who has had a wear a vest for long hours; It does make a huge difference to wear the correct size.
In America there are for example two Police Officer Unions; I am a member of the F.O.P. We raise money to purchase officers their first vest. The other union raises money to purchase officers their first weapon. So in some jurisdictions [where both unions are present] Brand new Police officers can be presented with their first vest and weapon by the unions.
When the Government buys they get a group discount, when a individual servicememeber or a PO buys he gets the same discount, when a civilian buys he pays almost twice as much. So it is better for someone with a uniform to do the purchasing.
We still collect the food coupons and send them overseas as well.
And another thing, a friend [he was coming to our home for diners and Bible-studys] and he needed to make a trip cross country for medical treatment. We were able to use our air-miles [that we had accumulated on our Credit Card] to fly him both ways for his treatments.
This is another area where everyone could give, but there does not seem to be any good center point to coordinate such. Now that we have done it once, we were thinking about contacting a Shrine Children's Hospital, to see about getting our names onto their list to help transport disabled children with our airmiles.
There are many areas wherein a person can give to help.
"You and your wife sound like wonderful people, (not real sure about Dr. Pepper and Malibu) if u ever get to my neck of the woods I would be honored to have you and yours for dinner."
Thank you for the invite.
:-)
Link to comment
Share on other sites
Galen
Ooops, Eric has pulled duty this weekend.
I asked about it, as he should be shipping out Monday. Come to find out, the other unit needed some many billets to be filled so they had sent out a notice to surrounding units for volunteers. Since Eric had missed his unit's last movement, they had 'strongly suggested' that he would be on the list and shipping out with that other unit this coming Monday to fill the billet. But before his unit had 'volunteered' him, others from other units had already filled the empty billet. So Eric is not going right now. [big exhale for his parents].
But get this, everyone who did volunteer quickly were guys whose units had also recently returned. To fill an empty slot in one unit, other returning soldiers from other units are 'competing' or 'jumping' for the chance to fill the slot. It amazes me, at how apidly these kids want to jump into the thick of it.
It was the same during Desert Storm, I assure you.
Eric is a welder, so anytime that a unit needs a welder they can be calling his unit for the possibility of getting him.
In either case, his vest arrived today. Which is great as now I get my vest back. And he is ready to ship out whenever needed with his own vest.
:-)
Link to comment
Share on other sites
Galen
Change six, revision 3;
Eric is going.
Link to comment
Share on other sites
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.