Just a teaser from Don Shipley

[RC Storick]

Here is a video my friend Senior Chief Don Shipley posted

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCUxuYuqe-XBFonUGFLETfnA

http://videos.extremesealexperience.com/

[peabody]

Interesting......it seems to be "vogue" to claim military service when, in a lot of cases, they were dodging the draft in the Vietnam era and simply didn't volunteer in later times.
The 1995 US Census estimated that 4 of 5 that claimed to have served in Vietnam had not. I wonder if that ratio is the same today?
The poor bast*rds that served in the Gulf and saw multiple "tours" make me very sad.....yet they thank ME for my service.....

The Navy SEALS Museum is a nice 130 mile ride for me in Ft. Pierce.....the time that I intended to visit, it was closed. It's on my list.

[Perry Rose]

Don't forget the Congressmen and Senators that said they served in Viet Nam and didn't. Richard Blumenthal D CT for one.

[Fredvon4]

Peabody sparked a part of me that is fairly vocal on this subject

First I must say I am in the minority when many want a law prohibiting the desecration of the flag..... I firmly believe the constitution protects ANY anti government demonstration no matter how disgusting

AND I am a bit put off by MANY Viet Nam Vets who profess to have done a LOT more that they actually must have done....(this is not just Viet Nam Vets, but any who embellish...but my experience is THEY are notorious for this behavior)

I was draftee in 1973 as my father was on second 12 month tour to the Nam after being a Korea war vet

I did not serve one day in the Nam but a LOT of my fellow high School cums did

I served for 22.5 years and saw combat several times, Noreiga Panama, Grenada, Mediterranean Lebanon , desert storm, Iraqi freedom, Sinai peace keeping forces to name a few

I am NOT looking for any thanks,,,,just stating that I have followed or led soldiers into life threatening peril a few times

I have also been/am a member of the AMVETS, Disabled American Veterans (DAV), American Legion, and the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) for over thirty years

I am always astounded by actual VETs who embellish their personal involvement in some way

I am fairly quick to asses some drunk's claim to have been there for TET 68 when he is or looks younger than I am.... ( I was 13 in 1968)  or the guy who was in the Siege of Kasan but was in a unit that was no where near that location....or the guy who claims to be an airborne ranger, or Green Beret, but is vague on the unit or area or if or if not trained at Fort Benning or elsewhere

helps a lot to know military history to be able to call BS on many of these fellows

I also hold the unholy position that 80 to 90% of the 58 plus thousand dead from Viet Nam and on the Wall are mostly there from lack of effective leadership, negligent NCOs  and a general disregard for any common sense DISCIPLINE!

YOU can NOT go on patrol stoned and drunk and expect to survive!

Stolen valor bothers me as it is a seeming benign example of how little people actually know of the military history of this great nation

[Mark Mc]

First I must say I am in the minority when many want a law prohibiting the desecration of the flag..... I firmly believe the constitution protects ANY anti government demonstration no matter how disgusting

I am NOT looking for any thanks,,,,

I am always astounded by actual VETs who embellish their personal involvement in some way

I am fairly quick to asses some drunk's claim to have been there for TET 68 when he is or looks younger than I am.... ( I was 13 in 1968)  or the guy who was in the Siege of Kasan but was in a unit that was no where near that location....or the guy who claims to be an airborne ranger, or Green Beret, but is vague on the unit or area or if or if not trained at Fort Benning or elsewhere helps a lot to know military history to be able to call BS on many of these fellows

Fred, I understand your points.  I feel some idiot has the right to do stupid things, but that it should also be fair game to call them on it.  Like the time a protester came onto this guys property, tore down his flag, and stomped on it.  The owner punched the protester out and got arrested.  The judge agreed that the flag owner had broken the law and needed to be punished, so he fined the owner $1.00.  Fitting punishment, I'd say.

I've gotten into the habit lately of NOT telling people I don't know that I was in the service.  It's become fashionable to thank people for their service.  I appreciate when people say it and mean it, but I more often find people thanking me because it's what they have been conditioned to say, not that they really think about what the service meant and what they're thanking me for, or that they really seem to support the service.

Last October, my wife and I took a cruise out of Florida.  After the cruise, a bus took us from the port to the airport, and the bus line had a guy as a sort of helper/guide.  The entire time from the port to the airport he was talking big about how he was a retired Airborne officer.  Really pissing me off.  As we were getting off the bus I was going to ask him, "You retired from Airborne as an officer?  Did you retire as an E-3, E-2, or did you make it all the way up to E-1?"  I made the mistake of telling this to my wife and she got really upset at me.  She hates it when I call people out publicly.  So I let it slide. She wouldn't even let me call out her ex-husband when he was talking big about being an ex-SEAL.  Two minutes after I met him I knew he was full of it.  A couple of years later I talked to his mother and asked about him being a SEAL.  She just laughed.  "A SEAL?  He was a Personnelman.  The only fighting he did was with a typewriter."

Now, before anyone busts my chops, I am NOT disparaging Personnelmen.  I hold their service as I hold my own.  I AM disparaging a jerk who lies to his friends and acquaintances about being a SEAL to try to impress them, and to his young pregnant wife, telling her that he's probably going to be called up because Desert Storm just broke out and the Navy's going to need him to return to Active, leaving her to take care of herself while she's six months pregnant.

I HATE wannabe's.
Mark

[RC Storick]

Here is a good one from Youtube

After Brodaks I will be stopping by Don's place to spend some time with him and Hershel Davis who is a Seal Command Master chief (RET).