he other day I set an old man straight and pointed out that he actually did join the Army even though he never shipped.
I worked with a guy that had signed up and just before he took the oath his life changed. His father died and he was the oldest son and had to take care of things at home. Fair enough.
I worked with another guy that at the last minute opted for college instead. For him it really was a wise choice and the world is a better place because of his choice.
Another guy I worked with for a while told me he looked into the service and decided it wasn't for him. Fair enough. Actually he's in his sixties now and is still militarily useful as he moves jet fuel under a DoD contract occasionally. That actually makes him more useful than an awful lot of GIs. We're actually better off for him chosen to move oil instead of being just another GI in The Machine. Not only does he assist the military, he's a part of the reason you don't have to walk home and freeze in the dark.
Another couple of guys I knew said, "Screw that! I got better things to do." which I do not hold against them whatsoever.
The 'Almost joined' people I am talking about are not those aforementioned people.
The 'Almost joined' I am writing about are a different breed altogether.
You got three or four guys sitting there over coffee and one of them says that the coffee is as bad as the swill he got in the Navy and the rest of them laugh and chip in that the coffee in their branch was just as bad. Someone adds, 'It's all the same DoD crap,' and a chuckle is shared. Come to find out all of the guys in the group are veterans.
Someone else sits down at the table and is welcomed as we continue to gripe about the DoD grade cups of mud we are swilling down. He never served but is welcome or was until he has to point out that he 'Almost joined' the Marines followed by some lame excuse as to why he didn't.
He would have been welcome into the group, service or no service. Most vets consider their service to be just another chapter in their lives. When they got out they continued along making their lives better, worse or outright miserable depending on their natures.
But this dolt just had to try and join a nonexistant club with and gives a lame excuse as to why he's not a full fledged member of a club that doesn't even exist to begin with. This is an 'almost joined' guy.
Our service is just one small thing we share in common and no matter what he won't be able to share it with us for the same reason I can't join the fraternity of Indy 500 race car drivers. I never drove in that race.
It doesn't make me a bad guy. It just makes me another guy that never raced in the Indy 500. I'm not in the fraternity of college graduates or a lot of other things, either. So what?
However, I AM in the fraternity of people that were over 65 when they made a 13,500 foot free fall. I didn't 'almost jump. I jumped.
(In fact not only did I jump but I scared theliving bejeesus out of my jump buddy by screeching like a banshee as I dragged him out of the plane with me! but I digress.)
Then there's the other 'almost joined' guy that really frosts my ass to no avail.
I have a classmate that told me once he 'almost joined'. In a pig's ass he almost joined.
Back in the day there were a lot of people crapping on those that served during the Vietnam era. This guy was one of them.
Over the years I have had a couple of people actually apologize to me for the way they treated veterans back in the day. Not this guy.
Of course he spent high school playing the popularity game and it still shows.
Reagan gave the military their pride back and over time the attitude of the public has changed. These days military service is a souce of pride and GIs are not afraid to be seen in public while in uniform.
When I was stationed at Carson the army discouraged us from wearing uniforms off post, on duty or off. I would imagine that's changed and in Colorado Springs seeing a uniform these days is probably part of the woodwork.
Now it's over 40 years later and there he was on Facebook.
Someone asked me a question about my service time and that sod chimed in "I almost joined but figured my father and brother had served so I didn't bother."
His brother has served earlier in Vietnam with distinction.
Almost joined , my ass! He likly never went within 5 miles of a recruiting station unless it was to insult the GIs in it. Who is he trying to kid?
Almost joined. He almost joined.
Yeah? Well I almost joined the French Foreign Legion but my mother wouldn't let me. How's that?
You joined or you didn't and there's no shame if you didn't but be up front about it.
As for those that tried to enlist didn't get in for whatever reason? You didn't almost join. You tried to join. That's the way it is. There's one hell of a difference.
As usual, you are right on the money! I didn't almost join, I was dragged in screaming and hollering by the draft board. Once ensconced in the bosom of the Army, I decided I was proud to be there! After getting out I went on with my life and never looked back. I feel all veterans are brothers who did their thing for whatever reason. Those who didn't go? They missed out on some interesting times to say the least and I hold no animosity toward them.
ReplyDeleteGood luck with the house rehab!
As a draftee you were given a choice. Either accept it or be bitter for the rest of your life. As I have posted earlier, I dodged the draft. The fact that I enlisted afterwards is immateriel.
ReplyDelete