My Personal Heroes

[Nickle]

Nickle, they are never EX Marines......

EX-MARINES are Marines that have joined the Guard and assimilated well. Very few make it in the Guard. WoJo is one that has made it. Ron Edson (not in the picture, retired by now) was another.

Derek, you do know who Merritt Edson was, right? These guys (Ron and his nephew in the picture) are likely related, since Merritt was from up here, Rutland, IIRC. Scary, isn't it.

 

[MrsWildweasel]

Ewwww, you're stepping in the doodoo. [twisted] [twisted] You and I know it's EX, but the Marines don't. Ducking, running for cover.

 

[Nickle]

Ewwww, you're stepping in the doodoo. [twisted] [twisted] You and I know it's EX, but the Marines don't. Ducking, running for cover.

Only the good ones know. They've been assimilated.

And I don't duck and run. Too damned stubborn and too damned stupid.

 

[MrsWildweasel]

Oh I have that stubborn streak a mile long, [twisted] I just figure Tony and Derek will be along........... We also assimilate them quite well too I think. [twisted] I may as well step in it with ya.

 

[Admin]

Edson MOH winner, and I worked on the range named after him for 3 years. I think he may have even been Commandant as well. If you're not a Marine you wouldn't understand there is no such thing as EX.

 

[Nickle]

IIRC, the proper term is "Wade in the shallow end of the Gene Pool."

 

[Tank]

First things first: the squad picture Mrs Tank posted is the one we took at the Mob site, Ft Dix, ii does not have all the guys that were in my squad while in Iraq as there were "personell issues" that had to be dealt with and a couple of soldiers were changed.

from left to right- SGT Paul Garrow, SSG Mike "WOJO Wojicheiwski, SPC "Bender" Buroughs, SPC Chris "Biggie" Biggelow, SGT Brian "Lumpy" Lumsden, SPC Brett "Tank" Christensen, SPC Shawn "Chef" Edson, SPC Frank "Franky" Cannella, SGT Keith "Govna" Dean, SPC "Bear" Harris

Aside from Wojo, I would gladly serve with any of these men again, and would be willing to die for them. Exccept for having the worst dirt-bag excuse of an NCO for a squad leader these are the greatest group of people I have have been around. They are the ones that deserve the real credit.

 

[Lynne]

If you're not a Marine you wouldn't understand there is no such thing as EX.

I have a friend in NC who's a retired Major. He always signs his emails as Major XXX XXXXX, Retired. His tag line says "Old Marine's never die, they just run out of ammo."

 

[Nickle]

Yeah Garrow would've been a better Squad Leader. I hear you're getting a real Dick Head for a section chief (Recovery Section) when we reorganize. An old gray haired SOB, meaner than hell and ornery, and the scum bag didn't deploy with you guys either, though I heard he was pretty PO'd about not being able to go. And I heard he drinks Irish whiskey and Labatt's. Any guesses?

 

[Tank]

Would that be the same NCO that got me drinking the Irish Wiskey (give it up you will never get me drinking Lasplats)???

Does this mean that I might finally have a snowballs chance in Hell of getting promoted???

 

[Nickle]

Question 1 - Yes, but I won't try to get you to drink Labatt's. You already drink Corona.

Question 2 - This one is a little more tricky, since I won't have full say in it. But, I will probably have some say. STPA got changed recently, they now are very strict about who gets the slot. I'll let you know how to boost your points.

The bad news, no more M88's. Just wreckers.

 

[MrsWildweasel]

So Nickle when are you going over? As my sig line says you're all my heroes.

 

[MrsTank]

Oh good, he filled in some of the blanks for us! Glad he got to catch up with things here, since I didn't get a chance to talk to him. Oh the challenges of totally different work shifts combined with a 7 hour time difference! (Iraq was 8 hours ahead, but I wasn't working then.)

 

[Nickle]

So Nickle when are you going over? As my sig line says you're all my heroes.

I'm probably going to be his Section Chief when he returns.

We don't have any missions on the horizon that call for one of the MOS's I'll be elligible to go in. And, since they wouldn't let me go with the people I know, I'll be damned if I volunteer for a diffferent mission. If I do go on one of the current missions, it will be Task Force Saber, if I get any say (or if TF Saber's BMO gets any say).

All that being said, I figure I'll get nailed early next year or late this year, since that will give my family 3 straight years of having someone deployed.

 

[MrsWildweasel]

Oh wow,3 years in a row, Thats asking alot out of your family. I understand how you feel though. You know we'll give you whatever support you need.

 

[Nickle]

Yeah, but nothing on the horizon yet. My Bn CSM was trying to get me to volunteer when we talked Sunday. I think my words were "Fat chance". Remember, I've known this guy for a long time, and I CAN speak freely. He knows I respect him, a LOT.

 

[MrsWildweasel]

Can't say I blame you on that one.

 

[Tank]

Lately I have thought anout some of my friends a lot. Just last night I was talking to one of the guys about how long I have been on this deplyment. When I thought about it I realized that the day I landed here and joined this unit was the aniversary of when SGT Jamie Gray die in combat.

Jamie to me is the truest form of hero that has ever existed, he was totally selfless, and would gladly sacrifice his time energy money or any other resource he might posses to help anyone if he could. He was a great man and a better soldier. I doubt I will ever meet a greater man in my life. Jamie deserves to be remember as the hero he IS.

As I think of it, I find that me neing here continuing the work we were doing before a fitting tribute to a great man and a true hero.

 

[Lynne]

Lately I have thought anout some of my friends a lot. Just last night I was talking to one of the guys about how long I have been on this deplyment. When I thought about it I realized that the day I landed here and joined this unit was the aniversary of when SGT Jamie Gray die in combat.

Jamie to me is the truest form of hero that has ever existed, he was totally selfless, and would gladly sacrifice his time energy money or any other resource he might posses to help anyone if he could. He was a great man and a better soldier. I doubt I will ever meet a greater man in my life. Jamie deserves to be remember as the hero he IS.

As I think of it, I find that me neing here continuing the work we were doing before a fitting tribute to a great man and a true hero.

That was lovely Tank...and it brought a lump to my throat.

 

[MrsWildweasel]

That was really nice Tank. Got me with the tears though.

 

[Tank]

Sorry, no tears were intended. I just wanted to express my thoughts and reflections. I was just hopeing people could come to understand how mcuh we all loved him and how much he is missed by everyone.

 

[MrsWildweasel]

Don't worry about the tears part,that is just me. I wear my heart of my sleeve,so when I read something like what you wrote about someone special, it gets me.
I also know what it is like to have certain people touch our lives, and make us what we are today.

 

[Lynne]

Yeah, Sue and I are the resident softies when it comes to stuff like this. Most folks know us by now and will put up a "Tissue Warning" so we can get the Kleenex.

 

[Nickle]

Look, this case brings tears to MY eyes and a lump in MY throat.

Brett, look at the upside, you'll have a real a**h*** for a Section Chief, when you return. Not Bob or Rodney, but, yup, me. Hope you like HEMTT wreckers. I asked for you, and I got you.

 

[dwarven1]

Yeah, all three of you are such delicate flowers... [roll]

Seriously, I've been following your posts, Tank, and I find myself being impressed by you and your attitude. You sound like the kind of person that I'm glad to know is serving our country, and I look forward to meeting you when you're home and shaking your hand.

Ross

 

[Nickle]

Yeah, all three of you are such delicate flowers... [roll]

You say that when you remember your friends that have died like that. I'll remember that week quite well. I lost 3 friends that wekk, and Jamie was the third. Yup, Brett, I knew the other two, Sheehan and Bean.

 

[Nickle]

Ross just had the courtesy to send me a polite PM about this subject. He was concerned about offending me, and I said, No, I understand.

For those of you who don't know me, I don't actually wear my heart on my sleeve, I'm a pretty callous SOB most of the time, but man, I took it hard last year when that happened, and it still hits me.

Thanks for your kind comments Ross (no sarcasm, genuine thanks), and all the others who have commented.

And for the record, it's not 3 posters here choked up, it's 4. Add Tank, and he's definitely not delicate, not that any one of us 4 are.

 

[MrsWildweasel]

I wouldn't say delicate flower,but when it comes to my brothers and sisters in the military,yeah, it gets to me. It could have been anyone of us,and to serve with them and know them like we do, because it's such a commaraderie no one else would ever understand unless you've served. With Alan where he's at probably puts my emotions just a bit more at the top also.

 

[Lynne]

[lol] The only time I'm a delicate flower is when I'm dressed to the 9's in sequenz and I've got make up on...or, when I read something very touching about our boys (and girls) in uniform.

Hmmm...deleicate flower with a .40 strapped to her waist....nah!

 

[dwarven1]

Lynne's got it. The point that I was trying to make, with a little irony there, was that Sue's over about 5'9" or so, Lynne packs a .40SW, and Nickle isn't delicate by anyone's standards... (actually kind of dwarven in build, come to think of it...)

You aren't delicate... but that sort of thing moves you. It's the sort of thing that should move anyone. But again, the lack of face to face contact incumbent in an internet posting betrays me... and what I said doesn't turn out to be what you read.