4th Consecutive Generation of Service to our Nation

[bruce drake]

Thanks for the thoughts Rich,

And it seems like you may have a chance to rectify your earlier call. I'm swinging by the MEPS tomorrow with a little Christmas Cookie payback for the staff.

Regarding looking good in the uniform, the shirt and tie conceals the "half a Columbian necktie" scar from my Oct neck surgery! I still can't lift anything over 20lbs but I try to run 2-3 times a week since that is the only thing the doc lets me do for physical activity. As I counseled DJ regarding his military career, NO combat arms until he was an officer and was old enough to understand the long-term damage that it does to a soldier's body. He's going to be a 92F Fuel Handling Specialist at the nearby Reserve Center while he's attending college. Its a EAD Quartermaster Supply Company, and if he's crazy enough to branch Quartermaster later than I'll know he won't be climbing mountains with 100lbs of gear on his back or doing Air Assault missions with body armor and field rucks on a daily basis.

But then again, he'll probably go Airborne Ranger and screen for the 75th or Q Course...but only after I get him set for college.

[TCLouis]

Thank you young MAN for your service and sacrifice.

[richhodg66]

This is my third year out of the Army and into JROTC, so now this program and the kids are "mine" so to speak (You're always gonna be the new guy to the juniors and seniors who are there when you start). We don't get a lot of kids joining the military, fewer than you'd think, but have a couple of boys who I'd be darn proud to call my sons have and I really need to start making the connections with the people at MEPS to swear them in when kids like them sign up.

Bobby has to wait a few months before he can officially enlist, seems he got prescribed some meds for headaches he was having last summer that he has to be off for a year, but he's pretty excited about doing it and I am too, quite frankly. I was really getting uncomfortable about the influence that the Sociology and art departments at that college were having on him. I went to college at The Citadel, so I guess it never sunk in just what kind of Marxist indoctrination centers liberal arts colleges are nowadays. Funny for a man to be glad his son basically flunked out of college, but I am. He's always been more liberal thinking than me and always will be I suspect, but he was beginning to worry me at the beginning of the year. The Army will be good for him, and he'll get back to college some day.

[fatnhappy]

hoooah

[searcher4851]

Congratulations. Nice to see those kinds of family traditions carried on. You have much to be proud of. I remember when my son enlisted. One of the proudest moments in my life. My family has served in the military since helping to create this country, and in every conflict since it's creation.

[bruce drake]

I'm going to be going to my local school district this spring to see if they may be willing to potentially starting an Army JROTC at my local Highschool. I've got a couple of recently retired senior NCOs at my local Legion Post that I'd consider good candidates for senior ncoics and I'm interested in whatever information you could provide me (bmdrake71@gmail.com) on what to expect from the schools regarding finding funding for the unit. I'd like to have all my ducks in a row for the presentation.

[phonejack]

I'm the 3rd of 4 consecutive generations. Revolutionary War and both sides of the Civil War also

[mac266]

Not sure if it still holds true today but at one time it was almost impossible for a MUSTANG to ever rise above Major.

That from a cousin, mustang major in the USMC with all of his records sealed.

Congratulations to your entire family for your dedication to keeping our country free.

Total poppycock today.

[jcwit]

Best Wishes to your son, you did an excellent job of raising him.

[bruce drake]

We are heading to South Carolina next week to see him graduate from Basic Training at Fort Jackson. He shot Expert at Rifle Qual and has been doing well at basic. Mom has spoken to him on the phone 3 times during this training (amazing...25 years ago, I got 1 dime and 2 minutes on the phone with a Drill Instructor over my shoulder to tell my folks I made it to Parris Island and that a letter would be coming one day soon...)

I'll post photos of the graduation once we return.

[Love Life]

(amazing...25 years ago, I got 1 dime and 2 minutes on the phone with a Drill Instructor over my shoulder to tell my folks I made it to Parris Island and that a letter would be coming one day soon...)

Some things don't change. That's how it was in 2004, minus the whole dime thing. I think we called collect. We got a little yellow card with a script on it, when mom answered the phone you read the script and hung up.

Congratulations to your Son. Every time a Citizen voluntarily puts on a uniform of one of the Armed Forces is good thing.

[bruce drake]

The Marine Corps is very honest. When I graduated and prepared to receive my accumulated pay for the 3 months of training, I saw an itemized bill for my uniform tailoring, laundry services, weekly haircuts....and ten cents for a phone call...And walked out the door with about 1 month's pay...

[Bad Water Bill]

The Marines had laundry service in boot camp?

When I got my Navy Blues they had all of the greasy chalk marks on them.

That was the reason we were issued a scrub brush and a large bar of ?lye soap?.

You scrubbed each and every item clean every week and hung them up in a steam room using clothes stops.

In a day or so you took them down and folded them according to instructions found in your very own "BLUE JACKETS MANUAL" and stowed them in your locker.

The next day the company commander held "locker inspection" and god help you if your clothes did not pass muster.

Yes ALL of your clothes all over the deck and you got to scrub them all over again after training was finished that evening.

[Love Life]

Mmmmm. Final bill. I was ready to buy that new Cadillac after boot camp with the my 3 months pay as the down payment. Then we went and paid final bill. I had enough left over for a pair of earrings for my girlfriend and tattoos.

[Love Life]

The Marines had laundry service in boot camp?

When I got my Navy Blues they had all of the greasy chalk marks on them.

That was the reason we were issued a scrub brush and a large bar of ?lye soap?.

You scrubbed each and every item clean every week and hung them up in a steam room using clothes stops.

In a day or so you took them down and folded them according to instructions found in your very own "BLUE JACKETS MANUAL" and stowed them in your locker.

The next day the company commander held "locker inspection" and god help you if your clothes did not pass muster.

Yes ALL of your clothes all over the deck and you got to scrub them all over again after training was finished that evening.

By deck, BWB means the deck of the U.S.S. Constitution (when she entered Naval service).

[Bad Water Bill]

Actually the captain was called NOAH and the ship was commissioned "THE ARC"

[jonp]

We are heading to South Carolina next week to see him graduate from Basic Training at Fort Jackson. He shot Expert at Rifle Qual and has been doing well at basic. Mom has spoken to him on the phone 3 times during this training (amazing...25 years ago, I got 1 dime and 2 minutes on the phone with a Drill Instructor over my shoulder to tell my folks I made it to Parris Island and that a letter would be coming one day soon...)

I'll post photos of the graduation once we return.

Beautiful Ft. Jackson. I remember basic there and Tank Hill. My daughter did her basic there too. As for Combat Arms I can tell you my knees remember the jumps I did with full battle rattle. Fun at the time and I wouldn't trade Airborne for anything but I feel it sometimes now as a reminder

[bruce drake]

I'm unfortunately reminded everyday of the cost of being "the best of the best" for more than 2 decades. I told DJ that if he was going to do a Combat Arms branch he would have to understand that it takes a toll on your body you may not recognize until it is too late. Esprit De Corps is one thing. My taking pills every morning to be mobile during the day and then taking more pills at night to sleep despite the end of the day pain is a telling indicator of too many jumps, climbs, drops and rucks...

[xs11jack]

BWBill, I thought you said one time your captain was named J.P. Jones and the ship was the something Richard!
Ole Jack

[RugerFan]

That's awesome Bruce, congrats!!!