Are You A Veteran?

[Marswolf]

Just curious how many military veterans we have around here.

This is not a pecking order thread. People have lots of reasons why they are or are not a vet so don't get defensive.

Veterans may have a bit different perspective on issues and that's part of my reason for starting this. That perspective may provide insight, or it may blind them to the issues.

[molonlabetn]

I'm not military... but I do my part.

[Marswolf]

I know you do....

[Guest GT_Rat]

Ex-Squid. Still keep thinking about going Army Reserve.

[Guest Hornet Handler]

Marine

I'd go back if I could

[Guest Terry J]

Not military myself (problem with authority which thankfully i found out early on in NJROTC) but most of my male relatives were or are and I work at NSA Millington with about 3000 military personel. go figure huh.

[Guest dotsun]

Gulf War I Vet.

[Guest Hyaloid]

Not military... I was gung-ho in high school, battalion commander of JROTC, ready to go to one of the Academies... but, blew out my knee (in PT no less), and decided to go to one year of undergrad at a state college.

Met my wife first week of undergrad and BAM, life was derailed. Went onto a professional career instead. I still flirted with the idea of military service, but I always thought back to my meeting with a Marine recruiter before my knee blowout....

I told the fellow that I wanted aviation or something "high-tech". His idea of aviation was putting me on the ground crew, putting out fires if a plane crashed. Those nutty marines.

The Navy wanted me on a nuclear submarine doing god knows what... no sun= no thanks.

[molonlabetn]

...The Navy wanted me on a nuclear submarine doing god knows what... no sun= no thanks.

Just think how much money you could have saved on x-ray equipment...

[Marswolf]

My history is a bit weird. But weird is just normal for me.

I started doing civilian Intelligence liaison work as a summer job while in college. It's a long story. Here's the short version. I was an engineering student who for some reason developed an interest in Utopian society. Blame B. F. Skinner for that and my later interest in Psychology. Anyway, I decided to map out where Utopian enclaves could be established and quickly realized that these places would be good areas to train guerrilla warfare folks. Guerrilla warfare was another interest thanks to reading Che Guevara's Bolivian diary among other stuff. I mentioned and showed my map to one of the deans, who was a WWII Intel vet and he got me a summer job in DC with side trips to exotic locales doing courier work and other interesting stuff.

This led to Vietnam service, including a couple of unpleasant experiences with mine fragments and one bullet that got me sent home a bit bandaged up.

Some time later I agreed to do some more civilian work in interesting climes. I retired from that service about the time I got married in '95. After 9-11, I was asked to un-retire. And history continues....

[Marswolf]

The Navy wanted me on a nuclear submarine doing god knows what... no sun= no thanks.

I have a friend in Kingsport who did nuclear sub service. He says he wouldn't give anything for the experience, and nothing in this world could force him to do it again.

[The Rabbi]

Too young for Vietnam and too old for Desert Storm. I was in the first group that had to register for the draft when Carter brought that fiasco back.

My father was in the military in one way or another for almost 20 years and really hated it, so maybe that rubbed off on me some too.

[Guest Terry J]

My history is a bit weird. But weird is just normal for me.

I started doing civilian Intelligence liaison work as a summer job while in college. It's a long story. Here's the short version. I was an engineering student who for some reason developed an interest in Utopian society. Blame B. F. Skinner for that and my later interest in Psychology. Anyway, I decided to map out where Utopian enclaves could be established and quickly realized that these places would be good areas to train guerrilla warfare folks. Guerrilla warfare was another interest thanks to reading Che Guevara's Bolivian diary among other stuff. I mentioned and showed my map to one of the deans, who was a WWII Intel vet and he got me a summer job in DC with side trips to exotic locales doing courier work and other interesting stuff.

This led to Vietnam service, including a couple of unpleasant experiences with mine fragments and one bullet that got me sent home a bit bandaged up.

Some time later I agreed to do some more civilian work in interesting climes. I retired from that service about the time I got married in '95. After 9-11, I was asked to un-retire. And history continues....

sounds like you could have worked for one of those three letter agencies that dont exist. I think i would have passed on the whole unretire thing after that bullet incident but if its what you know and its what you like then i can deffinatley understand.

[DaveTN]

Funny this thread should come up at this time.

I am a Vietnam era Veteran. I have been sending out some resumes lately and I just told the wife, I think I’m taking my military experience off my resume. I think it is keeping me from getting interviews.

[DMark]

Still Active.

Three times to See The Elephant.

BreakFree - for the "Wet" Ones to stop rust.

Militec-1 - for the "Dry" Ones to fight dust.

[Guest Terry J]

Funny this thread should come up at this time.

I am a Vietnam era Veteran. I have been sending out some resumes lately and I just told the wife, I think I’m taking my military experience off my resume. I think it is keeping me from getting interviews.

It all depends on what your applying for and where. I know around here it does nothing but help. Try putting on for GS (Government service) jobs where your veteran status will help considerably. Myself not being a veteran really hinders me in the market around here. I have a few #'s for job stuff from the military that as a vet they are entitled to help you with. My girlfriend works for The group that takes care of all this thats why i know.

[Marswolf]

I am a Vietnam era Veteran. I have been sending out some resumes lately and I just told the wife, I think I’m taking my military experience off my resume. I think it is keeping me from getting interviews.

It's a double-edged sword. Sometimes military experience helps and sometimes it hurts.

[The Rabbi]

Funny this thread should come up at this time.

I am a Vietnam era Veteran. I have been sending out some resumes lately and I just told the wife, I think I’m taking my military experience off my resume. I think it is keeping me from getting interviews.

If you ditch the Agent Orange haircut and thousand yard stare you might have more luck.

j'k big guy. I always like talking to Vietnam vets. It is a war I remember but was too young to go or understand everything that was going on.

I've found that the time people were there makes a big difference in their perceptions. Anyone there after 1968 had a real real bad time.

[DaveTN]

If you ditch the Agent Orange haircut and thousand yard stare you might have more luck.

j'k big guy. I always like talking to Vietnam vets. It is a war I remember but was too young to go or understand everything that was going on.

I've found that the time people were there makes a big difference in their perceptions. Anyone there after 1968 had a real real bad time.

I don’t even get a chance to give them that stare.

They aren’t seeing many resume's with experience like mine, so I figure it’s either the “agent orange†scare or the whole Vietnam thing is dating me and they don’t want any “Old folksâ€.

[Guest Old Chief]

U. S. Navy retired Viet Nam Tonkin Gulf Yatch Club veteran.

[Marswolf]

Well being a Vietnam era vet does date you. A lot of employers want someone they can use for a few years and get rid of when they turn 50 or so. But if you fool them into giving an interview because they don't know your age you probably just wasted the gas money doing the interview.

[Guest GT_Rat]

U. S. Navy retired Viet Nam Tonkin Gulf Yatch Club veteran.

I had to look that up. My dad was a member of that club. The Hancock and the America.

[DaveTN]

Well being a Vietnam era vet does date you. A lot of employers want someone they can use for a few years and get rid of when they turn 50 or so. But if you fool them into giving an interview because they don't know your age you probably just wasted the gas money doing the interview.

They will want to hire me if they meet me. And I have plenty of time and gas.

[The Rabbi]

Well being a Vietnam era vet does date you. A lot of employers want someone they can use for a few years and get rid of when they turn 50 or so. But if you fool them into giving an interview because they don't know your age you probably just wasted the gas money doing the interview.

that's probably true, but unfortunate. The best hire I ever made was a woman who about 70. Came to work every day, worked hard and went home. No bitching about boyfriends, no time off for kids, none of that.

Worst hire (OK second worst) was a woman in her 20s. For all the reasons I just mentioned.

[Punisher84]

Army veteran. Was due to deploy to Iraq, had an asthma attack during training and almost died so they gave me a med-out. Tried to fight it and they sent me packing anyway. Still wish i could go back.