THE OBSERVATION POST: Military

WHAT WOULD YOU CHOOSE?

Fri, 05 Aug 2005 01:30:41 GMT

You know. I did 4 years in the Marines. At first I didnt know what I was getting into. I remember all the growing pains. The hard times, the annoying times, the fun times, the suspenseful times etc. I got a little bit of everything while I was in the Marine Corps. I PT'd (running) almost everyday. At one point I was running 5 -7 miles easy! I couldnt believe it. I was in the best shape of my life. Along my way I met some great people. I met (who I like to call) "Robo"...a friend of mine from Okinawa Japan. At the same time I was stationed out there, I met "Willi" the boxer, "Doc" but we all call him "Doc", Sgt. Garcia a.k.a "Mr. Suave" and various other characters that oddly enough had something in common....PATRIOTISM! No matter what anyone of us did that weekend by ourself or no matter where we deployed to we always came back and spoke to each other as if it was life....because it is/was. I got paid for doing that. I got paid for putting my life on the line for my country. But it's not just my country, my family is part of this country and they support this country...so in turn it all plays out just the way it's supposed to be....for myself atleast. So I understand how other cultures may feel threatened when some other culture just walks right in flying aircrafts over your head while your sleeping and disrupting patterns that were so perfect for you when that other culture wasn't there. Regardless, what gives you the right to try and ruin a culture that started from cast aways from other countries (robbers and burglers and cheaters and before them Indians (choctaws, Algonquin, Apache, Navajo and all other tribes)....to Union and Confederates to assassins to beloved presidents and the most disliked presidents......how did we become so rich in materialistic things? How can we give a football player 35 million dollars and a 4 year contract and give our armed forces $1000 every two weeks and then just to keep you in and fighting raise your life insurance just a tad bit higher so that your family agrees too? How can people pay Donald Trump so much, while the majority of the citizens have to work about 6-10 years to match what he made in 1 ad. Despite all these crazy "observations", I find myself, even after being out of the Marines for 4 months and having a decent, steady job still debating whether I should sign back up!! Do you think thats a little strange? Regardless of what I've "observed" I still feel like my call to duty is not over! I left some great young men and women whom I still keep in contact until this day. I can still re-enlist if I wanted to even until this day. Option (A)- 30,000 re-enlistment bonus, choice of duty station...hmmm Option (B)- live my life in NY and go to work and come back home and be with my family.

Decisions, decisions, decisions......

MARINE4LIFE WEBSITE

Fri, 22 Jul 2005 18:30:34 GMT

Hello Everyone. Todays topic is about https://www.m4l.usmc.mil. This website is not only for Marines but for everyone. Employers can go there and enter the NEW DISCUSSION FORUM that they recently added to the website. I personally take advantage of that feature. It enables you to reach mostly transitioning military members but not limited to just service members but civilians who want to respond to forums such as Operation Iraqi Freedom Veterans, Operation Enduring Freedom Veterans, Money Matters, Scholarships, etc. If you know of something good that can help a fellow service member's transition easier, post it and part but return because it is well worth. I am a M4L Mentor that assists military service members transition out of the military and into a possible job in N.Y.C.

Semper Fidelis,

Rafael

THIS IS A TRUE STORY!!

Wed, 13 Jul 2005 02:09:48 GMT

THIS IS A TRUE STORY. I WAS SURPRISED TO HAVE READ THIS ON WWW.MILITARY.COM. THIS IS TRUE BECAUSE WHEN THIS MARINE DIED, I WAS AT WORK RIGHT ACROSS THE WAY FROM THAT GYMNASIUM. HIS DEATH OCCURED DURING OR AROUND LUNCH TIME OR SO. I SAW AMBULANCES ALL OVER AND IT WAS A SAD DAY. THIS LIEUTENANT COLONEL WAS KNOWN THROUGHOUT THE 22D MEU COMMUNITY (FEB. 2005)

TROOP LEVEL TO DECREASE?

Wed, 13 Jul 2005 02:02:58 GMT

I HEAR THINGS LIKE TROOP LEVEL DECREASING. WHAT DO YOU THINK? DO YOU THINK TROOP LEVELS WILL BEGIN TO DECREASE? YES OR NO? IF YES, HOW LONG DO YOU THINK THAT WILL TAKE? IF NOT, WHY DON'T YOU THINK SO?

http://www.military.com/NewsContent/0,13319,FL_leave_071205,00.html

Everywhere you hear....FEWER......FEWER...FEWER

Tue, 14 Jun 2005 12:46:37 GMT

The Naval Academy, The U.S Air Force Academy, West Point Academy.....all are noticing significant decline in applications. "The nations top three academies where room, board and tuition for four years is free" (The Boston Globe, June 14, 2005)

"Parents, in particular, are simply not encouraging their children to go into the military because, for many, this means an immediate posting to Iraq or atleast forces in that region, " Corgan said. (The Boston Globe, June 14, 2005)

Go to www.military.com and read the article titled, "FEWER APPLYING TO ACADEMIES"

Opinions on the military?

Wed, 08 Jun 2005 20:59:32 GMT

WHAT DO YOU HAVE TO SAY ABOUT THIS.............??????

Some issues I'm starting to see for (2005) are....

Veterans of the Global War on Terrorism are seen on the streets, HOMELESS!!!

Higher Divorce rates among military personnel (especially officers)!

Reservists are having a hard time retaining jobs because their employers fear that they will deploy so therefore they are getting fired!