Oh nothing really just wanted to share

I'm off to this morning Ft. Benning, Georgia to see my good friend's daughter graduate from Airborne School. She's a freshman at West Point and was lucky enough to get a jump school slot. Her dad and I were in the Army together at Ft. Bragg in the 82nd Airborne Division back in the old days. She calls me Uncle Bobby because she thought I was her uncle up to about the time she realized that there was no Easter Bunny or Santa Claus. It's going to be a nice trip and will be interesting to see how things are now over there. We will watch the qualifying jump tomorrow and attend the wing pinning ceremony on the drop zone. I am looking forward to it very much. Hope the weather holds out.

 

Enjoy A58...and don't forget....do an Urqh....find the most decorated instructor on the ground..one with medals on his trousers and gold everywhere...beret tight down on his eyes...hair shaved at back....jump boots...mean and looking tough...and go up to him and say....you don't want to do it like that......

Gets you tons of respect....trust me...

 

Back home now, and it was a great trip. Yes things have changed a lot at Ft. Benning since I was went through training there in 1978. They all look so young, even the instructors. I had the honor of meeting and talking with some of her West Point class mates and well, they sure are smarter than her dad and I were! There were so many of them with combat patches, CIBs and CABs already earned. Kids, all of them. Times have changed. I hope they get a chance to grow up and old so one day 25-30 years from now they can go back and see the new troops one day. My buddy was about as proud as a man could be during the wing pinning ceremony. I told him before hand if he teared up I'd slap him out from under his well worn beret as I took pictures. He did a bit anyway, but it was really hot out there and it could have been just a lot of sweat I guess so I gave him the benefit of the doubt.

I also toured the Infantry museum Friday afternoon. Just a few hours was not near enough time to do it justice, so a future trip is in the making to do it up right. I could camp out in there!

The only thing that I missed out on is meeting up with an old Army buddy of mine who was with me in Alaska. He stayed in and retired out of the Ranger Regiment several years ago (maybe 10 or so, time flies). We still keep up with Christmas cards and the occasional email. After retirement he got a civilian job with the Infantry Department, so he's double dipping Uncle Sam. He was out of town on a cruise with the ole lady and didn't return until Sunday late.

They say changes are a good thing but sometimes I think that all changes are not good. Like those new class a uniforms they have to wear. They look like "coastie" uniforms. Ewwwww! Whoever came up with that idea should be sentenced to eating sh1t sandwiches for life. He was probably the same guy who thought up that medal of valor for the drone warriors I bet.

 

Thanks but the instructors still look pretty tough.

 

No likes left mate...sounds like you had a great time..perhaps wise not to offer em any advice...but you could have asked one of the new uniformed kids were the parade was...and compliment him on his tour guide outfit...maybe not..
You took pics..deadly....you know we have to see them...I demand on the right of all ww2 forum members to see pics taken on military matters by any member...its in the sign up to the forums...rule 27..you missed that right?

 

Well...actually.....she can have you shot...

 

I already do that for your wife mate...good money too....She's starting to look at your cigar bill laddie...I'd start worrying..

 

I'll get some pix as soon as I can. Didn't use my camera this time, used her mom's. Soon as we can figure out how to get them sent to me and then to get them on this thing I'll be more than happy to do it. So I don't think that Rule #27 applies in this situation doods. Besides, it didn't mention anything about a time limit.

I didn't want to rub it in with the new troops and their new lame sh1t looking uniforms. Most of them were wearing the field uniforms, but the few I did see in the new Class A's didn't look terribly happy about it. Nor would I as a matter of fact. Some khakis would really look nice!

 

My kid put the remote control for TV in the oven when he was 3. ..What a delightful child. ps...Yes, melted plastic.

 

Did it still work?

 

No. But someone should invent a remote that is capable of withstanding temps up to 500 degrees. Celcius.

 

Scotland you say. I thought that you were from Minnesota or someplace like that.

 

So, your a Yankee of redneck extraction eh? I saw a show on the History Channel some years back about the History of Rednecks. It was hosted by Billy Ray Cyrus, esq., the King of the Rednecks and Holder of the Order of the Grand Mullet. Had a hit song back in the 90s. Maybe you heard of him. Anyway, seems most of the rednecks were of Scots-Irish ancestry according to the show. I figured as much. My uncle was an amateur genealogist one summer back in the 60s when he was a Morman for awhile. He traveled the greater Southeast proper scouring the microfilms in courthouses, universities and all places of records storage in between about the origination of our clan. Seems that about half were Scots-Irish that came over and fought with the British against us in the Revolutionary War, and the other half were Hessians that came over here for the same reason and stayed after the war was over. Maybe we can go visit Scotland together, but I have a couple of other stops to make as well.