Hey All

I decided not to post in military threads anymore.

I have tried on other sites.

I was a P3 flight engineer during the Cold War. We won that one and yet many know very little of how we won.

They are uncomfortable with anything that can't be verified thru Wikipedia. Omg.

They have no idea........the sheep that we wolves actually protected. It's hard knowing I will never get my thanks.

For the rest of you.......THANK YOU.

I understand the sacrifice.......I know the loneliness.

Salute.......Winter

In my opinion, if you are searching for thanks for what you did during your time in the service, you did it for the wrong reasons.

Both of my parents are veterans of the Cold War. My mother was an airframe repairer in the Army in the 80's and my father was an attack helicopter pilot in the Army from 1982-2012. Never once had either of them asked for thanks from someone. They did what they did because they had a sense of duty and pride of country. Those are the same reasons I joined in 2003 and that's the way I've served since then.

Just my .02, take it or leave it.

Hi John,
I was also there, in the 17/21st Lancers, a (the) tank regiment of the BAOR in northern Germany. In our garrison town we where "accepted" to say say the least. But when we went exercise and came closer to the German/German border we were liked and that
was thanks enough.
Don't take it so hard bud, the thanks is there it's just how they show it that sometimes sucks.



Paul

John,

I served in the US Army from 85-94. So from one who benefitted from what you did to help keep our intel current, thanks.

As for those who may believe that "if you're looking for thanks you joined for the wrong reason", let me say this. I didn't join to be thanked, I joined out of sheer patriotism. An old fashioned word and ideal, I know, but it is precisely why I did what I did. I made those sacrifices so others wouldn't have to. Not that I'm better than they, but where some were born to be businessmen, politicians, farmers, etc... I was born to be a soldier. Once I lost that vision and sense of purpose, I got out. Did I ever expect thanks? No. But just once in awhile it would be nice to be recognized or even thanked for the sacrifice we DID make.

As I grow older, I understand more and more how ungrateful and spoiled we, as a nation, have become.

I am a disabled 62 year old Vietnam veteran, and I have NOTHING but respect for the people I served with, and the ideals we all shared when we joined. (I entered the service voluntarily, but not all did in those times, many drafted).
What I have NO RESPECT FOR NOW, is the way that veterans are being treated by the very government they served, fought & died for. I did not go in seeking "Thanks", but by God, I am OWED respect and the care I deserve. My "service connected" disability benefits have been cut to "0%", my income slashed, and I am in danger of loosing my home and being driven into poverty, all at the hands of a bureaucracy that is heartless & does not care!! They talk a good game about "caring for veterans", but the harsh reality is much different!!! Mostly, it's "Delay, Deny, and Wait 'til we die".
That IS NOT the "Thanks" any of us deserve!!!!

I was a USAF Security Policeman (81150-2) from 1982-88...NOBODY likes cop, until the bad guys show up...NOBODY likes you off duty, unless they're getting thier clock cleaned, and need a hand! I was Cold War, unless you count that black eye we gave Libya, back in Apr. '86, courtesy of the US Navy, and 48 TFW/20 TFW...I was in the rear, with the beer, but I'm comfortable with that! I don't have any war stories, but got some "R&R" stories that will curl your hair!

I heard a GREAT story from a P-3 NAV that got jumped by Cuban AF MiG-23s, down in the Gulf! They throttled back, so, that the MiGs had to drop thier gear, flaps, and do "S turns" behind them, meanwhile, they sent a SAT MSG to a CVA, who launched thier alert birds (F-14s) pronto, and under radar coverage, until the last minute, popped up...They recorded the Cuban GCI screaming at thier boys to "VAMANOS! VAMANOS!" Happened around the mid '80's...Who sez P-3s can't kick ass?!

"In times of war and not before,
God and the soldier we adore.
But in times of peace and all things righted,
God is forgotten and the soldier slighted."

-Rudyard Kipling

Your frustrations are universal and of historical duration.

However, as someone else posted above, if you joined the military and served in hopes of reward and thanks, you joined for the wrong reasons.

I say this as a professional soldier and veteran of 26+ years active duty in the US Army and a number of years thereafter as a PMC. While I appreciate your dedicated service and fidelity to duty, my appreciation is that of one soldier to another.

The satisfaction you should get is reflected in the fact that so few civilians are aware, much less even care, that you were there. That they were and are able to live their lives in blissful ignorance is mark of a job well done.

Find your reward in the knowledge that you helped keep their world safe enough that they could sleep soundly at night without having to worry or even think about the dangers of the world.

Right on that man.

I understand where you're coming from.

Every generation of my family produced Soldiers as early as Culloden, (on the losing side) then continually through to my own active service involvement.

I can't help but believe that it's a genetic predisposition.

"The character of a soldier is high. They who stand forth the foremost in danger, for the community, have the respect of mankind. An officer is much more respected than any other man who has as little money. In a commercial country, money will always purchase respect. But you find, an officer, who has, properly speaking, no money, is every where well received and treated with attention. The character of a soldier always stands him in good stead."

(Boswell: Life)

Here's something for all Veterans that'll still you, and make you nod.

Tommy Atkins by Rudyard Kipling, narrated by Roger Moore....from memory.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yNMHOc9xfKQ

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o_l4Ab5FRwM&list=RDGz2GVlQkn4Q&index=27

I happened to find this today.
For what it's worth ....
/ Robin