so waht ya doin today?

Bret4207

Bret4207

At the casting bench in the sky. RIP Bret.
Mitty38 said:
4-7-67 I took my first breath.

Wish I could have served, but probably was for the best I did not.
Joined up, but the Operational Physician at Benington kicked me out. Physically unfit for duty. Got an ELS. Found out I had bad knees and flat feet that were overlooked during the Intake physical. So took it and bowed out gracefully. Got a small check, and a bus ride home. :(
Don't talk about it much. Infact when people ask, I usually lie and tell them I tried to sign up but they would not take me. Just easier to let it rest at that.
Was one of my most disappointing, embarrassing, moments in my life. Can't be in the infantry if your knees swell and lock up every time you run or march.
But my week of hell, then the 2 weeks in the kitchen while waiting for release, lets me appreciate the sacrifice of those that did serve, a bit more. I have nothing but respect for you veterans..
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Ain't your fault bud. You tried. That's better than the guys you find in the local bar with the USMC tats that never served a day in their lives, and I've met more than few of them! IIRC a afew of them have even run for office, and got elected!!!
 
Bret4207

Bret4207

At the casting bench in the sky. RIP Bret.
richhodg66 said:
That's one I got shortly before retiring and pretty snug in the waste. Job requires I wear class Bs most of the time, but about time for another class A coat.

Most of my life in the Army, I never had to worry about weight, rapid metabolism and being active took care of it. Not the case now, and the back getting worse and worse all the time, Staying as active is gonna get harder. Getting old sucks.

The Army is in the process of changingf over to a new dress uniform which looks a lot like the WWII era one. I like it and probably should switch into it, but it's pretty expensive to do that, and the wear out date for this one isn't for several more years. Add to that, the cadets will most likely still be in this one for several years after that and I kind f want to look like them when we're all in it.
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Congrats to kid!

I've had this conversation about Army uniforms with Bruce Drake before- pick one that looks really good and traditional and stick with it!!! Same for the Navy- the Cracker Jacks, blue or white, were the best looking uniform they had, shoulda stuck with it for a dress uniform. The Corps stuck with the same basic uniform for over a century, it's instantly recognizable, traditional and IMO the best looking uniform going, be it greens or the blues. Tradition is important, or at least it should be. What can the poor Air Farce do? I dunno, but the bus driver uniform doesn't give the same vibe as the WW2 Army Air Corps uniforms, that's for sure!

Hey, at least the Army isn't still going with the chromed helmets, dickies and white boot laces!!!!
 
Bret4207

Bret4207

At the casting bench in the sky. RIP Bret.
The week of dry weather that was forecast this time last week turned out to be 4 days of rain. I have maybe 3 days of clear weather, so I'm going to knock down more hay today. Also bought 5 feet of suction hose for the crawler backhoe since I'm fighting suction side air leaks. Over $70!!! That's almost 3X what I paid a couple years back for a different machine! Gotta love inflation, or not. Anyhoo, I should be able to keep busy and not get bored silly over the next few days. IOW, same-same some more!
 
462

462

California's Central Coast Amid The Insanity
Mitty38 said:
4-7-67 I took my first breath.

Wish I could have served, but probably was for the best I did not.
Joined up, but the Operational Physician at Benington kicked me out. Physically unfit for duty. Got an ELS. Found out I had bad knees and flat feet that were overlooked during the Intake physical. So took it and bowed out gracefully. Got a small check, and a bus ride home. :(
Don't talk about it much. Infact when people ask, I usually lie and tell them I tried to sign up but they would not take me. Just easier to let it rest at that.
Was one of my most disappointing, embarrassing, moments in my life. Can't be in the infantry if your knees swell and lock up every time you run or march.
But my week of hell, then the 2 weeks in the kitchen while waiting for release, lets me appreciate the sacrifice of those that did serve, a bit more. I have nothing but respect for you veterans..
Click to expand...
Don't worry about it, Emmett, not everyone who wants to can. Be proud you wanted to and went as far as you could. Some things are beyond our control.

History: Like Bret said, there are a lot of phonies out there. (Many homeless guys round here claim to be veterans, but I'm naturally dubious.) While 7,000,000 million men say they served in Viet Nam, according to American Legion, only 2,000,000 were actually in-country.

In my day, the cowards ran off to Canada, got as many college deferments for as long as it took to not have to serve, had Daddy ask for a favor or call in a favor to keep his coward at home, or even go as far as the most famous coward -- Billy Jeff -- did and write a letter to his congressman saying "I deplore the military".

Bret, I never wore my Class A uniform. But I know what you mean. It was khakis, when traveling commercially on travel vouchers. My uniform of the day was fatigues, dirty and greasy from loading ordnance.
 
Snakeoil

Snakeoil

Well-Known Member
Bret4207 said:
I had completely forgotten Hart was still in business, much less that they were down in Lafayette!!! Good thinking man, your bud owes you a lunch!
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Jim has no shortage of business. And I don't want to give the impression we are old friends. Met Jim shooting F-class and then took a ride down to see his operation and he did treat me like an old friend. Jim's a great guy. He told me the next time I was there, he's show me the rifling operation because I expressed an interest. I'm hoping he might fit the extractor while I wait and let me watch.

We talked about button versus cut (Ballard) rifling. He is a firm believer that the button does a better job. It will reveal problems with the metal where cut will not. All I know is lots of guys shoot Hart barrels and I've never heard a complaint.
 
Mitty38

Mitty38

Well-Known Member
My first cousins husband served in Vietnam. Called him my Uncle Ralph because he was older.

Toward the end of his turn. Got caught in the line of fire. Was got by a piece of shrapnel and got sent to the hospital, by the time he healed, up his turn was over.
We only knew he had any military because he would go to the VA for medical issues and his "nerve pills".
He never talked about it, or boasted any military service. Anytime something like that would come up, he would usually respond, " Taking a life is a terrible thing to have to do". Then shut down the conversation.

Found out his history only when they showed up with the flag and displayed his medals ribbons and badges at the funeral. And two of his war budies showed up.
I also have an uncle that served in Vietnam, he did not serve under any fire. That would be the first point he would make when it was brought up.

So because of their actions, I kinda have a problem with those who make it a point of conversation, most every time. Like they have something to prove. A real soldier in my experience will be humble about his service, at least till you get him loosened up a bit.
I despise fakers, as I have witnessed what it can do to a mans soul. By being around Ralph. Who ended up taking his own life when the VA switched meds on him after years of taking the same"nerve pill". ( But that is another story.)
Seams like the biggest braggers have given the least service, or none. You know the ones who bring it up everytime they want a handout, or at a bar wanting a free beer.
But the fellows who don't hardly mention it, unless pertinent to the conversation, or situation, have came close to giving their all.

Oh almost forgot, congrats on the kid following in your footsteps.
 
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462

462

California's Central Coast Amid The Insanity
Left the remaining wood chips ground cover project till another time. Tomorrow? Instead, it was back to Home Depot, because my wife said the two big planters we bought yesterday weren't too big enough. Thankfully, she found one and it is now full of potting soil, and a hummingbird and butterfly attractant plant. (A hummingbird found it right off.) Following directions that changed from yesterday's, and, again, 30 seconds later, I moved the swing 2", relocated a potted rose tree 8' from where it's been for a year, pulled a dead rose tree (yep, gophers got it) un-potted a plant and put it in the ground but 4' from where the dead rose tree was (probably future gopher food), put the two yesterday pots where directed (plants going in them tomorrow -- ran out of potting soil), relocated two cymbidium orchid pots, and more stuff that I forgot amid all the changes of directions confusion.

Grilled a thick teriyaki-marinated bone-in New York steak to perfection.
 
462

462

California's Central Coast Amid The Insanity
The 10-day Car Week is under way. Though the official start was today, or maybe it was yesterday, but I saw the first transporter Monday, and the first car yesterday -- a Ferrari 308 GTS (think Magnum, P. I.). While the car is not an uncommon sight locally, it was on the back of a flatbed tow truck. Hey, hee, hee . . .
 
fiver

fiver

Well-Known Member
they said it was gonna rain this morning.
then the weather channel said 6 PM, that was 2.5hrs ago and all we got so far is thunder and then the wind.
finally broke down and just turned the sprinklers on.
oh well it gave me plenty of time to meander around the garden picking a little stuff here, pulling some weeds, and picking a little bit there..
the summer squash are starting to get their act together, in another week or so it's gonna go from one-two every few days, to jeezus christ what am i gonna do with all of these status.
 
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waco

waco

Springfield, Oregon
Gonna run up into the woods with little brother in the AM. Trigger time and go visit some old haunts were Dad use to take us as kids. Got Mamas ashes back today. Gonna go spread the with Dad in a month or so when we can get out camping. One of my bosses was nice enough to make us a 3/16" MS sign to nail to a tree were the ashes will be. Pretty cool.
 
oscarflytyer

oscarflytyer

Well-Known Member
462 said:
The 10-day Car Week is under way. Though the official start was today, or maybe it was yesterday, but I saw the first transporter Monday, and the first car yesterday -- a Ferrari 308 GTS (think Magnum, P. I.). While the car is not an uncommon sight locally, it was on the back of a flatbed tow truck. Hey, hee, hee . . .
Click to expand...

OH, I DO miss the Leguna Seca races/historical cars etc!!!!!!
 
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Tom

Tom

Well-Known Member
Snakeoil said:
Jim has no shortage of business. And I don't want to give the impression we are old friends. Met Jim shooting F-class and then took a ride down to see his operation and he did treat me like an old friend. Jim's a great guy. He told me the next time I was there, he's show me the rifling operation because I expressed an interest. I'm hoping he might fit the extractor while I wait and let me watch.

We talked about button versus cut (Ballard) rifling. He is a firm believer that the button does a better job. It will reveal problems with the metal where cut will not. All I know is lots of guys shoot Hart barrels and I've never heard a complaint.
Click to expand...
My most accurate rifle is a 788 with a bull barrel by Hart in 223 imp. I got it second hand for a song. Being a 14 twist, I'm limited on bullet weight, but with 52gr bergers and wcc844 it never shoots worse than .5moa. On good days, .1s and .2s are possible. I've often wondered what a competent br shooter could do with it.
 
D

dale2242

Well-Known Member
What a nice day on the river yesterday.
My spirit has been lifted.
We got out fished by a 5-year-old.
The boat owners 5-year-old was setting in the set just ahead of me.
We were stating to reel in for the turn.
The boy made a couple of cranks on the reel when the fish hit.
He casually said " Dad I`ve got one"
Sure enough the rod was down.
With Dads help he landed an 8* chinook.
It was the only fish we got.
It was good to get away from everyday stress and be on the river with the guys.
 
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