My Neighbor

[nate1714]

Well my Neighbor is 66 years old and up until this point I have only have only really spoken to his wife in passing when she is gardening. All I knew about him to this point was that he was in the a navy seal during the Vietnam war and then some. They are a nice family and good neighbors.
Well out of no where he knock on my door and asks me to help him. We got to talking and turns out he was in the navy for 23 years and worked for the post office for another 20 years. His wife was also in the navy for over 20 years (which I didn't know) and was a chef outside of that. Turns out he is going back to finish his degree and since I work for the local college he asked me to bring him over there and take him to the correct buildings.
Well its a very large school and I don't know the correct buildings. I know where 4 buildings are out of over 30. I called the school and asked some questions and figured out what we need to do.
So I take him yesterday and spend a few hours running around campus to the various buildings we keep getting sent between and then our last stop is Veteran Affairs who tells him he is going to get college credit for all the military training he did.
With all of this walking around and talking him and I got to talking about gear he used. He was in Vietnam and received a few different wounds from a few different "situations". He also went to various places in South America including Columbia in the war against drugs.
He said his favorite gear to use was as follows.
M14 (30rd mag) sometimes with Scope (he didnt know which kind)
He said he hated the M16's at the time, too many jams and issues.
Said AK-47 wasn't bad just different way of using a rifle then his M14 (Think he was referring to the M14 precision vs AK assault nature)
Colt 1911 (though now he prefers a Glock 9mm, not sure on model)
M79 was the most painful thing he said he fired
Last but not least he said the only knife he used was the Ka-Bar.
Didn't carry anything else he said rather carry more ammo or grenades

All in all I found out my neighbor is quite interesting and was glad to help him out with registering for college. (Yea I know its long story but I respect what he did for this country and he is my neighbor after all)

 

[nate1714]

Forgot to mention We didnt really accomplish much and at least 1 other trip is in order. At least he is a interesting person!

 

[Shann]

Good for you for helping out your neighbor and a Veteran. Sometimes, a little assistance that doesn't seem like a big deal to you can mean a lot to somebody.

 

[Gollnick]

66 and he wants to go back to college?

That says more about who he is than any preference for this gun or that. The gear is very peripheral. What makes a special-forces soldier is NOT a special gun or a magic knife. The man doesn't even really remember what kind of gun it was. No. What really makes the core of a special-forces soldier is an attitude, an attitude that never quits and never gives up... an attitude that never looks back or rests on the past but always looks forward and that always accepts -- even seeks out -- a new challenge. At 66, he wants to go back to school. That, not what kind of watch to wear, is the lesson to learn; it's apparently what he thinks is important.

 

[Gismo834]

Thats a cool Story. Seems that he is a very interesting Person.
Im sure he had a few interesting Storys to tell.
For me it would be hard not to ask what happend when he was in Vietnam etc.

 

[338375]

66 and he wants to go back to college?

That says more about who he is than any preference for this gun or that. The gear is very peripheral. What makes a special-forces soldier is NOT a special gun or a magic knife. The man doesn't even really remember what kind of gun it was. No. What really makes the core of a special-forces soldier is an attitude, an attitude that never quits and never gives up... an attitude that never looks back or rests on the past but always looks forward and that always accepts -- even seeks out -- a new challenge. At 66, he wants to go back to school. That, not what kind of watch to wear, is the lesson to learn; it's apparently what he thinks is important.

+1 There are a lot of interesting people, who have been through amazing things, but a lot of them don't talk about it, or we are never fortunate
enough to meet them.

 

[nate1714]

Gismo I try not to dig to deep into his mind for situations he has been in if he want to talk about it I think he would bring it up.
Gollnick. I agree completely. He clearly isn't poor pulling in two pensions plus his wife. He is more wanting something to do with his time that could help people his "dream job" would be to help with human resources at the local VA. He really seems like he wants to help out fellow military men/women.