Now it's time...

Spectre

Spectre

Joined
Nov 3, 1998
Messages
4,331
Friends,

Like many here, I have considered joining the military previously. For financial and personal reasons (like my training with the Jinenkan), I have not done so.

With the attack on our country, I have been motivated. I cannot in good conscience send other young Americans out to fight- and some to die- without being willing to go, myself.

I have joined the US Army, and will ship out on 8 November, for basic, and then advanced infantry training at Fort Benning. I do not know how often I will be online until then, so I wanted to take this chance to thank all of you for sharing your time with me here. I would also especially like to thank Uncle Bill for the continual kindness he displays, as well as Yvsa for the advice.

This conflict we have entered may be long and bloody, and many more Americans may die in its course. Death is a biological inevitability, so I believe making brave choices that will ensure the survival of the beliefs we hold most precious to be so much more important than whether we die tomorrow, or forty years from now.

Thank you for the knowledge, thank you for the comradery, thank you for the companionship. People like you are why I am eager to defend my country, for love is the ultimate motivator...and I love you all, my brothers.

Best Regards,

John Shirley
 
John:
Vaya con Dios, and know that our respect and admiration go with you. Brothers of The Blade are never far apart, no matter what the distance - check in when you can, and keep your butt down.
 
You have my respect and my gratitude.

Take good care of yourself.

I hope to see you from time to time here.
 
Do us proud, John. We're proud of you!
 
John, all best and Godspeed. Stay tuned as best you can and know full well that we are with you in spirit if not body.

A very special blessing from the computer shack in Reno.
 
As member of the military myself I welcome you. Try to get your self in a Special operations unit like the Ranger Regiment where you will be around others of your same high caliber. Dont let the other side of the military cause you to faulter in your courage.The military is full of people with excuses and those who are there just to draw a paycheck and live off the Government. Take care of your self and good luck. Cheers!
 
John,
Good Luck!As stated get in a Special Unit if you can (esp. if you decide to make a career of it)! Keep us posted when you can,you are not only one of us as an American,but you are also one of our Brotherhood(the Cantina, this group)!Thanks for vol.
jim
 
John,
As a seventeen year old headed for Marine Corps ROTC in the following year, I have to say that i am overjoyed to see someone like yourself joining the Army. It seems to me that even in these times of disaster and crisis there are still those who would rather see us dance around and hold hands (many of whom live in my town) while we are decimated by an unseen enemy, as if that would solve anything. I know some people there and they are great, especially one friend at West Point (who is headed for 82nd when he graduates i think...or maybe it was Ranger....it was spec forces anyway). Thank you for risking your life and doing the rest of us a great honor. I hope that i sometime have the privilege of meeting you in the field someday (i am planning on going for force recon, basically the spec ops of the Marines). Good luck, and the best of success to you.

Brian Aquadro
 
Brian,

Thank you, sir. I am a Buddhist, and have an abhorrence of violence to settle problems that should be legitimately resolved otherwise, but struggle and death are inevitable. To deny this is to deny the basic realities of life, which includes the fact that something must die for something to live.

If I have any say, terrorists will die so that freedom may thrive. At the same time, I will not demonize my enemies, nor will I praise them: they are merely an obstacle to be met and defeated, without rancor or enthusiasm, but with vigor.

Keep the faith!
 
John,
I am blown away that you feel that way, because too many of the boys like myself who go into the military go in with this KILL KILL KILL attitude, where everyone but americans are evil, and i don't think it does anyone any good.

Thank you,
Brian Aquadro
 
John,

Let me add my thank you to the others here at the cantina. It makes me proud that there are young men like yourself who will offer to put themselves in harms way to defend our nation. Good luck in your tour, and stay as safe as your environment will allow.

Your comments give insight to your maturity. Follow your gut instincts... follow your orders... and keep your butt below the line of fire! And come back when you can... and when you're finished... :D

Alan
 
John,

I was an Army officer for 6 years. You will meet some of the finest people in the world in the military. I have the privilege of knowing some men whom with I would charge the gates of Hell with a bucket of water.

Take care, stay centered, and let us know how you are doing as often as you can. If it would help, send me an email, and if you need something, I will be happy to mail it to you, care packages, knives, whatever.

Thank you from all of us. I will keep you in my thoughts and prayers.
 
John let me add my voice to the other's.
You are going into service with your eyes wide open and with the correct attitude and that will go a long ways in seeing you come back to us with everything in your being still whole and balanced.

The very best of luck and as a few others have said, Keep your butt down," let me add to also keep your head down as well.
You will be remembered in our prayers in the Lodge and each and every time we think of the war which I'm sure will be often in the days yet to come.
Good Luck and may the God(s) Bless!!!!
 
Thanks for the kinds words, guys.

As grudgingly as I say this, the enemy we face may fully believe themselves to be doing "the right thing". We must all stand spiritually naked before our concept of God or the integral righteousness of the universe.

If I am sent overseas, I will probably solicit some dried pork ears, though! I will examine the doctrine more thoroughly, and hopefully speak with some subject matter experts, but it would be profitable to find a while to render death a horrible thing in the eyes of these would-be martyrs. Such is the danger of superstition as motivation: it is easily turned, a double-edged sword.

May we all find our truths early, and may they hold under examination, and life.
 
Work hard, work smart! And develop situational awareness PDQ as this will be an asset to you.

Take care,
 
I went with several of the recruiters and a group of applicants to Fort Benning yesterday. We did the "intro" PT test (required to go to Basic), then walked through the Confidence and Obstacle courses, with an explanation at each obstacle, and the opportunity to challenge the obstacle.

I passed the intro PT, with the exception of the 1 mile run, which was 20 seconds slow. I was, however, running in old tennis shoes with no tread left, so I'm not too concerned. Most of the obstacles I did not find prohibitively difficult, though I did find (at the top of the "Inverted Rope Descent" tower) that I'm quite frightened of heights! :eek: After conquering the rope descent once, though, I know I'll never be that scared of THAT obstacle again.

All in all, while the tour did not give me a "warm fuzzy" about basic, I did reinforce that it's just hard work...and I can do that.
 
I suspect boot camp has changed since I went thru 50 years ago but I found it hard work, a lot of it, but the worst part was taking all the BS without a whimper.
 
John,

Again, you will have many hearts and minds going with you. I know you will carry yourself with honor because you have looked inward and know the true warriors way.
 
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