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COMSUBBBS
Posts: 3202
Location: Alexandria, Virginia | Subject: Yesterday
I went in for a surgical procedure yesterday and it was one that required that twenty four hour prep routine so when I finished up I was very dehydrated. So I stopped at an Applebees where I'm good friends with the hostess, to get a glass of water and a diet 7-Up. There was a fellow sitting in a booth that I took to be a CPO, wearing a tan uniform...sharp looking, shined shoes, six rows of ribbons*, air crew wings and that surface warfare pin. He was sharp...well turned out cresed and pressed uniform. He was an E-6 Postal Clerk...(*By the way, what do you do as a Postal Clerk petty officer to earn six rows of ribbons? Meritorious stamp cancelling? First loader on the rapid delivery machine? The high volume mail processing badge of honor? What the hell....Old Gringo, God Bless him fought the entire war and got three rows...Cloth Dolphins and a fully loaded Submarine Combat Patrol Pin.) Anyway, he wasn't in cammoflage and he looked like he was damned proud to wear the uniform. "I'm coming Elisabeth...this is the big one." DEX |
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Master and Commander
Posts: 1262
Location: Va.Beach,Va. | Subject: RE: Yesterday
Dex
My ex wife married an E-6 Postal Clerk.When the SOB made Chief she paraded him around like he was the second comming of the Lord Almighty.
Last time I talked to her I asked"How's your Chief?"Turns out he got caught with his fingers in the ship's post office safe and he was about to part company with the Navy as an E-1.I,of course,was overjoyed.LOL 
Edited by MAD DOG 2009-09-04 1:51 AM
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Senior Crew
Posts: 214
Location: Ladson SC | Subject: RE: Yesterday
We all must remember one thing. The Men and Women in todays Military did not select the uniforms that they are authorized to wear any more than we did when we were hot running sailors. It burns my backside to see a seaman wearing half of a (MY) chiefs uniform but he or she did not make the decision to authorize the wearing of that uniform. I think the "Camo's" that the armed forces currently wear look like crap but again someone in authority authorized the wearing of that crap. I frequently interact with young sailors that are attending Nuke Power School and I am impressed with them. For the most part they are as sharp as any sailor that served in our time. |
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Great Sage of the Sea
Posts: 811
Location: NW Connecticut | Subject: RE: Yesterday
dex armstrong - 2009-09-03 1:18 PM
I went in for a surgical procedure yesterday and it was one that required that twenty four hour prep routine so when I finished up I was very dehydrated. So I stopped at an Applebees where I'm good friends with the hostess, to get a glass of water and a diet 7-Up. There was a fellow sitting in a booth that I took to be a CPO, wearing a tan uniform...sharp looking, shined shoes, six rows of ribbons*, air crew wings and that surface warfare pin. He was sharp...well turned out cresed and pressed uniform. He was an E-6 Postal Clerk...(*By the way, what do you do as a Postal Clerk petty officer to earn six rows of ribbons? Meritorious stamp cancelling? First loader on the rapid delivery machine? The high volume mail processing badge of honor? What the hell....Old Gringo, God Bless him fought the entire war and got three rows...Cloth Dolphins and a fully loaded Submarine Combat Patrol Pin.) Anyway, he wasn't in cammoflage and he looked like he was damned proud to wear the uniform. "I'm coming Elisabeth...this is the big one." DEX
If he's an E6 Postal clerk he must have a good amount of time in.. I'm sure that rating is pretty closed and making rate must be a bitch. So let's say he joined in 1990 that would put him at 19 years.. If he has his flight crew wings and his SW pin he has been around for sure, you don't qual for those riding a desk... So he may have had the opportunity to serve in 7 recognized campaigns since 1990.. That and various other awards like National Def, sea service, good conduct and a few NAMs and Unit awards not to mention the WOT awards rifle and pistol ribbons etc. six rows is very possible. I'm sure like all sailors before he has earned his chest candy..
So DEX did you thank him for his service?? or did you just get all "postal" on him" My Dad ( WW2 and Korea Army veteran) had the same hang up with WW2 Sailors and all their chest candy because they traveled through so many campaign zones.. Hey DEX maybe you should have asked him about his career.. his family, and where he's from and where he's been. Maybe you would have found out why he was so top heavy with all that fruit salad.
Edited by Smiley 2009-09-03 8:40 PM
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COMSUBBBS
Posts: 3202
Location: Alexandria, Virginia | Subject: RE: Yesterday
Smiley Face, You are one of the most self important sonuvabitches, I've ever run into. You should have gone into the ministry the way you preach to others and shovel out your self proclaimed wisdom. Personally it is none of your damn business what I did or did not say to this very fine gentleman. As for your father's comments, probably stem from jealosy. Any sonuvabitch who found fault with men wearing campaign stars in their ribbons for transiting combat zones or theaters of operation and denegrating them, had the problem NOT the bluejackets. Keep your nannyism to yourself. I have absolutely no respect for you, an opinion shared by most of my shipmates in e-mails and phone calls. You are a pipsqueek on a soapbox....and I am damn glad I never had to share a messdeck with you. Let's work it this way...you stop responding to my stuff and I will stay the hell out of your panties. By the way, I hope you read my post on Jarhead, one of your favorite terms..DEX |
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COMSUBBBS
Posts: 3202
Location: Alexandria, Virginia | Subject: Fruit Salad and Chest Candy
I hate the terms "chest candy" and "fruit salad" used to reference ribbons. It's a demeaning term. Awards and decorations can be extremely meaningful...There is no award given anywhere that surpasses the Medal of Honor,in Great Britain and her Commonwealth of Nations, the Victoria Cross is on a similar plane, with the Distinguished Service Cross, Navy Cross and their Air Force equivalent just one degree below that...NOT A CONSULATION PRIZE or BRIDESMAID AWARD as someone once said a while back. Any officer or sailor earning a Navy Cross can be proud of his career. Any service man wearing a Silver Star or a Bronze Star with "V" device can be equally proud. All of those medals along with the Purple Heart have to be earned under fire and any award earned at risk denotes personal courage combined with exemplary performance. It tells you when you recognize it by its' location in the progression of ribbons and its' distinctive coloration pattern, that the person wearing it aquitted himself or herself in a manner bringing credit upon themselves and the force they served in. To water down, homogenize or lessen the award criteria of the above decorations would be an unforgivable sin. Once an officer named Col David Hackworth, one of the most decorated combat men this nation ever turned out, put it this way, "What is worn over a serviceman's pocket serves as his career resume to his fellow troopers. They tell you pretty much who he is, where he's been and how he behaves when the chips are down." Hack went on, "I can read his ribbons and pretty much know whether or not I would want him anchoring my flank or count on him to pull my shot-up butt out of a tight situation." But, somewhere in time we began creating achievement awards, multi-level commendation tributes, ribbons for completing schools...training courses...longevity...reserve service...all sorts of things that are non-combat related...service locale identifying ribbons. The folks who wear this kind of decoration know the value of the things. They know in their "heart of hearts" that their criteria tends to diminish the par value of the meaningful. By in large the civilian population of this great country has no idea what ribbons mean. They know that military decorations are traditionally associated with courage and bravery. I once returned to high school to visit a dear lady who taught English composition. When she saw me at the door, she waved me into her classroom. When I entered she said,"Class, this is Dex Armstrong a former student in this very class." (I was wearing a Good Conduct ribbon and the National Defense ribbon that came on my dress blues jumper when I was issued it at Great Lakes...All you had to have was a belly button to get one.). "Look at Dexter he's earned his Silver Wings and two important military medals." The Silver Wings were, as we all know DOLPHINS and the meaningful military medals were a farce compared to the ones worn by lads missing limbs and/or showing the scars and wear and tear of combat service. YOU AND I CAN MAKE THAT DISTINCTION but a large segment of our national population can not. I would like to see us evaluate the decoration proliferation creep and weed out a lot of the gratuitious issue that devalues the meaningful. You don't need give out ribbons for service related training, just like you don't need to give your kid a $500 savings bond for making the Honor Roll...There should be a level of expectation that the recognition of successful completion is the expected result. Hell, Audie Murphy didn't come home from the WAR with six rows of ribbons. Award inflation has been done as a retention enticement...recruitment incentive and a part of the "feel good" stroking that had sneaked into the new "touchy-feelie" attitude that permeates society as we know it today. When I made my post about the off base wearing of working utility uniforms, I got an e-mail from one of today's active duty sailors..."You're wrong, I don't give a damn about being issued some fancy sailor suit. Just give me the money. I joined for a sack load of money and not to waste time shining shoes and brass buttons. Wake up old man, nobody joins for being issued an old timey sailor suit." I guess patriotism and service pride may be becoming an outdated incentive. Hey, you can become a contract mercenary, make lotsa money, wear whatever you want to, quit whenever you want to, serve outside of the restrictions imposed by the Code of Conduct, UCMJ or signatory conventions and rules of engagement and make boxcar loads of "coin of the realmM. And, you can incorporate in nations that do not require you to pay taxes or face criminal prosecution for misdeeds, improper conduct or violation of the tennents of common decency. I must have been one imature jerk...my country got my services for a bus ticket to the Lakes, a handful of TR's, a free physical and a seabag load of mothball smelling uniforms and the pride of being able to be called an "American Bluejacket"...with a National Defense ribbon I have no idea what I did to earn. And Oh yes....$34 every two weeks. DEX |
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Senior Crew
Posts: 184
Location: ConroeTexas | Subject: RE: Yesterday
Dex, Dex, Dex my friend,
you did it again, lowered yourself to calling someone names. I know its's hard to restrain ones self when someone voices an opinion that is much different than ones own. but sometimes we just have to bite our tounges and stew in our own juices.
RESPECTFULLY
Doc Beeghly |
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Senior Crew
Posts: 184
Location: ConroeTexas | Subject: RE: Yesterday
Dex, Dex, Dex my friend,
you did it again, lowered yourself to calling someone names. I know its's hard to restrain ones self when someone voices an opinion that is much different than ones own. but sometimes we just have to bite our tounges and stew in our own juices.
RESPECTFULLY
Doc Beeghly |
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Great Sage of the Sea
Posts: 811
Location: NW Connecticut | Subject: RE: Yesterday
DEX if you have a personal gripe with me my Email address is not privite ..drop me a line buddy!.. As for your contempt for today's service men and woman I say shame on you and your irk..Guys like you embarrass us. Your support and stupid retoric about all things negative about todays volunteer military as well as your habitual bashing all non WW2 veterans and supporting lunitics like Sheean. Your wind bagged BS about matters you are clueless about and slandering today's Heros and now my Dad who was a decorated 2 War Combat Vet puts you in there with the likes of many of todays idiots who love to yell down wells just to hear themselves in the echo!!!!! echo!!!
Personally I think you have a right to be an ignorant windbag.. But like I have said before unlike many here who choose to "tolerate" your BS and slandering of our military today or don't have the nuts to call you out on your lunitic rantings for which many here including me could give a flying fart about.
I have never resorted to calling you names or attacking your family DEX.. But I do understand that in my lifetime that whenever I have encountered someone who is in over their head, lost for facts and caught in a lie and then called out on it then in their little minds they often resort to name calling..
I too am happy I never served with you DEX.. More than likely I would have spent a good amount of time in the Brig as a result of whale tailing your ass. I knew sailors like you DEX we all do.. Career E 3 going nowhere talking a good show yadi ya.. Like an old chromed out car.. ( all show no go)and nothing but sadly humorous, lazy, mal mannered GDU weight on any boat you served on..
I don't care what you or others of your kind think about me I can defend myself just fine... But in the past as long as I was allowed to I would respond to your trashing of today's military.. a military that you would not last a week in DEX. No.... on a 2nd thought many of my shipmates know where I stand on this issue as well as how you do.
I'm outta here.. You won't have me to kick around anymore .  Just call me another Dexter dumpster.. Let someone else here challange your BS..You are no longer worth my time or effort especially on a board where I have too much respect for it's owner and it's members.
I think I'll go back to trying to train my Lab not to eat all that duck poop at the lake.. It's easier than talking sence to guys like you and usually with better results. |
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Crew
Posts: 98
Location: Lipan, TX | Subject: I've come to learn....
Dex never uses the terms "some", or "this one individual" when speaking on any subject he holds dear. I usually come away from one of his rants feeling like I've had eggs thrown at me by someone who cannot understand what it is like to live in someone elses shoes. No, I don't have Dolphins, a Purple Heart, a Navy Cross, or MOH but I have a NAM and Reserve Ribbon with "M" device that I am damn proud of. I worked very hard for them and made, although minor to some, sacrifices that seemed major to me at the time.
Dex forgets that the "greatest generation" is a term made up by a reporter and like most things made up by reporters it is not the actual belief of every human being. It's true, the folks who served in WWII were an awesome generation who endured much more, and were forced to overcome much more than the generations of military members who followed, but that doesn't make any of our service and sacrifice less honorable. I don't think Dex really sets out to demean those who did not serve in WWII, he just doesn't understand that by not being specific and using too much generalization, it sounds like he did. I've learned to remind myself of this every time I read one of his post. I've learned to tell myself, I bet he would not say those exact words to Christine Armstrong. I'm sure he would not tell his own daughter, who I see as a HERO of MY generation, that her service was nothing and those ribbons she received are worthless. No, I'm sure Dex tells Christine how proud he is of her for the sacrifices she made and how honored he is to be her father.
I'm sure Dex just doesn't think about how his words, although well intended expressions of HIS opinions may strike through the heart of some folks who feel their service was honorable and are proud of the very few, non-combat related ribbons they have.
But there is one thing that Dex has brought up in many of his rants that really, REALLY gets to me and I want to scream bloody murder at him every time I read a post where he mentions it again.
Dex, you show me one service person from any generation who is "PROUD" of his Purple Heart and I will show you a dirty SOB who pulled some stupid stunt and survived it!
I know many, many PH recipients, and each and every one of them would rather not have that particular ribbon and medal.
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Plankowner
Posts: 9165
Location: Upper lefthand corner of the map. | Subject: Dex, Dex, Dex..... I can't do it any more...
.. I just can't read your long posts any more. It just all runs together and causes eye strain. PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE use paragraphs. Break it up into sizes that can be swallowed and digested. PLEASE do this..... the old optical orbs just can't handle it any more.
Thank you |
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Great Sage of the Sea
Posts: 854
| Subject: RE: Yesterday
Dex, How an E-3 with 4 years in the Navy became The all knowing sage of the submarine community baffles me. I do not believe I have ever read a post written by a more sarcastic, breast beater with an overinflated ego in my life. Speaking of lives, do you have one, or do you just rant gibberish and garbage to try and feel important and wise? You have a problem old man. Your the reason I seldom visit this forum
Edited by fortyrod 2009-09-04 6:53 PM
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Great Sage of the Sea
Posts: 560
Location: Minot, Maine | Subject: RE: Fruit Salad and Chest Candy
Dex, YOU are the main reason I rarely post here any more. One opinionated overinflated poster can easily ruin the day for most. About time for your scheduled "take my ball and run home" act, isn't it? |
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Old Salt
Posts: 438
Location: Fort Lauderdale, FL | Subject: RE: Yesterday
Dex, I don’t post much here but I do read this site with regularity. Usually I just cruise right on by your byline but I seem to catch the posts where you mock and belittle those who stand the watch today.
My dad did two WWII war patrols and then had a 30 year USN career. He made E-8 in 1959 the first time it was available and then reported to SSBN-598 under construction as COB. He was selected for LDO shortly after arriving and retired in 1973 as Lcdr.
He has five rows of ribbons, a lot with stars on them.
He is retired in FL. Would you like his phone number so you can tell him how much he doesn’t deserve them? Maybe you could tell him about all of your own accomplishments in the USN?
Knowing my dad, he would love to hear from, to use your word, a pipsqueak like you.
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Master and Commander
Posts: 2357
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...I can't help but wonder why those people who dislike what someone writes, and in this case, Dex, why they continue to respond to his/their comments????/
If you don't like what he has to say, then don't bloody read it!
The subject always has an author and therefore you can simply select to read or not read the post.
In Australia, these things are really simple.......maybe up there in the Northern Hemisphere, it's more complicated?
Stop posting how much you dislike someone and how you dont like coming here because of their comments....IGNORE THEM ALTOGETHER!
"Too easy" as a mate says to me. 
Blue *_* |
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Old Salt
Posts: 489
Location: San Freakcisco CA area | Subject: RE: HA HA HA....
Old Rankoon's advice added up to the same as yours, Blue - but he said it in a lot fewer words -- which I found reason to post here a couple of weeks back --- for essentially the same cause. "There is an on/off switch on it!" |
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Great Sage of the Sea
Posts: 566
Location: Inyokern, Ca. | Subject: RE: Yesterday
That's my policy with the internet Blue! If I know I won't like it I don't read it. Why cause yourself the anger? Why give some idiot (anyone you know that is going to say something that irritates you) the power to mess with your head.
Jerks are a dime a dozen out there and it only takes five minutes watching TV (the pundits on both sides) to understand that just because someone has an opinion, it doesn't mean they have anything to back it up.
I read Dex. I think he writes well but agree with Ric that he should learn what a paragraph is. Sometimes his posts are way out of line, sometimes they're on the mark. However there's not one thing in any of them that is worth me letting him mess with my day. When I don't like what he says I ignore him. When he writes about something that gives me a good memory, I appreciate it.
BB |
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COMSUBBBS
Posts: 3673
Location: Kansas City Missouri | Subject: RE: Yesterday
Quote I read Dex. I think he writes well but agree with Ric that he should learn what a paragraph is. Sometimes his posts are way out of line, sometimes they're on the mark. However there's not one thing in any of them that is worth me letting him mess with my day. When I don't like what he says I ignore him. When he writes about something that gives me a good memory, I appreciate it.
BB Quote Thank you BB, I've been trying to think of a way to express my opinion of Dex's posts. I can stop doing that painful pondering now as you've captured my sentiments exactly. |
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COMSUBBBS
Posts: 2561
Location: Rapid City, SD | Subject: RE: Fruit Salad and Chest Candy
I dunno, Dex; Elmer never earned a Good Conduct Medal - and I'm pretty sure he had a belly button. I think part of his problem was that he felt he was as good as any other man in the Navy - the Submarine Navy. I embarrassed him and myself when I suggested that he should salute a man who had been an officer during WWII. This was at the one and only boat reunion that he ever attended. He announced, loud and clear, "I salute no man!" He wasn't in for the long haul; no Career Navy for him. He had a job to do and when it was finished he went home.
Cora |
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Great Sage of the Sea
Posts: 566
Location: Inyokern, Ca. | Subject: RE: Yesterday
No problem Gary, thanks. I've had a second, more succinct thought on the matter.
For those that really dislike Dex's posts no matter what the content;
If you are walking down the street and see a pile of dog-crap in your path, do you step in it on purpose so you can yell at the dog? Would you do it if you knew the dog liked it?
BB |
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Old Salt
Posts: 330
| Subject: Getting Up In Years...
I Love Reading this Board!
It shows me what I have to look forward to, as I gently dive into my Golden Years.
God Help Me...
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Plankowner
Posts: 9165
Location: Upper lefthand corner of the map. | Subject: RE: Getting Up In Years...
You know why they are called "golden years"?
'Cuz you're either getting pissed about something or submerged in it.... |
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Great Sage of the Sea
Posts: 811
Location: NW Connecticut | Subject: RE: Yesterday
BlackBeard - 2009-09-05 1:11 AM
No problem Gary, thanks. I've had a second, more succinct thought on the matter.
For those that really dislike Dex's posts no matter what the content;
If you are walking down the street and see a pile of dog-crap in your path, do you step in it on purpose so you can yell at the dog? Would you do it if you knew the dog liked it?
BB
Nope I'd pick the poop up and yell at the dogs owner for not picking his dog's poop up.. The dog being a dumb animal is only doing what comes natural to him.
Stepping in the Poop on purpose only makes the dog smarter than you.. The dog's not the problem it's his master's fault who either did not train him right or doesn't care.
I ask you if you see a wrong or a crime being commited would you try to stop it?? Or if not maybe even report it? Or walk on and let someone else including the victim deal with it. |
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Great Sage of the Sea
Posts: 566
Location: Inyokern, Ca. | Subject: RE: Yesterday
Smiley - 2009-09-06 12:06 PM
I ask you if you see a wrong or a crime being commited would you try to stop it?? Or if not maybe even report it? Or walk on and let someone else including the victim deal with it.
There's been no crime here. As to the posts I'll refer you to the quote attributed to Voltaire. If I don't like what someone posts, I ignore them. Sticks and stones et al, for words to hurt me I have to choose to let it happen.
BB
Edited by BlackBeard 2009-09-06 3:50 PM
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Yesterday
