So, who is serving/ex-military??

Hey all,

What with Rememberance Sunday coming on the 14th it got me to thinking who on here is currently serving/have served in the Armed Forces?(any country).

I am Ex-British Army, I served 8 years as a Driver in the Royal Logistic Corps. I served in the UK, Germany, Bosnia, Kosovo and travelled all over Europe, America etc as well as alot of other things I took part in.
I left in late 2004 and am now working in the civilian security sector (after various jobs).

So, tell us your background(s).

There are quite a few on here mate but I'm not one of them.  

Thinking of what people went through to secure our future and our freedom in past wars and present I have the utmost respect and admiration for you guys.  Even if you do not agree with the politics of the wars, young guys and old are putting themselves in immense danger for their country.  

My father served for 21 years and I hardly really knew him because he was always on exercise or called into work (he got pretty high up).  He doesn't talk about what he's been through but at 22 - 23 we started becoming best mates.  He's my mentor in life.  You guys have to put up walls emotionally and I think you deserve more respect and gratitude when you return from ops than you get now.  Anyone that serves I salute you.  A bit of topic but has to be said.

People urinating on war memorials and defacing them, selling the plaques for scrap metal money etc really, really hacks me off.  They should be forced to serve themselves and see what exactly they have disgraced.

Anyway…. on a lighter note…. anyone in the services?  :redfaced:

Played at it done 6 yrs as a Warrant Officer In the Air Training Corps.

thanks for the kind words.

I know what you mean about respect but unless people are directly affected, have served themselves or have family that serve then they will never really understand.

We never get a heroes welcome here and I think its sad, you only have to look at the reception that the Royal Anglians got in Luton on their return from Iraq to see what the country is coming to-Luton is my home town and it makes me sick, but thats another story!

I very rarely speak of my time in the services as no one really understands what happens as its a completely different life tbh.

So, anyone else???

A5OPY said

Played at it done 6 yrs as a Warrant Officer In the Air Training Corps.

Space cadets!LOL, na-good on you mate.  :clap:

 :tank:

cavs said

A5OPY said

Played at it done 6 yrs as a Warrant Officer In the Air Training Corps.

Space cadets!LOL, na-good on you mate.  :clap:

 :tank:

It can be rewarding sending young folks to the main forces prepared for basic training having taught them respect, discipline. team work, drill, how to bull and look after your kit and how to take a good bollockin from time to time

LOL, I was in the Army Cadets (ACF) from the age of 13 right up to when I joined the Army at 17.

I worked up to junior,then senior cadet instructor-had some great times and it set me up well for life in the Forces!.

Im serving, joined in '97
And your right about people not understanding what its like.

Fortunately, occurences like those in Luton are few and far between.

The irony is, that if it wasnt for the servicemen/women that these people are berating, they wouldnt have the chance or the civil liberty to berate them at all, and if they did it without the freedom that has been afforded to them by generations of service personnel, they'd probably end up in prison, or worse, maybe dead for doing it.
  What makes it worse for me is that the "majority" of the population of the countries that have recently been "liberated??" generally welcome the man on the ground with great humilty and hospitality, and on the whole appreciate what we are doing for them. Maybe the people from groups such as those in Luton should visit "home" and learn something.

Served thirteen years in the RAF as a MT driver,left in 1999,best years of my life.
Sean 1068

Sully992-lichfield? you at the training Regt there?

I joined in 1997 too-alot of changes in the Army at that time!!

Sean1068-Can never beat the times you have whilst serving!

I feel alot of the problems now is mainly media hype. They can make thing look alot different in the media than they are in reality.

cavs said

Sully992-lichfield? you at the training Regt there?
.

Sort of…………..the training regiment has gone, that closed a couple of years ago.
Lichfield is going to be the Medic HQ, well, eventually when the funding is there.
I work in Stafford

Up most respect for all forces at this time of year remembering lost family and friends. I've never served but wished I had, My father was a RMP and my uncle who passed away a few years ago was in the SAS but we never knew until the day we buried him when his old mates turned up placing the sand colour berrie on the coffing.

Good times!!!

I served in 1WFR (Worcesters and Foresters Regiment), that was till a mortar round in Bosnia took me out (superman stylee). Lol I was more pissed off about the holes in my SAS smock than the fact that I had a broken hip My favorite time was when I used to train the TA for their basic training at QE barracks in York. Had a good time in the forces, met my beautiful wife there (so many tall, blonde Viking descendants there)! I was saddened to see that my regiment has been merged to form the Mercian regiment though.

Was in the Air Cadets as a youth, was great fun. But playing at it and the real thing 2 different things. I agree with a5opy the discipline does you good. When that lad Phillip ??? urinated on the War Memorial, one of his mates put up his e mail address, so I wrote and told him what I thought about his actions, Drunken Prank!!!! downright disrespect, because he has no education regarding the defence of his liberties and the sacrifices made, not from his parents nor the schooling system. I reccomended 2 books to educate him 5 chimmneys, by Olga Lengyell and eye witness Auschwitz, by Phillip Muller. 2 of the most powerfull books I have ever read. So very disturbing but compelling reading.
My late Father served during WWII and it is only recently that I found stuff out, like he was in MI6 working for the SRD which was over seas SOE in Australia, keeping an eye on the pacific theatre, repairing mini subs to launch on the Japs in singapore Harbour, then he was sent to America to Ogden, its main pupose was to service Wendover Air Base, where they converted the bomber and did the testing for the Bombs etc on Japan. There is so much more history, but not enough space to write it. Not all the info is released as it's under the OSA, which can cover periods of decades before the info is in the public domain
His wartime experiences did affect him no doubt, but I am proud of his bravery, courage and duty.

http://users.nlc.net.au/bernie/SOA%20index.htm

A little while ago the Sherwood forresters now amalgamated with the Worcstershire came back from a tour from Afganistan.
They were due to do a march through Derby etc with a service at the Cathederal and I spotted 4 service men all in uniform and as I passed them I simply said "welcome home, Lads", they were taken aback and asked me to repeat what I said, looking very shocked.
Eventually they said thanks. But it makes you wonder how many people actually consider the job they do, irrespective of the politics behind it.

Sorry if I went off topic a bit.

Serious respect to everyone in our armed forces past and present!

I joined the RAF in 1988 as a Weapons Technician. I spent 90% of my career working on Tornado Aircraft. I got to travel to lots of nice places and see a bit of the world. There were sad times though, when we lost 4 colleagues during the first Gulf War in 1992, with another 2 shot down and caught.

In 2002, I volunteered for Bomb Disposal Duties. I served in Kosovo and Iraq and finally left the RAF in July 2007. I worked as a private contractor for 2 years doing Bomb disposal in Civvy Street.

I'm a Police Officer now, basically because I'm not happy unless I'm in a uniform. I still miss the RAF and some times feel I've missed out somehow by not serving in Afghan.

I'm hugely proud of what I've done in my life, but I've still got a huge amount of respect for the sacrifice that the men and women have made in the past to give us the freedom we enjoy and the men and women that are still making that same sacrifice today.

God bless you all I sincerely hope you make it home safe. And if fate decides that you don't, then be rest assured that you will be remembered forever.

Reevo

Ex Royal Signals 30 Sig Regt 90 - 96 oh they were good times.  

im currently serving in the RAF =]
i will have been in three years on the 27th of the month and still enjoying it

22 years from '67 to '89 in R.E.M.E., worked on most things from helicopters through tanks to surface to air missile systems…spent 15 years in Germany, time in N.I. (a couple of 'brown trouser' moments), Falklands (where some Ghurkas gave me another 'brown trouser moment - those guys are BRILLIANT - the best soldiers this country has ever had - and I'm proud that they are based just up the road here in Folkestone), Canada (5 times), even managed to get to Bisley with a Regimental shooting team (didn't get anywhere, but what an experience), even had the honour of playing host to a Chelsea Pensioner for 3 days, who drank me under the table every flippin night and still beat me to a full breakfast the next morning, was given a lift for a day by The Duke on an excercise (I was Regt. photographer)…and he recognised me again years later and 'buttonholed me - much to the annoyance of the RSM and Colonel, met Her Majesty 2 times …..
….. the best years of my life and I would do it all again.
We worked hard, played even harder.
Had a very hard time adjusting to civilian life (civvies just cannot grasp the 'family' spirit and bonding that develops and exists in the Forces)….'Band Of Brothers' is so true….
…..and to watch 'Bad Lad's Army' just made me soooooo homesick…..I can still smell the Blanco and boot polish, smell the barracks and the Parade Ground…and yes I HAVE seen coal being painted white, the square being brushed with a tooth brush and grass painted green…
……oh, and I still have my hobnail drill boots !!!!