OT I retired today

[guinness]

After 20 years and 2 days I left the Marine Corps today, kinda sad, kinda glad. I'm having trouble wraping my brain around this. I've been looking forward to this for 5 years ( since I got married) but I feel like part of me is gone forever. Anybody know what I mean?

[nizmainiac]

enjoy your retirement, most of the people i know that have left the services after a long stint have had the same thoughts as you

[Jr ///M5]

My next door neighbor is a retired Marine. He came back home from Iraq missing his leg from the knee down because of a land mine. He's lucky to be alive.

When he first moved into the house next door, his wife and son were still in California and would come when school was over for the year. This meant that Dave had the house to himself for a couple of months. Springtime in the Midwest is one hell of a growing season and the grass has to be cut twice a week. I had met Dave earlier, seemed like a nice guy, and couldn't tell there was anything amiss. One day when I was coming home from work, I noticed Dave mowing the lawn, with a grimace on his face. Later on, while outside, Dave was sitting on his front porch step and that's when I noticed that when he moved his leg, his foot didn't bend. The grimace I had witnessed was him trying to drag the prosthetic along while enduring the pain at the stump of his leg. Dave had a part time job that kept him busy on Saturdays and half a day Sunday. That's when I ordered the resident Boy Scout that lives in my house to "man the mowers son, we've got some grass to cut".

That afternoon after Dave got home there was a banging on my door. I opened the door and immediately he says "Did you cut my grass?"....."No", I said, and peered out around the door to take a look. "But it looks real nice Dave".... finally, after going back and forth, I admitted that Aubrey had cut his lawn and we didn't know about his leg problem or else it would have been cut sooner.

From then on, Aubrey, the resident Boy Scout, kept Dave's grass cut and tidy until his own son arrived home.

It wasn't that Dave couldn't do it.....it was because Dave had done so much for us already by serving and risking his life for all of us.

Dave is the best neighbor I've ever had and we have a good time together. I would still do anything that I am able to for him, not because he's disabled, but because he is Dave.....

Enjoy your new life of retirement, and as Dave would say, "Semper Fi"...


Jr

[CharlesAFerg]

Wow excellent story.

I'm going to join after college (Just started my second year) and try to become an infantry officer.
Until then, I might join the reserves next year when I transfer to University of Oregon so I can get at least a little bit of enlisted experience before I become the utterly-resented officer.

[632 Regal]

time to really enjoy your hobbies, and new life. Congratulations on your new retirement and enjoy!!!

[RobPatt]

I've been USAF nearly 17 years.
14 enlisted.
3 commissioned.

I have mixed feelings for when my day comes.
Don't know if it'll be 20 years.... or 30.

Regardless, our joint team is one helluva force. I've worked and deployed with Marines, (3d MEF & 1 MAW to Thailand... many times...) and in my experiences (also deployed w/Navy (USS Blue Ridge out of Yokosuka)) Marines were always the sharpest, most professional, technically and tactically proficient of any forces. A testament, in part, to you.

Congratulations again and best wishes for the future.

Rob sends....

After 20 years and 2 days I left the Marine Corps today, kinda sad, kinda glad. I'm having trouble wraping my brain around this. I've been looking forward to this for 5 years ( since I got married) but I feel like part of me is gone forever. Anybody know what I mean?

[gtopaul]

After 20 years and 2 days I left the Marine Corps today, kinda sad, kinda glad. I'm having trouble wraping my brain around this. I've been looking forward to this for 5 years ( since I got married) but I feel like part of me is gone forever. Anybody know what I mean?

Did 22 years and 6 months in the Air Force myself. You know when it's time to pull the plug. Once a blue suiter always a blue suiter and I know it's the same way for a Marine. Enjoy it you've earned it!

Paul

[Bimmerman]

I crossed the ten year mark last month, (Army) hopefully still many more years before i'll be starting down the discharge path.
Congratulations on your retirement Guinness, you've well and truly earned it. The best part is more time to drive the E34!

[guinness]

Thanks guys, I guess I’m done whining now, time to get the new life going. Now it's time to take the wife on a little vacation that I've been promising her since my last deployment.

[KenB]

Congratulations, you'll find ways to keep yourself busy. Enjoy yourself, you've earned it.

Thanks for all you've done for our country.