We spend a lifetime coming in contact with people and most of those touch points fall meaningless to us. With the pending reunion, I wanted to take just a few minutes to speak from the heart to each of you. The roads we travelled, the times we spent together are precious and can never be replaced,
For those of us who attended the 20th, it was a great time to see the men who were once kids roaming the halls of 2 Charlie.
You only live that moment in time together once, those times where many of us were equals from the beginning and most us ended up equals at the end. We all,at one point,had our feet elevated on the same bunks or had to climb the same ropes, dealt with the stupidity that was at times life in Battalion. Times that will never be forgotten.
It pains me that I can't attend the 25th, but life is at times life.
Rob Rogers - how proud are we all of you? You stayed, drove on and sucked up it up for your entire enlistment. You endured the bullshit that comes from a time where the only thing used to separate the good from bad was the Ranger Tab. You now fly helicopters! Your a 2 Charlie, 3rd Squad Ranger and I'll always refer to you as such.
Rob Lanier - you actually were part of us the shortest due to your time in the Marine Corps. Since our reconnection, I've seen some one that has taught me to be proud of being a Ranger, something I was never ashamed of, but something I always kept quiet. You've battled your health issues and been a dear friend ever since. Never ever afraid to yell from the rooftops that the Ranger Battalion is second to none.
David Raad - I've missed you since you ETS'ed. From the kid they made hold a grenade to stay awake to by far my go to guy as one of my team leaders. Physically unsmokable, and caring enough to write letters to your fire teams parents about the great things they were doing while in Bn. You've worked for DoS and now own your own whiskey distillery. I'm super proud of you.
Derome West - Dude.. I don't know what to say. You grew to be perhaps one of the best I ever had the honor of leading. You were honestly, my favorite. You've grown to greatness in the DPS, I could not be more proud.
Samuel D. - we grew up together in Weapons Squad, spent time in Florida together, Got married early, had kids early. Older guys who had to suck it up when the young Tabs skinned us up. Your my brother, I miss you often.
Eddie - I suspect you'll end up in the Ranger hall of fame. We spent almost 10 years together, you know how I feel about you. Your my hero.
If any of the above sounds cheesy, keep in mind, we often take for granted the time we spent together and that is a shame. Those were the years that defined us. It took us beyond our limitations and made us men of the Ranger Creed.
Finally...
John David - I suspect you've stayed away because of that stupid PLF off that C130. But you went on to do great, great things with your career. Your a GWOT warrior and the rumors of your shennanigans are legendary. We went to RIP together, grew up in Bn. together and I have memories of you that will never ever be forgotten. Know this old man, there is not a name on the list above that does not owe some measure of gratitude for the example you set. You kept us all in line in your own crazy way. You fought for us on more than one occasion, skinned us all up when we needed it and while I should not speak for all of us, Set the Example for all of us to follow.
I hope you of all people will attend one of these before we all get to old. These stories we could tell should perhaps be kept OPSEC, but you were one of us then, certainly one of us now.
All of you know, I'm but a phone call away should you ever need anything. I'll be at the 30th, even if I'm there alone
Hopefully you all read this, I'll be deleting it soon.
RLTW!
WRJ
Wednesday, December 17, 2014
Tuesday, April 22, 2014
A Book
I love to read, though I don't do it so much anymore, sadly, I've grown content to stare at screens. I love the smell of books and newspapers. The actual turning of the pages and getting lost in time while putting your self in the story. As an only child, if it was raining or no one could be found to play with, I read quite a bit. Self medicating perhaps or just a built in friend / baby sitter.
I look back on mi vida loca, and I know there is a book in there to be written. I've sat down to do this many, many times. It's a level of frustration that drives me crazy. You see, your brain is so fast that its literally at the epilogue while your still typing "Chapter 1". It processes the thoughts way faster than you type.
But I've decided to try again. While trust me there are chapters of my life that have to be read to believe pre 1987 and post 1997 as well, I've decided that the Army days, contain some real gems. I've posted a bit here, I'll try and eat this elephant one bite at a time. I'm considering a title of "Growing up Ranger - you can't make this shit up" Or perhaps just Growing up Ranger.
I look back on mi vida loca, and I know there is a book in there to be written. I've sat down to do this many, many times. It's a level of frustration that drives me crazy. You see, your brain is so fast that its literally at the epilogue while your still typing "Chapter 1". It processes the thoughts way faster than you type.
But I've decided to try again. While trust me there are chapters of my life that have to be read to believe pre 1987 and post 1997 as well, I've decided that the Army days, contain some real gems. I've posted a bit here, I'll try and eat this elephant one bite at a time. I'm considering a title of "Growing up Ranger - you can't make this shit up" Or perhaps just Growing up Ranger.
Forward
“If I knew where I was going, I might already be there, but
I’m not sure where I’ve been’ – Cross Canadian Ragweed
The lyrics above have always struck a chord with me. Musical
pun intended. They seem to define life as I have lived it. Growing up, a high
school diploma was the important thing. So, my youth was spent on football and
baseball fields in Alief, Texas working towards the all important high school
graduation.
I was never the kid
who had the aspirations to be a doctor or lawyer. I was torn between a Houston
police officer and a chef. No earthly idea why I wanted to be a cop and being a
chef seemed like a great idea because I was, like many in the early 70’s, a
latch key kid who cooked or made out of a can or TV dinner, his own meals.
While an entire book could be written on those years and how
I ended up in the Army, those contained in this book are about my years of
service in the United States Army, specifically my career as a Ranger.
We touch and come in contact with thousands of individuals
in our life time, our experiences based on those touch points are in the
millions over the course of that same life time. The people and the experiences of the time
frame within this book are most important to me.
My place in history is one that cannot compare to those who
continued on or those who started their service while fighting the Global War
on Terror. If you asked me to my face, I’d tell you that I have no place in
history with the modern day Ranger. But as I’ve written brief parts and pieces
and relayed them to others, all said, “you should write about those times”.
I
have been blessed in my military career to walk amongst giants, Rangers whose
stories may never be told because they can’t be. Men and friends who have
sacrificed all for this country, some who returned and some who have not. To learn from them that they felt, these
stories of when we were young, were important enough to be told, has been
humbling.
To honor them I write.
This book is dedicated to the men of the 75th
Ranger Regiment , past and present. Those that led the way and set the example
before me and those modern day warriors who have been in contact with the enemy
since Oct. 2001. Most who have endured these deployments recognize that a
strong family unit is important to mission accomplishment. My kids spent their
early years with a father who was not really around much and it required a
strong Ranger wife and support group to keep things copasetic at the house. My
wife Lisa was as much a part of the life in these pages as anyone else.
Freedom
is not free, Rangers and their families pay for it.
Savannah
Staring at it, I guess I’d never really seen Spanish Moss
before. Seems like I remember it hanging
off some trees along Main or Fannin, near the Rice University campus in Houston.
Those streets were lined with giant oaks in the affluent part of town near the
medical center. But as I stood at parade
rest in my dress greens, the moss hanging off the oak trees in front of me
looked nothing like what we had in Houston.
It was October and much like home, the sweat was rolling down the center
of my back into the crack of my ass. Southern US heat was amplified by the
polyester garments the Army had me standing in and the black wool sock known as
a beret perched upon my head
.
I was a graduate of the Ranger Indoctrination Course. That was, unbeknownst to me,
well, worthless now that I was in Savannah.
However, those that stood in this formation with me were all
graduates of that same course and we were all guys who voiced a serious desire to
never, ever be stationed in the Pacific Northwest. So, we stood in the October
heat, in front of the Hard Rock Charlie Orderly room waiting for the rear
detachment Non Commissioned Officer in Charge, Polyester suit on, black wool
sock on our head, rigidly staring straight ahead.
The truck was black, it had 4 wheel drive and it was pretty big, the Ranger who
got out was even bigger and the dip of smokeless tobacco in his lip was quite
possibly the largest I’d ever seen. The
brakes on the truck locked up and he was right in front of us. Looking at this guy, while not much taller
than I, he was thick like the oaks which were home to the Spanish moss in front
of me, I wondered if every Ranger in 1/75 looked like this. His stream of Copenhagen spit landed right in
front of us and splattered on some of the other guys spit shined boots. “Cherries” he said.
Now, we all knew what were to be titled, I suppose the
actual disdain for us seemed to be lost in translation from the course that
supposedly prepared us to be there to the actual way it was upon arrival. As I stared at this large Ranger who seemed
to ooze hate, I began to wonder what the hell I had gotten myself into. I was
sure at that very moment his intent was to somehow make us all quit.
Now, here is the thing about this environment, the weak are
always culled from the heard. So, when the sharks or lions or jackals or Ranger
NCO’s start circling, you want very much at that moment to be in the middle of
the pack. Shit, don’t get too far out
front, you could take a wrong turn and they’d be waiting, never, ever, fall to
the rear, nothing ever good comes from that.
From butt strokes to the head to just totally disappearing from the
unit, nothing good ever happens in the rear.
Monday, November 11, 2013
Thank You
To each and every veteran who served or is still serving.
I can remember in December of 1997 when I drove off from Ft. Bragg, NC. While there was a brisk chill in the North Carolina air, I was flush with excitement as I was moving back to Texas to start my path to financial independence, which at that moment, being a bit disgruntled with the Army, seemed to be the answer to all.
Since then, I've realized that there are certain things one learns while serving that are lost on lots of folks out here. Loyalty, Duty, Honor, Country come to mind but those almost seem like textbook answers. Punctuality is a big one, no one seems to care if they are late, loyalty is another - a. workers don't seem to care about their jobs and - b. employers seem to feel folks are disposable.
I can certainly see how those feelings come about, employers will do / make the cuts necessary to maintain bottom line profits and personnel are quite expensive and knowing this, employees are always looking for the next "gig".
Camaraderie is another concept lost out here and I can tell you that the Army forces that on you, it is shoved down your throat from the time you hit basic training until you leave. You will conform to be on the island ( unit) or you will be voted off. This breeds a certain relationship that can't be matched out here because you roll in at 0800 and roll out at 1700 and will never face the struggles or danger that we were placed in daily.
This is not the fault of those who have never served but it is something that the SMALL percentage of us that have understand and know intimately and for me, I miss it. I miss every whacko that I was forced to spend time with, to have to listen to the stories about their crazy families and to put up with every habit that irritated the shit out of me. Why, because they had to listen and be irritated by me just as well.
There is no keeping up with the proverbial Joneses because I know what he or she makes by the rank on their collar and just to remind me, the Army Times publishes the pay scale quarterly. So break individuals down, remove any outside differences in personalities, make pay even across the board with the only way to increase that being by promotion and you are going to find people who will work towards a common goal.
Some would say, well that's brainwashing and you end up with a bunch of robots. That could not be further from the truth, you see the Armed services remain a microcosm of society all Ethnicities, skin colors and socioeconomic backgrounds fall into line and put their personal differences aside to work for the greater good. But within that group are jokers, goths, Christians, athletes, hippies, free thinkers and rednecks. It all exists and it all, at least in the units I was in, works together. These soldiers are more adept at solving problems and making decisions than anything I've come across out there. Their answer is "Roger That", then what's needed to be done is processed and executed, whereas out here the common refrain is "its not my job".
I try to discourage every service member who is not retiring to stay in, Don't get off the boat, you see it's hard out here, way harder than any rigors of combat or training because you don't have your Ranger Buddy to the left and right, that man who would share his water or food or ammo if your's was low. Your 6 is uncovered and you can feel it. What you have is employers who generally don't care and co workers you have nothing to talk about with and sadly, for the most part after almost 13 years of war a very apathetic public.
I miss sitting on my rucksack with sweat dripping off my nose and big dip of copenhagen in my lip after just moving long distances with the heaviest of rucks on the darkest of nights in the deepest of swamps. I miss the smell of JP4 on the tarmac, of sitting in the door of a Blackhawk while flying Nap of the Earth, the sound of static lines on the anchor line cable, the commands and sub commands of morning formations, the sound of gunfire, of knowing that you and your boys probably should not have survived that, whatever "that" was. But its the people I miss the most.
I learned more lessons for men that were in charge of me than any upbringing I ever had. I've learned more from my subordinates than any class I ever took at any school. As I have mentioned here before, I have truly walked among giants, men of the Ranger Creed and for this I will be forever greatful.
So again, to that small percentage who have served - Thank You.
Jurena..Out
I can remember in December of 1997 when I drove off from Ft. Bragg, NC. While there was a brisk chill in the North Carolina air, I was flush with excitement as I was moving back to Texas to start my path to financial independence, which at that moment, being a bit disgruntled with the Army, seemed to be the answer to all.
Since then, I've realized that there are certain things one learns while serving that are lost on lots of folks out here. Loyalty, Duty, Honor, Country come to mind but those almost seem like textbook answers. Punctuality is a big one, no one seems to care if they are late, loyalty is another - a. workers don't seem to care about their jobs and - b. employers seem to feel folks are disposable.
I can certainly see how those feelings come about, employers will do / make the cuts necessary to maintain bottom line profits and personnel are quite expensive and knowing this, employees are always looking for the next "gig".
Camaraderie is another concept lost out here and I can tell you that the Army forces that on you, it is shoved down your throat from the time you hit basic training until you leave. You will conform to be on the island ( unit) or you will be voted off. This breeds a certain relationship that can't be matched out here because you roll in at 0800 and roll out at 1700 and will never face the struggles or danger that we were placed in daily.
This is not the fault of those who have never served but it is something that the SMALL percentage of us that have understand and know intimately and for me, I miss it. I miss every whacko that I was forced to spend time with, to have to listen to the stories about their crazy families and to put up with every habit that irritated the shit out of me. Why, because they had to listen and be irritated by me just as well.
There is no keeping up with the proverbial Joneses because I know what he or she makes by the rank on their collar and just to remind me, the Army Times publishes the pay scale quarterly. So break individuals down, remove any outside differences in personalities, make pay even across the board with the only way to increase that being by promotion and you are going to find people who will work towards a common goal.
Some would say, well that's brainwashing and you end up with a bunch of robots. That could not be further from the truth, you see the Armed services remain a microcosm of society all Ethnicities, skin colors and socioeconomic backgrounds fall into line and put their personal differences aside to work for the greater good. But within that group are jokers, goths, Christians, athletes, hippies, free thinkers and rednecks. It all exists and it all, at least in the units I was in, works together. These soldiers are more adept at solving problems and making decisions than anything I've come across out there. Their answer is "Roger That", then what's needed to be done is processed and executed, whereas out here the common refrain is "its not my job".
I try to discourage every service member who is not retiring to stay in, Don't get off the boat, you see it's hard out here, way harder than any rigors of combat or training because you don't have your Ranger Buddy to the left and right, that man who would share his water or food or ammo if your's was low. Your 6 is uncovered and you can feel it. What you have is employers who generally don't care and co workers you have nothing to talk about with and sadly, for the most part after almost 13 years of war a very apathetic public.
I miss sitting on my rucksack with sweat dripping off my nose and big dip of copenhagen in my lip after just moving long distances with the heaviest of rucks on the darkest of nights in the deepest of swamps. I miss the smell of JP4 on the tarmac, of sitting in the door of a Blackhawk while flying Nap of the Earth, the sound of static lines on the anchor line cable, the commands and sub commands of morning formations, the sound of gunfire, of knowing that you and your boys probably should not have survived that, whatever "that" was. But its the people I miss the most.
I learned more lessons for men that were in charge of me than any upbringing I ever had. I've learned more from my subordinates than any class I ever took at any school. As I have mentioned here before, I have truly walked among giants, men of the Ranger Creed and for this I will be forever greatful.
So again, to that small percentage who have served - Thank You.
Jurena..Out
Tuesday, October 29, 2013
Lest We Forget
21 years later and I still can't help but think of how this was the beginning of the end for me. Shit just was not making sense. Always thought when I got some rank I could effect some change on stopping the stupidity, I guess SSG just does not carry that weight.
Some say a mid career crisis, perhaps. I regret getting out every day as I hate most everyone I come in contact with out here.
You see, the worst day as a civilian, never ends like this.
http://thepatrolbase.blogspot.com/2010/10/embryo-stage.html
RLTW!
Some say a mid career crisis, perhaps. I regret getting out every day as I hate most everyone I come in contact with out here.
You see, the worst day as a civilian, never ends like this.
http://thepatrolbase.blogspot.com/2010/10/embryo-stage.html
RLTW!
Monday, October 21, 2013
Americana
Somewhere in here, I've blogged before about riding with the Patriot Guard and how it just wore me out mentally so I had to step away.
I also always mentioned that if you want to see what this country remains about, step away from the big cities and step into small town America. Having spent a ton of time in Portland, I know how liberal it is, piercings, pot smoking, gauged ears, just hippies everywhere. But not to far in Corvalis, Oregon. You get turn outs like this video.
Piss on all religious extremists, to include the nut jobs at Westboro Baptist Church. This country stands ready to defend those who serve, served and especially those who paid the ultimate sacrifice.
Rest Easy Ranger Patterson, Claymores are out, security is in place, we Got your 6.
I also always mentioned that if you want to see what this country remains about, step away from the big cities and step into small town America. Having spent a ton of time in Portland, I know how liberal it is, piercings, pot smoking, gauged ears, just hippies everywhere. But not to far in Corvalis, Oregon. You get turn outs like this video.
Piss on all religious extremists, to include the nut jobs at Westboro Baptist Church. This country stands ready to defend those who serve, served and especially those who paid the ultimate sacrifice.
Rest Easy Ranger Patterson, Claymores are out, security is in place, we Got your 6.
Bums and Virgins
5 months since I've been around here...
Knocked down a few pegs I might add, unemployed and found to be not desired by the corporate world.
No more "Made it Ma, Top of the World". Just a mad scramble to pay the bills and figure out what's next. Waited quite some time and struggled with the decision to utilize my unemployment rights but signed up for a few weeks. Found it its a bunch of bureaucratic bullshit and red tape, not worth the pittance of cashed doled out, so I quit taking it.
How quickly we fall, from 6 figures to 0 income. Someone quickly explain to me again that line about money not buying happiness? Perhaps, but I can tell you this, it pays for everything else.
So, I'm now self employed, they say do what you love and you'll never work a day in your life. I say bullshit. Long hours, lots of stress but yeah, I don't answer to anyone and the money I make is for me, not for any corporate entity that could give two shits about me. Happier? Dunno, seem to have the "Bear" growling inside me again. You know the line from One Stab " I think it was the Bear growling inside of him..."
But if I did some type of quick Freudian / Breuer psychoanalysis on myself I'd find that, yeah, perhaps unconsciously, I am my own worst enemy. As mentioned here before, it seems with age comes a reflection back on / to a time less, oh I could use any number of adjectives to paint a picture, but lets just roll with fucked up.
LUV YA BUM
Coach Phillips passed away this weekend and I can say I was sad. I'd never met the man but I felt like I'd known him all my life. I have another post on here about the pep rally and what was going on in Houston at the time and your welcome to find it and watch the Youtube video I posted.
I don't know that there was a better time in my youth. Freshman in High School - Top of the World! As an only child I loved going to school and always had perfect attendance. Everyday in High School was for me a total adrenaline rush. People I've never met, Hippies, Jocks, Jells of all different age, people drove cars, smoked in the parking lot, skipped class, fought, why would anyone want to miss that? And the Girls... Oh the girls. New girls my age and the older girls who were all fully developed and occasionally paid attention to you, Glorious! Tie all this into the fact that the Oilers were winning under Bum and the entire city seemed to crackle with electricity. He never really left here, always in some commercial or on TV. The Oilers, well they packed up and left and there is a new team here, The Texans. I suppose people are tied emotionally to them as for me, I watch, I cheer but if they lose, its no big deal.
I suspect it was the time in my life, high school football, all the feelings that go with trying to grow up and listening to the Oilers on AM Radio, when they did not sell out. And being part of that Pep Rally, which was just totally amazing. I saw a picture of Bum in a Leisure Suit with his cowboy hat on and I thought of my dad and Gilley's and Bud and Sissy from Urban Cowboy are you Kidding Me, it all came rushing back and I was lost in a fucking time warp of when life was, for me, simple.
Luv Ya Blue, Luv Ya Bum.
And this morning I come across this.
http://cnnphotos.blogs.cnn.com/2013/10/20/before-madonna-ruled-the-world/?hpt=hp_c3
Take a look at these pictures of Madonna circa 1983. Man oh Man did I have a crush on her. Waxing nostalgic over Bum and the Oilers and there is a CNN picture spread of Madonna back when she / we were young.My day is wrecked.
The only place you could hear her before " Like a Virgin" was KMJQ Majic 102 out of Clear Lake. She was raw and sexual and just everything about the early 80's. She was also in a great movie called Vision Quest with Matthew Modine. More stories from the 80's where high school angst is chronicled, this time via a wrestler. Madonna sang the title track "Crazy for You", she was in some smoky ass bar it was amazing.But it also included Journey, Foreigner, Sammy Hagar, Red Rider like all movies back then it did a great job of incorporating the music of the era.
Jurena....Out
Knocked down a few pegs I might add, unemployed and found to be not desired by the corporate world.
No more "Made it Ma, Top of the World". Just a mad scramble to pay the bills and figure out what's next. Waited quite some time and struggled with the decision to utilize my unemployment rights but signed up for a few weeks. Found it its a bunch of bureaucratic bullshit and red tape, not worth the pittance of cashed doled out, so I quit taking it.
How quickly we fall, from 6 figures to 0 income. Someone quickly explain to me again that line about money not buying happiness? Perhaps, but I can tell you this, it pays for everything else.
So, I'm now self employed, they say do what you love and you'll never work a day in your life. I say bullshit. Long hours, lots of stress but yeah, I don't answer to anyone and the money I make is for me, not for any corporate entity that could give two shits about me. Happier? Dunno, seem to have the "Bear" growling inside me again. You know the line from One Stab " I think it was the Bear growling inside of him..."
But if I did some type of quick Freudian / Breuer psychoanalysis on myself I'd find that, yeah, perhaps unconsciously, I am my own worst enemy. As mentioned here before, it seems with age comes a reflection back on / to a time less, oh I could use any number of adjectives to paint a picture, but lets just roll with fucked up.
LUV YA BUM
Coach Phillips passed away this weekend and I can say I was sad. I'd never met the man but I felt like I'd known him all my life. I have another post on here about the pep rally and what was going on in Houston at the time and your welcome to find it and watch the Youtube video I posted.
I don't know that there was a better time in my youth. Freshman in High School - Top of the World! As an only child I loved going to school and always had perfect attendance. Everyday in High School was for me a total adrenaline rush. People I've never met, Hippies, Jocks, Jells of all different age, people drove cars, smoked in the parking lot, skipped class, fought, why would anyone want to miss that? And the Girls... Oh the girls. New girls my age and the older girls who were all fully developed and occasionally paid attention to you, Glorious! Tie all this into the fact that the Oilers were winning under Bum and the entire city seemed to crackle with electricity. He never really left here, always in some commercial or on TV. The Oilers, well they packed up and left and there is a new team here, The Texans. I suppose people are tied emotionally to them as for me, I watch, I cheer but if they lose, its no big deal.
I suspect it was the time in my life, high school football, all the feelings that go with trying to grow up and listening to the Oilers on AM Radio, when they did not sell out. And being part of that Pep Rally, which was just totally amazing. I saw a picture of Bum in a Leisure Suit with his cowboy hat on and I thought of my dad and Gilley's and Bud and Sissy from Urban Cowboy are you Kidding Me, it all came rushing back and I was lost in a fucking time warp of when life was, for me, simple.
Luv Ya Blue, Luv Ya Bum.
And this morning I come across this.
http://cnnphotos.blogs.cnn.com/2013/10/20/before-madonna-ruled-the-world/?hpt=hp_c3
Take a look at these pictures of Madonna circa 1983. Man oh Man did I have a crush on her. Waxing nostalgic over Bum and the Oilers and there is a CNN picture spread of Madonna back when she / we were young.My day is wrecked.
The only place you could hear her before " Like a Virgin" was KMJQ Majic 102 out of Clear Lake. She was raw and sexual and just everything about the early 80's. She was also in a great movie called Vision Quest with Matthew Modine. More stories from the 80's where high school angst is chronicled, this time via a wrestler. Madonna sang the title track "Crazy for You", she was in some smoky ass bar it was amazing.But it also included Journey, Foreigner, Sammy Hagar, Red Rider like all movies back then it did a great job of incorporating the music of the era.
Jurena....Out
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