See, they do in fact have Armenian Sausage !
We decided to stay at Camp Pendleton until March 1, 2012 instead of leaving February 1, 2012
since we will be on the cruise and in Florida from February 8 to February18. Andy will be going back to Portland, Oregon after the cruise until February 29th. We decided it is best for me to stay put here and chill. Poor ole me...stuck in San Diego for a whole month ! I guess I will have to rough it ! I will be able to see Teri, Mike and the rest of the family which I am excited about.
So the new plan is to depart here when Andy gets back. We will be heading to Yuma, Arizona for a few days and then onto to Coolidge Arizona. We hope to hook up with Otto and Barbara, Andy's parents, for a few days. The plan can change of course.
Since we have been here on the Marine Base I have seen a total lack of discipline by the Marine Senior NCO's (Non-Commissioned Officers ). Maybe things have changed for the better but it hard for me to understand. Maybe it's because of the war...maybe not! For some of you ...you might think i am nit picking...but I guess it is my military up bringing and my life for 21 years. Maybe what I am thinking doesn't apply anymore to the modern day Marine, Soldier, Airman, Seaman. Maybe I am out of touch and old! Many of you will not understand. However there are a few veterans that will!
This is really the first time I have been on a military base since I retired in 1995.
Please let me give you a few examples. Just a very few !!!
The Marines were doing a physical fitness test, about 50 of them. One of the tests is to run 2 miles in a certain amount of time. At the halfway point there were 2 senior NCO's sitting in a civilian truck shouting out times as the Marines crossed that half way point. They weren't in the same uniform as their Marines and were too lazy to get out of the truck and motivate and care for their Marines.
I watch about 100 or so Marines marching in a column formation. I watched them for about 15 minutes. They were never in step...they were talking..no its wasn't "route step" or at "ease march". There was a young Sergeant trying to get them in step and orderly... but he couldn't. There was an Platoon Sergeant in the back of the formation just talking and laughing away with another senior NCO !
I watched several physical fitness formations run by every day....from about 25 to 100 Marines in each. Half of them in uniform and half not! I would have gotten my butt chewed out if I would have allowed that. As a matter of fact I had over 300 soldiers and I remember 1 soldier didn't have a pair of gloves on and a Colonel stopped my whole unit and chewed me out...little drastic I do believe thou..lol
One last thing I saw...About 60 track vehicles went by the Motorhome the other day. The Marines that were guiding them were not in correct uniform. Some had shirts off...some on. Some with hats...some without. some with helmets.. some without...etc....
Maybe I am wrong...maybe I am not! Discipline is the back bone of the military. Maybe Drill and Ceremonies and Uniform is the thing of the past...if so... I am glad I am the past !
Maybe the "old soldiers" when I was "in" said the same thing about us !!!
Oh by the way "Reveille" is at 0800 and "Taps" at 2100...what is with that ! It was 0600 and 2300 ! Dang it "I never got the memo" !!! lol
Old soldiers never die they just fade away !
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