Weekend Open Thread
Put your mask on! You’re putting my health at risk! (The Donald Win)
Leftist virtue signalling… It’s easy when other people have to do the work that leftists want to be credited for. For example, the leftist version of “paying alms”: Vote for politicians who would tax the rich more to “help the poor”. Helping the illegal aliens with added benefits or not sending them back? The government, and society bears the brunt of that decision. Someone else does the work and bears the burden. Enjoy your weekend.
Category: Open thread
First!
Congrats!
Thanks … one must be quick to knock KoB off the throne, even temporarily!
Congratulations to my main man CW for the win! What’d ya do, stop the presses? Put Jimmy Olsen in charge? Take your hands off of Lois Lane?
I left it a laying there long enough. Good job!
Now…Where daHell the Trivia? And get off my lawn!
I never take my hands off Lois Lane! Thanks, my friend. Trivia right down there.
What the flying monkey fuck?
I hope this isn’t indicative of November 3rd.
Oh Look, it’s snowing in hell.
Nah, Chipster, just laying back. Will have to refer to the Keeper of the Coveted Book of FIRST but I do believe I have well north of 50, and the ONLY ACE of FIRST 5 in a Row. May even be a triple ACE of FIRST in there. I’ve laid back the last month or so, and am just hanging in there to keep it interesting.
Now if we can just get CW to do some proper Lording over in his FIRSTNESS. The DWs may be glad that the King of Battle/The King of FIRST has been dethroned for the week…until they notice that the buffet and beverage bar has yet to be thrown open for all hands. Hmmmm?
1st
Missed by seconds.
FIRSTgg
Dagnabbitblamed slow computer,
Dirty Third!
Not first but up there
While the Powers that Be sort out whether I was first, or King of Battle was first (and wouldn’t it be a hoot if I took it this week?), here’s the trivia. Enjoy! DID YOU KNOW…? Do people in the United Kingdom have to pay an annual tax to own a television set? By Commissioner Wretched Something very special happens here next week, in this space. I’m not going to tell you yet. And it won’t do you a bit of good to hire Nero Wolfe, contact Ellery Queen, summon Joe Friday, or get in touch with any other detective to try and figure it out. But even though I won’t tell you what it is – you will have to return here next week to find out – I will give you this one hint. It’s about a number. A very special number, one I didn’t think would ever apply here. That’s all I’m going to say. Beyond that I am Sergeant Schultz – I say nothing! So here, for you, is this week’s trivia, designed to keep you entertained while you consider what special event happens here next week. Tune in then … same Bat-time, same Bat-channel! Did you know … … in Alabama, it is illegal to pretend to be a minister, priest, nun, or rabbi if you really are not one? (It’s not a good idea in any case, but making it illegal is probably a good idea.) … the second-most polluted nation in the world is also one of the smallest? Botswana, a landlocked country in southern Africa, with a population of just two million people, has a serious air pollution problem due to the mineral industry and wild fires. (Just goes to show what can be accomplished when one really tries, I suppose.) … there are over 100 different schools of yoga? Yoga itself is a group of physical, mental and spiritual disciplines, which originated in India. Though there are many different schools of yoga, they all have the same overall goal: a state of pure bliss and oneness with the universe. A practitioner… Read more »
Column 100?
Low fat doesn’t mean low-calorie… I remember reading a while back that nutritionists bemoaned the ‘low-fat’ diet craze as contributing quite a bit of weight to the average American.
You’ve got the right idea, but you’re not thinking big enough.
200 to 500 range
Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson ought to be arrested in Alabama, then.
Anyone who doesn’t like a Collen Street Bakery fruitcake ought to be investigated for anti-American activities, or put in an insane asylum, or both.
I’m not bothered by honeybees, but my next brother is deathly allergic to them. He has had one very close call already.
FWIW, being a male involved in a traffic accident with a pretty young woman will almost certainly guarantee that you’ll get the ticket. Beating the ticket in court still doesn’t get you a break with the insurance company.
Thanks, CW!
Fruitcake, GAG! If I ever receive one of those, I’ll probably use it as a doorstop; it should be heavy enough. The proper dessert item to give for the Holidays should be rum cakes, the rummier the better. We need to start a new holiday tradition to present rum cakes to our friends and loved ones, and consign the nasty fruitcake to the dustbin of history…
And BTW, congrats on being first of this WOT, CW…
My Maternal Grandmother always sent me a Fruitcake when I was in the US Army.
They really were delicious, everybody in my platoon loved them too.
So next Christmas season she sent four, one for each squad !!!
She also bought my drums for me in Alaska, San Francisco and always sent enough money to make sure I was able to get Zildjian Cymbals !!!
Unlike my Mother, an accomplished pianist and vocalist, she had no musical talent, but she loved hearing me play and always gave me the best that she could afford !!!
What a wonderful lady !!!
Everybody should have great memories of their Grandparents !!!
Zildjian…. The only serious choice !!!
My aunt in the NETHERLANDS and my mama (in America) sent each other the same fruit cake (with added RUM) every other year…got lost in 1985 after 24 yrs…
Ummmm. Fruitcake! Nothing like C-ration fruitcake to top off a fine meal of ham & MFs.
Or make your own fruitcake for the holidays, something my Grandma used to make that is tasty, filling and good for you, and loaded with the good stuff.
Preach Ex! For a commercial Fruit Cake, Claxton Bakeries in SouthEast Central Georgia (Claxton) does a decent job. Loves me some rumcake too CH. My favorite Aunt, Martha, made what she called an icebox fruitcake that was out of this world. It was more of a chewy, almost candy like consistency, and would make a puppy pull a freight train. She used the local honey v excess sugar or molassass. Two things that she made that no one in the family ever got exactly like hers was that fruit cake and her chicken and dumplings. Close with the CnD, but we cheat with the frozen Annie’s or Mary B brand. Hers were hand rolled dough. We still working on the ice box fruitcake.
Fine job on the trivia for this week CW! I’m allergic to bee stings myself, but I do love my Honey.
Ain’t nobody can beat Collin Street Bakery’s (in By-God TEXAS!) fruitcake options.
Shipped that stuff to AB son when he was deployed and they used it as energy bars – and loved it.
Fruitcake recipe: Buy decent fruitcake, soak in a sh*toad of brandy, stir & serve.
SecDef Esper backs MoH for Sgt 1st Class Alwyn Cashe.
https://www.militarytimes.com/news/pentagon-congress/2020/08/28/esper-says-he-will-back-medal-of-honor-for-iraq-war-hero-alwyn-cashe/
About time.
Ditto…
Long past due. Should have been awarded when it happened! And no, I really don’t think that race had anything to do with it.
“…no greater Love…”
I agree. Made this an article for the morning. The media will mention his race, but I won’t. It has nothing to do with what he did. He deserves the medal.
This is awesome.
Dan Crenshaw, another recent military Hero is pushing the validation period far beyond the 5 year limit currently proscribed by law.
Thank you to all those working to recognize this and so many other quiet heroes that walk among us…
Hack Stone would have checked in sooner, but the proud but humble woman owned company formerly located in Bethesda Maryland that sells software to the federal government just kicked off a new promotion on outdated Red Hat software. Our sales staff will be strategically located at the off ramps of I-495, right next to the guy selling roses. Mention the promotion code Spandex or a 13% discount.
Paul-mer (of the ballsack), formerly of All-Points Logistics, is probably piss cold passed out drunk under the off ramp.
“sells software to the federal government”
One of the professors where I used to work was recently indicted for selling software to the federal gov’t. It seems the software already belonged to another department of the gov’t. I am tempted to take one of his classes while he is still available, just for grins.
Great business plan, keeps the overhead down. And speaking of selling software to the federal government, did you know that All Points Logistics is an authorized vendor to sell software to Uncle Sam? No shit, they actually are.
The “Phildo” Special.
Its all the rage.
Finished one of my projects: small dio scene of my Uncle with his dog. I gave it to my aunt (his younger sister).
https://www.deviantart.com/yt45
Great job TOW. Got a bit dusty in here looking at that and remembering the story you had related when you FIRST (ht to CW) made mention of this one. I know that your Aunt will treasure this memento of her Brother and his “Battle Buddy.” The linky today also gave us a shot at seeing some of your other completed works.
Tanks!
She held back some tears when I presented it to her. Might end up doing something similar for my other two uncles one of these days. Uncle Bill was (I think) 11 and Uncle Ed was 5 (Mom, the youngest, was 3) when their big brother went to Vietnam. Among the family photos is one of Uncle Bill with Uncle Greg at MCRD San Diego, which was bike riding distance from the old family house.
The one thing I won’t do is anything that depicts him in a combat situation. Uncle Greg was proud of his service, but he wouldn’t want to be remembered that way. My cousins and I were raised well enough that we never asked him if he killed anyone, but he was in action plenty of times, and he was a brilliant shot with a rifle, so it doesn’t take much to connect the dots. The closest he ever came to talking about that with me was when he once mentioned that the M14 was a good rifle, and “.308 puts ‘em down a lot quicker than 5.56.”
Looking good TOW!!!
Great job, TOW!!
Excellent work, TOW!
De viant—is that French?
Is that a half-track with a TOW missile launcher at bottom left?
It is. It’s a “Red Dawn” thing. The halftrack also has some DIY spaced armor (mainly meant to be a “make you feel better” mod) and a VRC-47 radio behind the driver’s seat.
Excellent work, brother. You could turn that into a lucrative side gig. I know the custom airplane models a lot of Air Force people get are a few hundred bucks. Custom squad cars and fire trucks too.
I love it. Great detail TOW.
Twenty something and Honorary First once again.
((((OVER))))
Present!
600th and I don’t care about rankings.
But now hear this: Speaker Pelosi doesn’t want Joe Biden to debate Pres. Trump. She’s got her undies in a bunch about it. Gave several reasons, but I think the real reason is that Pres. Trump might be able to simply wipe the table top with his opponent.
Moving on.
HOLY SHIT!!!! The defections have started!!!
https://twitter.com/KamVTV/status/1299427624310112256
Proof leftard rioters CAN affect the election.
https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2020/08/28/president-trump-poised-to-award-first-medal-of-honor-to-black-veteran-of-recent-wars-alwyn-cashe/
Fucking A! Finally! They are close to approving Alwyn Cashe for the Medal of Honor!
Cool.
Proof leftard rioters CAN affect the election.
TheBigSig,
You seemed a bit triggered last week when I said Republicans can stand for nothing and no longer have a coherent ideological compass at the point…
Care to comment on the fact that the republicans decided they would have no party platform for the 2020 election?
And don’t just say they are defaulting right their 2016 platform. The 2016 had some standard conservative flavored rhetoric but was directly a response to the previous eight years under Obama.
The fact they adopted no platform under Trump makes it clear that they stand for nothing anymore.
It is a party If hostages for Trump and in pursuit of Trump’s interests. Stockholm Syndrome has set in.
Go to bed, you’re drunk posting again.
President Trump promised to build a wall on the US-Mexican Border which is still under construction.
Black and Hispanic Unemployment is at its lowest since they started measuring it.
International Trade Deals disadvantageous to the USA are being rewritten.
Manufacturing jobs are returning to US Soil.
That and manifold successes of the Trump Administration exist, but you decide to live in your little bubble of cult propaganda and despair!
Trump won the Rep. primary largely because the platform hasn’t meant anything for decades and the voters were smart enough to know it. A lot of us judge Trump by what he does, or tries to do against fanatical resistance, rather than what the “party” claims they will do if only they have a chance.
False.
And you know it.
The Republican party endorsed Trump’s platform this week. Not that it matters because you wouldn’t understand it even if you read it.
thanks for playing our favorite game, “Kummissar is always wrong”
Tune in next time when Kummissar quotes another lie from his spirit animal (Moscow Maddow) and gets REKT again.
Thanks for all your efforts to ensure four more years of Trump.
MAGA!
The False Commander “Phony” Phil Monkress (CEO of All-Points Logistics) continues to works balls as he avoids queries seeking clarification of his potentially felonious Native American, Navy SEAL and Law Enforcement claims.
The Phildo knows where the meatpole goes….
Oh, and just wear the damn mask and quit whining about it snowflakes.
The more we slow the virus the better the economy does. You can’t fix the economy without managing the virus.
Wearing a mask is basic civic conscientiousness.
Not sure where you got your medical degree from, but you don’t MANAGE a virus.
Wearing a mask is basic civic conscientiousness?
Nah, not burning down businesses, destroying personal property and threatening people while they EAT is basic civic conscientiousness.
Wearing a mask is a personal CHOICE: if I’m out in public, not opening my mouth and I’m 12 feet away from everyone, why do I need a mask?
Better yet, if YOU’RE wearing a mask, why do I need one? You’re doing your “civic duty” by protecting ME and YOU.
His is from a box of delicious, nutritious Cracker Jacks….
Apparently he’s an expert….on everything. Don’t believe him? Just ask.
” You can’t fix the economy without managing the virus.”
BS.
The economy seems to have done all right during the HK flu, the polio epidemic, and a few other things. I think we can do rather well in spite of what what is becoming clear as something no deadlier than the HK flu.
Shhhhhh…..don’t confuse him.
Washing your hands, not touching your face and understanding basic public health rules goes a lot further than contaminating everything because you don’t know how to wear a mask. I know for a fact I’d have failed you out of my clean room.
PS: The Virus isn’t nearly as dangerous as you’re making it out to be you blithering idiot. Unless you’d really like to try and argue CDC numbers clocking in at .4. Which I’m sure you will, you seem to like tilting at windmills anyway.
NOW HERE YOU GO hurling facts, logic and common sense at him, I can’t wait to see how that will make his head explode while whipping out and hurling his “Empirical Evidence” in every direction!
Yup. Be as batshit-crazy-moonbat as you can. Don’t let a single day pass without driving as many voters as possible to Trump.
You be you.
MAGA!
If Trump and his minions had just agreed to wear masks, and had not made asses of themselves whining about it… Trump would be polling much better against Biden right now.
Or, you can NOT wear a mask, catch the virus, get the sniffles and survive with a 99.1% chance of seeing tomorrow.
You do you boo-boo.
Kind of like the study Wake Forest Med did in JULY testing for antibodies in NC. Early testing rates showed antibodies in people at a 3% rate. One month later it came back 10%. Thats one state of 10 million people and 10% of them are already showing antibodies. There have been 2K casualties in NC since March from this. In a state of 10 million. We completely ruined the states economy and livelihood for something with a mortality rate of less than 1%.
Keep living in fear and hate dude…..but it’s not really living.
Happy Halloween lady’s, no not yet?, my bad.
If Trump had not been elected, you would have nothing to live for, nothing to cry about, and would therefore cease to exist. So I guess there’s a downside to his residency in the White House after all.
Canckles McPantsuit would let him suckle at the teat of free shitism… and them let him suckle on her saggy funbags.
MAGA!
Sooooo…..
Lots of news down here in the Texas Thunderbunker !!!
I bought a house in Kyle, about ten miles south of Austin and it is beautiful.
I lived in an 850 Sq Ft apartment for 5 years so I made sure to buy a large house.
Man did I get one !!!
4 BR, 3 Bath, (indoors no less) 2000 Sq Feet, with a huge kitchen, 23 cabinets in the thing and an island.
On a third of an acre that backs up to a greenspace and is less than 5 minutes from I-35 and 7 miles from the Texas Tollway for an easy path to the airport where I am spending most of my time working for Uber.
I rarely go downtown anymore for them after Sgt Preston of Ft Hood rid the city of Austin of one pukeface asswipe.
I am just so blessed my friends, totally blessed !!!
I hope all of you are doing well, and I gotta say that it’s nice having CW be the Lord of the Dickweeds for a week now. KOB was getting to be rather uppity……
WW, wherever you are, please know that my prayers are with you and yours in this troubled time….
And larsy-boi…. Go piss up a rope…
“KOB was getting to be rather uppity….” Getting?? ?Getting?!? ?!!?GETTING!!!??? Hell, DONE GOT!!!! more than just “rather” uppity!!!! There is/was NO GETTING!!! There is/was ONLY DONE GOT!!!
Look in Mr. Webster’s book of defining, under “uppity”, you will see the picture of The King of Battle/THE King of FIRST. Anyone who thinks that the ol’ KoB is/was just “getting” to be uppity, has either not been paying attention, or is not sure what the term uppity means.
Of all the weeds/weedettes that has EARNED (never awarded) the Crown of FIRST on the Coveted TAH Friday Weekend Open Thread, there is a tiny handful that have EARNED the 3 pete. Of the number that have EARNED the quad 4for, it is even tinier, tinier than even the amount of fuel in the tanks of a certain benasty wanna be lawer/chief pitty ossifer/pileit’s aereoplane, who, by the way, is still maintaing his social distancing of minus 6 feet AGL.
And then there was only 1! One, the loneliest number that you ever knew. One that has EARNED the unheard of 5 in a Row ACE of FIRST, not just once…but twice maybe thrice! And that my fellow miscreanted basket of Deplorable Weeds/Weedettes is the King of Battle, The Winner of Wars, the ONE that brings Dignity to what would otherwise be considered a vulgar brawl. This endith the lesson.
Now, My Brother Thunderstixx, get out there from that climate controlled MacMansion, pull me out one of them fine slabs of Texas Smoked BBQ Brisquitt from the smoker, snag me another Yuengling, and stay off your lawn! 😛
Getting…indeed! (kicks an empty Bud Lite can toward Slow Joe and walks off…mumbling)
See what I mean……
BAHAHAHAHAHAHA !!!!!
Congrats on your new house. We hope to be moving south within the next 18 months after I retire. Texas is one of the places we’re looking at…
Welcome to the wonderful world of home ownership. If you don’t like being Mr. Fixit be prepared to be Mr. Moneybags. Those carefree days of calling up the landlord and telling him the toilet leaks or the lights are flickering for some reason or…. are gone forever. Be prepared to spend those warm summer days out in the warm summer sun mowing, planting, weeding, seeding, etc.
On the other hand, larsy-boi can still piss up a rope.
5.56 70 cents per, I blame Trump & Lars.
Up your marksmanship.
Should not be a financially-based impediment then.
Did a 4 mile walk with my dog along Puget Sound this am @ Chambers Bay Golf Course of 2015 US Open fame. Temp 57 with low clouds/mist/fog from the marine layer.
Had my mask in my cargo pocket but was able to “social distance” without – glasses fog easily. Saw a few folks with masks. Troops from JBLM doing a ruck walk in civies mask free. No hassles just smiles and friendly waves hello.
Spent the day in the Bronx with the awesome family of SSG Frias at an event to dedicate an intersection to their Soldier.
I served with SSG Frias from 2002 until he was injured by AK fire in 2004 and later caught up with him back at Scofield Barracks. He was a great leader, I know that’s said a lot but I truly mean it. His embodiment of the NCO Creed and ‘big brother’ ways made even the most wayward Private get on program. He had a way of making you know that he wasn’t mad, just disappointed, even chewing you out at the top of his lungs for all to hear (it was rare but it was the Infantry). Tough man too. Never bragged about his combative skills or his accomplishments. Some Leaders treat FNGs like an inconvenience, to Sergeant Frias, they were his Bothers, he would make you strong if you weren’t smart, or strong if you were too smart but you could tell SSG Frias cared and wanted you to care for yourself as much as he.
And his wonderful family is in every way a reflection of Sergeant Frias; caring, compassionate people, with home and hearts wide open.
I want to personally thank the friends and family of SSG Frias for their sacrifice of letting go of a man of that caliber. He served his country with distinction and you made him the man he became so he could teach us in turn.
Santiago Frias left the Army and went back to his loving family in New York. He continue to serve his community with passion and pride.
His life was cut too short and he passed on 23 JAN 2019.
I ask you say a prayer for a great man, if you can, and remember to love hard, for the right reasons, be strong but teach other to be too.
https://thebronxchronicle.com/2020/08/28/council-member-fernando-cabrera-to-co-name-street-for-bronx-hero-purple-heart-recipient-ssg-santiago-frias/
https://www.echovita.com/us/obituaries/ny/newburgh/santiago-frias-8670701
A prayer lifted up for the Family and Compatriots of SSG Frias, Roh-Dog. And a glass raised in His Honor. Thanks for sharing him with us. I think we all had a SSG Frias at some point in time or another and many of us tried to emulate his way of doing things; to pass on the lessons or mentoring if you will.
Amen…….
(damned onion fairy)
May God bless and protect the Frias family…
Thank you all for your attention and honors.
It means more than you know.
Bless you all.
https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2020/aug/28/trump-consider-invoking-insurrection-law-after-dem/
Slow Joe is easy to spot, but which one are you?
Well after being offline due to the untimely death of my father-in-law in Virginia going (Driving with two kids) cross country to help at the farm and help with a memorial Service
Skippy is back…
BHWHAHAHAHAHA !!!!!!!!!!
Howdy!
Just for the helluva it and because it’s the WOT….for your viewing pleasure: (smile)
https://www.foxnews.com/travel/flight-attendant-flips-closes-compartment-heels-viral
But, can she make a sammich?
You need to take 8 minutes out of your day and watch this… a powerful message by a man who sees what’s going on and is calling it wrong:
https://twitter.com/mrctv/status/1297707698788728832
Wow. Moving speech and a brave man, speaking the truth when few will.
I don’t live in his state but I would be happy to mail in a ballot or two for him.
Testify Rep. DeBerry! “…be judged by the content of their character…”
The thugs, hoodlums, and ne’er do wells are rapidly destroying the good works done by Dr. King, and yes spapos seagull, the Boomer Generation. Sad, ain’t it?
Excellent speech! How / why in the world is that gentleman a democrat? I’m sure they’ll work to get rid of him now, that speech flies in the face of their entire agenda. Damn good on him for standing up and telling the truth.. Here’s hoping he realizes that he needs to change parties to align with what he believes.
Legendary animator, Joe Ruby, has passed at 87. He was most famous for co creating the Scooby Doo cartoon series. Joe also served in the US Navy in the 50s as a sonar operator.
https://variety.com/2020/tv/news/joe-ruby-dies-dead-scooby-doo-1234750948/
RIP sir!
Another interesting video from The History Guy. All those years Hack thought that the Marine Corps Range Coaches were wearing Pith Helmets. Turns out that Hack was wrong.
NSN 8415-00-161-4773 Helmet, Sun, Rigid U/I: EA
PMC: A (Does not contain any precious metals)
Terminal Item: No Future Procurement Authorized
Cost to the government (in 1965) : $1.53
No current government cost available, but can be privately purchased on E-Bay for $104.99 w/Free Economy Shipping./s
No precious metals? Hack will pass then.
Q – DD-214.
A serious question about medals and awards on Form DD-214.
Has anyone ever seen a legit DD-214,
where ALL the medals, awards, and ribbons are INITIALS,
and none of them are spelled out?
Example – CAR, AFEM, GCM, and more….
(While (only) Rifle Expert Badge IS spelled out?)
I appreciate any accurate replies on this.
Thanks.
No! Mine from 1974 and a number of them I prepared way back yonder had ALL Awards spelled out. It may have changed since then, but the ones I have seen were spelled out too.
5th/77th FA,
Thanks for the quick reply.
My 2 DD-214s are from 1987 and 1991.
Everything is spelled out in full.
The DD-214 in question is from 1989,
US Marine with Sea Service.
It has what I listed above.
Ugh.
Nope, never have seen one. Initializing any entries in Block 13 of DD Form 214 is a NO-GO at this station.
In some instances on older forms, there were authorized abbreviations, but never, ever, any entries with only initials.
Be still my beating heart! Supply Daddy, do you think that MarineDad61 has uncovered us a big phony baloney? Gives us something to look forward to. Let me go wipe the slobber offen my mouth.
Every now and again, the rough draft hand written copy might have an abbreviation, but I always made sure that, the ones I prepared for others to type up, had it spelled out in its entirety, just so there was no question of what the Award was and how it was to be listed. IIRC it was the responsibility of the typing clerk AND the signing ossifer, along with the service member to insure there were no abbreviations.
5th/77th FA,
Worse, this DD-214 that I am referring to,
is a state level VFW Department Adjutant.
It’s a FaceBook group tangle,
because he got himself booted from the group,
for making lousy (and false) statements
about the new VFW National Commander,
and his speech,
which came out as a MISPRINT
in the current VFW Magazine.
(He never said Black Lives Matter.
He said “Black lives do matter”,
which changes the tone of the speech,
and the reactions from many around the USA (now).
Ugh.
… and the state level wagons are circlin’,
including a Dept Commander,
and a former Dept Commander,
the WIFE of the DD-214 lousy comment guy.
Triple Ugh.
DAAAAAYYUUUUUM! Somebody gots some ‘splaining to do, Lucy. That whole “good ol’ boys ASSociate members of a certain POW/MIA ASSociation from NV?” Hmmmm.
My Legion Post in the tiny town, AND the VFW in the bigger town not only requires a copy of your DD-214, they run a check thru St. Louie to verify. Trust…But verify.
When deceased BiL and my Sister were very active at the state level of the VFW, they pushed hard to make it mandatory to verify Service at a National Level for ALL Chapters. They got a lot of negative pushback that it “wasn’t a big deal, these are honorable men and women they wouldn’t lie.” Well here we are. And that was nearly 20 years ago. Prolly much worse than we realize.
Just so you know – it is currently required that proof of VFW eligibility be on file at the post for all post officers. And the docs are supposed to be checked during annual post inspections.
Some posts are better than others at weeding out the phonies. Around my area we take it seriously. We require new members to at least show us proof of their eligibility. If they are hesitant, that tells you something right there.
Also, the current VFW membership application has a sworn statement requiring the signature of the applicant attesting to being qualified for membership. Misrepresentation is grounds for dismissal.
I opened the blast door to the arms room and waded through the racks
of AR’s and ammo cans to get to my military records just for you 61.
My DD-214 (FORM dated 1 JUL 66) has under ITEM 24:
DECORATIONS, MEDALS, BADGES, COMMENDATIONS, CITATIONS AND CAMPAIGN RIBBONS AWARDED OR AUTHORIZED
NDSM VSM VCM ARCOM 2 O/S Bars EXP M-14
My DD-215 (FORM dated 1 JUL 79) has under ITEM 24:
DELETE: VSM
ADD: VIETNAM SERVICE MEDAL WITH 3 BRONZE SERVICE STAR/NOTHING FOLLOWS
Not sure if “ITEM” and “BLOCK” mean the same thing. Claw?
Interesting that the DD-215 has a serial number in the format xxxx-LF-xxx-xxxx.
Directly under the FORM date.
Hope this helps.
Bonus info:
Found my W-2 from “Vietnam Times”
I made $3357.71 in Viet of the Nam.
Tax free except the $162.75 F.I.C.A.
Ah, the spoils of war!
Yep, ITEM and BLOCK mean the same thing. I’m sure that during the great RVN purge of cutting troops loose in the late 60’s/early 70’s that abbreviations/initials were authorized to lessen the workload on the DD214 typists.
On two of my earlier DD214’s, (1972 edition) the awards/decorations section is Block/Item #26. On one everything is spelled out, on the other there are some abbreviations. Both are legit.
Last DD214 (Nov 88 edition) (after certain sections were deleted) the awards/decorations section is Block/Item #13.
Yes, I have seen legit DD-214’s with abbreviations. Been a while so I can’t tell you if it is branch specific, time frames or whatever. Also, I can’t say with surety if all the awards were abbreviated or only some.
Not really determinative but perhaps significant enough to let you know NOT to make assumptions and to make absolutely certain of the facts in the case.
The reason I remember there being abbreviations is because I had to look them up and verify them. A long while back indeed but something that sticks with you.
It’s a shame things have to be spelled out for the younguns.
‘beans you are correct…spelled out! It may have been a different commands did it a different way, I don’t really recall the regs on it. May of had something to do with spelling it out to avoid a typo what with the C,V,B,N being so close together on the QWERTY that errors were made. Like did the CSM get a VSM or a BSM or a MDSN v a NDSM. I made damn sure to check, recheck, and then check it all again, with the service member AND their hard copy 201 file to verify and then verify again. Back yonder the ossifer that was signing off on it was generally the butterbar noobie SLJO for the AG Corps. And hell, they didn’t have a clue.
Caught many a troopie that had hand carried his 201 File (remember them days) from a previous duty station and the orders awarding certain things would look real sketchy, either the orders weren’t accompanying or the orders themselves would be on a flimsy or even a DF…or reasons.
“hand carried his 201 File (remember them days)”
I remember when a vist to the VA started with getting
your records from one office and hand carrying them to
your doctors office. There would be guys leaning against
the walls in the corridor reading their file to see what
was in it and removing shit they didn’t like.
Fuckin honor system.
No wonder there are so many phony claims from back then.
We haven’t had a good Viet of the Nam poser in a while.
I hope the backlog spits one out when the records center
comes back to life.
My DD-214 (Nov ‘72 version), issued in 1974, has all awards, decorations and badges spelled out in all caps. The only abbreviations are “OLC” and “3D Awd.”
Thanks.. to ALL of you for the input.
Q – Now, the next question…..
HOW does a US Marine get the Combat Action Ribbon….
when he has sea duty time,
but 0 days in country, anywhere?
Is it possible that a Marine Sniper can get the CAR,
if the boat sails into a hostile area (AFEM),
even if he never fired a shot,
because he never had a target?
I’m a Marine Dad (of Marine(s)), NOT a Marine.
However, this seems really really really contradictory.
Gedunk stand right outside Gate 1? Ranger Joe’s on Victory Drive in Columbus? Metals USA coupon in the Legion Magazine?
Oh Oh Oh, Door gunner on a John Skerry Commanded Swift Boat. You get a CAR, You get a CAR, You get a CAR…EVERYBODY gets a CAR!
Other than that, MD61, I gots no clue!
5th/77th FA,
Really curious here…
what a sniper can point at,
no less hit,
while stationed on the deck of the USS Fred Emmart?
https://valorguardians.com/blog/?p=95208
If he were on a ship that got shot at he could qualify. There was a ship (gator of some sort IIRC) that awarded CARs to the Sailors for a couple of RPG pot shots.
The Marines were not awarded CARs as I recall.
I’m an officer in my local VFW post and at the district level. In order to challenge the eligibility of a member there are two (2) methods outlined in section 108 of the manual of procedure. In a nut shell there are two (2) methods to do this:
1. A member of the post challenges eligibility at a regular or special meeting.
2. The national commander challenges eligibility.
You can shoot me an email if you need some more questions. AW1Ed has my email.
I think one has to be on a vessel that is engaged by the enemy to get a CAR. On the ground, I would think one has to be fired upon to get a CAR. But google it, the answer is out there.
Some recent reviews of our old friend Turd Bolling of Ambassador Worldwide Protection Agency (both national and international).
https://www.yelp.com/biz/ambassador-worldwide-protection-agency-cordova
Turd is still turding…
Fake SEAL and fake cop.
Fun reading.
http://il.findacase.com/research/wfrmDocViewer.aspx/xq/fac.19890420_0000574.IL.htm/qx
Green Thumb,
If it helps, it appears that AWPA themselves
OUTED Bolling on their business FakeBook page.
In 2013.
This comes up on Page 1 of a Google Search.
It’s not nice to fool Mother …………
https://www.facebook.com/432101383534163/posts/thomas-bolling-loves-to-say-he-was-a-navy-seal-worked-for-the-fbi-but-if-you-inv/453322658069117/
Back then they had a “purge” of sorts in their leadership. As a result, shit hit the fan.
Turd Bolling got rid of several folks and brought some others in. Surprised he has not removed this post. Much like their outdated website. I imagine Turd Bolling is still keeping a low profile.
You want to have some fun, call down there and try to get his fat ass on the phone. They are all kinds of souped up.
Fruitcake recipe: Buy decent fruitcake, soak in a sh*toad of brandy, stir & serve.
My mom would make her Christmas fruitcakes in early October. She’d wrap them in brown paper, and every Monday until Christmas she’d pour about 3 tablespoons of bourbon over them. By Christmas, they were potent and delicious.
No damn wonder you got a taste for Jameson! Prolly cut your teeth on that fruit cake.