It’s that time of year again. Please help the United States Marine Corps Reserve give a little bit of Christmas cheer to needy kids. One unwrapped toy will make some child’s year just a little bit better.
Thanks for giving and Happy Rovering.
Thirty Years Ago Today I Became A United States Marine (Post #298) 8/20/2012
Thirty years ago today I graduated from the United States Marine Corps Boot Camp in San Diego, California. Thirty years is a long time. But as long as it has been, every morning I wake up and know I am a United States Marine.
As I wrote in my Marine Corps Story,
“Being a Marine defines everything I am today and everything I ever was. I earned the title the same way millions of men before me and millions will after me. The method may change in the future, as it had changed before my service. All Marines are fraternal brothers and sisters. I believe all Marines have served for the same basic primal reason. We serve others because that is what God put us on the earth to do. Some men and women gave their lives in this service. That will always be the cost we have to bare. Some of us give a little and some of us give everything. All those that have lived free from this gift of service owe these men and women an eternal debt of gratitude. That debt can never be paid in a lifetime and only through the rememberance of the fine men and women that provided that freedom, and a promise to those men and women from those enjoying freedom to “never to allow others to be subjugated and ruled by tyranny and fear” can it ever begin to be repaid. The respect, adventure, and pride that comes with the title, United States Marine, are all just extra benefits of serving the people of our great country and the protecting the principles we as a people hold dear.” — Eric Stephens, September 2008.
My heart will always be draped in dress blue. I wasn’t the best Marine. I was not a poster Marine like my good friend Jason, who in 2008 was promoted to E-9, Master Gunnery Sergeant. I didn’t always fit in, but I love being a Marine. The looks of surprise on people’s faces upon them learning that I was a Marine still entertain me. Each and every day I wake up and know that no matter what I may encounter, I am a Marine, and I can adapt and overcome whatever life presents me.
God bless our Corps and God bless the United States of America.
Thanks for reading and Happy Rovering Semper Fidelis.
Happy New Year, Whoa! (Post #279) 1/2/2012
I say whoa because here in the middle states “whoa” is the command you give a horse to slow down or stop depending on the pull of the reigns. “Whoa” is also what goes through your head when you press on the brakes in your Range Rover and they surge like you have a warped brake disc.
I put those discs on just this summer. They haven’t had a thousand miles on them yet and that’s pretty disappointing. I’m going to remove them and have them machined down. Its a job I can’t get to right now as my garage is not yet reclaimed from all the stuff that didn’t make it into the garage sale after mom’s funeral.
I also need to adjust the upper rear lift gate. It has a nasty habit of popping open when the body flexes as when we go over the rail road tracks on Robinson street or over a water erosion formation out in the pasture. I think I can back it out just a bit and not try for such a tight fit.
Taking advantage of the beautiful weather on New Year’s Eve it was a very unseasonable 70F, we planned to go shooting. RovErica’s boyfriend is home on leave from serving in the U.S. Marine Corps water taxi service. In actuality, he serves aboard the USS Guardian. And from the picture you can surmise he’s stationed in Japan, as that is Mount Fujiyama in the background.
Our gracious host has some very nice weapons and we took full advantage of the fun provided by shooting some of the classic weapons of the greatest generation. We shot a Thompson, BAR, and some other toys that I brought.
RovErica is my only child who enjoys the shooting sports. She especially likes to shoot the M-1 Garand but she only shoots it a few times before she is done. I made her shoot it “one more time” so I could get some video. Before you beat up on me for being mean to her during the video she is tougher than she might look. And don’t worry Momma was there so I couldn’t be too mean to her without feeling her wrath.
Chris brought his little brother and together the put on a pretty good display of shooting for rookies. I was quoted at one point as saying to Chris, “You shoot pretty good for a squid.” He actually does shoot well and put on a display with the BAR by pushing the rubber target up the berm.
RovErica really likes shooting my .22 revolver. She asked me to leave it to her in my will. I’m pretty sure the other kids will give her all the guns. That might change if any of my grand kids like shooting with their PawPaw. We shall see.
We finished off the New Year’s Eve activities by having our friends the Fisher’s over. We do this nearly every year. Neither of us have to be out or driving we live just 3 houses away. They brought a new game this year. Name 5 is pretty fun. The gist of it was you draw a card and it has subjects on it and you have to name five of what ever the subject is.
Name five college sports teams.
Easy right? A couple we found fun were name five kinds of house plants. Being that we don’t have green thumbs we couldn’t come up with five. The other team can challenge your answers and if it is deemed not a acceptable answer you lose. On the house plants my wife answered Marijuana. Between Mrs. OkieRover and I we could name 6 people from our past that grew that in their home. Hell, my brother grew it in his closet at my mom and dad’s home when we were growing up. It was deem unacceptable and so we lost that round.
It seemed when the other team would get name five colors, we would get name five Ethiopian Nobel Prize candidates from the first half of the 20th century. Or they would get name five letters in the alphabet, and we would get name five Popes from the Middle Ages who weren’t born in Italy. It a pretty good time. We finished up with some Wii Archery, Bowling, and Fencing Speed Slicing. Good times.
As I watch Mrs. OkieRover put away the Christmas decorations and the Dallas Cowboys getting thumped by the New York Football Giants I wish you all a Happy New Year. Let’s have a really good one this year and let it be full of awesomeness.
As far as resolutions…eh, I have decided to get into better shape. My man boobs have grown to B cup size and that’s just not acceptable. The weight loss I have enjoyed has slipped around 15 pounds. I need to get it back off.
Name five exercises that will get you back into shape if you just do them.
Name five projects the Range Rover needs done so I can get her out on some four wheeling trips this Spring.
Thanks for reading, Happy New Year, and Happy Rovering.
Castra Praetoria: Marines can do anything. (Post #265) 8/18/2011
Castra Praetoria: Marines can do anything.
Well played by America’s First Sergeant.
Thanks for reading and Semper Fi.
It’s an oldie…but a goodie (Post #263) 8/12/2011
I was reading a recent post by America’s First Sergeant on his blog Castra Praetoria. He was talking about movies he was not likely to see.
From his post…
My feelings on the matter were best articulated by my CO recently when his wife asked him why he he had zero interest in watching The Hurtlocker on DVD. His answer: “Why the hell would I want to watch that? Do you think if the Marines made a movie about hippies and communists anyone would want to go see it?”
He linked this story from the Daily Show….
Very funny…Have a good weekend and thanks for reading and Happy Rovering.
Semper Fidelis.
Happy Birthday Marines! (Post #218) 11/10/2010
Today is the 235th birthday of my beloved Corps. Two hundred and thirty five years ago some brave and bold men met in Tun Tavern and on this day the Continental Congress authorized the formation of what would become one of the most feared and respected armed forces in the world, The United States Marine Corps.
Today I wish all Marines all over the world a Happy Birthday.
Here’s to the Corps! OOOoorah!