As requested...I'm Smiling Canadian AMA (almost)

Any of your kids follow in your footsteps?

Do any of them ever ask you about your old job and if so, do you answer them brutally honest or hold some of it back?

I ask because my ex-stepdad was Army special forces in Vietnam and when I was a kid, I made the mistake of asking him one too many questions one night. After I moved away from his house and lived with my dad, I guess he began to open up to my 2 youngest brothers (his kids) and would tell them some shit. I was always curious if it was better to actually talk about vs. holding it all in.
 
samUwell said:
Any of your kids follow in your footsteps?

Do any of them ever ask you about your old job and if so, do you answer them brutally honest or hold some of it back?

I ask because my ex-stepdad was Army special forces in Vietnam and when I was a kid, I made the mistake of asking him one too many questions one night. After I moved away from his house and lived with my dad, I guess he began to open up to my 2 youngest brothers (his kids) and would tell them some shit. I was always curious if it was better to actually talk about vs. holding it all in.
Click to expand...

My oldest Son is in the US Navy. He was going to leave in 2018 but is staying now until 2023.

It would have been hard to not let our kids know what I did. After I got out I still worked as a PMC off and on. Hard to lie to the kids about a bullet hole.
 
Any movies that you feel are very realistic based on your experience or have scenes that remind you of actual events?

What were your buddies in the legion like? How did they compare to your marine buddies?
 
i remember you admitting before you have combat kills

were any close quarter

if you knew before you entered the military that you'd come out a killer

would you still join?
 
Buk Naked said:
Any movies that you feel are very realistic based on your experience or have scenes that remind you of actual events?

What were your buddies in the legion like? How did they compare to your marine buddies?
Click to expand...

The one that really does me in is Black Hawk Down. I was there in 91 and 93 and I knew 3 of the guys that were killed and its where I got my leg blown up. I can't watch it anymore. The other is Full Metal Jacket. While it plays up some pretty unrealistic events, I found the beginning of the movie to be very much what I experienced at Camp Pendleton. Minus the guy killing his DI and blowing his brains out.

Guys in the Legion are a real mixed bag. While you do get a fair number of folks with no military experience, most Legionnaires come from a military background in their own countries. In the Corps most of the guys I served with were drafted. Some were OK with it, others not so much. I found though that when it really mattered they would do what needed to be done. I have stayed in touch with only 3 guys from Vietnam.

I think you build a better bond between yourself and your friends in the Legion. You do everything together and I can't really explain why. I stay in touch with probably 20 or so people I served with from the Legion.

This is a terrible answer to your question...sorry...I'll give it more thought.
 
Last edited:
naptown said:
i remember you admitting before you have combat kills

were any close quarter

if you knew before you entered the military that you'd come out a killer

would you still join?
Click to expand...

I have killed 1 fellow with my bare hands and quite a few up close with a handgun or SMG.

For me...I knew what I was getting into and I was OK with it because for me it was a means to an end. I was kind of fucked up after Vietnam which led to me not being that great a person to other people. Whether it was the killing part of it or the shit you witness I don't know.

Given the same circumstances I still would have joined.
 
thanks for the honest reply

i havent read any of the other posters questions so if already asked i'm sorry and ignore

what unit were you in?

i re-watched ken burns vietnam last summer for the first time in many years and there were several moments that were tough to watch. especially, the stuff about "contact"

i cant remember the quote because i didnt want to rewatch it but it was something like "enemy ahead was shitty, "contact" was a motherfucker" or something insane.

do you know the quote i'm talking about? if so, what was it? i was talking about this to a veteran buddy the other day but i couldnt remember it.
 
I was Charlie Company 26th Marine Regiment in Vietnam but after I got hit at Khe Sanh I was placed with Bravo company 1st of the 1st (1st Battalion, 1st Marines)

I know what you are asking but I can not for the life of me remember the quote...
 
I am going to assume that the work in Africa was PMC related?

Of all the places you have been, where was the most 'frightening'? I can only imagine working in the jungle but was it really as crazy as we read about? I mean, at least from what you saw.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top