Cool/uncool thing happened at work today

[Limited GM]

Sounds like it was pretty cool all the way around.

Agreed.

[Aloha_Shooter]

I'm embarrassed to admit that in my 20 years of service I never deployed. Hell, I can't even lay claim to being a REMF. Minus a remote tour to Korea, I stayed stateside my entire career. During DS1, I tried hard to deploy. Back then I was all "Gung-Ho G.I. Joe". My repeated requests to deploy were all met with the same response: "You're too valuable here to let you deploy." Maybe I should have felt proud of my contributions but I simply felt cheated. Since they wouldn't deploy me I tried to make up for it in other ways. I did my job the best I could. I joined an OPFOR team to help those who would be deploying think like the bad guys so they could better protect themselves. I "played cop" by volunteering as an AF Security Forces augmentee. During my seven months in that duty I learned the job well, I became "wrap certified" to work with/train the K9's and was eventually allowed to "QC" to ride patrol without a career field cop alongside. When the second Gulf War began, shortly before I retired, I was informed that I was medically disqualified from deploying. While I know my contributions were important, I still feel inferior to those who deployed and were literally in harms way. If I was still active today I'd be quite the oddity as someone who'd never deployed. Perhaps my time in uniform, yet never deploying, helps me know firsthand the genuine appreciation felt by those who've not served. Not everyone can serve. Not everyone should serve. But, appreciating the contributions, sacrifices and experienced dangers of those who did is something everyone should do.

I know what you mean. I tried to volunteer during DS1 but was deemed more valuable where I was stateside. I tried again via MFR and my squadron commander wrote back that no meant no and he didn't want to hear anymore about it. When OIF kicked off, I made sure everyone in my division got weapons qualified and scheduled to supplement the base cops when they were home stateside (our job involved deployments overseas but not in connection with OIF). I tried again to volunteer when a short term deployment came up but was rejected as I already had PCS orders for Korea. I tried to argue that I'd get home with a month or two to prepare for the PCS but was told to focus on getting my selected captains ready for the deployment. Like you, I know what I did was important but still feel somewhat lacking in never having been in harms way.

[mcantar18c]

Which one are you at Mason?

Hall, in Parker.

[Doc45]

As the very proud dad of an Army E6 I think you're just fine. I wear ball caps all the time. A couple have flags, one has a "punisher" patch which was gifted to me by a friend's son (dad was a SEAL, his son is). I also have a sweatshirt, hat and t-shirts with my son's last unit on them from his most recent deployment. The few times I've been asked if it was because of my service I clearly state "no, it's because of my son's and a friend's son". Always asked to thank them as well as for the families support of them.

[Jeffrey Lebowski]

Very interesting and cool story.
I spend probably more time than I should in our local microbrew type places. Seems you and he both were cooler than ~50% of the folks I see while people watching. Self included!

[sniper7]

If you feel terrible about it, I'll happily add that hat to my collection...I'm a hat whore!

i think what they guy did was awesome, think of it as a thanks for your service. At least the guy didn't pull the stolen valor act, been enough of that lately.

[newracer]

I don't think you were an asshole at all and obviously he didn't either.

[brutal]

Hall, in Parker.

Where is this?, because Google is fucked.

The address shows next to the UPS store SE corner Parker & Main.

[mcantar18c]

Pretty much. SE corner of Parker and Main, in the same lot as McDonalds. There's also a gun store a few storefronts down.

[hollohas]

You asked a fair question and that guy is a stand up guy as well. It certainly doesn't sound like you were being confrontational. What a great interaction. Hope he comes back so the two of you can chat.

I have a hat VERY similar to that. It was thrown in as a free gift with an online order from some retailer. It fits well so I wanted to wear it. Rather than walk around with an empty velcro space (which looks stupid), I put an OD American Flag patch on it as the Flag seemed like the best option to avoid trying to look like some fake operator and the OD matched the hat. I didn't serve but I do love America and don't mind advertising that. The Flag is a symbol we all share.

If a vet asked me if I served based on my appearance while wearing the hat, I would make it immediately clear that I did not...however I'm not such a stand up guy because I wouldn't give up my hat...it just fits too good and a good hat is hard to come by .