Marswolf

I have a friend in Kingsport who did nuclear sub service. He says he wouldn't give anything for the experience, and nothing in this world could force him to do it again.

My history is a bit weird. But weird is just normal for me. I started doing civilian Intelligence liaison work as a summer job while in college. It's a long story. Here's the short version. I was an engineering student who for some reason developed an interest in Utopian society. Blame B. F. Skinner for that and my later interest in Psychology. Anyway, I decided to map out where Utopian enclaves could be established and quickly realized that these places would be good areas to train guerrilla warfare folks. Guerrilla warfare was another interest thanks to reading Che Guevara's Bolivian diary among other stuff. I mentioned and showed my map to one of the deans, who was a WWII Intel vet and he got me a summer job in DC with side trips to exotic locales doing courier work and other interesting stuff. This led to Vietnam service, including a couple of unpleasant experiences with mine fragments and one bullet that got me sent home a bit bandaged up. Some time later I agreed to do some more civilian work in interesting climes. I retired from that service about the time I got married in '95. After 9-11, I was asked to un-retire. And history continues....

Terry, I'm glad your grandfather is around to talk to. Since he's willing to talk (a lot of guys won't) get him to give you a first-hand education on WWII. My wife's father was at Normandy and went on to the Bulge. My father did not serve in the WWII military. All I ever heard is that "they" decided he was more valuable doing what he was doing than in the military. Looking back, that was pretty cryptic, but didn't register with me at the time. He was an expert in industrial instrumentation. After his death I found his WWII badges for access at Oak Ridge. He never mentioned that.

I'd say a bit more than just experienced in battle. I'd say you have to have acted responsibly in battle. Cowering behind a tree during the fray gives you experience, but doesn't make you a warrior by my thinking. Reminds me of something I once read about speaker response. As one writer pointed out, a speaker making horrible noises and bursting into flame might be a response by the speaker to a signal. But this is not what most people think of as speaker response. Acquitting yourself in battle is what I look for in a warrior.

I know you do....

Just curious how many military veterans we have around here. This is not a pecking order thread. People have lots of reasons why they are or are not a vet so don't get defensive. Veterans may have a bit different perspective on issues and that's part of my reason for starting this. That perspective may provide insight, or it may blind them to the issues.

As someone once said, there was no place that was safe in Vietnam. But some places were less safe than others. That applies to our current situation too.

I was thinking of a specific case of someone who left his wounded buddies and hid to protect himself during an attack. And I hear he continues to posture himself as a great warrior. That's scum. And other people know about him and defend him. That's just sick in my book. Not everyone can hack it in combat. I don't fault them for that. But I have a problem with someone who has proven that they won't or can't fight and continues to pretend that they can for some sort of fake glory. It's like a local guy who is a fake Vietnam POW. I have no use for those who would steal the valor of real warriors. They are indeed scum. Most of the Rambozos are pretty laughable and transparent. More dummyfied than scumified.

A librarian??? Rabbi has a point though. There are a lot of self-proclaimed warriors who couldn't fight their way to their table from the Shoney's food bar. I know one who hid in a ditch. As I said, there are real warriors and pretend warriors. The real shame is when good people are suckered in and defend the pretend ones as heroes rather than the scum they are.

Just because someone is a warrior, that doesn't mean he goes around attacking people at random. That's a thug, not a warrior. It seems to me that if we had more warriors, we would also have more civility and a better civilization.

Well, there are real warriors and pretend warriors.

Yep, welcome!!! I'm just up the road from you.

BTW, check out this page for some more interesting videos and photos.

Guess I should clarify my view on this magazine change thing. I don't believe for a minute that I could do mag changes that fast. Doubt many of us on this board could do it even with an eternity of practice. But I see it as a stunt, like a circus act. It's entertaining. That's what it is supposed to be. It is an impressive display of skills that few people can learn or would want to learn. I can't become a trapeze acrobat either. There is special equipment here. Apart from the gun, the magazine holder is definitely not normal in design or placement. I'll bet the gun has a few mods too. But that's fine. It's entertainment. Bob Munden fits into the same group. Wonderfully tuned skills using a wonderfully tuned gun and low pressure rounds. Not practical, but entertaining. I just don't understand why we are getting mad at each other about this. Don't agree with me? Fine. Give your view. Just don't call me, or someone else, stupid or something for stating their opinion. Personally, I'd rather spend my time coaxing a WWII vet into talking about his Pacific Theater experience, as I did yesterday afternoon, than watching someone do quick changes. But your mileage may vary and that's fine too.

I deleted a couple of messages here. One was for name calling and the other was because it was a response that included the original post. It's fine to disagree. Not fine to call someone a nasty name. Debate the issues folks.

Rabbi, I'm getting scared. I'm agreeing with your posts.

Alabama didn't honor our permits because we didn't honor theirs. Alabama does not require a background check. We had a hissy-fit about that. Finally decided that was cool and both states now like each other.

Some people are forever the FNG.

Gun Rack has been around forever. Gunslingers is pretty new. Both are about the same distance from you. I'd call either before doing a transfer to make sure they aren't collecting the use tax and to confirm the cost. Talked to a guy yesterday who went to Gunslingers to see about selling or trading a rifle. They offered him about 1/7 of what the gun was worth. I asked him if they offered free butt lube. They have a bad reputation for low-balling you on trades. But their prices are good if you want to buy new guns from them.

Ran into a guy yesterday from West Virginia. He thought they honor Tennessee permits. I explained that he could pack in TN, but we couldn't (yet) in WV. Laws change all the time. You need to check just before you go on a trip. Anything an instructor tells you about where you can pack may change by next week.

Am I the only one with my mind in the gutter while looking at that side view?

Glad you found us. Just jump right in. What are you a veteran of?

David, some of my posted videos come up embedded and some don't. I wonder why too. For a minute, I thought the Cavalry Arms video was going to be a joke with all the firing in the background. I did notice she said to visit "Calvary Arms" instead of "Cavalry Arms". Sensitivity to that common error goes back a long way with me. Phantom, I think showing that video probably does as much as an hour of safety talk.

I'm guessing that the three people who say they would pay $40 have already done that or have an interest in others paying that much.

Well, really this comes down to what people think is a reasonable price to charge. Whether it is actually reasonable or not is another matter. Basically almost 2/3 of the folks in the survey are saying they think they are getting ripped off if a FFL asks more than $20 to do a transfer. That should be useful information to someone in the gun business. Actually, the most I've ever paid is $15. I voted $20. I know someone who owns a local gun shop. I called him before I became a customer and asked how much he would charge for a transfer. He said $30, so I went with another guy who charged $15. I felt he was trying to cheat me. He wasn't of course. He can legitimately charge what he likes. But it left a bad taste in my mouth and I didn't go into his shop for about a year because of that event. I bought several guns from other shops during that year because I didn't want to deal with someone I considered a ripoff artist. My thinking now is that his service fee was legitimate, but bad business practice. I have bought quite a few guns from him since then. I would have bought more....