Author Topic: Happy Veterans' Day!  (Read 16191 times)

Offline Sir Harry

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Happy Veterans' Day!
« on: November 11, 2013, 11:07:06 AM »
To all of the members on SBG who have served and are serving....Happy Veterans' Day! And a special salute to those who gave the ultimate sacrifice and their families!


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Offline slymyke

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Re: Happy Veterans' Day!
« Reply #1 on: November 11, 2013, 11:16:39 AM »
To all of the members on SBG who have served and are serving....Happy Veterans' Day! And a special salute to those who gave the ultimate sacrifice and their families!



+!  Thank You for your Service!

Offline tomgallagher

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Re: Happy Veterans' Day!
« Reply #2 on: November 11, 2013, 12:13:18 PM »
Amen

Offline Mikekoz13

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Re: Happy Veterans' Day!
« Reply #3 on: November 11, 2013, 01:42:07 PM »
+1. Thank you all!!
"What contemptible scoundrel stole the cork from my lunch?" W.C. Fields

Offline Razor X

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Re: Happy Veterans' Day!
« Reply #4 on: November 11, 2013, 02:31:34 PM »
And another +1.   O0YR*(k

Offline EarlBald

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Re: Happy Veterans' Day!
« Reply #5 on: November 11, 2013, 07:01:06 PM »
Yes, I'd like to add my gratitude, also.  Veterans and current servicemembers, thank you for your service.

Here's a question that slides back into SBG territory.  Since 2001, servicemen (that's as in men, not generic) have been allowed to shave their heads.  Does anyone know what percentage of soldiers, etc. are SLY?  From photos I've seen from Iraq, it seems like a fairly large percentage (at least it was in that region).  I'm just curious.
« Last Edit: November 12, 2013, 04:20:07 PM by EarlBald »

Offline wpruitt

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Re: Happy Veterans' Day!
« Reply #6 on: November 12, 2013, 12:12:17 PM »
Thank you for your service
"Far better it is to dare mighty things, to win glorious triumphs, even though checkered by failure, than to take rank with those who neither enjoy much nor suffer much, because they live in the gray twilight that knows not victory nor defeat." - Theodore Roosevelt

Offline Sir Harry

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Re: Happy Veterans' Day!
« Reply #7 on: November 12, 2013, 12:40:08 PM »
Yes, I'd like to add my gratitude, also.  Veterans and current servicemembers, thank you for your service.

Here's a question that slides back into SBG territory.  Since 2001, servicemen (that's as in men, not generic) have been allowed to shave their heads.  Do anyone know what percentage of soldiers, etc. are SLY?  From photos I've seen from Iraq, it seems like a fairly large percentage (at least it was in that region).  I'm just curious.



Earl, thanks for the shout-out...To answer your last question, service members (mostly African Americans) have been shaving their heads as early as the the mid 1990's (when Michael Jordan was in his heyday)...Most of the time, guys, regardless of race, would shave their heads (not necessarily with a razor) if they were going to be on maneuvers or away
from civilization during an extended period. As far as the Iraq/Afghanistan periods which have been going on for more than a decade, here's a short, obvious list as to why shaved heads are so common over there:

1. MPB. Toupees and hairpieces are not allowed unless they are used to cover up some scarring, and I think you need your commander's approval. Further, given that you have to wear a kevlar outside of the compound, in most cases the kevlar wouldn't fit properly anyway (Some guys just simply buzz their horseshoe close)

2. Hot temperatures

3. The substandard sanitary conditions in those places. While showers and hygiene necessities are kept available (via the PX), sometimes a mission can keep you away from your home base for several days. Short haircuts and shaved heads are somewhat easier to keep up, also barbershops were not as easily accessible (although there were more on my second trip to Iraq than my first one five years prior)

4. Most servicemembers just like the look and it gives them more time to focus on other things (though you still have to keep a shaved head clean)

This is just a short list. Sorry for the long explanation, but I hope it helps. Hard for me to give a specific percentage, but this is just a general idea why you see more shaved heads in the military. Hope this helps.
« Last Edit: November 14, 2013, 04:56:38 PM by Sir Harry »
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Offline EarlBald

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Re: Happy Veterans' Day!
« Reply #8 on: November 12, 2013, 04:28:23 PM »
Thanks, Sir Harry.  I had guessed that it was the heat, and the other conditions seemed to make sense.  I know that Headblade provided some free blades for the troops, and a few commanders bought razors for the soldiers to encourage them to sport clean scalps.  For a man on a combat mission, freedom from hair makes sense.  In fact, it's the right look for a lot of men.

Offline baldjoeg

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Re: Happy Veterans' Day!
« Reply #9 on: November 14, 2013, 04:24:37 PM »
Thanks Sir Harry for your explanation and for your service. I was curious about this myself.

I just want to wish all SBG Vets a belated Happy Veterans Day. I hope that it was a good one. I wanted to get this greeting out in a timely manner but could not find the right place to put it.

Thank you all for your service.

Baldjoeg, a VIetnam Vet.

Offline Sir Harry

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Re: Happy Veterans' Day!
« Reply #10 on: November 14, 2013, 06:02:26 PM »
Bald Joe G., thank you for your service as well.....I have a greater appreciation for veterans who served in our earlier, 20th century conflicts, especially since the equipment, technology and logistics provided now were not available back then....While combat is a difficult situation regardless of age or time frame, it's open for debate whether the service members of today would make it under the conditions of yesterday. Getting back on topic, thank you again for paving the way for the younger folks.
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Offline tomgallagher

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Re: Happy Veterans' Day!
« Reply #11 on: November 15, 2013, 08:14:43 AM »
As I recall even if you wanted to blade shave your head it was against Army regulations. You could clipper shave your head to a fair thee well but no blade shave. (157th Inf. Brig....'62 to '68)

Offline Sir Harry

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Re: Happy Veterans' Day!
« Reply #12 on: November 19, 2013, 05:00:28 AM »
A little late, Tom, but thank you for your service.....On a side note, my deceased paternal grandfather served in the Marines during WWII in the mid 1940's.....If he were alive, he would have turned 88 years old on, ironically, Veterans' Day!
Even when the d is removed, the devil is still evil.

Offline wpruitt

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Re: Happy Veterans' Day!
« Reply #13 on: November 19, 2013, 04:10:05 PM »
A little late, Tom, but thank you for your service.....On a side note, my deceased paternal grandfather served in the Marines during WWII in the mid 1940's.....If he were alive, he would have turned 88 years old on, ironically, Veterans' Day!
Any good battle stories?  The Greatest Generation doesn't / didn't really tell their stories that much.  I found some old WW2 letters from my great uncles recently at Grandmama's house.  They wrote more about what was going on at home than what was going on with the war.  I'm still digging around Grandmama's house for some more WW2 letters.
"Far better it is to dare mighty things, to win glorious triumphs, even though checkered by failure, than to take rank with those who neither enjoy much nor suffer much, because they live in the gray twilight that knows not victory nor defeat." - Theodore Roosevelt

Offline Sir Harry

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Re: Happy Veterans' Day!
« Reply #14 on: November 19, 2013, 04:16:19 PM »
When I was in high school in the late 1980's I remember him telling me a story about Pearl Harbor....I only remember bits and pieces of that story but he said that he had to get over his fear of flying in a hurry!
Even when the d is removed, the devil is still evil.