Change of heart....

[Koehn]

For an entire year... I have been "hardcore" for Marines... That is all I wanted to do... being a church going Christian.. i have recently done some praying, for my life and career choice... He presented me with a plan... join the Marines for 4 years.. go Recon out of SOI... do that.. and get out, go to college for either Sports Medicine or Psycology. i realized that I want to help people more than kill them...
I prayed some more... about relationships and how they will be able to last in the military... if I so happen to have one. In the Marines... I will be away for a long amount of time, and would not be able to have a successful relationship with a woman. I would learn discipline (internal), respect, pride, sense of belonging (all internal), and learn to kill. What good would learning to kill do me when I get out and go to college for Sports Medicine or Psycology...? Not a whole lot.
I still have a GREAT deal of respect for the Marines, past, present, and future. However, for me, for my goal, for my aspirations. I believe that i would be better off going to the Air Force.
It hurts a little to say that... not because the Air Force is bad, because it's not.. but because I wanted to join the Marines so much. I will think long and hard about it, but right now, it seems like the best choice for me and my life... and any relationships i may have. I want to thank everyone for they're support with me and the Marines... and say that I am sorry that I did not keep that desire in me... When God shows you something, and it makes sense... you are better off doing that. I feel that this may be my calling. To do Air Force, go to college, become a Psycologist (most likely) or do Sports Medicine, and have a family.... THanks again.

Koehn

[Farquer,Robert,F]

Koehn the Air Force is a graet place expecielly the Pararescue/Combat Controllers MOS.The one thing I must warn you about is that no matter what MOS you choose killing is part of it.IT doesn't matter wether you pull the trigger on a rifle or proof read the orders to bomb an enemy location the result is the same.Also with the Pararescue MOS you will be trained to kill.Your main job is the recovery of military personal behind enemy lines.A few years ago two or maybe three PJ's were shot while trying to rescue a French pilot during the NATO/Bosnia war.I would find it very hard to beleive that they did not return accurate fire upon their enemy!It is true that there may not be a conflict during your comitment with the military, you must be prepared for the worst.The military is a great place,but it's not for everyone.Understand that I'm not trying to discourage you,just enlighten you to the truth.I saw alot of people going threw basic or tech school that didn't want to be in the military anymore. Almost all of them where there just for the college money. Personally I think the military should advertise that less becuse they get alot of people who are thare to put in their 4 years and get out.they waist alot of money training these 4year quitters and they put out lackluster performances becuse they don't care to make a carrier of it.Good luck with your choices, if it turns out to be joining the Air Force then I'd recommend the Pararescue/Combat Controlers MOS. That was mine until a unforseen situation stopped me.Now I'm prepareing to enter the Navy with the SeAL challange program. Good luck with the future !!

[Koehn]

Thankyou. Although they are trained to kill, I would be more comfortable dying trying to save somebody... ya know? I dunno, just a thought....


Koehn

[Special K]

Keep this in mind though, in the military you are either responsible for killing or your supporting those who do. In PJ's, your rescuing pilots who have been downed so that they can heal and drop more bombs.

Just my 2 cents

[jeff]

Robert,
On the mission, "22", your speaking about the aircrews, gunners, of the 53s were the injured guys. I'll have to ask our guys, who were on the aircraft also, if any PJs were injured. It is difficult to "return accurate fire" if you are never on the ground. The aircraft never touched down and the injuries were sustained by ground fire directed at the package, especially on the eggress near the coast. The gunners on the aircraft did lighten the aircraft a bit, getting rid of some of the .50cal and 7.62mm. The PJs were part of a rescue package.


[This message has been edited by jeff (edited 08-06-2000).]

[Farquer,Robert,F]

10-4 Jeff,
It sounds like you may have some insight on this subject,Is this the same op that the SeALs conducted a few days earlier without sucsess? That is the one I'm talking about, From what I was told the PJ's were fast ropeing to the ground when contact was recieved. they hit the ground and returned fire ,while the gunners from their HH-60 blackhawk layed down cover fire. Supposedly there was an Apache gun ship there to?The HH-60G NIGHTHAWK landed and picked up the PJ's on the ground.The guy who told me about this inciedent has been reasigned to Clearwater Florida so I can't get anymore details on it,but I can tell you that he was very critical about the fact that multible teams were sent in on deferent nights. He said that this is what compromised the team in question?

[jeff]

Robert,
My unit and a SEAL plt were on CSAR for three years covering BH. The aircraft which operated were MH53s. The AF does have some MH-60 Nighthawks that are similiar but not identical to the HH-60. Also HH60s are from ACC and were only used for CSAR in Northern Iraq and only then after 95. There is always the possiblity of other operations that i'm unaware of but it is highly unlikely. No PJs that i ever heard of got into a firefight on the ground without their security element, SF or SEAL, getting into the fight, I can guarentee that you couldn't stop them if your wanted to. Also it is highly unlikely that AH-64s were on scene, there were none supporting the CSAR elements. If they were there then they came from Bosnia, and that is a very dicey political move, putting "peacekeeping" forces into Serbia for a combat operation. Again i'm not privey to everything that went on there so it is possible.

[This message has been edited by jeff (edited 08-06-2000).]

[John Clark]

Koehn,
It almost sounds like the military isn't for you. Have you thought about a career in law enforcement. Police officers need to be physically fit and are part of a team, something I think you are looking for. Complete college and join the local force. You'll move up a lot faster with the degree. You can still have a family and it could turn into the FBI someday. Lastly, you are out there helping others everyday and most police officers seldom even draw their weapon. Most of my cop friends feel good about what they do everyday. By the way the majority had no military training. Think about it.

[Koehn]

Of course I will think about it... and I have... however, I feel (tentatively) at ease with my current decision, which could very well change within this coming year... I will not sign anything until I am ready to go the next day... I don't think that the militar is not for me as much as I want to figure out which is the best for me.... maybe you're right... maybe it's not for me... who knows... but it would definately be a great experience to have.... if I decide to do PJs in the AF and then afterwards be a paramedic... maybe in a fire dept. If I would not join the military, I would probably be a fire fighter... but, I do have alot of thinking to do... and will talk with close friends inside and outside of the church to hear their opinions... and will pray about it some more.... thankyou for all your help...


Koehn

[Farquer,Robert,F]

I think this incident happened in Bosnia before the ground troops were in place,(I'm not positive though?)
The person that I talked to about it didn't make any mention about either a SF or SeAL security detachment, he did say that it was a STT team iE PJ's/CCT members. I may have some of the facts wrong, but I'm shure that he said that it was two or three PJ's that were injured.
If you don't mind me asking are you either a PJ or CCT? I was asking becuse I wanted to no if the Instructor called the Terminator is still in the service? He was at the PJ/CCT school at Lackland back in May of 95'
He's a hell of a guy.But at the same time he scared the hell out of all the trainees!!
Any more info that you can come up with on our original conversation is greatly appreciated.

[J The Body]

Terminator?

Pope? Arce? Desola? To many more to name that could be called that.

[Farquer,Robert,F]

I thought It was Conally or something close.Unless I'm mistaken Pope was a Msgt,Cheif NCO of the tech school back when I tested,? I may be mistaken though. If it's him he had a daughter & son that were there that day.
I do remember that all of the instructors were real nice guys to sit down and talk to.
One of the CCT trainees heard what was going on with me and I guess he mentioned it to an instuctor, well two of them stopped by and gave me some words of encouragement. They told me not to get down but to just get things straight so I could attend training.

Unfortunatly for the Air Force the officer in charge of the 737th refused me permission to leave the base for two days to go testify and instead kicked me out of the military.
Right now I'm waiting for a change of (RE) code so I can enter the Navy & attend BUD/S.

[This message has been edited by Farquer,Robert,F (edited 08-09-2000).]

[jeff]

Robert,
I'm neither a PJ or CCT. I'm one of the lowly ground security types mentioned above.

[Farquer,Robert,F]

10-4 Jeff,
As I already stated I'm planning on being "one of them lowly ground security types" myself!NAVY though.It's good to hear from you it sounds like we may know some of the same guys!
BE SAFE & WATCH YOUR SIX!