First Day of Retirement

[Devildog73]

Well guys,

This is the first day of retirement for the last Vietnam combat Marine vet still on active duty: me.

I got a very nice letter from the Commandant of the Marine Corps congratulating me on my retirement.

I got a very nice ceremony from Major General Kee, USAF, my boss in Stuttgart, Germany before I returned to the States.

I got a very nice NCO Sword from my Directorate.

The Army National Guard Bureau sent me a retirement order that had to be amended 3 times to correct errors in information.

The Army National Guard Bureau sent me a travel order that had to be amended 4 times to correct errors or omissions of information.

The Army Transition Point made several mistakes on my DD214, even after the clerk and I went through it a couple of times to get the worksheet correct.
Even after the final, original DD214 got to me, some of the corrections the clerk and I made were left off.
The DD215 they did was also wrong with an award that does not even exist.

What has happened to attention to detail and customer service???

End results: I am still retired and awaiting my final pay from the Army. We will see if they can get it and my first retirement pay correct...........

DD73

[ColoKent]

Devildog,

Unfortunately lack of attention to detail, and lack of willingness to assume personal responsibility with no consequence are the dual hallmarks of our society today...Since the military mirrors society, those qualities unfortunately are impacting the military as well. Thank you for your service!

Kent

[Shadow Wolf 07]

Congratulations on your retirement DD. Welcome to the ranks!

[Rami]

Devildog,

Congratulations, and I also pass along my thanks for your service. Godspeed on your new journey.

[Blood_Hawk23]

Hey DD,

Congrats my friend and welcome to the fold 'Civy".

Well some things don't change. It is still "Hurry up and wait".

I would suggest relaxing and enjoy some time off. Then get back to work. I pray you have a smooth transition. It took my Dad about a year to really wind down. I hope its quicker for you.


Till Later,
John

[Worthless]

Welcome back to the states DD, and thankyou for your service.

[kelticheart]

Best wishes for your new beginning in life! And congratulations for your service record.

Good for you are back in the States, as it's the worst time since the end of WWII to be in Europe now.

The crap that's going on in Lybia, the Middle East, Ukraine and the Isis advance in Iraq and Syria are definitely too close for comfort. Besides, it seems that local politicians here have sold themselves to the Moslem extremists.

We are being drowned in illegal immigration and only now some National Security official is warning that Jihad terrorists might have arrived here on the clandestine boats crossing the strait between Tunisia and Sicily. Something that we, "the people", knew all along.

There are even cases of reversed discrimination going on in our courts of law. Newspapers here reported that being a Moslem is considered a extenuating circumstance in lawsuits between native Italians and "them", several judges set the precedent.

A guy from Africa that went about killing three people with a pickaxe last year in the streets of Milano, while shouting racist insults against Europeans, only got a fifteen year term in prison because "mentally disturbed".

Two of Italian Navy soldiers are still held in India after over two years on phony accuses that they killed two fishermen, while defending one of our commercial ships that was attacked by pirates a number of times. What were "innocent" fishermen doing in pirate-infested waters anyway? What right had Indian authorities to force boarding the Italian ship and arrest our two soldiers, when the facts happened in international waters well out of Indian jurisdiction?

All the while schoolboys here, sons of Indian immigrants, write in their compositions that "we are few now, but our number is growing. When we'll be enough, we'll exterminate you all.". This was told to me by an elementary school teacher, a friend of my fiancée since they were small girls. Needless to say she cannot publish the compositions, because this would infringe the pupils' privacy rights!!!!! Naturally, our bright elected officials and diplomats aren't getting any positive result with this shame!

Foreigners arrested here on suspicion of terrorism, declared they will conquer Italy "through the wombs of their women". When there will be enough of them, they will conquer the Vatican, demolish it and build a mosque in its place.

Not that I particularly care about the supremacy of Catholicism, or any other religion at that, all Gods are all but one as the ancient Druids taught. I simply would not like to see Michelangelo's Saint Peter cathedral dome, a Renaissance architectural masterpiece, blown up as the Talebans did with the ancient Buddhist temples in Afghanistan!

They keep coming and no one stops them.....Whoever is in power here doesn't lift a finger to stem all of this. Actually they seem to get along with it. I do no recoginse my country as being part of Western culture anymore.....

Human rights are definitely a milestone and cannot be discussed, but they should never be granted to who was not raised with such values first and foremost, and actually considers them a great weakness. Period.

I am afraid that what Goering declared during the Nuremberg Trial, that "one day you will all miss us" might come to pass.

It's good for you Devildog that you placed the Atlantic Ocean in between you and poor, weak Europe. As to me, I think it's high time I consider purchasing good stores of firearms and ammo....

The ancient Romans (another bunch of sonofa.....) used to say "Si vis pacem, para bellum!" (If you wish peace, prepare yourself for war!).

Enjoy a great retirement!
KH

[Captain Kurt]

LOL Kelti, it's not much better on this side of the pond. Many here already have their personal arsenals.

DD thank you for your long service. I wish the government bureaucracy was making it easier for you.

[Naismith]

Ach! That is all admin BS. They don't care. What matters is the guys you served with, the times you shared. That is where the memories are. Good or bad that is the bond. Enjoy the retirement, you think you have time on your hands? Think again.

[Sarg Willy]

Many Thanks for your Service Devil Dog , and welcome back ,

Kelti walk softly , but carry a big stick ,

[watchdog22]

Congratulations Devil Dog! I know all about admin errors in the services, I served in Vietnam in 70-71 and well remember being brought in the backdoor on a 2AM flight into Sydney when I returned. After my 12 years full time service I did 29 in the Army Reserve, when I was promoted to Warrant Officer in a Cav unit my Warrant Certificate had the wrong service number on it. After many attempts to get it rectified it's still not been replaced!! Surely you'd think that a man's service number which has been ingrained into his being could be got right. Sorry, just getting off my soapbox

[kelticheart]

LOL Kelti, it's not much better on this side of the pond. Many here already have their personal arsenals.....

What I have been asking myself for the last 15 years is: "Why our elected official are doing this to we, the people?"

Just for oil?

We have all the necessary technology and know-how. Western culture and Illuminism freedom of thought produced the best scientific thinking of the entire world.

Isn't it high time we found out to run our internal combustion engines on water and tell the rest of the world which hates us so much, (but they would never have their yachts with solid gold taps, trim and such, if it weren't for our technology and the arm-n-leg we pay every day since 1945 for oil imports!) to go and use their oil as dressing for their salads and falafel?

What can they grow in their deserts, isolated from Evil Westerner support?

Sure we had hundred of wars here, the Holy Inquisition and the Crusades, but we moved on, on our own. Without lopping heads off of anyone else but our own tyrants.
And now we have democracy, acquired at a huge cost. Why can't we be taken as an example to follow, instead of hating us?

Who are the Western renegades who, thanks to democracy, are making vast profits out of all this? I can only explain myself what's going on with this last question.

I apologise to everybody here for flying off the subject so greatly. I did it because I know someone here can understand me and probably the news in your countries aren't covering what happens internally in Italy these days, and it's blasting my liver to pieces. Sharing info helps mutual understanding, I truly needed to , I swear this is my last reply in this sense to this thread. Please DD, do forgive me.
Me

[alpha_1]

Welcome home, Buddy! Enjoy!!

Cheers;

[Shadow Wolf 07]

In my initial posting I neglected to mention anything about your many years of service. Thank you man!

[John Pirnie]

Yes, Congratulations on your retirement DD. Welcome to the ranks!
John

[Fibber]

...welcome to the ranks of the PDW Society (Professional Day Waster Society) and its sub-chapter PWA/PIA (Professional Wife Annoyer/Pain In the A-- Society)! You will know that you are a truely accepted member when your wife says " You have been retired two days!!!! When are you gonna get a JOB!!!"

CONGRADULATIONS!!!!!!!!!!

[Devildog73]

Congratulations Devil Dog! I know all about admin errors in the services, I served in Vietnam in 70-71 and well remember being brought in the backdoor on a 2AM flight into Sydney when I returned. After my 12 years full time service I did 29 in the Army Reserve, when I was promoted to Warrant Officer in a Cav unit my Warrant Certificate had the wrong service number on it. After many attempts to get it rectified it's still not been replaced!! Surely you'd think that a man's service number which has been ingrained into his being could be got right. Sorry, just getting off my soapbox

Wow, watchdog22, you and I were in Vietnam at the same time it appears.