| SkirmishFan | 13 Sep 2007 2:28 p.m. PST |
As per title – I joined the British Army on 13 Sep 1977 and I have enjoyed mostly every day of it. My lovely wife bought me a bottle of champagne, we had a nice meal together and then I smoked a Cohiba Cigar. A nice way to clebrate. |
| morrigan | 13 Sep 2007 2:41 p.m. PST |
Thank you for your service! |
| mweaver | 13 Sep 2007 2:43 p.m. PST |
Congratulations! That is an impressive anniversary. |
| anleiher | 13 Sep 2007 2:44 p.m. PST |
Congratulations. I hope the champagne was expensive and well chilled. |
| dscarpenter | 13 Sep 2007 2:45 p.m. PST |
Congratulations, SF! I applaud your committment to a career serving your nation! |
| Saxondog | 13 Sep 2007 2:45 p.m. PST |
Congratulations!!! Any plans for the future? |
| nickinsomerset | 13 Sep 2007 2:46 p.m. PST |
But are you a member of the AWA and if not why not?!!!! |
| CorpCommander | 13 Sep 2007 2:53 p.m. PST |
Congradulations from the USA. May the friendship between our countries be a model for the rest of the world. |
| Patrick FL | 13 Sep 2007 2:54 p.m. PST |
Congrats! I wish you and your wife all the best. |
| Charles Marlow | 13 Sep 2007 3:04 p.m. PST |
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| Cosmic Reset | 13 Sep 2007 3:16 p.m. PST |
Congrats! That is an amazing thing. |
| Jed H R | 13 Sep 2007 4:01 p.m. PST |
Happy anniversary, "Pongo"!
(From a "Brylcreem Boy", the only printable army slang for RAF, or "Crabfat" as the "Fishheads" like to call us). |
| MONGREL1 | 13 Sep 2007 4:19 p.m. PST |
Congratulations on your length of service and your survivability. I hope you have a long and happy retirement when you finally pack it in. Frank |
| eagleteacher25 | 13 Sep 2007 4:41 p.m. PST |
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| archstanton73 | 13 Sep 2007 4:53 p.m. PST |
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| Photonred | 13 Sep 2007 4:56 p.m. PST |
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| nevals | 13 Sep 2007 5:07 p.m. PST |
Hey,warm congratulations from Canada.
So,how much longer?Or should we ask your lady? |
 BrigadeGames  | 13 Sep 2007 5:23 p.m. PST |
Congratulations on your 30 years of service. |
| Steve Hazuka | 13 Sep 2007 5:57 p.m. PST |
So does that make you a citizen now or am I confusing that with the Roman army. It's hard to keep it straight since all Romans on TV have British accents. Congrats |
| Rattlehead | 13 Sep 2007 6:14 p.m. PST |
Congrats and Well Done! And let me echo CorpCommander's comment, may the friendship of our nations be a model for the rest of the world. |
| Sterling Moose | 13 Sep 2007 6:22 p.m. PST |
But are you a member of the AWA and if not why not?!!!! Nice one Nick – we need all the menbers we can get!!! Sterling |
| DeanMoto | 13 Sep 2007 6:45 p.m. PST |
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 McKinstry   | 13 Sep 2007 7:50 p.m. PST |
Congratulations and thank you. |
| Lord Flashheart | 14 Sep 2007 2:33 a.m. PST |
Well done. I've just reached 25 years this January but as we where in the sandpit the locals decided to mark it for me with a rocket salute :) |
| FROG OF WAR | 14 Sep 2007 4:12 a.m. PST |
Roll on next year, 1st UK Civ DIV, beckons Congrates on the 30 Years, (you must be mad !!) Have a drink on me Nick |
 John the OFM | 14 Sep 2007 5:57 a.m. PST |
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| Thomas Nissvik | 14 Sep 2007 6:05 a.m. PST |
30 years and enjoyed most of it, you are fortunate man. Congrats! |
| thedrake | 14 Sep 2007 6:28 a.m. PST |
Congats for your service! What unit are you currently serving in,if you dont mind me asking? Just curious…. |
| Supercilius Maximus | 14 Sep 2007 6:55 a.m. PST |
<<Well done. I've just reached 25 years this January but as we where in the sandpit the locals decided to mark it for me with a rocket salute :)>> I bet that's more than our caring government gave you! Skirmishfan, Flashheart Well done, and thank you from a grateful taxpayer – because of guys like you I'm the first male in my family for four generations who hasn't HAD to join up. Safe through to discharge/retirement the both of you. |
| CraigSpiel | 14 Sep 2007 7:43 a.m. PST |
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| SkirmishFan | 14 Sep 2007 10:24 a.m. PST |
Thank you one and all. Most appreciated. My only plans are to 'carry on soldiering' for the forseeable future; why give up what one enjoys? What I can say drawing on experience is that the young soldiers of today (some of whom would be considered by my daughters to be too young to date – eek!) are every bit as good now as 'way back when' IMHO. For sure they are 'different' to how I was when I joined but times and life moves on; but they are professional, well trained, dedicated and get out there and do a fantastic job. One story will do to illustrate this: last summer I was in Afghanistan when two US infantry soldiers came in on a Brit helicopter (I wont go into more detail). Anyway, these two young men had been in the field fighting on and off for 2.5 months and had not had a shower for 6 weeks. They weren't SF, just ordinary line grunts. The first thing that those young men did once they had finished the business that they had come to do was to sit down and strip and clean their weapons… Now THAT impressed me! They had no real supervision and could have chose to sleep etc but 'no' they took care of their weapons first. Needless to say my guys soon rustled up towels and shower gear, coffee and cigarettes for them and took them to 'scoff' for which they were very grateful. In fact one of them kept repeating 'man! I am NEVER this lucky!' They weer professional and impressive young men who were out there on a fifteen month tour and I felt privileged to have met them. I do not exclude other countries; it is simply that I have met too many good soldiers from different countries to name them all. |
| Ditto Tango 2 1 | 14 Sep 2007 11:00 a.m. PST |
God bless. Wish I could be there with you – it's been 16 years since I had to leave the armour corps for medical reasons. Interesting to see your perspective on soldiers then and now. |
| nickinsomerset | 16 Sep 2007 8:59 a.m. PST |
You can still join the AWA! |
| Phillip Forge | 16 Sep 2007 11:18 a.m. PST |
13 Sep this year saw my 17th anniversary of joining the army. I celebrated by banging in my REN Leave so I can take November off! |
| nickinsomerset | 16 Sep 2007 11:27 a.m. PST |
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| Phillip Forge | 16 Sep 2007 11:40 a.m. PST |
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| Lord Flashheart | 17 Sep 2007 7:50 a.m. PST |
Army Wargames Association. |
| Jed H R | 17 Sep 2007 1:13 p.m. PST |
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| Der Krieg Geist | 01 Nov 2007 3:57 p.m. PST |
I thank you and may all the free world thank you, God, Queen, and Country, our faithful companions all! Booya! |
| FROG OF WAR | 02 Nov 2007 4:46 a.m. PST |
Pongoes……….
I take it JED HR you were either a Crab or Matlo
FoW Ex Pongo Monkey !! |
| BootneckUK | 02 Nov 2007 9:21 a.m. PST |
Echo my congrats Skirmish,Have you reached the dizzying heights of The Badge?Once knew a man who was in his 44th year in service, although being a crab he was still only a Sgt.! |
| Jed H R | 02 Nov 2007 1:32 p.m. PST |
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| DeanMoto | 02 Nov 2007 6:29 p.m. PST |
Hooah! Three decades – good deal! v/r, Dean |
| Stagger Lee | 05 Nov 2007 6:53 p.m. PST |
30 Years!!! Congratulations!!! |
| bobo485 | 07 Nov 2007 4:58 a.m. PST |
Congratulations, hope that the country treats you right and are as supportive as the posts on this board.
I was a soft crab in Borneo and Aden in the 60's and was always impressed by the professionalism of the brown jobs; never ever had a reason to change my mind.
Long may the lads keep up their morale and commitment |
| pbishop12 | 24 Nov 2007 1:07 p.m. PST |
From an American who served for 21 years (retired in 89), 15 of those in the UK, may I extend a warm congradulations. Often I wished I had stayed in uniform for 30 years. Best years of my life. Throughout those years I had many opportunities to serve with the RAF. Wonderful memories. And not to be sloppy, but its my firm opinion that men and women in the uniforms of the UK and US have done the most to preserve freedoms. The rest of the planet has given us 'squat' in that regard. And during my 15 years in the UK, my wargame hobby manifested. I brought that home with me and now enjoy a large gameroom and 12x6' table that brings me a lot of joy. Fond memories of the UK.. Paul
USAF Retired |
| Gabriel Landowski | 26 Nov 2007 7:49 p.m. PST |
Long service – my respects and regards. ABN INF(LT), Ret. |
