Reunions

Bothwell · Post by **Bothwell** » Thu Jan 12, 2006 5:52 am

I know we have quite a few vets here, how do you feel about re unions, do you go to them.

I will state my position, I don't attend them any more. I used to for about 4 years after I got out. Like most ex service I do have a few demons and I found meeting up started to make them more difficult to excorcise. I have not attended one for may years although true to form I still get the invites.

One thing i do know is true is that 90% of the guys I served with who had also seen combat do not attend either, why this is I am not sure, any theories?

Accountable · Post by **Accountable** » Thu Jan 12, 2006 6:04 am

A few weeks ago I went to a local hotel for an unrelated meeting. There in the lobby I ran into a reunion of a bomber squadron (I'm ashamed I can't remember the number) from WWII. Several of the men had published their stories (two had been POWs), the women were mostly spouses who handles all the logistics.

The funniest moment was when I asked one of them how often they got together. Remember these guys are in their 80's & 90's now. There was damn near a fight because they couldn't agree whether they met every two years or three. :wah:

It was clear that some of these people had other lives and came here to reminisce with old friends. But others seemed to need these meetings. I guess for exorcism, Bothwell. I felt helpless around those ones.

As for me, the Air Force is different. We don't spend our careers together. I don't think there will ever be a reunion of any group I was in. I could understand the ones that were in combat together, though.

greydeadhead · Post by **greydeadhead** » Thu Jan 12, 2006 6:27 am

well.. I don't really do reunions.. I do keep in touch with a couple of buds, the usual once or twice a year so we know that everyone is still alive contacts.. and sometimes the ghosts that haunt us make an appearance so to speak..

The only event I didn't attend, and couldn't was when they towed the USS America (CV-66) out to use her as a target for live firing analysis .... I could not stand to see her used in this manner.... sigh... I did talk to shipmates that were there.. and there were grown men crying as the towed her out to sea... and the ships that were present when she sank manned the rails as a sign of respect...