My Service To My Country Has Come To An End

[easterntraveler]

The military has been a part of my entire life. I was born on a military base in Germany. My dad retired in Colorado after 20 years in the Army around 1995. In 1996 I joined the Civil Air Patrol and Junior ROTC which I was a part of for 4 years. After graduation I took a year off from life then joined the Colorado National Guard to be a helicopter electrician. After basic training and A.I.T I moved to Minnesota and have been a part of the National Guard here for the past 12 years until yesterday, which was my last day of service. During those twelve years I was deployed once to Balad, Iraq for a year and a half. My srvice to my country is somthing I will always be proud of.
Now that this chapter of my life is complete, I am not sure what to do with having all my weekends back but I am sure I can find something constructive. I also told my wife I was going to grow a beard until May just because I can.
Life is pretty busy right now. I will have to wait a couple of weeks to properly celebrate.
Thank you to all who served before me and all who are continuing to serve.

 

[jmill208]

You should be proud of your service. And thank you. Enjoy the next chapter...

 

[tbradsim1]

East enjoy enjoy enjoy. Thank You for your service. Now you"ll have to choose what color socks you will wear. HeHe

 

[vespertillio]

Many thanks for your service. May your next endeavor be truly enjoyable.

 

[huntertrw]

easterntraveler:
Sir, I salute you, and thank you for your service!
When in Minnesota were you stationed at Fort Snelling? Just curious, as I lived for a number of years in Rochester, and passed by the Fort on my way to and from the Minneapolis-Saint Paul International Airport.

 

[easterntraveler]

My unit is actually based out of St. Paul airport off of Plato. Occasionally I would go to St. Cloud and Camp Ripley.

 

[huntertrw]

easterntraveler:
For a time I worked for a company based in Little Falls, approximately 34 miles northwest of St. Cloud. As one of my associates there said, "This is where God's country starts!"
Welcome home, Solider!

 

[easterntraveler]

Thank you all for the kind words.
A fellow soldier in my unit always referee to his home state of Wisconsin as "God's Country"

 

[ivapewithfire]

Congratulations on your well earned rest!
With many thanks... Salute.

 

[freakiefrog]

Me and my family thank you and your father and your family for the service you have given. May your civilian life be a quite and filled with calm days and peaceful nights.

 

[phred]

Congratulations and thank you!

 

[yazamitaz]

Congrats and thanks for your service. Now you get to turn the page and start a new chapter.

 

[blueeyedogre]

Brassing out and turning in my kit was a hard day. Not sure about you but it was a "Ok, now what?" feeling for me. Thanks for your time on the line and cheers.

 

[shaintiques]

Thanks for your service! Military life is about sacrifice. Some sacrifice time, many sacrifice moments and family life, and some give their lives, but all sacrifice in one way or another and I am so very greatful for the sacrifice. As you end your service one of my brothers is getting ready to deploy. I'll smoke a bowl in your honor and his.

 

[pipebaum81]

Military life is about sacrifice. Some sacrifice time, many sacrifice moments and family life, and some give their lives, but all sacrifice in one way or another

This sums it up perfectly. Thousands of men and women die while serving our country. Nothing can be taken away from their great sacrifice. Millions of others live within an existence of sacrifice and nothing can be taken away from their great sacrifice.
@East hats off to you for your part in fortifying LIBERTY worldwide. Good luck in your new life without the uniform. I look forward to joining your new ranks sometime in the future.

 

[warren]

I thank you for your uniformed service. Now you begin serving in other ways, maybe not as dangerous but, just as important. Good on you!

 

[tuold]

Mission accomplished, easterntraveler. Thank you very much for your service.

 

[frank13]

Thank you for your service. I served from 87-93, as an Army medic. Enjoy your well-deserved rest, but also, I would advise you to keep busy. Don't let yourself sit down for very long. Start a new career, work part-time at something you enjoy, take up woodworking, sailing, flying... Something that engages body and mind, that you can do socially or in solitude, as you please.

 

[easterntraveler]

Thank you again for all the kind words.

 

[easterntraveler]

@shaintiques let your Brother know he is in my prayers.