Comments on: Once a Soldier, Always a Soldier….

By: Lisa-in-DC

Lisa-in-DC — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 03:27:49 +0000

Thank you, thank you We’re a fortunate nation to have volunteers like you. Best wishes for all that follows!

By: Bouhammer

Bouhammer — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 19:07:40 +0000

Jim, even though we have never met I feel like we are close friends. I hope one day that I can make a trek north or you south so we can shake hands and hug one day. You are a patriot and a gentlemen like no other. Thank you for your kind words, and continued reading. Keep doing what you are doing.

Bouhammer out…

By: membrain

membrain — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 18:54:22 +0000

I didn’t get a chance to listen to last week’s You Served Radio until yesterday Troy. That’s when I found out that your retirement date was last Monday. I knew you were retiring of course, I just didn’t notice the time slipping by so fast.

Whenever I think of you, the word the comes to my mind is inspiring. When I talk of you to friends that’s the word I use. You’ve been an inspiration to so many throughout your career in the Army that it’s awesome to know you in the small way that I do.

When I first came across you blogging from Afghanistan I was thrilled to get some boots on the ground commentary about what was actually happening. I started leaving comments on your blog and you were kind and considerate enough to respond to me. From a War Zone!!!

That’s when I first realized how much you cared about others. I remember one time that you wrote about how much you were looking forward to getting back home to take your son to a hockey game with your beloved Buffalo Sabres,

I commented that the Sabres were on top of their division and had a good shot at the Stanley Cup. I added that my team, The Leafs, really sucked and you responded by giving me some uplifting words about my team. From a War Zone!!

I knew that you and Chuck Norris had had a bad day that day in Afghanistan that day. Did I mention it was a War Zone? But you took the time to say something nice about the Toronto Maple Leafs!!

You’ve shown me many kindnesses since then and I am most appreciative of them all. I most especially appreciate your kind invitation to attend your coming retirement party. It’s with regret that I must decline as other obligations take priority. But I’ll be thinking of you on that day.

Once a Soldier, Always a Soldier is the best way you could have put it. It’s not as if you’re being put out to pasture. I’ll still look forward to listening to you on the excellent You Served Radio broadcasts. And reading Bouhammer.com of course. And if people had any idea of all of the charities and events not to mention your full time civilian career as an IT Professional that makes demands on your time, I expect they’d get tired just reading about it all.

It’s Veteran’s Day today as I write this and a fitting time to thank you for your past and future service.

Take care Troy.

Sincerely,

Jim Davidson

By: Steve Berkshire

Steve Berkshire — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 02:00:18 +0000

So what are you going to do now? I’m a retired MSG myself, and if you dwell on your time, you’re going to make yourself miserable; trust me. That is, unless you get yourself a job on some base, somewhere, doing the same thing you were doing while you were in. Then you can work yourself into an earlier grave and do nothing but talk about the way things used to be, etc.

I moved far away from a base and started from the ground up. I rarely talk about my military service, and after 5 long years, am salaried at 65k a year as a Director of Service Quality for a property management company. It’s better than selling insurance or used cars which seems to be the other choice of retired MSG/1SG’s…

Remember, it’s NOT what you did, but what you’re doing, or going to do that will ultimately make you happy.

By: David M

David M — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 16:31:12 +0000

The Thunder Run has linked to this post in the blog post From the Front: 11/10/2009 News and Personal dispatches from the front and the home front. .-= David M´s last blog ..Media is Besmirching the Honor of Generations Past =-.

By: OldSoldier54

OldSoldier54 — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 00:31:04 +0000

Well Done and thank you for your service!

Airborne!
B 1/509

By: ck

ck — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 20:38:01 +0000

Congratulations on a long and successful career, and thank you for your service.

By: The Kitchen Dispatch

The Kitchen Dispatch — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 20:10:14 +0000

What a fabulous post. Congratulations and thank you so much for your service.
I think however, your days of inspiring and motivating will continue. Perhaps in a different capacity, but what I have found is that those who have done so in the past, continue during their entire life.

I don’t think it’s an exaggeration to say that you have informed and inspired many who have come across your blog. What you’ve done here has helped you to build a future, a new way to reach out and motivate others to be selfless and do their best.

And may I also say HOOAH to your wife. She has served too, helping countless of individuals. No doubt, her example and thoughtfulness has helped many through the years. Your children too, have served, being there with you through many moves and changes.

All in all, there is much to admire and applaud.

Regards,
Kanani
.-= The Kitchen Dispatch´s last blog ..A SAT dish of the wrong proportions, swarms of flies and dust =-.

By: Carol Steward

Carol Steward — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 19:23:55 +0000

Read all of this through tears..why? I dunno maybe just because I am so proud of you, my Son! You have done more than your share and I pray that folks really stop and think about our veterans this Veteran’s Day. I love you!

By: Barbara

Barbara — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 19:14:29 +0000

Thank you for your outstanding service — congratulations, and God Bless you!