Posted on Jun 28, 2017
How much do you stay in touch with old military friends?
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Using what modes of communication, how often do you really speak to old friends that you have served with? If often, does this help with anything? If not very much, is there a reason?
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Posted >1 y ago
Responses: 16
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SGT Joseph Gunderson LTC Stephen C. My comms consist of a semi-annual telephone chat with the CSM who replaced me when I retired from a ‘Peter Principle Position’ that I did not care for.
The others, CSMs I worked for or replaced, friends, previous commanders have all passed away. Yesterday, I was informed of the death of a COL who had entered “my” company in 1960 as a SGT-5.
COL Ron Helson had been in the 187th RCT in Korea, then did a spell in the eighty deuce.
After being out for a while, he came into the USAR. Ron immediately pursued and was rewarded with a appointment as a 2LT.
Once he heard of Det 1, Co B, 17th SF Group, USAR at Ft MacArthur, CA, he transferred there in 1962, regained his jump status and remained on jump status until his retirement much later as a COL.
We did not see much of one another recently nor hardly communicate beyond the occasional greeting card.
Helson was on total VA disability from those years of exiting aircraft while in flight. He had 2 replacement knees and shoulders and 1 artificial hip. With a small Oxygen tank for his COPD and was sorta mobile.
After hearing of his demise, I did not have a ‘good’ day today. “We were Soldiers once, and young.”
Helson is the one who during a hand to hand exercise, triggered my high school ’football shoulder’ which. caused me to drop out of the SF unit and to tesr up my app for jump school.
Our exploits will not go down in history, nor the nights nursing our beers because we couldn’t afford - just one more!
I sincerely hope; Colonel Ronald Helson rests in peace!
The others, CSMs I worked for or replaced, friends, previous commanders have all passed away. Yesterday, I was informed of the death of a COL who had entered “my” company in 1960 as a SGT-5.
COL Ron Helson had been in the 187th RCT in Korea, then did a spell in the eighty deuce.
After being out for a while, he came into the USAR. Ron immediately pursued and was rewarded with a appointment as a 2LT.
Once he heard of Det 1, Co B, 17th SF Group, USAR at Ft MacArthur, CA, he transferred there in 1962, regained his jump status and remained on jump status until his retirement much later as a COL.
We did not see much of one another recently nor hardly communicate beyond the occasional greeting card.
Helson was on total VA disability from those years of exiting aircraft while in flight. He had 2 replacement knees and shoulders and 1 artificial hip. With a small Oxygen tank for his COPD and was sorta mobile.
After hearing of his demise, I did not have a ‘good’ day today. “We were Soldiers once, and young.”
Helson is the one who during a hand to hand exercise, triggered my high school ’football shoulder’ which. caused me to drop out of the SF unit and to tesr up my app for jump school.
Our exploits will not go down in history, nor the nights nursing our beers because we couldn’t afford - just one more!
I sincerely hope; Colonel Ronald Helson rests in peace!
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The memories are what matter most....good or bad....because its just as they say: The bonds we forge as brothers in arms no civilian will ever understand!!
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The older I get the more I find a desire to reconnect with past military friends. I have begun to attend more reunions and joined several military associations.
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Facebook is the primary method of staying in touch. Now I don't speak with all of them every day, but I probably do chat with at least 1 or 2 every week. The biggest reason is life happens. Everyone's on different corners of the globe, people raise families, get jobs, work weird schedules. All the usual reasons people don't speak often.
I also still work with Marines, so I get to stay in touch with a couple of my Marine friends who haven't PCSd yet or aren't deployed.
Does this help with anything, well in my opinion, I feel it helps with the camaraderie. Being able to talk to someone who equally understands the military experience can be therapeutic.
I also still work with Marines, so I get to stay in touch with a couple of my Marine friends who haven't PCSd yet or aren't deployed.
Does this help with anything, well in my opinion, I feel it helps with the camaraderie. Being able to talk to someone who equally understands the military experience can be therapeutic.
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