Do you celebrate an "Alive Day"? If so, how?

LTC Yinon Weiss — Sat, 16 Jan 2016 19:01:07 -0500

An "Alive Day" is the anniversary of a day that one came close to death. Many veterans and military members who were shot, blown up, or otherwise came close to death have a ritual on this day to celebrate their life and honor the memories of others.

The New York Times reached out to RallyPoint asking if we could recommend folks for a photo essay they are doing on those who celebrate. If you do, can you please respond here and tell us about what you do on Alive Day?

Response by SGM Erik Marquez made Jan 16 at 2016 9:32 PM

SGM Erik Marquez — Sat, 16 Jan 2016 21:32:01 -0500

Sir with all due respect .. I can not trust the NYT in any way with such information. Even if I was wiling to share such personal information, the NYT would be the last "media" outlet that would get such a call.

Response by CPT Aaron Kletzing made Jan 17 at 2016 1:32 AM

CPT Aaron Kletzing — Sun, 17 Jan 2016 01:32:32 -0500

LTC David Haines - Sir, if you would be open to this, your story would be a great one to share with others to inspire all who read it.

Response by SGM Steve Wettstein made Jan 17 at 2016 5:15 PM

SGM Steve Wettstein — Sun, 17 Jan 2016 17:15:01 -0500

Mine is Fathers Day (05). Kind of avoid recognizing that day.

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 19 at 2016 7:40 AM

SSG Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 19 Jan 2016 07:40:36 -0500

I celebrate every March 5. I call my brothers who were there with me, one of which got it worse than me, and I smoke a cigar. The real treat are the children the two of us had since then however. It's a silent smirk in the face of death to thrive despite the best efforts of evil men.

Response by MAJ Byron Oyler made Jan 19 at 2016 8:49 AM

MAJ Byron Oyler — Tue, 19 Jan 2016 08:49:36 -0500

Hell no! Some scary shit there to remember and I do not think it is healthy to dwell on such from the past. I have flown planes, jumped out of them, done fire fighting and EMS, and if I live long enough to live in a nursing home grabbing some cute nurses ass, they will make for some great stories. I have a good buddy that saw a lot different shit downrange that I did and he won't let it go. Not healthy for him. Focus on the Future, Service Before Self.

Response by SPC Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 19 at 2016 10:42 AM

SPC Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 19 Jan 2016 10:42:15 -0500

Every year, for the last five years, my brothers and I have been celebrating our Alive Day, most of us are out of the military and are spread throughout the country. I personally usually end up gathering with a few friends and go out to eat, have a few drinks, watch a movie, anything really. As long as we never forget why we're celebrating, we continue the tradition every year.

Response by SGT Allison Churchill made Jan 19 at 2016 10:53 AM

SGT Allison Churchill — Tue, 19 Jan 2016 10:53:13 -0500

I don't, but a good friend who was severely injured while serving with the State Department after she got out of the Army does--should I send her this way? I don't know if she belongs to RallyPoint yet.

Response by SP5 Michael Cates made Jan 19 at 2016 12:58 PM

SP5 Michael Cates — Tue, 19 Jan 2016 12:58:12 -0500

Well I have been celebrating ever since I was in country about 60 days wShen I was scheduled to pull guard duty on top of a small hill looking down on the Delta in Duc Pho a short distance from Chu Lai we were going to build a new base there in Duc Pho so about Noon the day I was scheduled to pull guard duty with these two guys that I was not close to approached me with Billy Boy (Willam Ball) and said hey Cates would you let Billy Boy go on guard duty with us tonight and you can take his tomorrow night and I said yes! Wanting make friends! Later that afternoon the three of them when down to the LZ and got on a Huey and a SNIPER OPENED UP ON THEM and they were killed along with all the crew and the chopper burned and Billy Boy was cut down as he ran from the burning helicopter by the M60 Ammo going off in the fire. Well I heard about this and from that day on I live for Billy Boy! I was scheduled to go that afternoon but some how I TRADED PLACES with Billy Boy! He was going to come back and work with children! I had been a F student before nam after I became an A student and then a Secondary Teacher here in Los Angeles and then started my own Gymnastic School some 35 yrs's ago and it is still growing today! I will FOREVER BE GREATFUL FOR BEING PICKED TO COME BACK AND SPEAK FOR THOSE WHO CANNOT SPEAK ANYMORE! ALL THE DAYS OF MY LIFE! Sp/5 Cates!

Response by SSG Paul Forel made Jan 19 at 2016 2:04 PM

SSG Paul Forel — Tue, 19 Jan 2016 14:04:06 -0500

I am sure I speak for all of us 91B's/68W's when I say that medics who served in combat have several "Alive Days".....

'And then there was the time....and then there was the time....and then there was the time....'

And who the heck keeps track of which day was which? You take these things in stride and on occasion stop and say thanks for the fact we are still here and not There.

Response by SSgt Christophe Murphy made Jan 19 at 2016 3:25 PM

SSgt Christophe Murphy — Tue, 19 Jan 2016 15:25:32 -0500

I celebrate the date that I was last shot at before leaving Afghanistan. The night before Thanksgiving 2004.

Response by AN Anita Feerer made Jan 19 at 2016 4:26 PM

AN Anita Feerer — Tue, 19 Jan 2016 16:26:52 -0500

My father was wounded on October 30, 1964 on hill 22 in Vietnam, after his wounding he was told he wouldn't have kids. I wasn't the first born child, however, my birthday is October 30, 1979 exactly 15 years from one of his close calls with death. As an adult instead of getting a birthday call I get an anniversary call. This is my father's personal way of celebrating one of his Alive days since I was an anniversary present in a way of speaking.

Response by SMSgt Wes Tarte made Jan 19 at 2016 9:01 PM

SMSgt Wes Tarte — Tue, 19 Jan 2016 21:01:12 -0500

My son has his "Alive Day" in October when the MRAP he rode in hit an IED. He by all means, celebrates his day in October every year.

As for our "Doc's" and others that might have several such days, I am sure they don't know which one to observe, to observe many or all of them, or to not take them of them into account.

However, there are those whose first injuries are so severe that they can never return to the fight, hence; they will only have one such day.

Response by Capt Skip Sponheim made Jan 20 at 2016 7:15 AM

Capt Skip Sponheim — Wed, 20 Jan 2016 07:15:39 -0500

I HAVE TWO SEPARATE "TRIGGER" DATES EACH YEAR. ONE IS WHEN I WAS FORCED TO TAKE ANOTHER PERSONS LIEF IN BATTLE, AND THE OTHER IS WHEN I CELEBRATE THE DEATHS OF SOME OF MY COMRADES IN NAM. DURING THESE PERIODS I BECOME VERY QUIET AND INTROSPECTIVE.

Response by SPC Byron Skinner made Jan 20 at 2016 2:26 PM

SPC Byron Skinner — Wed, 20 Jan 2016 14:26:49 -0500

Sp4 Skinner. I was wounded for the last time on December 2, 1966, we never bothered to count shrapnel for what ever was being tho=rown at us, that was just what came with the job and our medic was good at pulling it out and guys were seldom Dust Offed for that. It was a classic Vietnam era fire fight, the Cavalry Platoon I was with was in an ambush and surrounded 360 degrees, the fighting range was about 20-30 meters, some as close as 5-10 meters. I got hit in the head, a bud dy put a battle dressing over the left side of my head and we kept on firing until a cease fire was called. About 20 meters to the front of the position I was in was a burning M-48 Tank and a fully loaded M-113ACAV. A Huey Pilot that returning on a milk run from An Loc to Long Binh heard us on the horn and the call for a dust off, seriously wounded, for my Platoon Leader, the pilot of that Huey is either the bravest man who ever lived or the most stupid, he lowered that chopper down between outré position and those burning vehicles in a hot LX, the right door gunner was firing cover on the ground. The next day after I lost my eye and they put my skull back together with wire and screws my Squadron Commander came to visit me at the 93ed. Evac. in Long Binh and said they counted 99 dead NVA in front of out position and captured three crew served weapons and that none of the guys in the platoon were killed. I use to go out and have a few beer on Dec. 2ed. but 15 years later my wife gave birth to our son on Dec. 2 1981 so I had something positive to remember of that day and 34 years later thats what I remember.

Response by MSgt Currie C. made Jan 26 at 2016 11:54 AM

MSgt Currie C. — Tue, 26 Jan 2016 11:54:02 -0500

Sure do. Every 6 July. I was at Con Thien RVN during Operation Buffalo with 1st Bn. 9th Marines (The Walking Dead) when the NVA tried to take us out. I was hit by incoming fire on the 6 July 1967 and evacuated the next day. The picture is of me some days later, doing okay;

Response by CW3 Steve Kuryla made May 26 at 2018 12:46 AM

CW3 Steve Kuryla — Sat, 26 May 2018 00:46:49 -0400

Hey EVERYONE: After six years of therapy, I'm up and walking again, out of the wheelchair that kept me hostage. I now have a "Dorsal Column Stimulator" implanted in my spinal cord with 64 electrodes that keep my legs working, and when tuned properly, sends a harmonic signal that blocks the bodies natural pain signal to the brain. Hence, my brain is back, off the narcotics and I wrote a series of books called "Six Days to Zeus". The first published this week, avail on Amazon, BookLocker.com, Barnes and Noble etc, is Called "Six Days to Zeus: Alive Day". Book two, comping soon after the pentagon gets done with mandatory "non-disclosure review" will be out by my own "Alive Day" 6 Aug.
"Six Days to Zeus: Please don't call me Hero", followed by "Six Days to Zeus: Walking off the War".
Hope to get some responses, reviews and critiques.
On this Memorial Day, take a moment and remember your ALIVE DAY and say a prayer for the fallen.
All the best Brothers!
Chief

Response by CW3 Steve Kuryla made Mar 21 at 2019 5:51 AM

CW3 Steve Kuryla — Thu, 21 Mar 2019 05:51:57 -0400

ArcAngelSix.com.... author website, my 8 book series Six Days to Zeus: "Alive Day" is book ONE of EIGHT...
I have a ton of photos from my last celebratory day. Soon to be a movie, the first four books are outlined on the site listed above.

Response by LCpl Rufus Mcgaugh made Dec 6 at 2019 3:32 PM

LCpl Rufus Mcgaugh — Fri, 06 Dec 2019 15:32:03 -0500

For me Alive Day is a day of reflection, of all that life has brought forth since the day I was wounded in the Que Son Valley of Vietnam on December 11, 1970. I think of all that has happened--good and bad--since that fateful day. In May of 2017 I fulfilled a lifelong quest to visit every country in the world with a fairly dangerous trip to Libya. My two succeeding books, "Longitude and Latitude with Attitude: One Man's quest to See the Entire World" and "Joyriding with a Terrorist in Yemen" have stories about my experiences in Vietnam. The war and getting shot up forever altered my life.