"Retired" due to medical conditions. -Heart Bypass (Quintuple) -Hepatitis C (from blood transfusions in the 1970s) -Diabetes (Type II). -Kidney failure w/ MRSA complications. -Operation to remove infection at sternum above old Heart Bypass site (still in recuperation early 2014).
Other Comments:
Self taught artist (multiple media); Self taught computer skills (I liked old "Windows 3.x" and DOS); Multi-lingual (a little of this and that); Life Member of the National Rifle Association. Still like to punch paper when I can afford the Range costs. (The proud owner of a Match Grade M1A, with glass bedded stock and also an M1 Garand.)
Best Moment Getting a second promotion to Cpl. E4. The first promotion had come while I was still on-ward. I kept both warrants, but used the earlier one to increase my time in grade. Then FINALLY getting my third stripe. :D
------------------------------------------ I wasn't informed I had been promoted to E5 until two months after the fact. I was really pissed when I found out. There was another Marine who made E5 at the same time, and also happened to be an office pogue ...whose rank went to his head. When I asked him to check into my promotion, I'd failed to say "Sgt" when I addressed him. He snapped at me, "That's Sergeant (BUTTLICKER), to you, Corporal Cascos!"
He was surprised when I reamed him a new one in front of others at high volume. I told him we had both made Sergeant on the same day, and my time in the Corps as a grunt gave me superceding authority over his brown nosing pogue promotion, and as his superior, I was giving him an order. I told him that he'd better snap to, or I'd have him up on charges for insubordination, and demoted back to being an E4, since he should have caught the fact I was also an E5, yet failed to do so. (He had "gotten" his stripes in less than two and a half years without combat service anywhere!) It felt good to verbally smack that smart-ass back into his place.
------------------------------------------- Completion of my higher education, by taking and completing the courses necessary to achieve my General Education Developement (GED). The Navy Ensign who gave the course congratulated me personally, and said I demonstrated the equivalent comprehension and knowledge to a person with two years of college under his belt already. That really pumped up my ego, and I was insufferably happy with myself for at least a month afterward. I did pursue college later, after the end of active service.
Worst Moment Having some S.O.B. break into my locker and stealing an expensive radio I'd bought at the PX.
Other Memories Getting falling down drunk the night before I got out of the Corps (active duty). The only time in my life I've ever been arrested and booked. {That is right, I'm a criminal with a record!} The last thing I rememebered was that it was about 2030 hrs, and next thing I knew, it was 0700, and I had bars over my head when I awoke. (OOPS) The Waukegan P.D. found me stumbling around while babbling incoherently at 0130 hrs outside a downtown business store. They booked me for public intoxication and being a general niusance (I guess I haven't changed that much. [LOL]) The SPs were called, but charges were dropped due to mitigating circumstances. The cops understood it was my last night in the service, and I had been overzealous in celebrating.
No charges were brought against me since there was no damage nor personal injury incurred during my "criminal action" involving any arraignment or conviction. I got out without losing my third stripe after all.
