Its great to have you back! Welcome home and thank you for putting your life on the line for us!

Glad you're home safe and sound!



Can't wait to hear the stories!

Welcome home, thanks for doing your part for our country. Please do spend that quality time with the family they have missed you far more than us. But we do look forward to hearing all your stories.

We haven't heard from "dissipator556" since 11:47:56 AM....


I think "Mrs. Dissipator" is [size=5]really[/size=5] glad to see him![;D]


Good to have you home!

[beer]

Welcome back!  Thank you for defending our country.

Welcome back.

Nice Job.

If it was me, the first thing I'd do is call like 30 people, go and [booze], then [sex], and then be proud to be American in the drunken happiness that I came home alive.

Hey diss, Welcome Home Brother! Your nation is proud of you and so are we. Out-Fuc*ing-Standing to have you back!!

Welcome back to civilization!
Thanks for your service!

Welcome home! Thank you for your service and sacrifice.

Welcome home, And thanks for the damn fine job!
Yet another display of the finest fighting force in the world.

Welcome home Diss, thankyou for your work over there. Cant wait to hear the stories....

Rob

... A big Welcome Home and a huge Thank You [b]dissipator556[/b]. We missed you.

:: Patiently awaiting your stories after you take care of "homecoming" biz ::

Welcome home and thank you for serving.

Well done!!

GunLvr

Where ya at dissipator556???
We're waiting patiently for you to tell us about your trip to iraq.

Welcome back!

Glad you made it safely.[^]

thanks for serving our country!

Wow! three days and still no Diss? He must really be glad to be back home....bet he has one helluva hangover when next we hear from him.

Diss, we are ready for the debriefing now...........................[:D]

Take your time Diss, I'm sure you're just now getting over jet lag, getting some decent food and some......well, better left unsaid.

really, mrs. dissipator must need a break by now [;)]

thanks for your service, glad you made it back in one piece, glad you kicked some ass, cant wait to hear the stories..........

 My first story of the war (I'll go in chronological order) happened in An Nazeria (sp).  As a key route on our way to Baghdad, the Army had supposedly "secured" the town.  What really happened is they rolled into the city, placed a relatively small security detail at the bridges, and then got over-run. (God bless the poor old Army)

Marines to the rescue...RCT2 (I believe) took 50 casualties the night before we arrived.  The casualty report was widely circulated amongst the Marines, and everyone was extremely anxious to avenge our fallen brothers.  This was, for me anyway, the turning point in the war, when I realized that the enemy was not going to be a push-over.  Also, the high casualties the first day highly pissed off every Marine in the 1st MEF...we seriously wanted to kick some major hagi ass at this point.
 
  Many of us had expected smooth sailing all the way to Baghdad, as intel had said, but that was not to be the case, apparently.
   
  We arrived in Nazeria at night, with me stationed in the turret of my AAV Rammer RS (think amphibious tank with a Bradley suspension).  We turned a corner onto a main street- what I saw was one of the most horrifying scenes of the war.  
 
  My NVG's (the turret night sight was broken) were very clumsy and difficult to use in the tight confines of the turret.   I managed to use them by placing my head slightly outside the hatch (note to self: don't tell the wife and mom about that).  The alley/road that we had to traverse looked like a suicide mission- there was rocket fire everywhere, and tracers were lighting up the sky.  I took my NVG's off at this point, because it was so bright.  

   At this point, our crazy ass CO comes over the radio (he is usually yelling), and says in a very calm, cold voice [b]"Marines...prepare...to...defend yourselves."[/b] We knew what that meant- rolling through the streets at 50 mph, ramming every little hagi cart, car, or bus that pulled out in front of us, and firing the UGWS (Up-Gunned Weapons Station, consisting of a M2 Browning .50 cal, and a 40mm MK19) until she ran dry.  

   We drove straight into hell, balls to the walls, never stopping.  The SOP was, if the vehicle in front of you is hit, ram him and try to move him off of the road.  Thankfully, that was not necessary, and our platoon made it through unharmed- a genuine miracle.  The clatter of small-arms fire against the vehicle was scary as hell, as was the sound of RPG's whooshing over, in front of, and behind my vehicle.  

  Whether I got any of them that night, I can't confirm, but 96 rounds of HEDP 40mm grenades (high-explosive-dual-purpose) and 400 rds of .50 cal (no SLAP used, all API) quenched more than one enemy muzzle-flash that night.

  The next morning, my pig (aka "track" or vehicle) had sustained some minor small arms damage, mostly where it was not protected by the steel EAK armor (the rest of the vehicle is Aluminum).  

  On the subject of my vehicle- we named her "Retard Strength," because she was big, ugly, only had one crooked headlight, but ran strong as an ox.  (Picture a big gorilla with a lazy eye) They couldn't kill old RS- she certainly was a tough old girl.  

 Anyway, my vehicle was the lead vehicle in the lead section, in the lead platoon of the company.  Basically, this meant that my vehicle was the first to test the waters in each town- we called ourselves "The Royal Tasters."  If they shot at us, it wasn't a friendly town, and vice versa.  
 
  That's it for tonight, friends, but I promise to tell another good war story again soon.  I wrote down everything, and getting to share this crazy stuff is therapeutic for me.  I'll do it again soon, now...back to Ms. Diss.

       [naughty]

Welcome back, thanks for serving, and thanks for posting about your experience.  I can't imagine what it was like.

I look forward to serving side-by-side with you Marines shortly, as I report to West Point in less than 100 hours.

Diss,
Welcome back. You folks did a helluva job over there.




BTW, even though you're a jarhead, I guess I can cut you some slack :)

Thanks for taking the time to post.

Welcome home, Great job.

Good work Diss. Glad you came back safe to you family.

Glad you made it home safe!
Welcome home!!!

Welcome Home, Bro!

Welcome back!  Thanks to you and your family for your sacrifices!

You soldiers made us proud.  Thank you for your service.

Corey

Welcome Home Diss.  Till your dying day, you can be proud that you got the job done.  
Out F-ing standing, brother, you got hard targets.  If I ever meet you at one of the shoots, I'll be in that long line to buy you a brew.

Welcome home Diss. Welcome home to those that lost their lives over their fighting for ours.



[USA] They should never be forgotten!!

Welcome back and thanks![usa]

Got pics???

BigDozer66

Welcome back, that was a great first story you posted.  Hope you can share more with us!

Originally posted by : BillofRights


What he said....

______________________________________

Nice story Diss, I cant wait for the next. I think digital cameras should be standard issue for soldiers. Welcome home bro, thankyou for putting yourself on the line for all of us...

Rob

 Let me take the time to now to do something I should have done much earlier: honor a Marine from my platoon, LCpl. Andy Aviles, who died with honor on the field of battle.  
 
 Born in Brooklyn, NY in April, 1984, LCpl Aviles gave up a full scholarship at the University of FL to join the Marine Corps.  He had just checked into our unit one week before our deployment.  
 
  Having only served with this young man for a short while, I can say that he was an outstanding Marine and an outstanding American- the kind of guy you want in your squad.  
 
  LCpl Aviles' promising life was ended just 14 days short of his 19th birthday, when an Iraqi artillery shell hit his vehicle, instantly killing him and one other Marine onboard.  

 His death was avenged hundreds of times over, and the wrath of his surviving platoon was felt for the remainder of our time in Iraq.  Still, all of that rage and destruction of evil will never bring him back to us.

 I will never forget him; his platoon will never forget him; his Marine Corps family will never forget him, nor will we ever cease to honor his memory.  

 LCpl. Aviles was buried at Arlington National Cemetery, with full military honors.  Semper Fidelis, LCpl. Aviles- you're the real hero in this Marine's book.

Salute to LCpl Aviles...may he never be forgotten!  






[USA]

welcome home my ARFCOM brother.

and,

THANK YOU for serving our country.

[usa]

 It really helps to talk about this stuff to others, even if I am only typing.  I often talk about this with the other Marines from my platoon, and I believe everyone should know about this young man who died.  Next time you drink a beer, please remember all the guys who aren't coming home.  
   
 BTW, I promise to write a good war story tomorrow morning/afternoon.  Preview: 500 SLAP rounds, lots of HEDP and API, 3 armed Iraqi fanatics on a motorcycle, RPG's fired from porches and rooftops, etc.  Pictures are coming shortly (week or so).
 
 As an aside, and without sounding corny, I would just like to say that killing those Iraqi/Fedayeen/Baath party/fanatic/terrorist/republican guard/crazy bastards was more gratifying than words can ever express- in light of 9/11, losing LCpl. Aviles, and everyone back home generally expecting us to kick some major ass.  See everyone tomorrow, goodnight.    

 

Diss a couple great guys from my area of town were lost during the war. From what we hear from news and their family they were true Americans. One was even "honored" with citizenship after losing his life. Nothing a 19/20 year old should have to endure. Thanks

Thanks, really.

[beer]

I makes me feel better knowing that
American deaths are being answered.

Thanks again

John

I cannot wait.


hahaha

Welcome back, and thanks.

Welcome home bro! Thanks so much for busting your ass over there to keep our's safe over here. You guys did a great job and I am proud of each and every one of you.

-Charging Handle

PS, can't wait to hear the rest of your stories.