15 years later and I looked up my Army buddies

It's been 15 years and I found some of my best friends on Facebook. Decided to PM them and discovered this... Time does not stand still and all the memories I have are greater than maybe the reunion was. Anyone else done the same thing? Your thoughts...

 

Ive only been alive for 16 years but I think that is pretty awesome that you got a hold of your army buddies. Thank you for your service

 

Not looking for a "thank you for your service" on TW. Just interested if anyone else has done the same thing and got the feeling of, maybe I should have left everyone alone. Your my boy blue, thanks for the love.

 

Your right tigerfan, not just exclusive to the military. This includes every situation where you hang out with a bunch of people fulltime and one day its gone. Thanks

 

Sounds like you're saying you were kind of dissappointed?

I did the exact same thing and felt the exact same way. I'm talking to my old drinking buddies who have wives and kids now. Completely different people it seems. They live in other parts of the country that I'm never planning on going to.

We have different priorities, goals and what not. Some things are better left as memories.
It's like Guns-n-Roses most recent album, no matter good it is, it's not going to live up to 15 years of anticipation and build up.

 

YES!!!! Someone who knows where my name comes from I just appreciate what you guys do for our country

 

Many of my friends stayed in the military and are close to retirement now. I got out in 95 and had a bad attitude about everyone and everything. I don't now why... and I certainly don't have it now. Hard to explain, but when your tight with your boys you feel bad for leaving them, yet you don't want to stay in the military. Then they deploy and you feel like a real asshole. Their walking patrols getting shot at, meanwhile I'm sitting at home on the sofa with a beer between my legs and my trigger finger on the remote. God bless them.

 

I know exactly what you mean. I've done the same thing. All you have in common any more are the memories. There are no new ones to bind you together.

It is still good to look people up, exchange a few emails, to talk about old times, and to see that they are doing okay.

 

I can definately relate...times change and peoples perceptions change. Im still getting over getting out of the Navy, there are days when I really regret my descision, but then there are days when I really like being in college. Most of my buddies have been back to the sandbox and I feel like the kid who cant play.

 

Thats kinda cool, I still to this day stay in contact with some good friends from when I was in Basic Training 15 years ago. We still send cards for the Holidays, most of us are still in the Army. We all take different paths for one reason or another, never held a grudge for people doing that.

 

I've found some old college friends who were pretty local. A group of us went out for dinner one night. Was a lot of fun!

Some other folks I've found - from college, from old jobs, school, etc.

It's nice to know where people are and what they're doing. Most poeple I've found are doing well, live far away or whatever. Some folks I wouldn't necessarily need to meet with, but nice to know what they're up to.

I have a lot of local & Canadian family members on Facebook also. I haven't seen some of them in probably 15 years, but its neat to see their updates on facebook and atleast be communicating with them.

 

.

It is hard to go back and have it the same as it was ... especially in the military.

About 12 years ago, I got a phone call out of the blue from the family (mom & dad) of someone that I served with in RVN. They traced me from a internet remembrance that I had posted about their son. He had gotten a Silver Star and was a really cool guy & was KIA in Hue City (TET, 1968).

The parents were getting old and wanted to know if I had any photos of their son and if I had any additional details on how he was KIAed.

That was a very difficult phone call ... that I have never forgotten.

I have wanted to contact several guys from the past, but I never will ...... yes, it is hard to go back in time.

.

 

A real good friend had pcsed from my last base. We hung out and did a lot together. He managed to get pcsed back to the base, was back in the same unit, but instead of remaining a weapons mechanic, cross-trained as an engine mechanic. We hung out a couple of times, but never really reconnected. So this thing about contacting old friends through Facebook, Myspace, and other methods of contact aren't the only ways to find people have changed. I've run into a few of the guys I served with here in Vegas, but it isn't the same. They have developed new friendships, as well a me, and seem to no longer have anything in common. One of the guys I served with had a severe head injury as a result of a motorcycle accident. Whenever I see him, I have to remind him of who I am and how I know him. Then it seems he remembers and we talk a little.

 

people grow, grow up, move on, take different paths, find different intrests, find different beliefs, and new motivations in life which change a person either slightly or dramaticly. the changes either happen slowly or all of the sudden, and if you arent there to "grow" with them, you just wind going down a different street. my best friend of 15 years, i mean BEST friend, we were meant for each other (not in a gay way), we had each others back, we knew each others thoughts, we hung out every day, even when we both got married to our wifes we were still useperatable. i had to move to a different town, phone calls and visits got further and far between. in a matter of 8 months we didnt have too much in common anymore. he started hanging around a more of a drinking crowd, and that wasnt us. we dont talk any more (not because of drinking) because our paths took diverging paths. i miss him but dont have any desire to talk to him anymore. we kinda held each other on a good path and when i left it was kinda like he was destined to live out his family tradition of self destruction, alcoholism, and debt. he and his wife are now swingers, alcoholics, and have lost their house. i feel sorry for him. ill quit

 

I can relate. I guess some people in life are meant to help you move to another stage in life. Most relationships are like that I guess.

I have been fortunate to keep up with my best friend from elementary school. We had a 5-6 year period where we didn't talk at all. I was off traveling the world in the Marines and he was starting a family. But once we reconnected we try and talk a couple times a week now.