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Cragman
Trad climber
June Lake, California....via the Damascus Road
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Topic Author's Original Post - Oct 30, 2012 - 10:53am PT
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While Hurricane Sandy gave her worst...some gave their best.
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Brandon-
climber
The Granite State.
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Oct 30, 2012 - 10:54am PT
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Respect.
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GDavis
Social climber
SOL CAL
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Oct 30, 2012 - 10:55am PT
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Not to burst your bubble but those shots were taken in September.
http://www.facebook.com/oldguard
I think the picture you are looking for would be this one :)
Fascinating aspect of our military and American culture. One of those little corners of humanity that shine a bit brighter than others.
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Jan
Mountain climber
Okinawa, Japan
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Oct 30, 2012 - 11:02am PT
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Thanks to mandatory DNA testing of every service member now, there should never be another unknown soldier.
Meanwhile, for all those families with no closure, this memorial continues on.
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climbski2
Mountain climber
Anchorage AK, Reno NV
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Oct 30, 2012 - 11:08am PT
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Thanks for posting this
Honor is not a word used much anymore.
Seeing it in action can take your breath away
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10b4me
Ice climber
dingy room at the Happy boulders hotel
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Oct 30, 2012 - 11:50am PT
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They're pretty much just kids, and we send them in to take care of problems created by Politics and other nonesense. So damned sad!
I for one have complete RESPECT for those willing to foolishly die for something they were suckered into believing was a good idea.
+ 1
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rectorsquid
climber
Lake Tahoe
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Oct 30, 2012 - 11:56am PT
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WTF was the Skipper of that piece of sh#t thinking setting out into such a storm???
I've gotten the impression that some ships will sail out into a storm because it is safer than sitting in port and getting wrecked on the dock. Maybe that only applies to ships that can actually handle the storm but that just might have been what the skipper was thinking.
Without talking to him, it's hard to know if he didn't consult with 20 experts who all agreed with this plan and it just didn't work out. I find it hard to condemn people so easily these days. Things just happen and good ideas become bad ideas rather quickly sometimes.
But yeah! for the CG heroes. Those guys are real heroes who risk everything to help people who ended up in the wrong place at the wrong time. And sometimes they hunt down and shoot at bad guys too.
Dave
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Jon Beck
Trad climber
Oceanside
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Oct 30, 2012 - 12:25pm PT
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Let's not forget the "Coasty Jayhawk 60" Crew from Elizabeth City USGS Station headed right into the jaws of Sandy, her winds and heavy seas (The Rescue Swimmer had to jump into them btw) to go out and save the "Moron" crew from the Bounty.
Actually most sailing ships, even small ones are quite safe in a storm if properly handled. Remember the scene from the movie Perfect Storm where the skipper of the sailboat is ordered off his vessel, he reluctantly left. That sailboat was found intact after the storm, the crew could have weathered the storm safely. My understanding of the Bounty is that she lost aux. power so they could not run the pumps, she took on water at the rate of 2 feet an hour.
Chief, maybe you have inside information, care to share? I am not going to call the crew , or even the skipper a moron without more information, the decision to take her to sea was carefully made I am sure.
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John M
climber
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Oct 30, 2012 - 02:45pm PT
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This is honorable????
You got to be kidding me. Its not honorable to stand guard over a tomb, especially in a serious storm. If those guys were really out there, then whoever their leaders are should be shot for needlessly endangering people under their command.
Would you have been saying it was honorable if one of them had died from a fallen tree? Just to guard a dead person whose soul isn't even there anymore.
It boggles my mind what people think is honorable today.
I tend to think like a sergeant. Keep my men safe and ready for truly important things. Standing guard over a tomb doesn't rank very high in my opinion. Get those guys out of dress uniform and get them to helping people who really need help. If there isn't anyone to help, then keep them safe and inside during a storm like this.
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John M
climber
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Oct 30, 2012 - 02:55pm PT
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This was a serious storm Ron. If the worst of the storm had hit DC and one the guards had died after being hit by a fallen tree, what would you say to his family? I protect my people. I don't let them do silly things. Guarding this tomb during a serious storm is silly.
If thats wrong.. well. f*#k it. sue me.
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John M
climber
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Oct 30, 2012 - 02:59pm PT
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That has not one damn thing to do with my opinion Chief. I respect your service, but putting people in harms way just to guard a tomb is stupid in my opinion.
What would you say if one of those guards had died from a falling tree.
Edit: Riley.. they were allowed to stand down. Which showed good thinking on someones part. It just astonished me that some would think it is honorable to stand out there during a dangerous storm.
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climbski2
Mountain climber
Anchorage AK, Reno NV
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Oct 30, 2012 - 03:00pm PT
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It is dedication to a symbol of great importance. Respect to those who truly gave all, not just their life but their name too. Respect also for the living, A promise and example to all who serve. We will be there for you no matter what.
ALWAYS
Whatever it takes
That is Honor
I think it is lot more worthwhile than most endeavors. Certainly worth getting wet and cold and miserable for.
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John M
climber
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Oct 30, 2012 - 03:03pm PT
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Damn Ron.. you have to be kidding me. It has nothing to do with courage. It has to do with wasting a life.
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John M
climber
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Oct 30, 2012 - 03:05pm PT
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Yes Chief. I understand it was their orders. Thats why I said it was on the head of whoever ordered them out there. You don't waste your troops on silly assignments. Since they were ordered to stand down, it seems like some think I was correct in thinking it isn't honorable to stand guard during a storm like this.
Or are you saying that the order to stand down was dishonorable?
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John M
climber
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Oct 30, 2012 - 03:08pm PT
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So you are saying that no one was in charge and these guys can just decide whether they want to stand out there or not? I don't know that much about the honor guard. Is it not a duty post?
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stevep
Boulder climber
Salt Lake, UT
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Oct 30, 2012 - 03:08pm PT
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I dunno...I can kind of see what John M is getting at. Those guys are doing their job, in bad, but not awful conditions (i.e., not a sub-zero blizzard). And it is an honor for them to get chosen. I respect what they are doing, and I very much respect what the monument stands for, but I don't know that is the same as saying those guys somehow are honor and integrity personified.
For that, I'd pick someone doing the right thing despite other pressures. Speaking up about the massacre at My Lai or somehting like that. Not just doing your duty.
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crasic
climber
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Oct 30, 2012 - 03:14pm PT
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We have an all-volunteer, professional army, they can be sent to do whatever damn well pleases the civilian government.
If we are bitching about inefficient appropriation of human resources in our military there are much bigger fish to fry.
The honor isn't in the post but in the symbolic refusal to vacate in adverse conditions.
But what do I know, I'm a draft dodger :)
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Dapper Dan
Trad climber
Menlo Park
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Oct 30, 2012 - 03:18pm PT
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Hard to expect people who have never served in the military to comprehend or appreciate the guarding of the tomb .
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climbski2
Mountain climber
Anchorage AK, Reno NV
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Oct 30, 2012 - 03:30pm PT
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In our nation a bad war is the failure of Civilians. Most of all The electorate who chose poorly.
Rarely have our soldiers failed us... Many are the times we have failed them.
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