Thread by @schachin

I spent a lot of time around Military people back in the day. Was even engaged to one once. :)

If you know people in the military, you know they often travel in packs. :)

My apt in college was their refuges (I was two blocks from the bars & across from the girls' dorms :))

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3 of us were dating Marines at the time & w them came all their friends. LOL

We had 1 rule. No girls in my apt overnight, but the guys could come to get away on weekends or the 72s & 96s.

In return, they always fully mustered my apt on Sundays (so they could come back)

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Was like having a large group of brothers. They took care of us when our boyfriends were deployed & we sent them care packages when they were deployed themselves.

Have so many wonderful memories of the time we spent.

Silly times, drunk times, fun times, sad times...

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We were always there for each other .. and they loved to hang out at my house (remember bars and girls were close by LOL)

One night they had a recall about 1 in the morning. That night recall meant every soldier had 3 hrs to get back to base for possible deployment.

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One of our friends missed his ride, so we drove him back to base about 90 mins away. (Missing recall is HUGE)

[Scary time when your friends get recalled for possible unknown deployment.]

So we get back to my apartment, think it was around 5am or 6am.

I get a call...

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A very loud, direct voice was on the other end.

It barked -- "ARE CORPORALS SO AND SO AND SO AND SO THERE?"

I had no idea who this was...
"Um may I ask who this is?"

He tells me he is the duty at the barracks looking for two Marines that did not make it back yet....

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Tell him I have no idea who those people are, but even more curiously --

ME.
"How did you get my number?"

USMC.
"Mam, it says in the top of the duty book --
If you cannot find a Marine, call Kristine
-- w your number!"

ME.
"noooo?"

USMC.
"Yes."

🤣🤣🤣🤣
#truestory

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So many memories.
So many stories to tell, but too much for #Twitter

I just remember those guys seeming so grown up back then.

Years later, I was at an Irish Pub & a group of Marines were celebrating before they deployed to one of the ME Wars (don't remember which one).

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And I remember thinking how young they looked now.

And they were deploying to places unknown to futures uncertain and in that moment I appreciated so much more than I even did then, and I did back then, just how much we ask of our soldiers at such a young age.

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So to every Veteran today, we salute your service. Your sacrifices and the sacrifices of your friends and family to keep us safe to protect this country.

For all you have done.
For all we ask.
We can never say thank you enough.
💗💗💗💗💗💗💗

#VeteransDay2021 #Veterans

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