I'll be the Marine Corps' Guinea Pig

[Elok]

Al, this has been bugging me for a while, but somehow I only tonight came to the emotional state where I don't mind just saying it: I've been acting like a real ***** towards you, and I'm sorry. It's complicated; on one level, I was infuriated at the way you seemed to be throwing opportunities away, but on another you were a kind of emotional punching bag. Probably shouldn't go into more detail than that, and I'm not going to point fingers, but I don't think I was the only one who was playing the schadenfreude game on here.

Hope everything turns out for the best for you. Serve with honor.

[Az]

(and remember, artillerymen and other non-infantry combat MOS' are still pogues)

If you are not getting getting hit by shrapnel and 7.62mm rounds while skinny-dipping in CWA with a liquid breathing system pumping the blood of your enemies through you, you don't deserve to be called a true warrior! HOOOOOOORAAAAHH!

congratulations on inventing walking.

[MOBIUS]

Al, this has been bugging me for a while, but somehow I only tonight came to the emotional state where I don't mind just saying it: I've been acting like a real ***** towards you, and I'm sorry. It's complicated; on one level, I was infuriated at the way you seemed to be throwing opportunities away, but on another you were a kind of emotional punching bag. Probably shouldn't go into more detail than that, and I'm not going to point fingers, but I don't think I was the only one who was playing the schadenfreude game on here.

Hope everything turns out for the best for you. Serve with honor.

I think Al is proving a lot of people wrong on this forum. Now that he's finally found a focus and succeeded in achieving it, he seems to be really flourishing!

Actually I really respect him for persevering when lesser people would have given up ages ago! In fact I reckon a lot of us here (certainly me) could probably use his achievement as an object lesson into getting our own houses in order and focusing on the things we really want out of life and how to get them, with the knowledge that if you keep trying, eventually you are likely to succeed!

Good on you, Al!

[onodera]

Has he confirmed he'd finally oiled his wick?