Comments on: Traitor or dupe?

By: Nightwatch

Nightwatch — Sat, 16 Feb 2008 19:14:15 +0000

In the 80′s while visiting my girlfriend in Ventura and she workin late, I took my fishing pole down to the harbor to do some night fishing. The best place was near the bait holding docks since it attracted some nice sized white sea bass. It was cold and misting some so I had the place all to myself. Around 10PM a rather portly fellow dressed in a slicker and hood descended the ramp and set his gear up on the rail a few feet away. We fished quietly for a bit and the mist was turning into rain and I was thinking of folding it up when he suddenly turned to me and asked in a very heavy Slavic accent, “SO, you live round here YES?”
I told him I was up visiting. “AH, yes, do Yu know of dis Vawn-den-Berg base near to here? I was less than a year out of the Navy and strange as his question was, a small WTF caution light began to flash in my brain. I bluffed with a ” I’m not sure, I think it was closed down years ago.” “But, They test rockets there still Yes?” By this time it was raining hard and I played dumb saying I really did not know and then bid him good luck with the fishing (sic) and made my way up the ramp to my car. I related this strange encounter to my girlfriend when I got to her place, but before going to bed that night I also called the base and gave a detailed account to the OOD. Just cuz.

By: Justthisguy

Justthisguy — Thu, 14 Feb 2008 17:47:31 +0000

The point I was trying to make was that I had heard that there was a perceived tendency that some in NIS thought that chasing homos was their highest calling, and that such people were prolly guilty of all kinds of other stuff, too.

By: Grumpy

Grumpy — Wed, 13 Feb 2008 19:41:37 +0000

As I look at this, it is like respect. On a certain level, respect is free, but if it is ever broken, it can never ever be fully repaired. People ask about forgiveness, well let’s look at it. A story- A parent tells their child, “DO NOT EVER PLAY WITH MATCHES!” The child later on begins to grow and have freedom. At some point, he begins to play with matches again. One time, it gets out of control and he is seriously burned over most of his body. At one point he asks for forgiveness, they freely give it. But does that really change reality of the burns? The scars and pain will be the reality of the rest his short life. This the raw fact of life. Military members know a strange balance between discipline and loyalty. They are not always on the same side.

Grumpy

By: Nose

Nose — Wed, 13 Feb 2008 15:05:49 +0000

JTG, don’t get your point on homosexuality, but you are correct about NIS/NCIS and their record of incompetence.

USS Iowa – Bizarre love triangle.

Tailhook- Gave immunity to the guys that really did the assualts and went after guys for such heinous crimes as looking at strippers.

This one- husband of agent is spy for ChiComs. Nice work.

Still, that Mark Harmon is quite a hunk.

By: CPT J

CPT J — Wed, 13 Feb 2008 13:41:29 +0000

FbL,

We’re all wiser from our regrets, and I’ve certainly had mine. I agree that honor damaged by our prior mistakes can be redeemed. But it takes our own effort AND the faith of those who believe in us. One without the other won’t work.

Stoke’s’ fellow Marines believed in him. He proved many times he was fully worthy of their trust.
One’s own honor is a mirror that others want to look in, to see their best selves. An honorable person sees their best reflection in the trust of others, and knows how fragile that bond is. You don’t want to do anything to break that bond. Their faith gives you the strength to do whatever it takes to keep that bond whole. An honorable person, even if they’ve made mistakes, knows they will not be abandoned.

A traitor’s mirror is shattered, never to be made whole again. Nobody trusts them, not even the enemy. Whoever they threw their reputation away for holds them in contempt. If they feel remorse, it won’t save them. They are utterly alone. They are cast out.

By: Zane

Zane — Wed, 13 Feb 2008 11:09:49 +0000

Justthisguy,

So which one’s the homo here, Bergersen or his wife? Think she’s his beard, huh?

Honestly, I haven’t a clue what your point is.