[SEATJERKER]

...I think...

...It would prob take 3 weeks to detail it all out, but in the condensed version, it was prob the best thing I could do was go...

...I haven't been that involved in the service org's until, what, a year, and a half ago, but have found some belonging in being able to call you men, and women my brothers, and sisters again on an "official" level in public...
...It took a lot to go, and I did make progress in many different ways,...
...seeing such fine men, and women of distinction gathered together, and accepting me for the "hat", and not what was pinned to it was "kinda lookin' at the other side of the mountian", and it's down hill from here", I've felt for a long time like I'd been pushin' that train up...
...I/we laughed, and cried a lot, I met a lot of people from across the state, and esp the guys from Manhatten from chapter 35 by the WTC that were the best, (I'll go into more later...)

...I spent one of the days in a class for "NYS Service Officer Certification" in which the new "STATE COMMANDER", Robert N. Petucci sat in on through the whole class, and participated in all aspects, this guy is sharp, and young, and I'm proud to say that I've met him, and I think the Veterans in NY will be four folds better in the long run...
...He was sworn in amidst thundering applause...
...So now I am certified to provide assistance with matters pertaining to claims of Veterans, their dependents, widows, and orphans, and If I can only write one claim that helps one veteran, then the class was well worth it...
...I had the opportunity to spend the weekend with the service officer that handles my case, and who also taught the course(although no personal cases were discussed), We've grown closer as he was the man that I was screaming at across the desk last year as in getting to know him now, I never realized how qualified he was, and even though my case is only halfway there, I know know he does care...( I have been known to be a bit untrusting)...

... I got shang hi'ed by my friend up here as before I knew it, I was in the lobby of the convention center, and had a "dress" pulled over me, and I was informed that I was now in "Rat land", and was "hazed" into being in the NOTR..( Nation Order of the Trench Rats), peer presure was just too much for me to turn down, ...funny thing was as I'm standing in the lobby, my wife walks in as she's just getting there because I checked in Sun., I looked good in floral print....
"GENTLE hazing" continued through most of the next two hours as we were paraded around to the delight of the "cotton tops", excuse me, ladies, and off to the skeet club for final induction It was good clean brotherly fun, and I wouldn't trade the memory of the night for anything, It was the first night that I felt "together in acceptence for nothing other then who I was"...

...I will, again, and again thank you all here, and those from the back channel for being there when no one else was for me, YOU KNOW WHO YOU ARE, please reach around, and your allowed one pat on the back, Bits gets two...

... don't know where I'm going, but I do know where I been, I'm movin on....
"C"