First of all…Thank you SSOO much for protecting this country. It’s people like you who are the true Heroes.

Second of all, all i can say is God Bless Texas.

I read this and drifted back to 1967 and my return to USA from Vietnam where I served in the Army in the Iron Triangle region of South Vietnam. While I can’t say it was as good as your return, I can say Texas treated me a lot better than San Francisco did (discharged there upon return from duty). It really moves me when I learn of good people supporting their soldiers. Old men make wars and young men are sent out to fight them – not that we aren’t willing to do that, but it sure is strange that people that don’t have the first real clue what you just got through fighting – would turn on you like they do. If you are going to fight someone, the US military is the last one you want to lock and load against and the first one you want to get captured by. America is a great nation and men like you represent what makes us great. Thanks for sharing and welcome home.

Hold on fellas…I’m not there yet! I have a little business to finish out here, including kicking ass, taking names, and finishing some hifallutin’ doc-something degree.

First off, thanks for your service, and congrats on the new family!
I have a slightly similar story, albeit one that illustrates the difference between two cities. During one of the recent ice storms here in the metroplex, a buddy and I went out in his 4 wheel drive truck to get some breakfast. We weren’t going very far, and the roads really weren’t dangerous considering the vehicle we were in. However, it seems the smaller 2 wheel drives were having some trouble. We passed one, someone was already helping. We passed another, and someone was already helping (i’ll admit at this point we were just driving around because it was fun). Coming up to a very recently stranded passenger we stopped and helped them to a spot they could rest their car and then gave them a ride to their destination. When we got back home we flipped on the TV to see camera shot after camera shot of stranded passengers in Dallas, with streams of cars passing them and nobody stopping to help. One shot was of a mother and her young son on an overpass and nobody stopping. We just smiled and shook our heads. That doesn’t happen in Fort Worth

I am from Austin and currently my wife and I live in Aberdeen. I was in the active duty Army from 97-01. I know exactly the the attitudes you are talking about. If you ever need someone to watch a Horns game with in MD let me know.

I had a blow out just as I was leaving Giddings on my way back to campus my freshman year. Didn’t have a spare on me, and I had been too stubborn to that point to get a cell phone (2001). Fortunately, I was near a vetinarian’s office on the south side of the road (290). They were closed, but someone was in the back taking care of the animals or something and they helped me so that I could get a spare. Very nice people.

Realizing that I would have been stuck in BFE if my tire had made it another 20 minutes, I also got a cell phone after that.

I definitely agree with everyone else’s sentiments. I’m an Army brat myself (born in Germany) and I have nothing but the utmost respect for all the brave men and women in the armed services. Thank you so much for what you do with all my heart. Without your courageous services, we would not have the incredibly good fortune to enjoy all the great things we have going for us in this world, like freedom, democracy and even basic human rights. Thanks again and welcome home. And of course, congrats on the “lil burntorangehorn.” Here’s hoping they will one day become a proud Texas Ex.

This may also seem irrelevant, but to me it’s not……. Texas also has Whataburger.

Whataburger would be nice to have around here. We don’t have it in MD, obviously, but I guess we have Five Guys, which is pretty good. Honestly what I miss most is In N Out Burger, but I haven’t seen that outside the state of California.

Thanks for all the well-wishes, fellas. Wifey and I have been talking about the potential return for a while now, and I think we can make it happen. There’s no way on earth I’d be able to afford 20-30 acres and big enough house for family gatherings, which would be a couple million dollars in this area, but obviously it’s possible back in good ol’ Texas, specifically within 30mi. of downtown Austin. We’re probably 5-7yrs. away, as we still have to build up some more equity in our place here and save up some more cash so we can get the kind of exurban ranchette I want, but it’s within sight. I just wish I could convince Mack to play a home-and-home game with Maryland or Penn State while I’m still out here.

congrats on the new family!!

I was there for a bit. now I’m here at bragg. :( 4th Psyop Group; I’m a 25R.

First, thanks for you service to our great nation in time of war. I did 27 years in the Navy, and my son is a Marine Lcpl, 2621 (crypto operator). I now work for a defense contractor, and know that we have frequent openings for people with your MOS and clearance in our San Antonio operation. If you need any help checking out the opportunities, I’d be happy to assist.

And as a Texas expat, I know what you mean. My DW, Michigander that she is (she got us tickets to the UT-OSU game in ‘05. Gotta love her), says "for someone who hates NYers as much as you do, don’t you realize that you are just like ‘em? You both think your place is the best, and are pretty loudmouthed about it." I told her there is a huge difference. NYers say, “Boy, this place is hosed up. You should do it like we do it in NY.” Texan says, to himself, "Boy this place is hosed up. I can’t wait to get back to Texas." Post retirement, Lake Travis here I come.

I’ll be around here in MD for a little while, at least. I have definitely considered SA, and my consulting company is actually pretty big there. I just need to establish myself a little and finish another graduate degree before relocating. However, the good news is…

I GET A TASTE OF TEXAS THIS FALL! Today was my 30th birthday, and to help to console me in my nasty divorce from my beloved twenties, wifey’s main gift to me was a weekend in Austin for the KU game.

Real BBQ and football, here I come!