HOW TO TELL YOU'RE A COLD WAR VETERAN Adapted by Cpl (ret) "Durty" Dan Leger

I mean a REAL Cold War Vet. The ones who helped defeat Communism in Europe without firing a shot in anger.

• You remember when the 60mm mortar and M72 LAW were part of issue kit.

• You remember when TacEvals were 36 hours and you had fun.

• You’ve eaten and drank out of “hay buckets”.

• You were issued a Melmac cup and plate.

• You remember when CanEx was contemptuously viewed as an organized crime syndicate.

• You know what a Deuce-and-a-Half and a Five-Quarter were and could put a track back on a carrier without the help of the Vehicle Techs in Transport.

• You remember when the Israelis were bad asses and we all wanted to be like them.

• You remember when Saddam Hussein was our loyal ally.

• You remember when as a new Lt/Capt you could go out and train your soldiers and not have an OC tell you how screwed up you were.

• You remember Bn OCs who drank, swore and mentored.

• You remember Bn OCs who were ruthless about tactics, but didn't give a crap about admin BS.

• You remember when 2Lts and Cpls demanded respect from TQ3 Privates and got it.

• You can navigate at night without a GPS.

• You can remember when the defense budget was 7% of the GNP.

• You can remember when the main battle area was the only fight.

• You can remember when every ones career track was 10 years in Germany with 4 Brigade in Lahr.

• You remember when the Soviet Union was a major super power instead (albeit the Russian Republic) of being a basket case for the IMF.

• You could receive a couple of Verbal Warnings and even a Recorded Warning and it would not force you to look for employment on civvie street.

• You could actually charge someone for not having a haircut, without Parliamentary Act.

• You remember when a Minister’s Inquiry passed across someone's desk, they dropped EVERYTHING and addressed it.

• You remember when Sensitivity training was something your wife did.

• You remember when going to NDHQ was not cool and did not help your career.

• You remember when women in combat was just a bad idea that would soon fade away.

• You remember when being hard core and a warrior was cherished.

• You remember that going to the Airborne Regiment was cool and not just to get rid of you because you’re a "trouble maker".

• You remember when we had an Airborne Regiment.

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