Duane's officially signed up for the military!

[Tonichelle]

Alright long time GSers - ready to feel old? That little brother of mine - the one who wanted to be Kurt Browning for most of his childhood - graduates High School this May. This past week he took his test and physical and he's officially signed up in the Army (infantry). He heads off to bootcamp July 22 (he thinks to GA, but couldn't remember :rolleyes: ). He'll be the second in the family to be army (all the others have been Navy), it's pretty cool...

From his "tipple-toe, tipple-toe" battle cry to "Hoo-ah!" - I guess lol

http://alaskanmagic.smugmug.com/Clie...IMG_8903-M.jpg

[iluvtodd]

Wow, that's amazing! Where does the time go?

[Olympia]

Impressive! Tell Duane thanks for me.

[Tonichelle]

Wow, that's amazing! Where does the time go?

right?! It's crazy to think it's been 7 years since Kurt Browning made me cry when he sent Duane a copy of his book (via me) with a special note inside it. Duane's not a fan of skating these days (it's not cool to be with his group of friends) but he hangs onto that book. Still had dreams of meeting Kurt...

when he was 4 he used to have a pic of Kurt Browning in his buzz lightyear wallet.

[Olympia]

You know what? When he completes his Army training, he won't have to worry about whether it's hip to like skating. No one will question his coolness to his face. He could take up embroidery and it wouldn't matter.

[CoyoteChris]

Good for him! There are many pluses to military service, should he stay or even if he decides to leave.

[Tonichelle]

Good for him! There are many pluses to military service, should he stay or even if he decides to leave.

that's the hope anyway...

[Dee4707]

Wow Toni, I think the last pic I saw of him was a little boy....and look now....wow!!! what a cutie!!! I agree with Olympia, tell him thanks. I think it's a good move for him.

[Tonichelle]

Wow Toni, I think the last pic I saw of him was a little boy....and look now....wow!!! what a cutie!!! I agree with Olympia, tell him thanks. I think it's a good move for him.

We're hoping so!

I think the last pic I shared of him was when he got the book from Kurt for his 10th bday (if not it was the next summer's Disney trip).

It's so funny, he's still very much a believer in what the recruiter tells him - and that John Wayne movies tell the truth about the military (as opposed to movies like Saving Private ryan which is "liberal lies" LOL my dad just shakes his head lol) he's got it in his head that he'll get to take time off no matter what. We're hoping he can get leave close to when we originally planned to go to Disney next fall... if anything maybe he can get a few days and come down for that time. He keeps saying "oh yeah, it'll be no problem." right, kid.

[CoyoteChris]

Hummmm....looks like it is time to grow up a bit....Well, more people die here due to cell phones than die over there in the big sand box of the middle east, but Vietnam was a whole lot more like Private Ryan than John Wayne. I have an aquaintance getting a hernia operation tomarrow due to being shot through and through in Vietnam. He still has to take drugs due to the nightmares of being a medic over there.
I think the army will give your brother a good foundation for the rest of his life if he choses to learn from the experience. I could have used a bit of growing up myself when I went off to college...
I have good thoughts and wishes for your brother.
(Extra points...who can name a male and a female figure skater who skated for their country while in the military reserves?)
.

We're hoping so!

I think the last pic I shared of him was when he got the book from Kurt for his 10th bday (if not it was the next summer's Disney trip).

It's so funny, he's still very much a believer in what the recruiter tells him - and that John Wayne movies tell the truth about the military (as opposed to movies like Saving Private ryan which is "liberal lies" LOL my dad just shakes his head lol) he's got it in his head that he'll get to take time off no matter what. We're hoping he can get leave close to when we originally planned to go to Disney next fall... if anything maybe he can get a few days and come down for that time. He keeps saying "oh yeah, it'll be no problem." right, kid.

[Tonichelle]

Yeah, Duane's at that age where he knows everything so I want to be a fly on the wall when he's training... *evil laugh*

[dorispulaski]

Savchenko & Szolkowy, and pretty nearly every German skater, I would think?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robin_Szolkowy

Apparently the army sponsors skaters in Germany.

[Olympia]

I didn't know that about S/S, or about Germany. I wonder whether any Swiss skaters are in their reserves. The Swiss army is very active in the protection of their neutrality, I've heard. Pretty much every man puts in some time in the reserves. I don't know whether women do.

[CoyoteChris]

Give that lady a cigar! She knows her skaters....you win a trip to Hawaii or something else.
But even besides the Swiss Males and the Germans, there is another Euro lady from the past that is sticking in my head but I cant put a name too....old age does that to you....

Savchenko & Szolkowy, and pretty nearly every German skater, I would think?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robin_Szolkowy

Apparently the army sponsors skaters in Germany.

[Buttercup]

(Extra points...who can name a male and a female figure skater who skated for their country while in the military reserves?)
.

Why just reserves? Israel has compulsory military service for men and women. Roman Zaretsky served in the Israeli army back when the Zars were juniors, though he was designated as an outstanding athlete, so that he was able to continue skating (he talks about it in this interview). By the time Alexandra would have had to start her service, they were training in the US, so I guess other arrangements were made.

Of course, lots of Soviet skaters were affiliated with the army, specifically with CSKA Moscow. I'm not sure if this still holds for Russian skaters today?

Good luck to your brother, Toni - I hope it will be a good experience for him.