VERY NICE Cheese! You painted a great picture of the Orchard.

Kingdom, I am not sure about the Rangers, but it was stressed to us at both at the company unit level and the small unit level to never leave anyone behind. This is best expressed if you ever read about the attempted rescue of the crew of the Mayaguez at the end of the Vietnam war. 4 Marines were left behind in this incident, 3 of which may have been alive at the time of the withdrawl. Even in boot camp, we are taught this story and others.

VERY impressive! I am humbled by the bio alone! I can't wait to see what you write...

Thanks so much for the comments. I have to agree with cheese simply because dialogue is so hard for me to write! I agree with the M4 version, but the first troops on the scene in a new war or theater rarely have the best of the best equipment. However, you are comletely 100% correct about the capabilities of the new carbines...

Thanks hebe! I will post my first this evening when I get home from work...

Unless I am to much of a coward!

Hi Silver. I live in a nothern suburb of Dallas. My yard received some rain but that was the extent of my IKE damage.

Jack and Coke? I am going to fit right in around here! ;)

Hi. I love writing and have written stories and poetry almost my entire life. My biggest problem is finishing or following through. I have taken several short story classes and have always received favorable reviews. I have several great book ideas. Yet, here I am, unpublished with nothing complete. Several of my short stories have been completed in one sitting and turned out very well, except for numerous typos etc, but that is why I married an English teacher! Anyway, the point I am trying to make is that I believe I could be a great story teller if I could just finish something and stay with it. My purpose of joining this site is to start writing again and hopefully to get the kind of encouragement and advise I need to maybe someday do this thing for real.
My background is diverse. I am from Texas and a veteran of the Marine Corps infantry. Many of my stories are militaristic, but not in a heavy handed way. I have started a book that deals with a possible future America, but of course it is unfinished and probably needs massive revision. I also have an idea for another book set in an alternate world around a medieval type setting, but not fantasy based.
Anyway, it is a pleasure to meet you all and I hope to be posting and hearing from you soon.

Hi, I have just registered with the site and I have a few questions. Can I write a story myself or do all stories have the option to be continued by others. Secondly, by posting stories here do we give up the right to have them published at a later date? Thanks and I apologize for the new guy questions in advance! ;)