I know the feeling. From my area, 6 guys joined the Corps. Jerry and Billy were KIA in Nam. Billy went on patrol, just after receiving a dear John. When the SHTF on that patrol, Billy did a walking asssault, with his M16 and a magazine with 20 rounds. That's how we lost Billy that day. One of the guys, that were on patrol with Billy that day, told Dick what happened to Billy and how he died. I went through boot camp on the buddy system with 2 of them and Bobby, who lived 3 doors from me as kids, greeted me on hill 881, when I stepped off of the chopper in Nam. What a suprise that was. Bobby died of agent orange cancer a few years back. Wayne, one the three of us, who joined together, died of agent orange cancer a couple of years after Bobby. I'll mention here, that Bobby was offered a battlefield commision, to the rank of second Lt., that he refused. I'll bet that would suprise the judge, that gave him the choice of joining the Marine Corps, or going to jail. That leaves Dick and I. Dick was hit, on three ocassions in Nam and has had surguries on and off, his whole life as a result. 27 suguries in total. He overcame agent orange, bone marrow cancer some years ago, had a serious stroke and has cancer again and is now in a nursing home, as result of dimentia. He's not strong enough for radiation, so he gets chemo, to shrink the tumor. In the end, chemo will cease to work. I don't know, how much longer, my friend Dick can last, under his circumstances. When Dick is gone, I'll be standing watch alone once again, thinking about the other 5 Marines from home and if Maura takes my guns, I'll stand watch with my K-Bar I guess. Like skysoldier and smokey seven are saying, it surely makes you think.