Introduce yourself here - I'll go first
RichardGaspa
Posts: 51 Member
Hello Everyone,
My name is Richard Gaspa and I reside in Las Vegas, NV. My home is in the flight path for the aircraft landing and taking off from the Nellies Air Force base here in Las Vegas. As loud as it gets in my back yard I enjoy seeing the Air Force flying in formation over my home.
I am a 61 year old male, Retired and who proudly served in the US Army. Joined at the age of 16 (lied about my age with the help of my older sister) I lived in the projects in Boston with drugs and gangs all around me and joining the army was my way out.
Sent to Viet Nam on my first tour. The thing I remember the most is when I was arrested while my unit was still in a fire fight by the military police after the army found out I was 16 and not only lied about my age and in the army but in a war zone.
I was one week younger than 17 when arrested and brought back to the states for discharge. After getting my congressman involved, the network news and a lot of public support I was given congressional waiver for the three days left until I became of age and was allowed to remain in the army. I then stayed in for 15 years.I am now a proud disabled Veteran and remember my early days of my military career like it was yesterday.
My name is Richard Gaspa and I reside in Las Vegas, NV. My home is in the flight path for the aircraft landing and taking off from the Nellies Air Force base here in Las Vegas. As loud as it gets in my back yard I enjoy seeing the Air Force flying in formation over my home.
I am a 61 year old male, Retired and who proudly served in the US Army. Joined at the age of 16 (lied about my age with the help of my older sister) I lived in the projects in Boston with drugs and gangs all around me and joining the army was my way out.
Sent to Viet Nam on my first tour. The thing I remember the most is when I was arrested while my unit was still in a fire fight by the military police after the army found out I was 16 and not only lied about my age and in the army but in a war zone.
I was one week younger than 17 when arrested and brought back to the states for discharge. After getting my congressman involved, the network news and a lot of public support I was given congressional waiver for the three days left until I became of age and was allowed to remain in the army. I then stayed in for 15 years.I am now a proud disabled Veteran and remember my early days of my military career like it was yesterday.
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Replies
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Richard , I am new on this site. So I wonder if you received my message. Francie0
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Hello
I am retired twenty three years in US Army. Like you proud to have served. Most of my time as a reservist. The last four years I was on active duty.0 -
Richard , I am new on this site. So I wonder if you received my message. Francie
Hello Francie,
Yes, I did receive your message. Everything seems to be working great. Welcome to the Veterans Weight Loss Support Group, You just happen to be the very first member to join. I only created the group no more than an hour ago and was thrilled to see my very first member to join the so soon. Welcome
Although the group was created for veterans, everyone is welcomed. I am hoping if you have friends who are looking for a group to join for support and motivation you forward them the below link.
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/groups/home/13235-veterans-weight-loss-support-group
The message area is a little thin at this time I know, but I do plan on logging on daily and the discussion area will become active and interesting to read and to leave your comments very soon. Feel free to start any topic of your own here in the group. I hope you are active and log back into our group frequently. - -0 -
Hooooah!
I joined the Army in 1981 right out of high school. Actually my military experience started back in 1963 when I was born into the Army family, my dad is now retired after 35 years of service. I joined to get job skills and money for college and stayed because I loved the brotherhood. After 14 years of Active Duty I got out to pursue my photography career in Los Angeles. I went into the Reserves. After two deployments to Iraq, counting all the AC years I was close enough to my 20 years that it made sense to go on the AGR program and complete my time. I am rounding out my 22 AC year and 32 total federal service year! Still enjoying it.
But I am not as young as I used to be so dropping weight to get to the Army standard is more difficult. I survive by meeting the TAPE Standard but I am here to work on getting way down in weight so I don;t have to be TAPED.
My next APFT is 1 MAY!!!!0 -
Hooooah!
I joined the Army in 1981 right out of high school. Actually my military experience started back in 1963 when I was born into the Army family, my dad is now retired after 35 years of service. I joined to get job skills and money for college and stayed because I loved the brotherhood. After 14 years of Active Duty I got out to pursue my photography career in Los Angeles. I went into the Reserves. After two deployments to Iraq, counting all the AC years I was close enough to my 20 years that it made sense to go on the AGR program and complete my time. I am rounding out my 22 AC year and 32 total federal service year! Still enjoying it.
But I am not as young as I used to be so dropping weight to get to the Army standard is more difficult. I survive by meeting the TAPE Standard but I am here to work on getting way down in weight so I don;t have to be TAPED.
My next APFT is 1 MAY!!!!
A former Army colleague Hooooah!
I as well as you seem to have let ourself go to the wayside sense those early basic training days. Do you remember how good of shape we were in on that graduation day? I am 62 in July and retired now but if I was till in the service I would be up for a article 15 for damage to government property. I started my diet and working out again about 2 1/2 month ago and lost 27 pounds so far. My first goal is getting down to 190 and hope to do that by the end of June. Thats not the ultimate goal though. At that time I will be setting another goal of twenty more pounds.0 -
On this date (April 1) 1978 I left Des Moines, IA and flew to Columbia, SC for the shock of my life! Not only did no one tell me NOT to wear high heels that day because I would be running off the cattle truck (wasn't really one but looked and felt like one) but no one told me NOT to wear a warm (hot) outfit. When I left Des Moines it was 38 degrees, when I landed in Columbia it was almost 80 degrees! :laugh:
I was in the 1st group of women who trained beside men at Ft Jackson and we did our Drill Sargent proud - he was voted the #1 Drill Sargent of the course. I had wanted to go into the Drill Sargent training but a car accident caused me to not be back and in shape before it started. Because of the amount of men & women coming back from Nam I was sent back to IA and put into a Medical National Guard Unit where I served for 3 years.
Over the years things have changed. I went from fit young woman to obese middle aged woman. I am a caregiver for my 85 year old mother with medical issues of her own. My husband is a heart patient who doesn't watch his weight and doesn't watch his Type 2 diabetes. I am 55 - Type 2 diabetic, high triglicerides, high blood pressure, constant stress. Ok that was the OLD me. Since starting MFP I have lost 13 pounds, my fasting glucose this morning was 55 so I'm on the right path.
Thank you Richard for starting this group! I hope to get a lot out of it and hope to meet a lot of friends here! Add me if you want. My name is Carole and I live outside St. Louis, MO.1 -
Hello, my name is (former) SSG Brian King. I had the honor and privilege of serving in the 1-89th/2BCT/10 Mountian Division. Of course, I was in the most hardcore, fast pace elite MOS, 19D (cavalry scout). Sorry couldnt resist a bit of trash talk. Anyways back in late 2008, I was wounded in an IED along on a patrol on the road along side the Korengal River (Korenengal valley, Kunar province). Anyways, besides the expected facial and skull lacerations. I received serve nerve damage at the base of my0
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Sorry for some reason, the,end of my post was deleted. Anyways, I suffered severe nerve damage. But, after Extensive Physical therapy, I have received permission to start strength training again My problem is over the last few years. I have gained an extra 20 or so extra pounds. Which might seem that drastic but my body fat% has increased0
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Hello everyone! I was recently medically retired from the Army. I had planned for a much longer career and it was hard to see it end. My body has not adapted well to the slower pace of civilian life. I want to lose the weight I have gained so that I can be healthier and happier. I have around 30 lbs to lose.
Donita0 -
Jim Newberry from Kenosha Wisconsin. I am a veteran of the U.S. Army , 8 Dec 1967 to 10 Sep 1970. I weighed a soft 180 when I entered the Army and weighed 175 when I graduated from basic training. I was about 190 when I got out and then 9 months later was up to 230. Pizza, beer and weightlifting. I gained a bit more each year and averaged around 250 until 1989 when my
Dad passed. I then went up to about 275 and added a bit more each year. My highest weight was in 2009 when I got up to 330 pounds. I went into the move program for the first time in 2010 after getting down to 300. I got down to 275 but quit the program and slowly rose again to 298. I went on Move again in 2012 and got down to the high 280s. Started again in Jan of this year at 304. After five weeks I am down to 290. My goal is to lose 10 percent of my starting weight by the end of the move program. So I still need to lose sixteen pounds. I will probably have to extend my time period a few weeks. I hope I make it. I am going to need more stick-to-itiveness to accomplish my goal. Because of my weight, even with good shoes I can't walk each day, so I walk every other day and supplement it with shadow boxing. I used to jog, but since I am 65, I just need to increase to a fast walk. I hope to fit in with your group.0 -
I am a former SONAR tech on submarines. I am 309lbs and changing my lifestyle.0
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I'm a former Army Combat Medic out of the 44th Medical, 82nd Airborne out of Fort Bragg. I'm currently at 255lbs and couldn't be more disappointed with myself. I've already cut out alcohol as I know I have an issue with it anyways. I'm here to make friends.
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Hello Comrades! My name is Yan, I am a 15 year Army Combat Medic Vet. I still work with the Army as a Contractor. It is great to work amongst Soldiers, they keep me young. I wished I was my Soldier weight of 160lbs, but at 235lbs I feel ashamed that I gave up on myself. I am doing the VA Move Program for the second time. Just started! I am getting close to my 50th and my goal is to be on the best shape of my life!
Is anyone around? Let's get this group going! I could use some support for this group.
Yan0
