- Joined
- Jun 9, 2006
- Messages
- 3,692
- Reaction score
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The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
Military Division
50 Maple Street
Milford MA 01757
23 June 2010
PVT (MA) Andrew Moynohan (some of the others in the unit didn't have their ranks right, well, they couldn't even get my NAME right)
Andy's address
Andy's street
Andy's town/state/zip
Dear PVT (MA) Moynohan:
I am writing to thank you for your honorable service as a member of the Massachusetts State Guard. Your selfless service embodied the ideal of the citizen-soldier, always ready to serve when called upon.
Our State Guard has maintained a noted tradition of distinguished service to the Commonwealth dating from the Civil War and you should be deservedly proud of your contributions to the organization's achievements. The Global War on Terrorism has necessitated the transformation of the Massachusetts State Guard into an operational force, and so the State Guard was deactivated to facilitate the transformation of our state's militia force. Enclosed are orders to formally acknowledge and conclude your recent period of service.
On behalf of the Massachusetts National Guard, I am personally grateful for your commitment to assist us in the execution of our duties and thank you again for your honorable service.
Sincerely,
( ink signature)
Joseph C. Carter
Major General, MA NG
The Adjutant General
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
ORDERS 168-34 17 June 2010
MOYNOHAN, ANDREW PVT (MA) MASSACHUSETTS STATE GUARD MILFORD MA
You are discharged from the Massachusetts State Guard.
Authority: TAGMA PAM 10-6, Paragraph 2-7a(11).
Effective Date: 31 Jan 2008
Component: MASG
Format: 500
DISTRIBUTION:
PVT (MA) MOYNOHAN (1)
MA NG Archives (1)
(ink signature)
JOSEPH C. CARTER
Major General, MA NG
The Adjutant General
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
You know, for awhile there, I thought about feeling the same resentment that many of the old unit does over many things about how this was handled behind the scenes:
*Note that the discharge is retrodated to 31 Jan 2008 (questioning of other members verified this to be true of all documents sent). The month of our final drill before the stand down orders came, and not a word from them for 2 1/2 years after. Now I have it from fellow unit members who were prior federal service that you are supposed to continue to accrue rank/ time in grade until you are officially discharged, so if this is true, I should have been mustered out as CPL, or at least PFC. This may also explain why some members' ranks were incorrect.
Now it's true, my service wasn't about "me" after all, but come on-- I told them of the mistake in my name spelling in the roster list and everyone INSPECTED my uniform every drill, which I can only assume must have included inspecting my NAMETAPE. I don't care about not accruing rank but would it really have been too much to fix my *name*?
*The orders just came as a seperate piece of typed paper with the letter. No certificate, no decommissioning ceremony, no nothing. I am told these are more standard as well. No matter. After this has unfolded the way it has I'm now just glad to be done with it.
* the proposed new "State Defense Force" which is to replace us is apparently to be stood up with a ceremony this fall, which I suspect is an election year ploy by our current governor. No matter. It won't help him at this point.
Given that we recieved no pay and no benefits (Come time for me to croak, I don't even get a flag on my coffin), and had to purchase our own uniforms, supplies and equipment minus weapons out of our own pockets, I can see why my MASG brothers and sisters would feel slighted, and how I could feel that way myself.
But the thing is this:
None of that compares to the sense of pride, comradeship and honor I feel at having met and served with such a great group of people in the unit itself, quite apart from politics, at having assisted infantry and military police units in their training prior to deployment to war, and being , in both the spiritual and literal sense, direct descendants of the original Massachusetts Minutemen on whose shoulders the Revolution was fought until a standing army could be raised.
We were the Last Minutemen and nothing can take that away from us.
Hooah.
Military Division
50 Maple Street
Milford MA 01757
23 June 2010
PVT (MA) Andrew Moynohan (some of the others in the unit didn't have their ranks right, well, they couldn't even get my NAME right)
Andy's address
Andy's street
Andy's town/state/zip
Dear PVT (MA) Moynohan:
I am writing to thank you for your honorable service as a member of the Massachusetts State Guard. Your selfless service embodied the ideal of the citizen-soldier, always ready to serve when called upon.
Our State Guard has maintained a noted tradition of distinguished service to the Commonwealth dating from the Civil War and you should be deservedly proud of your contributions to the organization's achievements. The Global War on Terrorism has necessitated the transformation of the Massachusetts State Guard into an operational force, and so the State Guard was deactivated to facilitate the transformation of our state's militia force. Enclosed are orders to formally acknowledge and conclude your recent period of service.
On behalf of the Massachusetts National Guard, I am personally grateful for your commitment to assist us in the execution of our duties and thank you again for your honorable service.
Sincerely,
( ink signature)
Joseph C. Carter
Major General, MA NG
The Adjutant General
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
ORDERS 168-34 17 June 2010
MOYNOHAN, ANDREW PVT (MA) MASSACHUSETTS STATE GUARD MILFORD MA
You are discharged from the Massachusetts State Guard.
Authority: TAGMA PAM 10-6, Paragraph 2-7a(11).
Effective Date: 31 Jan 2008
Component: MASG
Format: 500
DISTRIBUTION:
PVT (MA) MOYNOHAN (1)
MA NG Archives (1)
(ink signature)
JOSEPH C. CARTER
Major General, MA NG
The Adjutant General
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
You know, for awhile there, I thought about feeling the same resentment that many of the old unit does over many things about how this was handled behind the scenes:
*Note that the discharge is retrodated to 31 Jan 2008 (questioning of other members verified this to be true of all documents sent). The month of our final drill before the stand down orders came, and not a word from them for 2 1/2 years after. Now I have it from fellow unit members who were prior federal service that you are supposed to continue to accrue rank/ time in grade until you are officially discharged, so if this is true, I should have been mustered out as CPL, or at least PFC. This may also explain why some members' ranks were incorrect.
Now it's true, my service wasn't about "me" after all, but come on-- I told them of the mistake in my name spelling in the roster list and everyone INSPECTED my uniform every drill, which I can only assume must have included inspecting my NAMETAPE. I don't care about not accruing rank but would it really have been too much to fix my *name*?
*The orders just came as a seperate piece of typed paper with the letter. No certificate, no decommissioning ceremony, no nothing. I am told these are more standard as well. No matter. After this has unfolded the way it has I'm now just glad to be done with it.
* the proposed new "State Defense Force" which is to replace us is apparently to be stood up with a ceremony this fall, which I suspect is an election year ploy by our current governor. No matter. It won't help him at this point.
Given that we recieved no pay and no benefits (Come time for me to croak, I don't even get a flag on my coffin), and had to purchase our own uniforms, supplies and equipment minus weapons out of our own pockets, I can see why my MASG brothers and sisters would feel slighted, and how I could feel that way myself.
But the thing is this:
None of that compares to the sense of pride, comradeship and honor I feel at having met and served with such a great group of people in the unit itself, quite apart from politics, at having assisted infantry and military police units in their training prior to deployment to war, and being , in both the spiritual and literal sense, direct descendants of the original Massachusetts Minutemen on whose shoulders the Revolution was fought until a standing army could be raised.
We were the Last Minutemen and nothing can take that away from us.
Hooah.
