CSM has passed away

[jimnyc]

We have lost one of the best. CSM has passed away in early October.

CSM honorably served in the Army for 15 years and left active duty. Then went on to serve an additional 15 years for a total of 30 years of dedicated service to our country. Upon retirement, he didn't stop and continued on working in the defense industry. He was a loving husband and a very proud dad of 4 sons, one of which became a CSM himself, and the others all serving their country.

https://i.imgur.com/czaKadv.png

He also came along and started posting with us right from the get go in 2007. He was never afraid to speak his opinions but always did so in a respectful manner, and made friends and much respect around the board. As Abbey said to me - he was one of the best. No doubt of that here with us, and more so in real life. He made a career of serving his country, and the pay wasn't gonna make him a millionaire. He had a huge family and appears to have passed on his honorable ways to his children.

I'm at a loss for words on this one. Mike was just a fantastic guy all the way around, and I was proud that he chose us and posted with us for so long.

Absolutely his ribbon is being added up at the top of the board. It saddens me to see so many there now, in comparison to us being a small board. And it had to be 4 of the best folks I met online in the past 20 years. :( We may not be around forever, but the tributes to our fallen will be.

[jimnyc]

This is the latest ribbon setup, and I did the best I could. :(

If you don't see it up there, try F5 to reload. If that doesn't work, click on this link to see the image, and then hit F5 on the image and it will change, and then return to board and it should then load fine.

http://www.debatepolicy.com/images/debate_policy/misc/header_r.jpg

[Mr. P]

I was afraid of this since I've had no response to a PM from him.

RIP Mike! :salute:

[Tyr-Ziu Saxnot]

We have lost one of the best. CSM has passed away in early October.

CSM honorably served in the Army for 15 years and left active duty. Then went on to serve an additional 15 years for a total of 30 years of dedicated service to our country. Upon retirement, he didn't stop and continued on working in the defense industry. He was a loving husband and a very proud dad of 4 sons, one of which became a CSM himself, and the others all serving their country.

https://i.imgur.com/czaKadv.png

He also came along and started posting with us right from the get go in 2007. He was never afraid to speak his opinions but always did so in a respectful manner, and made friends and much respect around the board. As Abbey said to me - he was one of the best. No doubt of that here with us, and more so in real life. He made a career of serving his country, and the pay wasn't gonna make him a millionaire. He had a huge family and appears to have passed on his honorable ways to his children.

I'm at a loss for words on this one. Mike was just a fantastic guy all the way around, and I was proud that he chose us and posted with us for so long.

Absolutely his ribbon is being added up at the top of the board. It saddens me to see so many there now, in comparison to us being a small board. And it had to be 4 of the best folks I met online in the past 20 years. :( We may not be around forever, but the tributes to our fallen will be.

I am very sorry to hear of this tragic loss. I always respected CSM for his views, his character and the way he held himself to a very high standard in communication with others here. Wishing God's blessings and comfort to all of his friends and his beloved family. His service to country reveals a brave man of integrity and high moral convictions.
May he rest in peace. :salute:--Tyr

[jimnyc]

I was afraid of this since I've had no response to a PM from him.

RIP Mike! :salute:

Same here. We were shootin' a few PM's and he shared some with me. But was also posting. So I had sent him a few more after our last touching base to see how he was feeling, and same as you. :(

What do you know about this position, so we can all learn a tad more about what he did when he served.

Command Sergeant Major, what does it entail, and how does an enlisted man achieve this? Was hoping you & Gunny and others could tell us more about him from what you guys know, in general of course.

[jimnyc]

I am very sorry to hear of this tragic loss. I always respected CSM for his views, his character and the way he held himself to a very high standard in communication with others here. Wishing God's blessings and comfort to all of his friends and his beloved family. His service to country reveals a brave man of integrity and high moral convictions.
May he rest in peace. :salute:--Tyr

I have a feeling that if we were to talk to all who knew him, in real life and online, would all have a central theme - respect.

He truly was a good man and one can see this in the amount of respect he garners from others.

[SassyLady]

OMG ... I'm in tears.

[jimnyc]

OMG ... I'm in tears.

I know you have a unique perspective as a military wife, and seeing other military friends dying. :(

[icansayit]

:saluting2::saluting2::saluting2::saluting2::salut ing2::saluting2::saluting2:

https://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/omaha.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/4/8c/48cf7bcc-e0c7-555e-8d99-4185e6ce674b/5ecb45c6cbfec.image.jpg

[SassyLady]

I know you have a unique perspective as a military wife, and seeing other military friends dying. :(

Yes ... and I was married to a CSM in my prior life.


I'm so broken hearted about never getting to meet CSM. He promised to look me up if he ever made it to AZ.

I didn't really know Merlin that much but Gaffer really hurt and I do miss Ellesar.

I guess we're getting to that age where we lose more friends than we make.

Jim ... was it his heart?

[jimnyc]

Refresh again if you did so already. It fixed it up a little so that Merlin's name fit in the ribbon properly, but it increased the size and cutting things close now. :(

Should look like this one. And if not seeing it, then click this link - then click F5 so that the new one loads. Then return to the board and F5 again and things should look like this one:

http://www.debatepolicy.com/images/debate_policy/misc/header_r.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/5B0MrSg.jpg

[jimnyc]

Yes ... and I was married to a CSM in my prior life.


I'm so broken hearted about never getting to meet CSM. He promised to look me up if he ever made it to AZ.

I didn't really know Merlin that much but Gaffer really hurt and I do miss Ellesar.

I guess we're getting to that age where we lose more friends than we make.

Jim ... was it his heart?

Same here. If we could have ever had some form of get together, he would be on my list. It would have been an honor to meet him. Wasn't to be. :(

He let me know months back that he found out he had stage 4 cancer. Was going to chemo, and last time he and I messaged he was doing fine with the medication, but was still working on coming up with alternate plans as well. He wasn't going to complain even if he could, and he wanted no sympathy at all he said, and why he was mostly keeping it quiet.

It's been SO long since Ben passed away. But he was by far and still to today the best writing poster that's ever been with us. Hell of an intelligent guy. Gaffer was awesome of course and was very open about himself & also made a long list of friends over the years. Hell, John knew him well too as he wandered over to John's music and movies site and got along well with him over there. And then Elessar and CSM was like a double whammy here in 2019/2020. It's given me a sad feeling ever since I found this out and I can't seem to shake it.

[jimnyc]

Same again, or just try holding down the shift key and then hit F5 - so Shift/F5

Let me know if this is too corny or not. Where the last ribbon meets the eagle and his beak, I thought looked awkward. So I added color via a rainbow, made it very transparent, to add to the tribute and to take attention away from that area if possible.

https://i.imgur.com/y08Vx2p.jpg

[darin]

Just rips out my heart. That man was a man by which many should be measured. God....

[SassyLady]

Just rips out my heart. That man was a man by which many should be measured. God....

Me too....heart broken.

And yes, he was a good person. I respected and admired him and wish I could have met him in person. .

[Evmetro]

RIP, my friend.

[Tyr-Ziu Saxnot]

Yes ... and I was married to a CSM in my prior life.


I'm so broken hearted about never getting to meet CSM. He promised to look me up if he ever made it to AZ.

I didn't really know Merlin that much but Gaffer really hurt and I do miss Ellesar.

I guess we're getting to that age where we lose more friends than we make.

Jim ... was it his heart?
Sad about those deaths. Gaffer I knew much better. We messaged here and many many times by email.
He was my friend and it hurt a lot when he passed.
Myself, I 've had over a dozen friends pass away. As I in my youth made friends with several older guys that were prior military.
Great guys everyone of them. Each one was squared away and had profited greatly by their prior service...
Lets hope that 2021 makes up for the great disaster that was 2020.