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<p>[QUOTE=&quot;Andrew McMenamin, post: 4277583, member: 109008&quot;]I was born and raised in the Irish Republic.&nbsp; In the 70s we lived only about 20 miles south of Newry, right on the border between the Republic and British occupied Northern Ireland.&nbsp; I witnessed much death and destruction during the &quot;troubles.&quot;&nbsp; Ireland&#039;s already decimated economy made exasperated by the war and it was impossible for a young man to thrive.&nbsp; I left Ireland at 18 and immigrated to the US.&nbsp; I worked in construction for a year before enlisting in the Navy.&nbsp; I ended up spending 35 years on active duty until I was medically discharged in 2015 after receiving 2 TBIs within 2 weeks that left me in bad shape for a long time (wheel chair, couldn&#039;t speak, no memory, etc.)&nbsp; After 1 year in the Portsmouth Navy hospital I was released and spent 4 years in intensive rehabilitative therapy.&nbsp; As you can see, I can now communicate semi-rational <img src="styles/default/xenforo/clear.png" class="mceSmilieSprite mceSmilie1" alt=":)" unselectable="on" unselectable="on" />, but I still have significant TBI residuals.&nbsp; From the day I left Ireland I have always carried an Irish 10 shilling piece (encapsulated) commemorating Padraig Pierce, an Irish leader of the 1916 rebellion against England who was summarily shot by the British for his participation in the rebellion.&nbsp; He is considered one of the greatest heroes of Ireland&#039;s struggle for Independence.&nbsp; Although I am an American citizen who would never live anywhere else but in this great country, I travel home every 2-3 years to visit my family in Ireland.&nbsp; When I hold the coin every day for a brief time I am transported back home, but more importantly, I am also reminded of what made me join the Navy to fight for my new home.&nbsp; So if my story is boring, I apologize, put its important to me, and so is that coin.&nbsp; Take care of yourselves out there.</p><p style="text-align: left"><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]1088567[/ATTACH][/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>

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