The last Thank You thread for a good long while...

[Daniel Bates]

As always: Abel, you rock! Mods, y'all are great! TPFers, you make this place the best on the Net. I wouldn't be where I am without this forum - it changed my photography from snapshots to professional work. Thank you all so much!

To my mentor MyKey - I'm so thankful you took me under your wing. To my inspirations - Raymond, John, Daniel, Bob Levey, Jason Palmer, Joe Lorenzi, and so many more - your posted work has encouraged and driven me to improve my own. To my good friends - engstrom, Andrew, Mike, Mike, Mike, Monique, Michelle, Christina, Jordan, Heather - well I'd better stop there or I'll fill up the screen with names - your encouragement and sense of humour (I'm looking at you, John and Andrew) kept my spirits up when I doubted my abilities. I thank you all!

I won't be here much longer, but I hope that in the weeks I have left I will give as much help and advice as I can. I'll keep you all updated on my whereabouts, though the updates won't be very regular until next spring, and hopefully have some interesting pictures to post.

Once again - thank you, TPF! You all are the best!

--Daniel Bates
The Pajama Moderator

[Ahh!]

ditto, bump, bump, ditto!

[HOUSCOUS]

Hmmm? Drunk???

[Daniel Bates]

Always!

[LPFyreDawg]

DB did I miss something? Where ya gonna be?

[Daniel Bates]

On July 12th I will be a Private, First Class, in the United States Army. My MOS (Military Occupational Specialty) is 25V, Combat Documentation / Production Specialist, which entails a twenty-six week advanced individual training (AIT) school following the nine weeks of Basic Training.

[PeteQ]

Best of luck Daniel!

Thanks for serving your country!

Semper Fi!

[CaptainTom]

Daniel
Congratulations on the promotion to PFC .....

As a former "ground pounder" I will wish you all the best in what I hope is an exciting and challenging career.
I was in college studying to be a music teacher, when I was called to serve my country. They didn't need musicians as much as they needed Air Traffic Controllers, so that was the MOS I was directed to.
I think things are quite different now than they were way back then, but my advice would be to get through basic training with the knowledge that although it is pretty tough on you, the Army is trying to mold you into a man they can count on when things get interesting.
Once out of basic, your training will serve you the rest of your life.

After I left the military, I stayed in the profession, working for the FAA at several major airports across the U.S.
My military experience was one of the best things that has happened in my life.

The difference between an ORDEAL, and an ADVENTURE, is ATTITUDE.

Keep us informed of your adventures...

Tom

[LPFyreDawg]

Good luck in the Army Db. Keep us up on where and whats going on with you. And God Speed ....

[Daniel Bates]

Thanks Pete and Colin!

Originally Posted by CaptainTom

Daniel
Congratulations on the promotion to PFC .....

That's what 97 hours of college does for ya... (well the cutoff is sixty, actually) - eddycatun iz ah gudd thyng!

[Davidtxs]

oh lord Daniel with a GUN now thats scary jk
congrats and thanks for your service to our country

[boxofrocks]

Daniel,

Congrats to a fine young man. I've watched your stuff get better and better to the point where I now feel like I should call you for tips.

Thank you for the service to our country.

[Terrancelee]

Congrats on this. Wish you the best in this endeavor, and you have my thanks as well.

[JenJohnson79]

Thanks for your service. . . people like you make me proud to be an American. Selfless, brave, and strong. . . best wishes.

[Jake]

Best of luck Mr. Bates! Thanks for your service!

I'm just a little hurt that my name was not listed in your post....
It was probably my Private Pyle comment that kept me off it........