Last Roll Call For Car

[Ex3]

Helen, I am so very sorry for your loss. My heart breaks for you.


Do not stand at my grave and weep,
I am not there, I do not sleep.
I am in a thousand winds that blow,
I am the softly falling snow.
I am the gentle showers of rain,
I am the fields of ripening grain.
I am in the morning hush,
I am in the graceful rush
Of beautiful birds in circling flight,
I am the starshine of the night.
I am in the flowers that bloom,
I am in a quiet room.
I am in the birds that sing,
I am in each lovely thing.
Do not stand at my grave and cry,
I am not there. I do not die.

 

[Nasty]

RIP SGM, and prayers out to you RK.

 

[8'Duece]

Spent many an evening on a 3 way call with Helen and Chris. We lauphed are asses off for hours. Chris was alway's willing to spend the time discussing his or my problems, concerns, worries and general life stuff. He was a man of great wisdom and candor. At times he had a great way of telling me to "STFU" without having to actually say the words. I alway's saw the light after our conversations.

We both love Marshall University Football "The Thundering Herd" I'm sorry we never got to live up to our promise of seeing them play in West Virginia together. I'll see ya on the 50 yard line, but not today.

I'm sorry Chris that I couldn't have been more of friend to you. You certainly gave me more than I could ever give you.

Rest easy SGM Raines. Exit the door, I've got your static line !!

 

[Headshot]

We'll all see you soon Chris, it's only for a moment. In the mean time, watch your top knot. Sleep easy Brother, we can take up the slack from here.

 

[Cabbage Head]

My condolences to RK and CAR's family......

I was glad to have met him at the shoot. Proud to have parted as friends. While the man is no longer there, his memory will last lifetimes.

I thank you for your service, sacrifices and your friendship.

 

[LimaOscarSierraTango]

I am at a loss for words.

My condolences go out to RK and their families. I never met the man, but the little bit I messaged with him and read his posts, he came across as a professional and a soldier's soldier. He was an inspiration to me and every time a controversial topic popped up, I always wanted to see how he was going to respond so I could learn from him and what he thought to make me a better person.

Rest easy CSM, you are a hero and an inspiration.

 

[nobodythank you]

Blue skies SGM. Save us a spot on the stick and look over us all.

 

[SgtUSMC8541]

It was an honor to have met you, even if only once. You have shown me what a true leader should be and I thank you for that. Rest in peace Warrior.

RK....... words can not describe my feeling. I am so sorry for your loss. I am glad that you had the joy of time that you did have with him.

 

[Viper1]

I never got to meet Chris but was fortunate enough to talk to him a couple months ago when he was visiting RB. I'm shocked and saddened by the loss of such a great mentor and patriot. Helen, I'm sorry for your loss. The world has lost a great man.

 

[Manolito]

I never met Chris in person but he helped me work through a problem I was struggling with. I will be forever greatful.
Helen if there is anything Ramona and I can do Please don't hesitate to ask.
Respectfully,
Bill
Prepare the road for the rest of us Brother.

 

[skeeter]

RK I'm so sorry for your loss!
I never met CAR in person, but his post showed him to be a wise and fair man.
Prayers out

"It is foolish and wrong to mourn the men who died. Rather we should thank God that such men lived." -- General George Patton​

 

[Frisco]

He gave me a lot of advice whenever I needed it.... wether I knew I needed it or not, and he always found a way came across and sincere and kind. I can't help but feel the world is a little darker today without him.
Rest easy sir, you'll always be remembered.
Prayers out for you RK. My heart goes out to you.

 

[8'Duece]

Funny story.

While I was working at the VA Hosptial, Cininnati before being accepted to Medical School I happened on this girl standing in line at the VA pharmacy window. As usual I started up a conversation. There's not that many good lookin women that cruise the hallway's of the VA, if ya know what I mean ? After about 5 minutes somehow she spits out the name "Chris Raines" :eek: WTF ? Where are from again I ask ? She replies "Virginia, working in DC" As it turns out she's actually a member on this board and knows Chris very well. I got her number, planned on hooking up in the future etc. We chatted often over the phone and made plans for link ups when she came home to Cincinnati.

After this incident I immediatley called Chris and told him who I met in the damn Pharmacy line at the VA Hospital in Cincinnati. He just simply couldn't believe it !! :cool:

After about two years or so and many phone calls to this woman I accidently pushed her phone number early in the morning thinking I was going to have phone sex with Sheila (My current love interest) This early morning female voice answers and I start into my filthy talk. Bitch hangs up on me. :confused:

As it turns out this womans screen name and Sheila's name are right next to each other in my cell phone and I accidently called her instead of Sheila.

I call Chris immediatley after recognizing the mistake. Chris is half asleep and giving me hell for waking him up so early but when I tell him of the damn mistake and who it was on the other end of the phone listening to my filthy talk he simply drops the phone and I can hear him lauphing his ass off and trying not to lose his usual CSM composure.

He never let me live that down and the woman actually called me and left a message saying "Hey Scooter, good to hear from this morning, but I just wasn't in the mood for that shit, maybe another time"

 

[Diamondback 2/2]

I still cannot think of what to post, so it may come out in bits...

I am going to miss him calling Pardus Pvt and sticking up for Rav the Polock NCO. He was a good man for sure, I never served with him, but always sent him PM’s of what a good NCO I thought he was. My first time on this forum was a shut up son post from him and I respected him for it. Chris was one of the few members that stopped me dead in my tracks and made me think. The man knew his stuff and was one hell of an NCO (means something to me) I will miss him dearly.

 

[racing_kitty]

To say that Chris was one of a kind is an understatement. I remember when we first started corresponding here on the board. He declared himself my "creepy internet stalker." We swapped stories about how things had changed here in Suckville between his last tour and mine, and gradually we began to get to know each other as something more than a smartassed bomb jockey and a crusty ol' SGM.

He made me promise that when I got home, that I would give him a call. I kept that promise, and soon we were discussing meeting face-to-face. I was in a dark place then, and I guess he saw that better than I did, because once he latched on to the idea of meeting up in Fayetteville, he would not let go. I kept trying to get out of it so I could just sit in the dark, but he wasn't having any of it. Eventually, I realized that Chris had made some very good points, and we finally met at RB's house. The rest, as they say, is history.

The more I got to know Chris, the more I saw not just an amazing soldier, but a truly amazing man. He taught me so many things, showed me so much more than I realized was out there. I met so many people who were able to sincerely say "This man changed my life." It was humbling and overwhelming. The reach of his wisdom, compassion, and authority truly can't be measured, but it is evident in so many ways.

He valued everyone here on the board. Chris always enjoyed being able to help another soldier. It was what he lived for. And here, he found a way to reach out to so many people to share a laugh, or knowledge, or strength. Pardus, Chop, Mara, LL and the Troll, Ex3, Scooter.... There's so many of you to list. His fond memories of you all were always a source of happiness for him. Oh, the stories he would tell....

RB, I can't thank you enough. Your home was the backdrop of so many happy events that Chris and I shared. He loved you and J most of all. We both were so grateful to you for being there for us, putting a foot in his ass and mine when it was needed, and always being there with a good word and a great time.

We have truly lost one of our better angels. Many people go their entire lives without even knowing someone who is even half the man that Chris was. We have lost a great leader, a great soldier, a truly wonderful man. And I am missing a part of my soul.

I love you Chris, and I always will.

 

[TheSiatonist]

My deepest condolences to you, RK. I have only exchanged PMs with CAR on a few occasions and he was truly a great man - ready to give out solid guidance when needed.

Rest easy, CSM.

 

[TheWookie]

My condolences, RK.

Rest Easy, CAR -- thank you for your service.

 

[RetPara]

Some time ago Chris PM'd me asking if I remembered him from the time Mikey Long, another NCO, and myself took about 10 lbs out of his ass for listening to a conversation he should not of. ("Specialist Raines... do you want to become my FUCKING HOBBY?") Chris was one of the last people I expected to run across on line at the time. I was even more astonished to learn that he stayed in the Army. Since then I have learned that we crossed paths and were around Bragg more than once, just blocks apart.

One of the the things I have missed since retiring was seeing young soldiers grown and mature. I still can't see the Chris I first met as 'mature'... Just not there and I hope it wasn't. Maturity takes some of the joy out of life. Chris grew over the years; it's obvious from many of the posts here and the way he has touched so many of your lives. That's been gratifying to see.

Helen I have no words of comfort that can ease or sooth. Chris punched out way too soon. He will be missed by many and not forgotten...

 

[policemedic]

RIP SGM. Helen, your loss is the nation's loss, though you feel it most keenly. My condolences.

 

[8'Duece]

. Since then I have learned that we crossed paths and were around Bragg more than once, just blocks apart.

This has been my same experience with Chris. To think, he was on the ground during CAPEX Gallant Eagle when I was jumping out of the C141B Starlifter. At that time Chris wasn't BAC qualified and went as Advance Party. To think we may have stood next to each other, maybe even talked, but never close enough to know each others names, let alone remember them after so many years.

So many of our discussions started with "Where you on this or that USREDCOM EX or CAPEX?" and the answer was usually "yes, that jump sucked ass" or "Fuck that was one cold month out in the boonies" I know we crossed paths, but being in separate units we never knew each other at the time in question.

Amazingly we figured out that we had only missed each other by two Jump Master classes. Hot as hell that year and we both talked about losing 15 lb's during that course @ Pope AFB.

Love ya Chris, miss ya.