New To This Website....can't Believe I Just Found Out About This Site.

[terrypen]

I just posted your video today in LeatherWork Conversation threads, before I was told you had this one here!

First things first! Thank you for your service! Sorry it ended up a medical. What was your MOS? Army I assumed! I was a 67N20 in the US Army, did 8 years as an aviation softie, on UH-1H or Huey helicopters. I never served in combat, thank the Lord, but thankful for the guys who had to!

Second thing, dang those leather plaques are cool! Especially drawn to the military ones, those are the things that military guys cherish!

Do you have a FB page? Link didn't work on website.

You need to add your website link to your profile and/or signature.

As far as posting pictures.

Click on the down arrow next to your name at the top right corner of the page.

Select My Gallery

Then it's a little sketchy to me... haha

Click on the Upload link.

Create a new Album

Then click choose files while your new album is selected.

You can upload a few at a time

Then you have to Review and Publish (where you can add information to the pictures)

Then you click Publish at the bottom of the screen...

Then when you are editing your post, you click on My Media and select Gallery Images and select the pics you want displayed.

Hope that helps!

[robertmeco]

Welcome to the forum glad to have you join us. Thank you for your service.

[BondoBobCustomSaddles]

Welcome home Van! Thank you for your service. Being an old vet myself, I know how much it means to be home. Glad to see you are "doing leather". It is a great way to help settle the nerves, except when you screw something up! LOL! Anyway, the folks here are the best and all levels of achievement from the beginners to the professionals. They are all ready to give you help and have many ways of doing things. I am sure you will get some enjoyment and help from this sight. Make the best out of your GI Bill, and enjoy that Tide! After all, you got a good ole Michigan State Coach down there to lead them! He'll make sure you got something to cheer about! Once again, Welcome Home and Thank You for your service. Look forward to seeing more of your work.

Bob

[terrypen]

Welcome home Van!

Make the best out of your GI Bill, and .....

Bob

Oh yeah Van, what Bob said!!!! I did some college but not enough and waited until it was too late.... Get out there and use that GI Bill.... you earned (and payed) for it!!!

[VansCustomLeather]

Thanks Robertmeco...those pocket holsters are AWESOME. Never seen anything like those.

Thanks for all the help Terrypen. I was a Radio Repairer (35E) at first and then I re-classed to a Satellite Communications Operator/Maintainer (25S). I got VERY lucky after re-classing and was assigned to the only Special Operations Signal Battalion in the Army (NOTTT Special Forces). Everybody mixes that up. We supported those guys. I got to see A LOT of the world and a lot of opportunities arose that most "Big Army" Soldiers don't get access to. As for the military plaques...that's my bread and butter. I've been in SOOO many Commanders and Sergeants Major's offices over my career and I ALWAYS looked at their "glory plaques" and took note of them. I'd say 95% of the ones I saw were something I could have duplicated for myself at ANY award/frame shop off-post and just change the laser engraving with my info (cookie cutter plaques). That's when I started evolving my plaques in that direction. Once I did that...the business took off. As for the Facebook page...it's Vans Custom Leather.

BondoBob...thx for the kind words. Do you personally make all of those saddles on your website? They are AMAZING. As for the Tide. My parents taught me NOT to say 4 letter words like that. We're part of the "Sophisticated Sector" of our state...we say War Eagle. I'm blown away already by the amount of knowledge I've found on this site already. I just discovered "Paul Burnett" and his website. I ordered his "Super Bundle"...it's like reading "The Leatherworking Gospel." As for the GI Bill...there's NO more college in store for me. One of the GREAT things that George W. Bush did for the military while in office is to pass the "Post 9/11 GI Bill." What that does is to allow you to pass your GI Bill down to any of your dependents if you know that you won't use it. With that said...my 11 year old son's college education fund is taken care of which is a HUGE weight off of my shoulders. As for growing up on a farm...we live on 100 acres or so here in Alabama. We have 6 horses a Donkey and 25 head of cattle throughout the summer. Daddy will only keep about 4 head of cattle through the winter. It's a "hobby farm" for him...he LOVES it. Again...thanks for the warm welcome. This website is Awesome.

[BondoBobCustomSaddles]

Van, I don't have a websight per say, but; if you search "Bonbo Bob Custom Saddles" you will get a few threads that have pics of my saddles in them. I only make a couple of saddles a year and have been doing so for the past 20 years or so, that being said if they have my stamp on them, that is 2 B's back to back and says Bondo Bob Custom Saddles around the border edged with a rope edge, then it is mine and I made 100% of it.

Bob

[terrypen]

Thanks Robertmeco...those pocket holsters are AWESOME. Never seen anything like those.

Thanks for all the help Terrypen. I was a Radio Repairer (35E) at first and then I re-classed to a Satellite Communications Operator/Maintainer (25S). I got VERY lucky after re-classing and was assigned to the only Special Operations Signal Battalion in the Army (NOTTT Special Forces). Everybody mixes that up. We supported those guys. I got to see A LOT of the world and a lot of opportunities arose that most "Big Army" Soldiers don't get access to. As for the military plaques...that's my bread and butter. I've been in SOOO many Commanders and Sergeants Major's offices over my career and I ALWAYS looked at their "glory plaques" and took note of them. I'd say 95% of the ones I saw were something I could have duplicated for myself at ANY award/frame shop off-post and just change the laser engraving with my info (cookie cutter plaques). That's when I started evolving my plaques in that direction. Once I did that...the business took off. As for the Facebook page...it's Vans Custom Leather.

"Post 9/11 GI Bill." What that does is to allow you to pass your GI Bill down to any of your dependents if you know that you won't use it. With that said...my 11 year old son's college education fund is taken care of which is a HUGE weight off of my shoulders.

35E? So are you a ham radio operator now? My vanity callsign is W5NRA. I'll look for that FB page! Put it in your signature on here. Just some more publicity!

I had heard of the Post 9/11 but didn't know what was different about it! Good thing to pass on if you weren't going to use it anyway!!!

[Nick Bowles]

hey man...I'm right down the road from you in Weaver. I've been doing leatherwork for about 8 months.

A girl in the J'ville liquor store saw a holster on me that I made and told me about you.

Good lookin work man! See you around!