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  1. Member
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    #21
    Two years ago I went to El Paso TX to play golf with my son who is active duty Navy. We followed a foursome who were all retirement age. After the round I spoke to them in the parking lot. I asked them if they were retired military. They all said yes and asked me why I wanted to know. I told them they were all in step when they left every green heading to the next tee box. We laughed.

  2. Member BigEasy's Avatar
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    #22
    Quote Originally Posted by csurp View Post
    i will never stand in line for food again even over 50 years later.
    I’m with you on this! I was fortunate when we were at sea and doing flight ops as airdales on the deck got head of line privileges. My wife could give a crap about waiting in line and on occasion will make me wait so she can eat somewhere. By the time we get seated I’m so mad I can’t enjoy my meal.

  3. Member
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    #23
    20 years in AF, still sleep on top of the covers with a throw blanket. Spent a lot of time doing alert work, wife laughs at me…��

  4. Banned
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    #24
    No longer embrace the SUCK.
    Rain get to cover household 7 laugh's
    Cold out hands buried deep in pockets along with coat furnace turned up. Again HH7 laughs
    Hot out don't move into direct sun lower AC unit.The suck is not for me anymore. If the chow is good I make a reservation arrive 20 min early never gonna wait in a chow line again nor do tac feed take away chow (fast food) that is all carry on

  5. Member
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    #25
    Quote Originally Posted by 1stindoor View Post
    I have two carabiners in my truck and still keep 550 cord and 100mph tape in there too.

  6. Member MBDiagMan's Avatar
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    #26
    My Army story is probably different in many ways, but I expect that most of you guys will identify with a piece or two of it.

    We moved a lot when I as growing up in the fifties and sixties. Maybe a result of that, but maybe not, I was a rotten student but smart enough to learn even though I had horrible study habits. I also had very low confidence which I struggle with sometimes even today. After high school I took one college night course and had a go nowhere job in an auto supply store, THEN my nineteenth birthday rolled around in May of ‘68 and my draft notice showed up one day.

    A friend that was a year older drug me kicking and screaming to the Navy recruiter. I was there under duress until the recruiter asked me if I had ever wanted to learn to fly. Then I was all ears. I took tests and everything was going great until they figured out that I needed glasses to see 20/20. I went out of that place with my tail between my legs.

    A guy I worked with had been out of the Army a few years and had been a crewman on a Nike Hercules missile site in Germany. At that point I had just about resigned to answering the draft for two years and taking my chances. He grabbed up the phone and called the Army recruiter and told him to put me in the Nike Hercules missile program and handed the phone to me. The recruiter was unexcited and non committal about it, but told me to come and take some tests and we would go from there. I did and he called me singing a much different tune. He was excited and said I had some really good scores and he would start trying to get an opening at one of the repair technician schools at Redstone Arsenal or Fort Bliss. He got me a school in Fort Bliss to learn Electronics and maintenance of the missile, launcher system and nuclear warhead.

    I had always been fascinated about how a tv signal could come through the air and create a picture and sound, but due to my lack of confidence I thought I was too stupid to ever learn how it worked. I went to Basic at Fort Polk, two weeks leave and then to Fort Bliss for about eight months. The first eight weeks was basic electronics and it was taught extremely well. At the end of that eight weeks I knew EXACTLY how a TV worked. The MOS had been determined to be critical so they said the top half of the class would get a two grade promotion. The school was more like going to college more than anything else. We only very rarely did PT and drove down the street about a mile to our classes. It was an open post and although we were supposed to sign out if we left the post hardly anyone ever did.

    When we graduated, I was sent to Germany. I wore PFC stripes on the trip over there, but my promotion caught up with me. As an SP5 I didn’t have to do KP, could have a POV, and due to the Nuclear warheads, we had mostly MP’s that did the guard duty so I didn’t even have to pull SOG duty except for a few times when I was on the site for overnight standby duty anyway. My ID card was my pass so I came and went as I pleased as long as I was present for formation and duty. If we ever had PT, I don’t remember it.

    After a year there and after they had declared the missile system critical they started shutting some of them down (Army logic for you.). At that point I was sent to HAWK missile battery also in Germany that was a show outfit. We were an absolutely top drawer outfit and kept our system in operation more than any other battery in USAREUR. In fact with them now having the HAWK in Ukraine, if they need help keeping the Pulse Fire Control equipment going they need to give me a call.

    I got out at the end of my three years. My life had changed. I was confident and couldn’t wait to get home and go to college. I then had structure in my life in a way that I believe only a veteran can understand. I graduated from college and had a fabulous career and now a very comfortable retirement.

    On the negative side, I of course, have many friends that went West to Vietnam and all the things associated with it instead of the country club duty and life that I had in Germany. Sometimes that makes me feel like I didn’t do my apart although my best friend who saw lots of action in Vietnam as a chopper pilot, got in my face when I told him I didn’t do anything. He made the point that there are so many people today that have never served AT ALL. The other thing I think about along those lines is my respect for almost anyone younger than myself that has served. I can’t imagine that I would have ever joined had it not been for the draft and it pretty much went away before I got out in ‘71. I have massive respect for the guys that were true volunteers, especially those in combat roles.

    The long and the short of it is that the Army changed my life massively for the better. I was SO fortunate.
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  7. Member 1stindoor's Avatar
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    #27
    Thank you for your service, regardless of what got you in the door. You served honorably. I always tell younger Soldiers not to denigrate their own jobs over someone else's, despite all I've done, I've always been thankful I wasn't pushed towards an administrative position as it would have been most likely a career killer for me.
    2016 Nitro Z21
    "They who can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety, deserve neither liberty nor safety." Benjamin Franklin

  8. Member
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    #28
    Quote Originally Posted by MBDiagMan View Post
    ...On the negative side, I of course, have many friends that went West to Vietnam and all the things associated with it instead of the country club duty and life that I had in Germany. Sometimes that makes me feel like I didn’t do my apart although my best friend who saw lots of action in Vietnam as a chopper pilot, got in my face when I told him I didn’t do anything. He made the point that there are so many people today that have never served AT ALL....
    I felt the same way for a long time, having only served stateside with a trip to Germany for the first REFORGER. I guess had the Russians crossed the West German border, we would have been in the thick of it in short time, though. I used to see all the combat vets with their hats and never felt worthy. Some here reminded me of the mistake I was making. I put together my own hat a few months age commemorating my time with Engineer Battalions in the First and 24th Infantry Divisions.

  9. Member
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    #29
    Although I've been out 32 years and served at Tripler Army Medical Center 1988-91, I think the biggest change for me has been the political change to our troops today. There was once a sense of pride to be able to raise your hand and swear an oath to this beautiful country of ours. Today, I have the utmost respect for those in uniform, I always have and always will, but am really PO'ed at the politicians and senior brass that have disrespected our troops with their woke agenda and discharging our soldiers, sailors and marines for exercising their religious convictions in regards to the vaccines mandated by the politicians.

  10. Member MBDiagMan's Avatar
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    #30
    Couldn’t agree more slayer.
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  11. Member
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    #31
    Quote Originally Posted by csurp View Post
    i will never stand in line for food again even over 50 years later.
    I just realized I do same thing...haha...if there is a wait I leave.
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  12. Member
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    #32
    Yep I still check my gig line every time I get dressed.

  13. Member
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    #33
    I'm probably the exception to the rule. 23.5 years in the Air Force. Enjoyed 98% of it. 7 trips to the Middle East. When I walked away, I walked away. I know some of my friends have had a hard time coping since retirement. I always realized the military was a very small percentage of the population. It amazes me how disconnected the general populations lack of knowledge, even my family members, of what our benefits are, even though it's public record.

    My service did influence my two sons. My oldest son serves, one of the first Commissioned Officers in the Space Force. Youngest son is in his footsteps. He just finished his second year Air Force ROTC. Two more to go until he Commissions.
    Last edited by Lcp3557; 04-22-2023 at 02:46 PM.
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  14. Member
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    #34
    I was a lost 17 year old when I graduated from high school in 1965. A bad year to graduate especially if you had no money for college or any other deferments. I turned 18 in September and by January 66 knew my letter was coming so I joined and signed up for an admin MOS as I figured that would be the best way to keep out of harms way. I went to Hawaii for my first duty assignment but for some stupid reason felt I need to go to VN, so I volunteered. I had orders for the 9th Infantry Division at Bearcat but when the plane landed most of us on the plane were given orders for the 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment at Black Horse base camp. It seems the year before the 11th Cav had come over from Ft. Meade, Maryland as a troop movement and the Army, in its infinite wisdom, had failed to realize that the whole regiment would be going home at one time. Got to the base camp on a Caribou and my first week was spent supervising bar-b-que detail as I was an E-4. About a week after I got there this guy comes up to me and says congratulations, you just got promoted to E-5. They were just filling vacant slots with whoever was eligible. No more bar-b-que detail.

    The bad part of being in a cav unit meant most of the troops were out in the field most of the time. This left the security of the base camp to whoever was left behind. So even though I was an admin guy I got to do listening posts and ambush patrols several times a week outside the camp. Drop us off at dusk and pick us up in the morning. I usually carried a grenade launcher or M60 along with an M16 which was my constant companion. Had a few incidents but feel a higher power was looking out for me. I was more afraid of snakes than anything and had a few close encounters with what I assumed were the deadly kind, maybe not. but I was very motivated to get away as quickly as possible. The biggest issue was mosquitos. By morning after a night in the field my face, lips and hands would be swollen from their bites. I guess one advantage to that is to this day I can get bit and within 30 minutes there is no trace of the bite.

    After I got out in January 1969 my motivation was to make something of myself, I just didn't know what. Started college on the GI Bill and graduated with a teaching degree in 3 years. Then went for a masters degree which took me 2 more. The bad thing was I didn't like teaching. A friend of mine who worked at the VA benefits office said the VA was hiring. I thought that would be a good temporary job until I figured out what to do with myself. 37 1/2 years later I retired. I'm still thankful for the Army and the GI Bill. Without them I'm not sure where I would be. Working for the VA I got to help other veterans construct a future for themselves.

    The other thing that happened is when I started to college I kept seeing this beautiful blond that I thought someone like me would never have a chance with. After watching her for a full semester and never saying a word to her a friend said I'm setting you up on a blind date. You can guess who it was with. We were married within a year and a half and still going strong after 52 years, 3 kids and 9 grandkids. She is just as beautiful today as she was then.

    After looking thru the stories here I see some common threads. I still carry a P38 can opener on my key ring as I had to depend on some C rations on occasion and never wanted to be without my trusty can opener. Probably not a lot of folks read this thread but it feels good to spell out my story and how I appreciate what our country did for me. I know some say you earned it but not exactly how I feel. I always have felt I owe more than I can ever repay. God bless all who served and are serving.
    Jim
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  15. Member 1stindoor's Avatar
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    #35
    Thanks jtrac. This is usually the first forum I peek at to see if there's new posts. Thank you for your service both in and out of uniform, and for the great example for your children and grandchildren of what it takes to make a marriage work.
    2016 Nitro Z21
    "They who can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety, deserve neither liberty nor safety." Benjamin Franklin

  16. Member
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    #36
    Sometimes I thought that I was the only person that signed up for six years four active and two reserves.
    My reserve center was just a small building with two gray station wagons. We drove vets to the Brecksville hospital fifty miles away. That was for the first five months. We received orders that the reserve center was closing and we were to report to the Marines reserve center in Akron Oh. That was a strict by the book unit!! I didn't mind it much, they always kept us busy and I learned a lot from them. The one thing was the respect they showed me. I tried my best to fit in keep up. Most of the other Navy guys just didn't give a crap, and they were the ones that got all crap duty ��.

  17. Member
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    #37
    The Army certainly changed my life in many ways to this day. Started out that I had no desire to join the Army; instead I wanted to be a fisheries biologist and fish the pro tour (1971). I was a pretty good wrestler and my dad was a top wrestling coach. I say this because the West Point wrestling coach followed me and my wrestling throughout my school years, and wanted me to be on the West Point wrestling team. I got an appointment to West Point, but then turned it down since I couldn't take fisheries biology there, and really didn't want to be in the Army at that time.

    Then during the lottery draft before the end of Viet Nam my birthday was pulled #6 out of the hat. I was going to be drafted. I had joined ROTC at the Univ. of Delaware for fun, so I figured if I was going to serve at least I would get my degree first and go in as an Officer.

    Before I knew it I served 25 years, of which 23 were active duty. Turned out I really enjoyed the challenge, and the honor of serving. The Army treated me well, and the soldiers were great to serve with, especially after the draft ended and soldiers were in because they volunteered to join (not to avoid a jail sentence).

    I live next to JBLM and continue to live as if in the Army to this day, with no regrets (except maybe not taking the appointment to West Point or fishing the pro tour). My gig line is straight and I still have a military haircut. Never had a beard in my life (ever), and spend as much time on JBLM as I can where I am most comfortable. I even fish on JBLM whenever I can just to launch on the base where my car is always safe.
    ciao,
    Marc

  18. Member 1stindoor's Avatar
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    #38
    In honor of the day, it has certainly changed my mentality about Memorial Day. Like many of our generation, I know too many names of those that didn't make it back.
    2016 Nitro Z21
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  19. Member
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    #39
    Quote Originally Posted by Fuzzy12 View Post
    20 years in AF, still sleep on top of the covers with a throw blanket. Spent a lot of time doing alert work, wife laughs at me…��
    I heard ROOM SERVICE was really bad at some of your bases!!

  20. Member
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    #40
    Quote Originally Posted by NAMVET1968 View Post
    I heard ROOM SERVICE was really bad at some of your bases!!
    Not really … Red Flag at Nellis was nice. No room on base so they put us up on the strip at Imperial House.

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