Printable View
Was active army down at Fort Hood, TX with the First Calvary Division! Although I was considered an 88M, I did Cav Scout and infantry 98% of the time. Spent 15 months in Iraq from Oct 2006 to January 2008.
Miss it everyday but due to injuries and family issues I had to get it.
Thanks to those that served and those that continue to serve. We would not have this great country without you!
Ok--here goes. Im not sure if this is a brief military bio, or a long story. But its mine, and im proud of it either way. First off i was a military dependent (AKA- military brat).Step-dad was a Maj. in the Air Force. I have lived all over the world both as a kid and a active duty member. Some good places, some,--not so good. by the age of 10 or 11 i had lived in Germany, France, and Spain, that much i recall for sure. My memory isn't what it once was--but I'll attempt to at least give some year dates. I never attended the same school more than one year except in Germany (2 Years) and my High School Junior/senior year. Back in my time it was a simple system in school, pass or fail, no passing them on just to get rid of them--lol. Anyway--i was set back once--and with my birthday being in Jan. I was 20 when i got out of High School. i had a total of 33 schools from 1st thru 12th grade. And BTW, i still can't spell. But most of the time i get my point across (or so im told). The year was 1967--Vietnam was going hot and heavy--i was classified 1A, so i knew my fate, short of going to college etc. Having been around other branches of the militay, seeing how each lived. I figured i wasn't Marine Material (Ok--u Marines, I do respect you--(if im being held hostage, or in a big jam. I want to hear "U.S. Marines here to rescue you") but darn it--lets be honest, not all of us are cut out to be a Marine. I saw enough Army guys to know i didn't want to follow that path either. I thought about the Navy, but their recruiter was out of the office the day i visited them. SO--i joined the Air Force in 1967 (wanted to be a cop)
1967--Basic Training--Lackland Air Force Base Texas
1967-1968--Paine Field, Washington State
1968-1969 -- Cheyenne Mountain, Colorado Springs, Colorado
1969--1969 Lackland AFB Tx. Combat Security Police school/traing course
1969-1970 Cam Ranh Bay Air Base Republic of South Vietnam
1969-1970 Army In-country Heavy weapons school at that time located at Phan Rang Air Base
1970--Barksdale AFB, La. (was only home less than 4 months total b4 going back to Nam by my own choice)
1970--Lackland AFB Tx, Combat Security police course
1970-1970--Cam Ranh Bay Air Base Republic of South Vietnam
1970-1971- Phan Rang Air Base Republic of South Vietnam
1971-1973- Malmstrom AFB, Montana, Missile Security
1973-1975-Ramstein Air Base Germany (Also temp duty assignments 89 days or less to Isreal, Turkey, Greece during this time)
1975-1981 Malmstrom Air Force Base, Montana, Missile Security
1981, Discharged with a General Discharge Under Honorable Conditions (It sits next to my 3 Honorable ones--LOL) in lieu of Trial by Court Martial. (its a long story--maybe for another time) Lets just say the Government, or anyone else, for the most part--knew a hell of a lot about PTSD, Agent Orange, or anything else, many of us Career NCO's were going thru at that time. Nor in my opinion, did they really care. (but again,thats just my opinion, and i respect the right all of u have to disagree with me on this matter).
So--thats as short as i can make it--i left out several dozen military schools, both army and Air Force. One of which was a Rape prevention/and investigation course given by the Army at Ft Gordon Ga. which i really liked, and all of which helped me later in life.
Like someone else in this group said in a post i read.I miss the spirit, closeness, and discipline of the military.I miss my brothers and sisters in arms, many of which gave their lives for me and you. FREEDOM isn't FREE, but then, im sure all of u know that. Thanks for starting this Thread--i'll be reading it often. And im sorry this is so long winded--but i know no other way to say it in less words.
NamVet
USMC MOS 6073 Electrician IA for QRF in Afghanistan August 09-June 2010
Currently serving in the Army, stationed in Germany, deploy to afganistan here in a couple weeks!
Joined the Air Force Feb 72 boot camp at Lackland AFB
Went to tech school for aircraft mechanic in Wichita Falls TX
After tech school I was stationed in Albuquerque NM
In Sept 73 my Dad had his first heart attack and I traded my time left as active duty for Guard time. Called Palace Chase. Joined the Air National Guard in Springfield Ohio
In 1978 transfered to Arizona Air National Guard Phoneix
In 1984 transfered to Washington Air National Guard Spokane
In 1986 transfered to California Air National Guard Fairfield Ca
In 1990 tried to transfer to Kentucky Air National Guard but my unit in Ca was activated for Desert Storm and I was put on inactive reserve and discharged as an E6
Spent over 18 years as a aircraft mechanic and enjoyed every minute of it
USMC Retired. Aviation / maintenance. VMFA-232, VMFA-212. West Coast mostly. Good to see some other service members here. Those of us who served through supply "drought" of 80s/90s in the military obtained many essential scrounging instincts. And with budget cuts in effect, "creative procurement" will be back in fashion in the service....
I was journalist first class/E6 US Navy NEC 8147/3221, qualified broadcaster, photojournalist and Editor, for almost 12 years from 1992-2004. Served in First gulf war, on last 'white ghost of the arabian coast' USS LaSalle (AGF3) in Bahrain and persian gulf, suez canal, supported NATO, BOSNIA when we transferred to yards returned haze gray and under way for Gaeta, IT as 6th Flt Flagship . Enlisted as Deck Seaman, striker for Journalist, served on staff of All Hands magazine in Anacostia Navy Yard, DC as E4 got cool job interviewing Joint Chiefs of Staff, SECNAV etc., worked in Pentagon with CHINFO as E5 and Editor of NNS/NWS, Then served as Broadcast Ops chief and worked with Army at AFRTS/AFN-LaMaddaelena, Italy as E6, and at NAS/NAR Brunswick staff, PNA'ed Chief/E-7 exam three times and left (long story) lost a few good friends and co-workers at Pgon on 9-11. I highly recommend it, thanks GI Bill for Bachelors while enlisted and now working on my Masters both online. learned as Deck ape how to scrounge for things and re purpose. Still remember throwing overboard all trash, desks, broken chairs and anything we couldn't use while still in international waters before getting to Portsmouth Va shipyard that keeps me motivated to recycle. Learned from ol' yard birds how to find deals, scrap metal and make things out of nothing. Now I am just a small biz owner and disabled navy vet trying to stay afloat on land but God is good all the time!
United states Navy 1989 thru 1994 Desert Shield / Desert Storm
Boot Camp: Great Lakes Chicago,IL
A School : Millington,TN ( Air Frames Enviromental FA-18 Hornet )
Stationed : Naval Air Station Lemoore,CA
Assigned: USS Independance CV-61 (3 west Packs )
Dishcharged: Discharge E-5 with a Medical Disharge due to Accident on the flight deck
Disabled Vetran
Vincent hoover staff sergeant (e6) united states army. Currently active duty at ft benning ga. Assignments: Wsmr-ft knox ky-ft hood tx-iraq cop jihad-camp casey south korea-ft benning ga currently training the next generation of armor lethality.
Silver star recipient for actions in iraq
combat action badge
expert on every weapons system i shoot
USAF Retired MSgt, Crew Chief on KC-135A/R's. Stationed at Altus AFB and Minto AFB, with tdy's through out the pacific. Bags packed and ready to go on Desert Storm I, and got tapped for First Sargent duties instead. Not sure which was worse! Retired since 1994, but work harder now behind a desk than I ever did in the Air Force. Really miss the job satisfaction and the people I worked with!
Have Fun!
Marty
USAF - joined in 1998. Went to Lackland like everyone else then to Wichita Falls for tech school. Originally trained on f-16's and then was split off and sent to work on F-117's at Holloman AFB in Alamogordo, NM. I worked the back shop doing all types of heavy maintenance and was part of the crash recovery team. Can't say I've been in combat or sacrificed anything, my respect and gratitude go to all those that have. I spent all my time in the U.S. and the only deployment I saw was to fix a broken jet at Red Flag, so my TDY in Vegas was more of a vacation than anything else. I was honorably discharged so that I could go back home and take care of my dad who became terminally sick while I was in, otherwise I would have been in for at least a full 6 years if not more.
8 Years in the Army National Guard in WI. Deployed in 2009-2010 to Iraq.
Hello, I am humbled by all of the Vets frequenting these forums. I was an airborne infantryman in the US Army from 1999 to 2007. I was stationed at Fort Benning, GA; Vicenza, Italy; Fort Campbell, KY. I went to war with the 101'st airborne as part of OIF 1, 2003. I started scrapping when I left the army, my father-in-law owns a scrap yard. I've been doing it ever since.
USAF 2003-2011. AGE Craftsman. Assignments: Lackland, Sheppard, Hurlburt, Camp Darby. Deployed to Iraq with CJSOAC out of the 16th Special Operations Wing. Decided to get out, bad timing I guess. Haven't really adjusted well to being a civilian. Doing the best I can in this economy. Anyways, scrapping to make ends meet.
Air Force 4 years Crypographic repair (I fixed code machines) Anything I worked on back then is now in a museum! :)
Army, Active Duty 4/10MTN DIV and 2ACR, 19D (Cav Scout) ride or die and all that. Two tours Iraq, decided not to reenlist a second time. I don't really want to get that much more into it, it was ups and downs for me but I think I did a good thing. Can say this, I sure appreciate all you guys for your service it's good to know we still have that type who can look beyond themselves.
Hello to all the veterans here at SMF, I look forward to meeting you all.
I served in the Army Reserves from '89-'91 as a 51B Carpentry/Masonry Specialist in Milwaukee, WI. Went to basic at Ft. Bliss and AIT at Ft. lost-in-the-woods. I got tired of inventorying tools every drill weekend so in '91 I transferred to the National Guard in Watertown, WI as a 63T Track Mechanic. That was more enjoyable because there was always something to work on. I've always loved working on things but sometimes it can be more fun tearing stuff apart so I joined SMF!
Jeff a.k.a. "Skip"
Drafted in US Army at the height of the Vietnam War and two weeks after I got married in 1968. Basic training in Ft.Lewis Washington and DSTE (card punch computer) school at Ft. Gordon, Georgia. A man in our class said his dad was a General in the Pentagon ....Yeah Right !! So we told him to ask his dad where our class of 12 would be stationed. Most were going to Okinawa, Korea or VietNam. After 2 weeks he said he talked to his dad and was told we were all going to Hawaii. Yeah Right again!! We graduated the class and all 12 were sent to Oahu, Hawaii. Eleven of us ate crow. We never did know if his dad was a General in the Pentagon.
There were 3,000 of us trained to run that computer and yet the one we trained on was the only one the Army had. There was nothing for us to do in the field. I was detained in Georgia as a company clerk for a few months before going to Hawaii and was a clerk at Schofield Barracks, Hawaii for the duration of my time. Some other class members worked in the motorpool or were lifeguards on the Air Force beach. My wife spent 6 months with me living offbase on Oahu's north shore and I was discharged a Sp4 in 1970. Thanks to all who served and thanks for the appreciation we receive from those who did not. . . and yes, God Bless America !
Name is mark. I am active duty army stationed at Fort carson. I've been in for 9 years. did 4 years as infantry and the last 5 and a mechanic. I served in Iraq in 2003-2004 when things kicked off. and Afghanistan from 2010-2011. had a break in service for a couple years. just recently got into scrapping and having a blast doing it. I look forward to playing an active part in the already very knowledgeable community here.
USNR 86-94 Hospital Corpsman. Basic training at Great Lakes, trained as a lab tech, served at Naval Hospital Oakland, Naval Hospital Bremerton WA, Point Loma Sub Base, unit based out of Salt Lake City.