Are You A Veteran?

[saintsfanbrian]

My dad flew Huey's and Cobra's in Vietnam and state side. Finally ended up at the Pentagon with a request to go to Aberdeen when that tour ended. Unfortunately, that tour ended with a trip to Arlington in 1983.

[Tim Nunan]

U.S. Marine Corps, 1968-1980, Vietnam veteran

[Tim Nunan]

8 years with 1/320 fa 82nd ABN Divsion . 1980 thur 1988 . All The Way

My father (30 years Army) was in D Company 505 all during WW II.

[The Rabbi]

RA 6/66- 4/72 Was anyone else here at Hue?

I was 4 at the time. But I remember the war. I did know a guy who was a photographer who came in when the US re-took Hue after Tet. It was apparently a pretty memorable time.

[GhostDog]

USAF Russian Linguist 81-92. Then 10yrs as the PO-lice. Does that count?

[Marswolf]

USAF Russian Linguist 81-92. Then 10yrs as the PO-lice. Does that count?

I think the PO-lice counts. But I'm not sure about the USAF.

[Guest Scottech]

I think the PO-lice counts. But I'm not sure about the USAF.

...I would think both count!

[GhostDog]

Mars is just poking me in the eye. Lord knows, I've poked him in the eye enough.

There's nothing like living behind the Iron Curtain (West Berlin) to make you appreciate living in a free country. I wish our young folks today could see some of the things I've seen.

Man... that sounded like something my grandpa would have said! You know, 10 miles to school, uphill both ways!

[waynesan]

Don't know how I missed this thread.

U. S. Air Force 1970 - 1974.

One year at Ft. Lee, VA.

One year at NKP Thailand.

2 years in Wilmington, NC.

I was in the Security Police. While working inside the Headquarters for Electronic Warfare one day, all of a sudden many of the guys who worked on monitoring the equipment came running past my security desk and ran outside the building. Something big was happening but I could not leave my post to find out what it was. I soon found out that the first B-52 to be shot down by the North Vietnamese was coming in to our base for a crash landing. It actually went down a few miles from our base. All those on board bailed out and survived -- from what I was told.

[Marswolf]

Mars is just poking me in the eye. Lord knows, I've poked him in the eye enough.

Yeah, just kidding Ghosty. Thanks for your service, man.

[GhostDog]

Right back at ya! And thanks to all the military folks here. Don't know where our country would be without our military people. Or, more likely, I know EXACTLY where we would be w/o them, which is just another reason to REALLY appreciate them all.

I noticed a few folks mention other generations of their families who served. My father was an Army medic in Korea. My oldest son just started college on an NROTC scholarship and my younger son is going to try to go the same route. We are very proud of them and are thankful for the opportunity at a college education and rewarding career. They're both smarter than their dad, good genes from their mom!

[Rightwinger]

Army

25C Tactical Communications

Korea 86/87

Ft. Bragg 87/89

Sr. Parachutist

Got out when I was told I could not transfer to a combat arms specialty and my next duty slot would be with an actual signal unit (had been in nuke capable arty unit in Korea, then with an ABN MI unit and ABN Combat Engineer unit at Bragg).

Tried to go back active in 90 for the Shield, they had enough officers, tried to enlist in the local armor unit, was going to go straight in as an E-5 and RCPAC told me, you cannot resign your reserve commission in a time of emergency! I say, I want to go to the place of emergency, no sir, we need your name on the list! Can I go then, can you move me up on the list? No sir, there are enough qualified Signal Officers on active duty.....speechless and still couldn't go see the elephant...the one thing in my life I felt "undone"...I didn't get to test if I had what it took. Some of you might know what I mean...not you guys that did it, the ones that "almost" had to go or like me, got out just before something popped.

Anyway, thanks to all of you who served, in any capacity and for any service.

RW

[Guest Phantom6]

No military time but I'll claim Civilian combat veteran (with a small "v")- Civilian contractor with an avionics co. servicing a specialized air cargo company in '74 in Luang Prabang Laos. It was a difficult time for white boys around airplanes in that country though in general I found the Lao to be genuinely nice people. Spent a bit of time in the late 70's in Peru courtesy of Tiger Oil Co. The military gvt. there was trying to develop the oil reserves and the insurgency which was beginning to congeal into el Sindero Luminoso was determined to undermine their efforts by driving out all the foreign contractors. The oil camps were raided regularly. I believe I bagged my first (and only) Dodge pick up truck and an Indian or two outside of Chachapoyas. Tiger pulled out, I left with them. My mother's prayers were answered.

[Guest GregRN]

I volunteered during the buildup in Saudi in '91, before Gulf I. However, like my Dad, I failed the physical (high blood pressure). I guess we weren't suppposed to follow my Grandfather's service. He went on the beach in Italy, eventually getting to see Musolini hanging. My other Grandfather loaded bazookas in WWII until he received a nice GI plate in his head along with a purple heart.

Thanks to all of our vets. I'm proud to have what freedoms we have left, and to be able to still speak English (although in a middle TN dialect).

[towerclimber37]

I noticed a few folks mention other generations of their families who served. My father was an Army medic in Korea. My oldest son just started college on an NROTC scholarship and my younger son is going to try to go the same route. We are very proud of them and are thankful for the opportunity at a college education and rewarding career. They're both smarter than their dad, good genes from their mom!

Ghostdog,

I don't know if its just the locale, or good breeding..but many southerners have had kin in every war we've ever had. I know my family has. I'm our generations' historian. I have records dating back to the revolutionary war for my fathers' family...as well as a few photographs,tintypes and cardboard paintings.

The war of northern aggression is a little different. no family papers as carpet baggers or union soldiers often burned farms,plantations or homesteads when they came across them. most of the family information was contained in family bibles back then so allot of irretrievable information was lost. Those records were reconstructed from confederate records, or living sources.

For us, I guess its just a way of life.

[Guest bkelm18]

Ghostdog,

I don't know if its just the locale, or good breeding..but many southerners have had kin in every war we've ever had. I know my family has. I'm our generations' historian. I have records dating back to the revolutionary war for my fathers' family...as well as a few photographs,tintypes and cardboard paintings.

The war of northern aggression is a little different. no family papers as carpet baggers or union soldiers often burned farms,plantations or homesteads when they came across them. most of the family information was contained in family bibles back then so allot of irretrievable information was lost. Those records were reconstructed from confederate records, or living sources.

For us, I guess its just a way of life.

My Great-Great-Grandfather was a general in the War of Northern Aggression... for the North, haha. I think my dad has his saber somewhere. My dad was also in the Navy. My step-brother was in the Marines. I of course was a squid as well. Not really a family tradition thing going but I see what you mean.

[Mike.357]

My father had six brothers and all of them served back in WWII. I remember a big newspaper story grandma had framed and hanging in her living room where the local press made a big deal out of the 7 brothers all serving in various military branches at the same time.

Myself, I was too young for SE Asia and now I am just too old.