I agree. Come on vets speak up.

Ok, you really wanna hear another?

Went delayed enlistment (USAF) 11/77, active duty 04/07/77. Sent to Lackland AFB, TX for basic training then off to Keesler AFB, MS for six months of tech training as Navigational Aids Repairman, otherwise known as ground-based communication sytems used for aircraft navigation. It's the ground version of avionics - sortof. Anyway, my first duty station was Malmstrom AFB, MT in Nov 77 and spent a year there before getting married to a classmate Nov 78 and then joining her at Tinker AFB, OK in December 1978.

In May of 79, she got orders to Yokota AB, Japan, but neither of us were supposed to have received orders for at least two years due to assignment deferrment since I had used the "join spouse" card to get out of MT. Tinker sucked big-time, so we both pleaded with the first shirt and unit commander to let us go to Japan. They relented, and we spent 3 1/2 wonderful years in Japan. While there I made E-5, and she, six and half months pregnant, separated a week before we left Japan in April 83.

Spent the next twp years at McGuire AFB, NJ and welcomed my son to the world in June 83 (born on Flag Day how cool is that!). I was handpicked for a "special duty assignment" to Las Vegas City, NV in 85. That's right, Las Vegas City. What USAF unit operates in Las Vegas City? None. Had an actual street address too, because that's where our mail went while enroute from Jersey. We drove downtown and followed Escondido Road until it ended in the desert and never found 6456 Escondido Road. Yep, I was totally confused. Lots of classified briefings, each one a higher security requirement than the previous, all teasers too. Each time I was offered the chance to walk away from the assignment, the heck you say, I dragged my family half-way across the country I dang sure want to know what for!!!! Final briefing told me what for, and I couldn't tell anyone what it was.

Can now, though, and I spent the next four years in the desert at Tonopah Test Range (TTR), home of the F-117A Nighthawk. Best assignment in my career. Made E-6 there and re-upped while sitting in the cockpit of an F-117A - still gives me goose pimples thinking about that!

Left TTR end of Dec 89 and headed for Fairchild AFB, WA where I got my "guaranteed" 2 years family stability following four years of being physically separated from family four days each week. I spent more than 3 years of that tour not being able to discuss what I did, or where I did what I did. A lot of families had major issues with the separations, and the "family stability" was supposed to make up for that. It didn't. Anyway, we arrived here Jan 2, 90 and 2 years later, right after Thanksgiving 92, I got orders for a one year remote tour to Galena, AK. Left here March 92 for AK and had a great time there. Loved the cold, superb hunting and fishing even in the central part of the state. Caught my biggest fish ever there, a 44" Northern Pike that now hangs on the wall.

Left Galena in Apr 93 for Wright-Patterson AFB, OH (Dayton) where I spent the last two years of my career. Got word I had been selected for E-7 a month after arriving there, and sewed it on Dec 93. I was originally assigned to the Comm Group there, but then moved to HQ AFMC as the Career Field Manager. Worked for a civilian my last year or so in the USAF and it pushed me to request early retirement. My request was approved and I retired effective 1 Jan 96.

My wife and I moved our household belongings 9 times (if you count our final move home) in 18 years, 8mos, & 24 days. Two assignments in that time frame acount for 7 1/2 of my 18+ plus years in service, so we got good at packing.

I miss the comeraderie, but not the "politics". I'm proud of having served, and wish more people would understand the sacrifices those in uniform make every day. I was fortunate to have served my career during an era of relative peace when compared to our world today. Nonetheless, sacrifices were still made.

Well, that's my story.

(PS - My wife and I celebrated our 29th anniversary on the 15th and we have outlasted all the naysayers who said we'd never make it. )

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Phil

'06 Hewescraft Sportsman 16
90hp Merc Classic & 6hp Merc 4-stroke
Motorguide Wireless 55 bow mount
Eagle GPS, Garmin 320C, Icom 402

Eielson and Mt home are open but I seen the last F4G takeoff from George in 92

I'm sad to say that I never did any military duty.As I'm way older now I now know the importance of doing military training.The year I graduated h.s was 1972.The draft was over my year.That year my number wouldve been 2.I missed out on a few things but I still remained patriotic.I didnt protest during the Nam yearsnor do I now.I'm somewhat envious of the ones who did serve our great country.To all you I say thank you for helping to keep us free.

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When youre up to your rear end in alligators,its hard to remember that the initial plan was to drain the swamp.

thats why most who enter the service do, so we all can have the freedom to choose the paths we take and you certainly do not have to serve to be patriotic.

Thats pretty cool Marc. My dad retired, 22 years Navy. I spent alot of time at Whidbey NAS, born there actually.

I was a 67V (Crewchief, OH58 Machanic) in an Apache attack squadren. 1st Cav, Ft Hood Texas.

Saturday (tomorrow) I get to see my cousin that I havent seen since he was 14, just got back from Iraq and is now headed to Korea.

To all you freedom fighters

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If you wiggle your jig more than twice.... then your just playing with it.

Water Wolf

I signed up for the Marine Corps at 17 years of age under the Delayed Entry Program and left for boot camp about a month after my 18th birthday. It was 1984 and my plan was to become an air traffic controller, as Reagan had just fired most of them, do my 4 years and walk into a nice stressful occupation and work on getting my ulcer by the age of 30. As it turned out, my orders got botched and I would have to wait for an opening in the school for “6 to 12 months” while working in the mess hall or buildings and grounds at the school in Millington, TN. Being young, impatient and lazy I looked for and was presented with another option. As I scored well on all of the tests we took I was offered Aviation Electronics schooling and I accepted. After acing my initial 3 week course, I was asked to “Fast Track” the remaining courses so I could be placed into the Advanced First Term Avionics course. Six months later, I was off to New River, NC as an Aircraft Communication and Navigation repair technician.

Being a responsible young adult and having been brought up in a strict household, the Marine Corps was not as tough as I had anticipated. I was quickly made a supervisor for our repair shop, which equated to looking after a large group of mentally gifted adolescents. I found out too late that achieving your superior’s expectations in the service is a curse. Multiple excursions to the coldest, hottest and wettest places that the US has to offer was followed by what I thought was going to be a simple deployment to the Mediterranean Sea in the summer of 1987. Little did I suspect that our ship, the Guadalcanal, would end up taking on a Navy SEAL team, a USMC Force Recon team, Army Special Ops team and a squadron of mine sweeping helicopters while offloading all “unnecessary personnel – grunts” in Diego Garcia. This came about because Iran started laying mines in the waters of the Gulf and making a general nuisance of itself. We did manage to port in the Gulf for a day or two every month, usually in Bahrain as it was one of the few countries in the region that you could get a brew. However, spending 30 days at a time out at sea in an old ship with minimal A/C and a bunch of nut-job special ops folks was brutal.

Fast forward a year and for some insane reason I re-enlisted for an additional 3 years and found my self stationed in El Toro, CA. A nice enough place located in the heart of Orange County and I took to becoming at one with the beach. I was able to relax for a year and then was off to Iwakuni, Japan for a 6 month deployment. During that deployment I managed to get re-deployed to Korea and the Philippines as well. Fast forward to August 2000, I have less than one year remaining before I am finished with my career in the Marine Corps and guess what, some moron decides to invade Kuwait. So, with my prior experience in the area and being one of the more camping savvy folks in our unit I am selected to take my folks to an “undisclosed airfield in the Persian Gulf” and set up shop. This airfield was on the Southern tip of the island of Bahrain and eventually included personnel from all branches of service. I saw many odd things while deployed there, one of which was a B-1 bomber taking flight in the wee hours of the morning. This was odd as we were informed that there were to be no B-1’s deployed in the Gulf. Mentioning I saw one taking off from our airfield to my OIC prompted the response, “No you didn’t and make sure no one else did either!” I also ran a totally unauthorized pirate radio station on the side while at that base, so if any of you were ever listening to KHOT 88.1 FM that was me!

Well I finally made it back to the States in the summer of 2001 and the re-enlistment thought was creeping back into my head. The Marine Corps decided that if I were to re-enlist my choices were Drill Instructor duty or Recruiter duty and not an avionics instructor position in Whidbey Island for which I was hoping. Given those choices I kindly refused, packed up my belongings and came back to the great Northwest! To this day I’m still in the same business of repairing aircraft electronics, go figure!

I'm not gonna tell you about my military experience but I will say that I had the honor and privalidge of meeting three gentlemen last night who I'm proud to have met.I went to a 50 th wedding aniversary last night .This was for my aunt and uncle who live in Okinawa Japan and have lived there for over 40 years.My uncle and cousin both work for the USA Govt.Cant say no more.I met the Commander of the entire Marine Corps Some 4 star general.There were also present 3 Admirals and two high ranking Air Force officers.Im waiting on the pictures I get back and gonna have them framed and signed by them.I actually had goosebumps meeting such high ranking officers from our great nation.I might not have served in the Military and I even apologized to the general for not.These guys were such cool older men.I might not served but I was so proud last night getting to meet these gentlemen and officers.Seeing these guys and talking with them made me proud to be American.
On a side note.I appreciate and thank each and everyone of you who serve and served in the USA military.I truly thank you all for protecting our rights and our freedom.GOD BLESS YOU ALL!!!!!

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When youre up to your rear end in alligators,its hard to remember that the initial plan was to drain the swamp.

I joined the Army in Sep of 66, right out of high school. I took my basic at Ft Polk in Louisiana. When I enlisted, I did so knowing I was going into a fixed wing aviation mechanic school. After basic, they evaluated my aptitude test scores and offered me air traffic control school. I thought that was pretty cool so I went in that direction. The army sent their ATC students to Keesler Air Force Base in Biloxi Miss. That was a FUN duty station, and I enjoyed the classes a great deal. My permanent duty station was at Ft. Stewart, GA. When I enlisted, I did so on the buddy plan with my brother. The only thing that the buddy plan promised was that you would be stationed at the same fort for basic training. As it turned out, we both got the same fort, the same brigade, the same company, the same squad, and our bunks were right next to each other. Also when I enlisted the draft was very active. The draft can get a lot of guys in the army in a hurry, but the problem is that most of them don't want to be there. So, there was a lot of "attitude." I filled out my dream sheet (request for duty station) for the Caribbean. The closest I got to that was Louisiana, Alabama, Mississippi and Georgia. I served for 3 years during the hottest portion of the Viet Nam war, and never went overseas. When it came time for my re-up speech from my captain, he offered me a promotion, a new Corvette ($6,900 in those days) and a $10,000 bonus. I told him no thanks, that there was too much ignorant leadership in the army. He said it was the same on the outside and I know he was right. But, I told him at least the leadership on the outside didn't carry guns and take you Gung-Ho into battle. He agreed with me. Back then, the army was no place to be. Today, thank heaven, it's different. The troops that are in the army now want to be there. You guys are an outstanding group of troops with your heads on straight, and I honor what it is that you do. I can't thank you enough, and I'll never stop praying for you.
God Bless,

As a footnote; I remembered yesterday as the 39th anniversary of the day I got out of the army. Today is the 39th anniversary of the day I was pulled over in Denver, by the Colorado State Patrol for doing 100 miles per hour. He asked me how fast I thought I was going and I told him 100. He said that's right and asked me what the rush was. I told him that I had just gotten out of the army and was on my way home. I told him I was stationed just outside of Savannah Georgia. Then he asked me when I got out. When I told him yesterday, he said "get out of my state." I never got a ticket.

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Fish With A Friend
Lotech Joe
http://lotechslodge.blogspot.com/

I demolished my knee playing football my junior year of highschool, and Uncle Sam doesn't like letting people into basic with two pins holding their leg together

I had aced the ASVAB my freshman year, got recruited by every branch of the military, FBI and CIA. I chose the Marines, and got accepted to OCS in Quantico based on my test scores and SAT scores at the beginning of my junior year. Four years of summer duty, finish college on Uncle Sam's dime, and I would have gone in as a second lieutenant upon graduation. My goal was to complete my degree in journalism and go in as a combat photographer after completing my MOS as a Ground Intelligence Officer specializing in photographic reconnaissance. The Marines thought it was a great plan and they were behind me 100%.

Right before Christmas an illegal chop block sent my right knee in one direction and my military plans in the other. My Marine recruiter came to visit me more times in the hospital than any of my friends or teammates. He was torn up about what happened and tried pulling every string he could to get me into OCS on a physical exemption, but there was no way I could have even completed basic with the leg I had after reconstructive surgery. I spent my senior year trying to get my leg strong enough to even go to basic, and by graduation I knew it was over.

So now when I grow up I wanna be a pro fisherman