Military Memories

[Mr. P]

I notice many of you are Veterans here.

I thought it would be fun to see what fond (or not) memories you have from your Military service years.
Stories like why did you join the branch you did, humor, disappointment, lessons learned
and anything else you may like to share.

I'll start.............

I joined the Army while we were still in Vietnam to Serve this Country and get the best Helicopter flight training in the world.
Get this...my recruiters name was "Roy Rogers"
I always thought that was funny. Yes, he lied to me...that's another story.

I was a Warrant Officer Flight Candidate...at the time all candidates went to one basic training post, Fort Polk, La. the hell hole of Basic training posts. They said it was the closest in climate to South Vietnam that we had in the US. Guess they wanted us ready..even though the war was officially over, we were still in Vietnam.

Anyway, you would think that the Drill Sargeants might treat us with a bit of kindness considering they were all Nam vets and knew what the Helicopters Pilots did for them over there. No way!
If anything they were harder on us. (Mr. P even ended up in the hospital for a week, but still graduated basic training on time. I didn't quit, it wasn't in my contract ).

It took a few years (maturing) to understand why they were so hard on us. Fort Polk was in fact the first weeding out of those Candidates that couldn't cut it. Turns out the Drill Sargeants did understand and only wanted to see the Best of the Best get through. One year later, of the 28 that started in my flight
school class we graduated 14. Lots of stories in there.

What do you folks think....Anyone up for this?

 

[Annie]

Just thank you for your service to our country. Dam you guys rock!

 

[Mr. P]

Just thank you for your service to our country. Dam you guys rock!

Thank you very much K...during my active duty days, a "Thank You", didn't exist ...You brought a tear to my eye. Stop it!

Recognition is not what I intended this thread to be about.
It's just about sharing between those that have served if they would like to.
I just want everyone to know that.

Thank You for the kind words though..Thank you very much!

 

[Trinity]

Just thank you for your service to our country. Dam you guys rock!

absolutley agree with that!!!

 

[5stringJeff]

Well I went to West Point... arrived at the ripe old age of 17. Got through plebe year well enough, but not without a few hiccups.

In the evenings, we were allowed to wear shower shoes (flip-flops) with our PT uniforms to let our feet breathe. So one evening, I decide to go check to see if I had any mail. The mailboxes were in a different building, so I had to go outside and through a tunnel to get to them. Having lived in Hawaii for a couple of years, I saw nothing wrong with going outside in flip-flops.
Apparently, the upperclass cadets that stopped me didn't see things the way I did. I got caught outside with my shower shoes and they justt about had an anuerism. (sp?) So they take me back up to my company area to see the cadet company first sergeant. He tells me what a screwup I am, then takes me to see the cadet company commander. He tells me I'm stupid and tells me to report to my cadet platoon leader, who procedds to tear me apart (he was about 6'5", and I was not used to looking up at people, being about 6'4" myself).
So my PL tells me to wait in my barracks room until he can devise a punishment for me. I'm thinking that I'm in serious trouble; they came up with a little more lighthearted punishment: while wearing the same outfit, I was to do 5 laps around my barracks floor (about 300 yards around) announcing: "Sir, Ma'am, I am going to check my mail! Would anyone care to have their mail checked?" So of course I got a bunch of other upperclassmen to come out and haze me, due to the fact that I was running through the hallways for half an hour.

But I never went outside in shower shoes again!!!

 

[Mr. P]

A Ring knocker! I served with a few WP Grads..all fine people.

Thanks for the contribution to the Thread!

 

[DKSuddeth]

I went to Marine Corps bootcamp in Sep of 84, San Diego. I'll tell you right now, theres nothing that will wake you up faster than dropping a 65 lb. pack off of your sweatsoaked back in the crisp cold november mountain air. :shocked:

The rifle range was my fondest memory of that time.

The one horrific moment that remains in my memory is the first airplane crash I saw up close and personal as an air traffic controller. I had no idea that jetfuel could burn so hot and bright.

 

[Jmarie]

Just thank you for your service to our country. Dam you guys rock!

You are telling me...A lot of guys in uniforms..Dam I must be in heaven.. And Thank-You all for what you have done or is doing..

 

[Joz]

I wish more people realized that it's men & women like you & those who have given their lives who have kept this Country free. My youngest son's friend is serving in the Marines as we speak. He will be 20 in Sept.; joined at 17, days before 9/11. I salute you, all.

 

[freeandfun1]

8 years in the Army. I did basic and Infantry AIT at Fort Benning, GA (Follow Me!)

My first duty station was Fort Riley, where I put in for Warrant Office Flight Training School. Of course, somebody in personnel thought it would be more fun to send me to Korea instead!

Went to Korea on a one-year tour and stayed three years. One at Camp Greaves (1st Bn, 9th In - MANCHUS!), one at Camp Liberty Bell (1st Bn, 506th In (AA) - Currahees) and one at Camp Howze (3rd Brigade HQ - S2/S3).

From Korea I went to SFAS (Special Forces Assessment and Selection) Course. I finished (started with over 600 and finished with 23 and only 16 were selected to go on to the Q-Course), but wasn't selected to go on (screwed up my knee so I couldn't go to Airborne School, which is required).

After that, they sent me to Ft. Stewart, GA (3rd Bn, 15th In). I always wondered why a rapid delployment unit for the Middle East was stationed in in the swamps of GA. After getting deployed on Operation Desert Shield, I knew why. If you can stand the humid heat of Southern Georgia, the dry heat of the Saudi desert wasn't nothing!

Spent nearly a year in Saudi Arabia and Iraq then we were redeployed to the USA. Less than two months after my return, I was sent to Ft. Polk for 7 weeks of BNCOC. Needless to say, that was the final straw. I decided I wanted to be home more, so I decided to get out.

My fondest memories are my time in Korea. We had a mission, and it was fun!

My funniest - our R&R on the Cunard Princess during X-mas of 1990 in Bahrain. Our battalion drank so much liquor, they ran out. We had guys so drunk they were jumping off the side of the ship (good thing we were docked).

My most horrific memories, the highway of death and the Rumalia Oil Field.

My angriest time - watching a vehicle beside me get hit with a tank round from an M1 tank from 4-64 Armor. Friendly fire is a bitch.

The best day - the day I left Ft. Stewart in a U-Haul a CIVILIAN!

The time I spent in the military was very good for me, but I was glad to get out.

 

[dmp]

While on MotorPool guard duty one night - me a PFC and another guy, a SPC were chit-chattin about life, TheArmy etc. Had good conversation. The next day we were off work for 'recovery'. The day after in a ceremony in the Motorpool the SPC was promoted to Sergeant. After his congrats from his friends, I walked up behind/beside him and sorta nudged him with my shoulder.

"Hey there!!" I sad bumping him. He turned around - I extended my hand 'Congrats, Sergeant!'

"Did you just bump me??" he asked sharply

"Uh, yeah...I guess?"

"yeah?? You mean 'Yes Sergeant' - you are disrespecting a Noncomissioned Officer - who is your team chief!!" he replied bitterly.

I went and got SGT Coldeway who talked with him for a few minutes. After he came back and said "What did you DO??"

"Sergeant, I walked up sorta behind him, and BRUSHED against him to get his attention, with my arm/shoulder"

'Do you even KNOW him?' SGT C asked.

"Yes - we talked for about 4 hours straight the night before last..."

'Well - geesh. I said it when he was an E4 and I'll say it now, that guy is a Crap Bag. Keep away from him. He stabs people in the back every chance he gets. I think he's a bitter man because his fat ugly wife is a bitch.'