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How did you decide on your Military branch or MOS?


Colonel Dan, SASS #24025

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I had been in a rescue squad in my little New England town during high school and when I went into the Navy in 1967, you may remember there was a draft and a war on at the time, I went with what I knew which was Corpsman. Now it never occurred to me that the life expectance you a medic in country was about 2 weeks. Well, 25% of my boot camp company got tapped for Corpsman if they wanted to or not, but not me. No, seems I had taken enough math and science in school that they tagged me for Aviation Fire Control Tech (AQ) – or the sailor who fixed radar on fighters and bombers and lived on Aircraft Carriers. Of course they didn’t send me to school out of boot, instead they sent me to the fleet or more specifically to Lemoore Cal. to a training squadron and then promptly to mess cooking for 3 months. The squadron had me slated for a plane mechanic in the frame shop. However, I had already put in a request to go to “A” School to be the AQ and my orders to school in Memphis came in. I was so wet behind the ears I didn’t realize that my assignment to the training squadron (we called it a rag outfit) was for my whole 4 yr enlistment and was shore duty. Oh well, I did go to electronics school and just like Robert Frost’s road in the wood, it made all the difference. Got to war within a year, but it was on the USS America where I was sent to mess cooking.

In the end after 22 yrs of service and as a senior chief I retired and became a math, science and engineering high school teacher. I often wonder where I would have ended up, who I would have married (I met my wife through a boot camp buddy who I ran into in later because we were in the same base) or any of the infinite things that happen to one over a lifetime if I had not been told in boot camp that I should be an AQ. Willy Whiskers

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Nothing very exciting, earth shattering, or romantic for me.

I went to Vo-Tech school and became an auto mechanic, ended up as a hard rock miner, prices dropped, mine closed, I was broke, wanted to go back to school and be a diesel mechanic. I figured the military would train me and pay me at the same time, plus I needed to eat. Joining the Army and driving a tank had been a boyhood dream. So I went and saw the recruiter. He said "You need to loose 40 lbs before we can talk". Came back in a month and we talked. Combined boyhood dream and diesel mechanic aspirations into 63Y (track vehicle mechanic). Took the physical and they said "you need to loose another 30 lbs". Back in a month and raised my right hand.

Military treated me well, trained me, and allowed me some great oppurtunities. Probably the greatest of which was: I was stationed in Berlin the day the East German border opened and I helped tear The Wall down (have the pieces to show).

Anybody familiar with 63Yankees knows I got to work on and drive some pretty (real man)awsome equipment including CEV's, AVLB's, and M88's (bulldozers, bridges, and wreckers on steroids. Google them)

 

Thanks to all of you for your service.

 

Silver "Proud to have Served" Shadow

Honor Guard Leader VFW Post #9141 (also honored to be serving)

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When I got my "Greeting" from local draft board 147 in Kankakee, Il., I didn't want to be in the Army. So I asked and got a deferment to join another branch. My father and Uncle being flyers, uncle shot down and killed, father shot down and a POW till he escaped. I decided to see what the Air Force had to offer, the Navy, both couldn't guarantee anything. The Marines recruiter was filled with and decided to step next door and talk to the Army recruiter if I joined instead of being drafted what could I be guaranteed. I wanted to go to Germany, he told me he could guarantee almost 75%, if I joined up for Armor, I would more then likely spend some time in Germany. So I signed up.

A month later took a 9AM train to Chicago, took physical, tests, etc. Seems that everyone at the train station, Marine, Navy, and Air Force recruits got aboard trains early. Us that had signed up for Army, waited, and waited, about 1:30AM we were called to our train, and headed through the night to Louisville. Train arrived about 5 or 6AM. A NCO greeted us there and gave us tickets for a breakfast. Then waiting buses took us to Fort Knox. We waited at the reception center for 2 weeks until an opening at one of the training companies was available. I was assigned to Co. D-12-3, Captain Garcia, my D.I. Was Sergeant Whitaker. Commander of Fort was General Andrew Boyle, and our Training commander was Col. Keusting.

Basic Training was 12 weeks. About the 5th week, after chow, in walks into our barracks a nifty dressed Sgt. who asked how many of us would rather fly, then march to our designated areas? How many would like to make an additional 55.00 a month? Easy answer since was only getting 76.00 a month. So we signed up for Airborne, so long Armor, so long Germany. We also had extra PT every evening. After basic, and 3 day jumps, 1 night jump, wings, I ended with the 1/505. MT

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It was a dark and stormy night.....

...never mind. :lol:

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:FlagAm: Hello Gentleman! :FlagAm:

 

It is an honor to know you, although I've not even met most of you!

 

Regards,

 

Allie "feeling unworthy" Mo

 

Ladies like you are hardly unworthy.

Like our country, you're worthy of protecting and dang sure worthy of comin home to.

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"I got a letter from the President of the United States telling me my friends and neighbors had selected me for service in the Armed Forces of the United States". Great quote Birdgun Quail!

 

The year was 1966. I knew I did not want to pound the ground in Vietnam. Navy recruiter "GAVE" me a guaranteed enlistment to be a radio operator on a ship.

 

During bootcamp and the testing that followed the Navy determined that I was qualified for a higher assignment.

 

Hospital Corpsman.

 

I fought that straight to my congressman and senator. They said did'nt you read the fine print on that there contract sunnyboy?

 

My choice was Corpsman or "LEVENWORTH"!

 

Chose Corpsman and served with distinction with Bravo 1/3 Third Marine Division out of Quang Tri, Vietnam.

 

When I would'nt re-up they kicked me out 7 months early at the "Convenience of the Government". "Good conduct" of course.

 

Fooled them did'nt I.

 

Castalia who says "thanks to all who served". No matter the time or place.

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Typical military. :lol:

 

Daughter is a Naval Aviator and never spent a night on the Boat. She Flew MH-53 for 8 years along with 3 deployments and S-3s as air sea rescue for 3

Wyandot

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How did you decide on your Military branch or MOS?

 

Howdy pard, to answer the question it was Navy and my NECs came about when the classifier suggested I could fit the billet that was then a critical rate. All I had to do was graduate NACAS right there in your homestate at Pensicola. That was survival training for aircrewmen and once you passed that little hurdle, you would get A school. A school for me was Antisubmarine Warfare. I went from those schools on to my first squadron and found I still had to qualify on the aircraft itself. Would this schooling and studying ever end. Well, it did and I was awarded my wings and that is the ultimate diploma for a squid. Went on to 3000 hours in type, long hours I might add, and I actually enjoyed my job, even if it does not even remotely relate to any civilian jobs. Not much call for submarine hunting by anyone other than the Navy. However, I enjoyed the hazardous duty pay, the out of CONUS per deim and COMRATS. I did get to a lot of far away places that I never knew existed or could have paid for to get there. So, even though I was Navy all the way, the community I was in was very small and we were very tight. I got enough adventures in to suit me and around the campfire I will relate some of them to you. I hope to see you again soon Col.

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Nothing special about me.

My Dad flew B-17s in WWII B-29s in Korea and B-36s after Korea. So I spent a little bit of time around USAF planes. Been flying since 1964. Ya think it might be in the Geans :rolleyes:

Joined the USAF and was a B-47 and KC-97 mech in fuel systems starting in 1960.

Son and Daughter were a lot smarter. Son is a NVCAD and is the Air Boss of the USS Nimitz.

Daughter went to the USAF class of 96 and she cross commissioned to the Navy. She is now a Lt. Col in the MT. Air Guard.

Jim

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BTW, I was in RVN for 4 months when I received a letter from my mother. In it was my draft notice...

 

 

Seems somebody forgot to inform Selective Service that I had enlisted...

 

 

I walked into the First Sergeant's hooch and gave it to him and asked him "Who gets me? You or them Army pukes...."

 

I can't post here what he said to me....

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Seems somebody forgot to inform Selective Service that I had enlisted...

 

 

 

 

I'd been on active duty for about two years and was home on leave from Okinawa. Wouldn't you know it, I got a call from the Army recruiter wanting to know if I was interested in hearing about all the great things the Army could do for me. :lol:

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I knew from the time I was 5 that I would be a Marine. In Boot Camp, I learned about Force Recon ( I was informed that only the totally crazy went there) and since my Dad was a Ranger, the thought of jumping out of perfectly good airplanes appealed to me. Then I was always a very good shot and an excellent Woodsman and Scout Sniper was my next move. Then I landed in Da Nang and was in my first firefight on my first day in country OTW to Camp Carroll and was wondering XXX was I thinking????? I got very good at my craft and stayed there for 22 months until I woke up on a plane between Hawaii and San Francisco. I crawled into a bottle and 6 months after my discharge from Active Duty, needed the structure that The Corps gave me. I enlisted in the Reserves and they gave me another wonderful 24 years, totaling 28 years of fitting in someplace.

 

I retired in 1998 at the rank of Master Gunnery Sergeant and am thankful to all those NCO's that saw something in me, allowing me to grow up and mature to the point where I was accepted as a Marine.

 

You join The Army.

 

You join The Navy.

 

You join The Air Force.

 

 

But you become a Marine.

 

That is an honor that I will carry with me to my grave. It was more than just giving. It gave back.

 

 

SEMPER FI Gunny!! As i posted earlier, i grew up in a Marine Corps family. What i didn't state was that i lost my little brother in the Corps in 1978. He was a flight mechanic in CH-46's, went down off the coast of Okinawa. I was on the other side of the world stationed in Turkey at the time. Once a Marine, always a Marine. Thank You!! :FlagAm:

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Allie "feeling unworthy" Mo

 

Unworthy? Hell, you're what most of us were fighting for! Never consider yourself unworthy in my company!

 

 

Damn right. ;)

 

 

Ladies like you are hardly unworthy.

Like our country, you're worthy of protecting and dang sure worthy of comin home to.

Thank you gentlemen. I wish I knew then what I know now of the sacrifices you made.

 

Regards & much :wub: ,

 

Allie Mo

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I was lucky - when they drew the birthdays to figure out your number for the selective service - I was number 14. Within weeks I got a letter cancelling my student deferment and changing my status to 1A.

 

Then I got a greeting from your president letter telling me to report to Alabama for a medical exam. While there the Army recruiter told me if I was drafted for two years I would either be a cook or infantry or maybe even a cook in the infantry. Then he told me if I enlisted for 3 years I could do anything in this big book of MOS’s he had. At the time I had a friend who was at the Defense Language Institute –DLI - in Monterey, CA studying Chinese (47 week class). I figured I would spend the extra year learning a cool language in a great place.

 

So I signed up to be a linguist with a guarantee of DLI Monterey. I got to choose three languages based on the needs of the Army - at the time I selected the army needed Russian, Chinese, German or Japanese. I selected Russian, Chinese and Japanese.

 

Half way through basic training I was told the Russian class was full and the other two classes did not start when I need them to so I figured I was headed for German Class.

 

At the completion of basic I was assigned to DLI with no language listed, I would find out when I got there. But first I was sent TDY to Army Intel school to attend the MOS 96C – Interrogator -training. From there I went to DLI for 47 weeks of North Vietnamese (remember all I was guaranteed was DLI) – the Army selected the language based on need and the new need was North Vietnamese.

 

So that is the happy story of how I got my MOS. 96C2LVN

 

Nada Chance

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I was a freshman in college and was drafted. At Chicago for my physical we were in four lines and at the time drafting for the marines as well. They were taking the first ten in each line and I was number 7....I asked if anyone behind me wanted to be a marine and someone spoke up and we exchanged positions.....I was going to the army.

 

At AIT I scored high in testing and was asked if I wanted to go to OCS. My other choice was Korea. I went to TC OCS and became a 2lt. with an MOS of truck convoy leader....Went to Ft Knox where I was a training off and then company commander in a basic training brigade.

 

Went to Vietnam in 68 and 69 and spend most of my time working with shallow draft and ammunitions as an outport commander in support of the 101st. Last six months filled a field grade position as a Captain in charge of all cargo arriving in the II corp area by ship and air.

 

Never used any assigned MOS either enlisted or as an officer. In reflection it all seems like a dream....it was over 40 years ago...lol.

 

KK

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Growing up in the 1950's, I watched all those great World War 2 movies. You know, the Duke as everything: a Marine Sergeant on Iwo Jima or a Marine Fighter Pilot on Guadalcanal, a Naval Officer on PT Boats, submarines, heck even a SeaBee. An Army Colonel on Bataan.

 

I watched the Silent Service television series and became fascinated with submarines. Then there was the Victory at Sea television series which really piqued my interest in the Navy especially, aircraft carriers. The list just seemed endless.

 

By the time i was 10 years old I wanted to be (and almost not in any particular order):

 

A Marine

A paratrooper

A SCUBA diver (Thank you Sea Hunt)

A submariner

A Tanker (the kind with tracks and a really big gun)

Fly in Navy aircraft

A cop

A medic

 

Long story shortened, between 1966 and 1988, in one form or another, I accomplished all of the above mostly because I wanted to see if I could meet and beat the challenges and yeah, I got bored way too easily. :rolleyes:

 

I can proudly say that in those 22 years I wore the uniform of every branch of service with the exception of the Coast Guard. (Air Force, I was as a member of the Civil Air Patrol assigned to a medical rescue unit and Army, I was with the 101st Armored Cav Regiment, PA Army National Guard).

 

I finally retired in 1988 as a Navy Chief Hospital Corpsman.

 

And I miss every single day of it.

 

Jake

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Wow, compared to some of the stories posted here, mine sounds kind of tame. I took my ASVAB tests during my senior year of high school, mainly so the recruiters would quit calling me. Decided to see how fast I could get through the test, so I could get out of there. After I completed the test, the Army recruiter (who was the one chasing after me), was doing his best to keep the Navy recuiter away from me (no Air Force or Marine recuiters there that night). Needless to say, got another call from the Army recuiter the next day, asking me to stop by the office. He let me know I had scored high on my tests, 127 GT score (still wonder how much better I could have done if I was really trying), and wanted to know what type of career I'd be interested in signing up for. As my father was a law enforcement officer, I told him I was only interested in being a Military Policeman. So, we drew up the contracts, put me in for Military Police, and that was all she wrote...or so I thought.

 

Went to the MEPS station to do my physical and basic entry paperwork. While I was there, in a group of about 40 to 50 other recruits, we were told to have a seat in the hallway (following our physicals) until we were called in for processing. You all know the drill, next, next, next...on down the line, no names, just next. Then, a Staff Sergeant entered the hallway, called out my name, and wanted me to go with him... oh man, now what did I do wrong that I was being singled out?

 

We got in his office, and he started looking through my paperwork, and began asking me questions. Why did I want to join the Army? Why did I want to become a Military Policeman? I answered his questions, and he was taking notes. He then told me that there was going to be a problem with my going in the MP's, there were no open positions for the next twelve months. Of course I was dissapointed, as I had my heart set on being an MP. He then asked if I had ever heard of a different field...Military Intelligence.

 

He first showed me some info about Cryptology, wasn't interested; Morse Code Intercept, wasn't interested; Electronic Signals Analyst, wasn't interested; Counterintelligence Assistant, huh, that sounded really interesting. And so that began my foray into the world of the Army Military Intelligence Corps.

 

I spent my first two years as a Counterintelligence Assistant (97B10), at beautiful Kelley Barracks, VII Corps Headquarters, in Stuttgart, Germany (PV2 to SP4). As I was getting ready to return to the states, my Major called me into his office. He told me that although I did well as a Counterintelligence Assistant, he thought I would do much better in a different MOS, Intelligence Analyst (96B). Read through the job description, it sounded very interesting, so I agreed to be re-classified. More MOS school at Ft. Huachuca, AZ, and I became an Intelligence Analyst.

 

Stayed an Intelligence Analyst through the remainder of my time with the Army. Served at the 513th MI Group, Ft. Monmouth, NJ (SP4 to SP5); did 3 years along the border of the communist world in Fulda, Germany, with the 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment as the S-2 Border Intelligence NCO (SP5 to SGT) (Allons Colonel Dan, Allons!); six years back at Ft. Huachuca, AZ, with the Army Intelligence Center and School (SGT to SSG), also got trained to be a Payload Operator for Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (Pioneer UAV); a year as the Senior Intelligence Analyst/Operations Sergeant at an assignment I can't discuss in Seoul, Korea; and wrapped it up with the 4th Infantry Division at Ft. Carson, CO, as a Brigade S2 NCO.

 

"Always Out Front"

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My older brother enlisted in Army Security Agency. It sounded like a good deal so when I enlisted the recruiter said I was eligible for ASA. I went in for four years, Russian linquist and traffic analyst. Spent two years at the 14th USASA Field Station in Hakata Japan and then came back to spend the last of my enlistment in the NSA building at Fort Meade.

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My choice for service was sartorial. I didn't like wearing a tie so I chose Navy. I had family in all branches, Dad was Army Air Force and Air Force(42-49), 7th Air Force B-24's. One uncle was a UDT, another uncle was Air Force. Cousins in the Marines, Army and Navy.

I was an Elect. Tech. Joined in 1973 retired in 1993. I only spent about 5 years aboard ships out of 20. Got to travel to places I would have had no chance to go to without serving, such as Scotland, Ireland, Thailand, Hong Kong and Singapore. I was in 2 war zones during my tour. I was in the Gulf for Desert Shield and Storm and I spent a year and a half in Northern Ireland in the mid-70's.

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I’ve been around and in love with aircraft my entire life (Air Force brat), and I’ve wanted to be an aircraft pilot since I was 3 or 4 years old. Unfortunately, I needed to get glasses when I was 12 and I knew that the dream had died. We were stationed at Pope AFB around the same time and my dad used to fly the 82nd ABN around in C-130s. I got to watch a lot of tactical drops at various dropzones and it looked pretty cool.

 

Many, many years later I was looking for college money (I was an Engineering Student) and saw that the Army National Guard was offering buckets of it so I went in and talked with a recruiter. He had me come back later to take the ASVAB and I “aced” it. I scored 99 points out of a possible 99. He told me he had been a recruiter for nearly twenty years and mine was the first perfect ASVAB he had ever seen.

 

“You can do ANYTHING you want,” he said. “GREAT! I want to fly!” I told him. “Uh…except that, son.” “Hmmm…okay, well then I want to be an 11B (Infantryman).” “No, seriously, you can do ANYTHING...except fly.” I reiterated to him that I was looking for adventure and something completely different from anything that I would ever get to do anywhere for the rest of my life and Infantry was it. He tried to talk me out of it, but my mind was made up. If I couldn’t fly, I was going Infantry all the way.

 

I got orders to Ft. Benning (though, technically, I was at Sand Hill) for OSUT (One Station Unit Training) and came out three months later with a pretty blue cord on my shoulder and a high-speed haircut on my head, but I was a “leg”. I tried to get to Airborne School after I graduated, but was denied over and over again.

 

Shortly afterwards, I heard that there was a Long Range Surveillance Unit (LRSU) that was looking for “cream of the crop” Infantrymen to come try out with them. They were an Airborne Unit and would send me to Airborne School if I passed their tryouts and was selected. I showed up, did my best the whole time, kept a good attitude, and never gave up. I was among the few in our group to get selected.

 

They sent me to Ft. Benning for Airborne School right away. Three weeks and five jumps later I had my wife pin my silver wings on my chest at the Graduation ceremony. I was finally a paratrooper, not just a parachutist, but a PARATROOPER! Over the several years to follow, I jumped C-141s, C-130s, C-17s, C-23s, a C-46, UH-1s, UH-60s, CH-47s, and an MH-53 while using T-10, MC1-1B and MC1-1C parachutes.

 

(Sidenote: Some guys gave me a little crap when I told them I was going to have her pin my wings on at graduation, but being an Army wife is the hardest job in the Army. She single-handedly “held down the fort” while I was gone and I couldn’t imagine serving without her support. She earned the right to pin them on as much as I earned the right to wear them as far as I'm concerned.)

 

Most jumps were tactical, in the darkness of night, and with full combat equipment, but I’ve had my share of “Hollywood” jumps too. I’ve jumped into dropzones located in deserts, jungles, woodlands, frozen snow-covered terrain, and at a couple of summer Airshows. I’ve jumped in calm air, high winds, sunshine, rain, snow, and one time we even exited the aircraft into a thunderstorm. I’ve never needed to pop my reserve, ever. I’ve never seen anyone else need to do it either.

 

A few years after Airborne School, I got orders to attend Ranger School. I was finally going to be a "Victor"! However, several days before I was supposed to ship out we had an unfortunate significant family emergency. My CO was understanding of my situation and didn’t feel it was in my or the Company’s best interest to send me down to Benning at that time. I never got another opportunity to attend Ranger School before I separated from the Army.

 

Earlier this year, after a significant break from service, I went to a recruiter who then sent me to MEPS where I took the ASVAB again (scored a 97 this time), took (and passed) the over-40 physical, and then I enlisted again into the Army National Guard as a 15G (Aircraft Structural Repairer). I chose that MOS this time because I’ve already done the Airborne Infantry thing, I still have a serious passion for aircraft and flying, and I want to eventually get my A&P Licenses. I loved serving as a Paratrooper and will always cherish my time as one. They were simultaneously the best and the worst times of my life. I will always be a Paratrooper at heart, but it’s time for me to move on to something new.

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My draft number in '68 was 50, didn't take a genius to figure out what was going to happen. I went to community college for 2 years, graduated in '70 and was promptly reclassified 1A. I figured I'd better enlist, so I could choose my military profession, otherwise I'd be humping the boonies trying not to get shot.

 

I didn't like the idea of floating around some ocean and didn't care for the Marines, the Air Force wanted a 4-year enlistment, so that just left the Army - feet on the ground for only 3 years and they guaranteed your MOS. I wanted the Computer Programming school but it was filled at the time. Then I met someone who suggested Military Intelligence School in Fort Holabird, MD, about 1 hour from where I lived. So I figured if I couldn't get what I wanted, I'd get where I wanted. Lived at home getting separate rations during my time at Holabird, that was nice. One instructor at the school said that upon graduation we would be assigned to one of two places: Vietnam or Ft. Bragg. He said "Pray you get Vietnam". Needless to say, I questioned his sanity.

 

On the various enlistment forms I filled in, I wrote that I spoke, wrote and could read German. Where did the Army send me? -- Vietnam. I looked all over VN for someone who could speak German, never found one.

 

So, I spent 10 months in VN, first in Phu Bai, then at Marble Mountain, practicing my MOS - 96D, Image Interpreter. Reconnaissance aircraft took photos, infrared or radar images and I would figure out what they saw. Finally got my orders to leave and report to Ft. Bragg. Didn't take long being there for me to realize that instructor was right. I would rather have finished my enlistment in VN. Nothing worse than a peace-time Army. Meaningless formations, make-work, picking up cigarette butts, performing minor maintenance on the company's vehicles, never painted rocks, but I heard it was done. One of the top-10 happiest days of my life was driving home from Ft. Bragg for the last time at the end of my enlistment.

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Was always going to be Army. Both older brothers were Marines and I wanted no part of "the Corps". No offense intended to my Marine brethren. Anyways, once I decided to enlist, I wanted to fly helicopters. Unfortunately, the Army has a height restriction for flying and I was 2" over the maximum. My second choice was always armor, so I took the plunge. I loved armor. Started on the M-60A3s and later transitioned over to the uber-bitchin' M-1s. Nothing compares to pulling the trigger on that main gun and sending a HEAT or sabot round out at a mile per second. After basic I was sent to Germany for two years. I was assigned to the 4th/69th Armor Battalion in Mainz. When I got to my unit, there were no armor billets available so I was put into the Scout Platoon. I spent nine moths learning how to be a cav trooper....even earned my spurs!! Then I was rotated to a straight armor company and the real fun started.

 

Col. Dan...since you were in Germany around the same time I was, I know we ate the same dust, slopped through the same mud and endured the same weather at those garden spots in Germany. I speak of course of the lovely Baumholder, the unforgettable Hoenfels, and the jewel of Europe...Gaffenwohr. Scouts out, Col. Cav leads the way....but Armor rules the battlefield.

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My lottery # was 35. Went to the Army recruiter to figure out what I was gonna do. Found out there was a 2 yr enlistment. It only guaranteed date of entry. That was all I wanted. Did ask for truck driver. Tested high, sent me to Ft. Hauchuca for 96B, Intel analyst. Never worked a day in my MOS. 11 months and 14 days in VN. Repeatedly was asked to go to OCS, repeatedly, I said no. First 3 months at Camp Eagle with the 101st, rest of tour in Can Tho. Last 6 months of service, @ Bragg as an arms room guard in 8th Psyops. Got my letter from the President asking for my services a week after I was already in.

 

 

Oracle Jones, Phu Bai is ALRIGHT!

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Graduated college and after a while decided it was time to follow family tradition and join up. Took the AFOQT long and qualified for flight school. When asked I told the officers on the oral board I wanted to fly either the A-10 or F-111. They thought I was nuts but….

 

When told OCS and flight school had a two year wait I walked over to the Army office, showed em my scores and was asked “want to fly helicopters?” Sure, sounds good. Take ASVAB and DELAB (language skills) and score way high on both.

Well they Army had a one year wait for OCS but …. You can go to Warrant Officer Flight Training about four months after you join up. Sounds good, what do I do in the mean time?

 

Well you can go to infantry basic training then jump school, that’ll take up the time before your WOFT class would start up. You’ll get Airborne qualified and the infantry training will look great in your jacket.

 

Sure, sounds good.

 

Swear in at age 27 and head to Ft. Benning for 13 weeks of One Station Unit Training and an 11B MOS. About six weeks in this recruit gets called into the company commanders office, which was NOT normal. Captain advises WOFT is out, Dept of the Army wants to reach parity with the USAF for commissioned officers flying. The change negates your enlistment contract and you can get out right now if you want he says. The other option is to complete training and apply for OCS when you get to Ft. Bragg. Wont be a problem with your scores he says.

 

Sure, sounds good.

 

Finish basic and head across post to Airborne school and some 21 days later SFC Booth, my basic training platoons senior drill sgt. drives the pin posts of my first set of wings straight into my chest, blood wings he called them. He came over to do that for all of us from his platoon who went on to jump school. Was one of the top three proudest moments of my life.

 

Arrive at Ft. Bragg, get assigned to C Co 1/325 PIR and am advised by the 1st Sgt that with my scores the CO aint never going to turn me loose for OCS. Turned out to be true too. Finally get a new company commander, who would. WOFT has opened up again but by then I was TOO OLD!!!

 

Oh hell, which if the long way of saying 11B2P, that me.

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Sergeant Smokepole #29248L, on 18 April 2012 - 07:46 PM, said:

Seems somebody forgot to inform Selective Service that I had enlisted...

 

I'd been on active duty for about two years and was home on leave from Okinawa. Wouldn't you know it, I got a call from the Army recruiter wanting to know if I was interested in hearing about all the great things the Army could do for me.

 

Y'all are killin' me! I was in my second year at West Point when a letter came from Selective Service, addressed to my West Point mail box, informing me that I could go to jail if I did not register with them. I was 17 when they marched us onto the Plain and swore us to "uphold and defend", so I figured there was no need to go to the post office on my next birthday and fill out their paperwork.

 

The ops sergeant had a good chuckle when I took him the letter. Never heard from them again.

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Three Army surgeons were discussing who they liked operating on the best.

 

Surgeon #1: I like operating on Enlisted soldiers best because all their parts are color coded. If a blue part goes bad, I just reach up on the shelf, get a blue part, put it in, and send the soldier back to duty.

 

Surgeon #2: I like operating on Commissioned Officers best because they are higher educated and all their parts are numbered. If part #23 goes bad, I just reach up on the shelf, get a part #23, put it in, and send the Officer back to duty.

 

Surgeon #3: I like operating on Warrant Officers the best because they only have two working parts, the mouth and @$$#0le, and they're interchangable.

 

~~~~~~~~~~

 

When I was a Chief Warrant Officer in the United States Army of America, I would tell that story to the new 2LTs.

 

I also had another saying: "Burning a 2LT was the next thing to child abuse."

 

 

P.S. As an old missile guy, I've always wondered why the service rifle wasn't called a bullet launcher?

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What happened, did ya get brain damage? :wacko:

 

 

:P

 

 

...no brain damage <_< ...probably residual effects from shrapnel infestation... :wacko:

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Colonel Dan,

 

Thanks for asking! In 1970 I was fresh out of high school and really had no plans. I knew I wanted to do something worthwhile but not sure what. I talked to the Army recruiter and took some tests. Aviation seemed pretty cool. I signed the papers for a 2 year enlistment with the intentions of "re-uping" for additional years to go to warrant officer flight school for rotary wing. Well, long story short, I ended up at Aberdeen Proving Grounds and became an "aircraft armament subsystem repairman, MOS 45M20 " for all of rotary wing aircraft being used in the war. Never forget the first night of MOS training at Aberdeen, some major addressed our class and said that once done with our training, we were going to Viet Nam. Most everyone in the class expected that. When we finished the course, nobody went to Viet Nam. One guy went to Germany and the rest of us went to Ft. Hood Texas to become part of the 1st Cav Div. I finished out my enlistment at Ft. Hood amongst a group of real heroes who were mostly air crews fresh back from Viet Nam. I felt honored to be working beside them. My first day in A Troop, 1/9, 1st Cav Div, the aircraft maintenance NCO, Staff Sargent Green was talking to the maintenance officer, Capt. Vance Kirby. They greeted me as the new guy in the unit and the first words out of the NCOs mouth were, "troop, do you know how to type?" My affirmative answer got me the position of the unit "maintenance production control clerk" for the rest of my enlistment. I did get to turn some wrenches and was able to hitch quite of few rides in aircraft, the most notable was an AH-1G Cobra. I learned a lot in the army that helped me in life after my E.T.S.

 

Thank you to all who have served.

 

Garry Owen!

 

Buckeye Pete :FlagAm:

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I didn't decide.. My lottery number was 10! I received a telegram that started with "Greetings".... at the time,1969, I had been working on the Sidewinder and Shrike missiles at NAS Alameda for 3 yrs. I took the letter to work, and for better or worse, the draft notice was rescinded due to the work I was doing as a DOD employee. My hats off and gratitude for the job and service that you all did.

 

Snakebite

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Sergeant Smokepole #29248L, on 18 April 2012 - 07:46 PM, said:

Seems somebody forgot to inform Selective Service that I had enlisted...

 

I'd been on active duty for about two years and was home on leave from Okinawa. Wouldn't you know it, I got a call from the Army recruiter wanting to know if I was interested in hearing about all the great things the Army could do for me.

 

Y'all are killin' me! I was in my second year at West Point when a letter came from Selective Service, addressed to my West Point mail box, informing me that I could go to jail if I did not register with them. I was 17 when they marched us onto the Plain and swore us to "uphold and defend", so I figured there was no need to go to the post office on my next birthday and fill out their paperwork.

 

The ops sergeant had a good chuckle when I took him the letter. Never heard from them again.

 

Same thing happened to me.....and since we were there at the same time, I suspect it happened simultaneously. :) I gave my letter to my TAC Officer and he made "a phone call." I would've loved to hear the conversation. In the end, I did nothing.....and I didn't even have to go to jail! :lol:

 

 

 

....on a different note, I'll add this funny story....and of course, it's true. :)

 

We're taking our pre-commissioning physical at West Point. I decide to take the flight portion of the physical, just in case I decide to add Aviation. So, after finishing the first part of the physical, I get sent down to this aged doctor for the flight portion. He sits me in a wooden seat with this measuring device on the back. I sit, he straightens me up sufficiently and takes the measurement. He says, "I've got good news and bad news." "Yeah?" "You're 1 1/4" over maximum seated height." "So, I can't fly?" "Nope." I pause a minute....."So, what's the good news?"

 

......"We haven't done the rectal exam yet, and you can leave if you want to." :o

 

:lol::lol::lol:

 

Chick

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I joined the Army in 1977 with the purposeful aim to be an MP and thus gain experience being a cop (what I wanted to do) while my classmates went to college and drank beer. This way, I'd have a solid few years of real world experience under my belt. And the GI Bill would still put me through college!

 

For a fat mama's boy who never was away from home, Army life was...a change. My first 'experience' was the way they did medical examinations on induction day. Reminds me of the way they heard cattle....

 

I was sworn in by a second Lt and when I finished the Oath the Master sergeant asked me how it felt. I told him it felt like I sold my soul. They both chuckled at a joke I didn't get then but I do now!

 

During Basic I had my own personal motivator in the form of SSG Ainsworth. He took it upon himself to single-handedly whip the fat mama's boy into a soldier. I think he succeeded! (That was back when a boot up the butt was considered motivation. I still have bruises!)

 

My first introduction to 'the Army' was getting from Frankfurt to Nuernberg by deuce & a half. They issued us cold weather field gear and out we went. I spent my first month in snow sometimes up to my butt. I also learned what Russian Tea was quite by accident. (Honest top, I didn't know they put vodka in that!)

 

I'm sure my platoon leader was just as shocked as I was when he discovered his 'new' troop, still asleep in bed after a night of...drinking because my new squad mates decided they'd teach the new kid to drink the first night back from the field. I didn't drink before... Those #$!!&!! LEFT me in my bunk for the LT to find while they all stood in formation. Thanks guys.

 

I treasure the memory of my first ass-chewing from the 1st Armored Command Sgt. Major. Sorry top, I still spit shine my boots every day!

 

I also treasure the memory of every ass-chewing I got from various assorted officers and sgts, some more than others like 1st. Sgt Phillip Hendren. Still the best, never gave me one I didn't deserve but not quite as good as the ones I got from the CSM of Seventh Corps (after getting chewed the day before by THE three star) was entirely deserved and I don't blame ya a bit for knocking me on my ass. I DESERVED IT!

 

I treasure the memory of all my buddies who I traveled with, thick and thin, death and not, good times and bad times. The good far outweighed the bad!

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