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How Did You Decide on Your Military Branch or MOS?


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In 1968 where i lived in Pennsylvania the Vietnam war was important to the community. I had a football scholarship to Penn State but I graduated June 5th and was in Parris Island June 6th. I enlisted. My mother had to sign permission since I was 17. The thing to do back then was to go to war and kill the communists who were trying to take over the world. I wanted to be a Marine. Looking back I was born for it. I joined Force Troops, jumped out of planes, blew stuff up and generally had a wonderful time all over the world. I've always said that the Boy Scouts laid the groundwork, but the Marines made me a man. I've never regretted it.

Cherokee Slim

Not as mean, not as lean, but still a Marine!

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My research told me that I was going in the military (drafted or enlist) instead of college after graduation from high school because in 1968 if you were 18, good health and didn't have a college deferment you would get drafted before school started in the fall. I also knew that I had a high degree of probability of going to Viet Nam so I chose the AF because I thought that it offered me the best chance to survive and returning to the world.

 

I enlisted in the USAF 8/15/1968 and the first mail I got in basic training was my draft notice.

 

I wanted computer repair, but the AF in it's infnite wisdom assigned me to Aircraft Radio Repir (32830). Get it in writing!

 

Tech school at Kessler AFB, Biloxi MS, 9 months at Seymour Johnson AFB (TAC), Goldsboro NC. F4's and base aircraft. Then SEA, USAF base at Cam Ranh Bay RVN (MAC). Primarily F4's and C7's. I had additional responsibliities for the repair and maintenance of the voice encoding/encryption equipment for ground to air communication.

 

My assignment upon returning stateside was to the 49th Fighter Sq. (ADC) at Griffith AFB, Rome NY. F106 Delta Darts. I got married. Was assigned for a week of 11PM-8AM guard duty for alert aircraft. It was winter time, deep snow, snowing, outside by myself, no weapon, no radio and no break. I decided I was tired of freezing in the winter and burning up in the summer on the flightline so...

 

I extended my enlistment to cover the schooling time and crosstrained to Medical Equipment Repair (40350). Off to Shepard AFB, Wichita Falls TX for school. My daughter was born here. First child.

 

Assigned to David Grant Medical Center, Travis AFB (MAC). Was part of the Medical Equipment Repair Center (MERC). Meaning we provided maintenance support for medical aid stations and medical facilities for most of the north west US (tech in a truck) in addition to supporting the medical center.

 

Planned to get out in July 1974 but got an accompanied 3 year assignment to RAK Lakenheath, England (TAC). Wife wanted to go, so re-listed early. I was assigned to another MERC. Our responsibilities was for all military medical faciliies in the UK including those for the Army and Navy. Traveled all of England and Scotland in a pick-up truck. My son was born at RAF Lakenheath.

 

At rotation time back to the states was informed I did not have enough time for a stateside assignment so I would be discharged at Dover AFB Del. Decided to extend enlistment long enough to qualify for a stateside assingment. Was assigned to hospital at Cannon AFB (TAC), Clovis NM. NCOIC Medical Equipment Repair.

 

Got an offer from ServiceMaster's healtcare Division to be an account manager for Clinical Engineering at a childrens hospital in St. Louis MO. Discharged after 10 years, 1 month and 14 days (with only 2 enlistments) as an E-5.

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The Col asks for decision makin factors and gets entire 201 files. :lol: :lol:

Love it.

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I forgot to mention I was young and not too bright. ;)

Okay I was bright enough. But sometimes I didn't think things through. :wacko:

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Jim,

 

This was like reading my own bio. I too enlisted in AF in August 68 to avoid being drafted They were taking draftees as Marines in 68 in Chicago. ( I have all the respect in the world for Marines but did not want to be one). My first item in first mail call was my 1-A draft card. At end of basic when orders came down, airmen on one one side of my open bay wooden barracks were assigned as medics the other side security police. No one got what they wanted. I ended up a dental tech and cross trained as a BMET in 73. I was assigned to BMET shops at Kirtland, Utapao, then Brooks AFB. After 14 years of service and at rank of E6 I got accepted for a direct commission as a MSC and was MERC Chief at Keesler, Staff job at AFMLO, Clinical Engineer at Clark (ended by volcano evacuation), then Medical Logistics/Medical Repair/Facility Officer at McConnell during tornado recovery years. I ended my 30 years as a Major back at Brooks at School of Aerospace Medicine and then Health Facilities Office. Been shooting CAS here in San Antonio since 86.

My research told me that I was going in the military (drafted or enlist) instead of college after graduation from high school because in 1968 if you were 18, good health and didn't have a college deferment you would get drafted before school started in the fall. I also knew that I had a high degree of probability of going to Viet Nam so I chose the AF because I thought that it offered me the best chance to survive and returning to the world.

 

I enlisted in the USAF 8/15/1968 and the first mail I got in basic training was my draft notice.

 

I wanted computer repair, but the AF in it's infnite wisdom assigned me to Aircraft Radio Repir (32830). Get it in writing!

 

Tech school at Kessler AFB, Biloxi MS, 9 months at Seymour Johnson AFB (TAC), Goldsboro NC. F4's and base aircraft. Then SEA, USAF base at Cam Ranh Bay RVN (MAC). Primarily F4's and C7's. I had additional responsibliities for the repair and maintenance of the voice encoding/encryption equipment for ground to air communication.

 

My assignment upon returning stateside was to the 49th Fighter Sq. (ADC) at Griffith AFB, Rome NY. F106 Delta Darts. I got married. Was assigned for a week of 11PM-8AM guard duty for alert aircraft. It was winter time, deep snow, snowing, outside by myself, no weapon, no radio and no break. I decided I was tired of freezing in the winter and burning up in the summer on the flightline so...

 

I extended my enlistment to cover the schooling time and crosstrained to Medical Equipment Repair (40350). Off to Shepard AFB, Wichita Falls TX for school. My daughter was born here. First child.

 

Assigned to David Grant Medical Center, Travis AFB (MAC). Was part of the Medical Equipment Repair Center (MERC). Meaning we provided maintenance support for medical aid stations and medical facilities for most of the north west US (tech in a truck) in addition to supporting the medical center.

 

Planned to get out in July 1974 but got an accompanied 3 year assignment to RAK Lakenheath, England (TAC). Wife wanted to go, so re-listed early. I was assigned to another MERC. Our responsibilities was for all military medical faciliies in the UK including those for the Army and Navy. Traveled all of England and Scotland in a pick-up truck. My son was born at RAF Lakenheath.

 

At rotation time back to the states was informed I did not have enough time for a stateside assignment so I would be discharged at Dover AFB Del. Decided to extend enlistment long enough to qualify for a stateside assingment. Was assigned to hospital at Cannon AFB (TAC), Clovis NM. NCOIC Medical Equipment Repair.

 

Got an offer from ServiceMaster's healtcare Division to be an account manager for Clinical Engineering at a childrens hospital in St. Louis MO. Discharged after 10 years, 1 month and 14 days (with only 2 enlistments) as an E-5.

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The Col asks for decision makin factors and gets entire 201 files. :lol: :lol:

Love it.

 

I warned in advance that I was going to be long winded. There was a lot of explaining to do about the route (routes?) I took and why. I also vented a little, I have to admit.

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As a college senior majoring in mechanical engineering at a fairly well respected university, I enlisted at the local engineering battalion thinking I'd use my skills. Silly me! Uncle Sam decided I should be a medic. Smart Uncle! Found I loved emergency medicine and after failing to get into medical school (too many very smart folks who had studied pre-med for years compared to this engineer who had not) spent a career at a great Fortune 150 engineering firm retiring as a senior exec. Now, being retired, I am lucky enough to have returned to school, earned some credentials and work part time as a medic for the local hospital EMS department. Money is not the issue, its the satisfaction I get. All thanks to a smart Uncle Sam who opened my eyes to a field I love.

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Joined the Navy because I didn't want to wear a necktie. Went in on the Advanced Electronics Field. Six year enlistment, starting as an E-3, advanced to E-4 after six months. Planned on getting out after my six, but in the meantime I got married and Carter was Prez, so I reenlisted and ended up staying in for twenty.

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Shameless plug here for the new guys.

http://sassvets.homestead.com

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After AIT, was assigned to the 101st, and the rest is - well I don't remember.

 

Hey pard, my old man was in the 101st. C/3-506th from 1969-70 or 1968-69, I don't remember which. Were you there then? What unit? Any chance you served with him?

 

Funny, I shot CAS with a guy for about 4 years before I discovered he and my old man had been in the same unit. Plus, I once met a guy at a traffic accident scene I was working who had been D company's 1SG when my dad was in C co. I called my old man from the scene and he remembered the guy. It's a small world.

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My oldest brother joined the army in '69, to avoid the draft and since I idolized him, because he was and still is my Hero, I had to join. So I joined the Army almost exactly 10 years to the day later. no regrets joining

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Joined the Navy because I didn't want to wear a necktie. Went in on the Advanced Electronics Field. Six year enlistment, starting as an E-3, advanced to E-4 after six months. Planned on getting out after my six, but in the meantime I got married and Carter was Prez, so I reenlisted and ended up staying in for twenty.

I got out of the Army after 3 years because Carter was prez.

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Scored super high on the ASVAB and the Navy and Marines hounded me for months, wined dined (root beer and pizza), and begged me to join.... Went in to the Air Force recruiter, TSGT sitting with his feet on his desk, told him my name and he says " oh yeah, been meaning to call you and pulls my file out of his drawer. Enlisted to work on avionics, ended up becoming a power lineman ( they have those?) Did that for 20 years, then a civilian electrician, now I've been a cop for 15 years..... Strange path......oh and I never heard from the Army until I'd been in the AF for 2 years....little late

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