The Military Veterans Thread

[Salty_Dog]

I created for Gunny and Gatorman (and anyone else involved.)

Have at it guys. Let's hear your stories.

[guntech]

Thanx, CB. I don't know why I didn't think of this myself. I'm not sure how many Viet Nam Vets we have out on this Forum though. There are probably more Iraqi and Afghanistan Vets here than Viet Nam Vets. It would probably be nice to change this to a thread for ALL Vets.

Part of the problem with Viet Nam Vets is that we are getting at the age where we have forgotten a lot LOL. ANYTHING that ANY Vet has to offer this thread would be cool. When were you there? What branch of the Armed Forces? Which war/police action/conflict were you a part of? Where were you stationed? What cool or strange things have you done or seen? I guess you get the picture.

I guess most of my "stuff" has been said in one thread or another here, at least the stuff I can remember ( or care to remember). I was in the Marine Corps from 1968 - 1970. After boot camp and ITR, I went to Camp Pendleton (sp?) in San Diego for more schooling, then was stationed there with an artillery battery for a little while before I went to Viet Nam.

I was actually an 0844 which is Fire Direction Control. When I got to Okinawa, we were supposed to stage there for a few weeks before going over. 2 days later we were on a big bird headed for the jungles. In '68/'69 things started to heat up over there and the NVA was keying in on artillery so "replacements" were needed more than anticipated. In fact I read that in Vietnam during July of 1968, of the 14,000 Marines killed in Vietnam, 10,000 were killed in Quang Nam Province. You guessed it, in mid '69 I found myself in the Quang Nam Province (go figure).
I was assigned to a 175mm self propelled battery. We would get orders to pack up, move to a hill out in the middle of nowhere, put some wire around us and call it "home". We pretty much stayed just north west of Da Nang. After a month or so of that nonsense, I got pretty tired of being a "target", so I volunteered (a dirty word in the Marine Corps) to go out as an FO. They needed them more that FDC personnel, so I was gone the day after I raised my hand.
Sometimes I would get orders to go out with a group of grunts and sometimes they would just chopper me and 2 or 3 others to a location for a specific mission and we would lay in wait for a specific target to come by so I could call in artillery and eliminate it. Problem was, when sh1t started to rain down, their #1 priority was to find the FO and stop him from calling in any more (that's why there was a shortage of FOs). I liked the special missions the best. If things went wrong, you could "reposition yourself" (run like a scared little girl) and get extracted.

Another cool thing I did over there was to go out on "Med Caps". That's where we would go into a small village that had no medical facility. We would escort a Navy Dr. and corpsman that were there to help the villagers with their medical needs that otherwise would not be taken care of. Twice we found out the hard way that we were set up and things got a little ugly, but all in all it was a rewarding experience. Yet another aspect of the war that never made the papers at home.

For now I'd rather not get into the "after I got home" part. Most of you know how Viet Nam Vets were treated when we returned. That's something we can NEVER let happen again. Whenever you see someone in uniform, make it a point to stop what you are doing, shake their hand and thank them. Whether they are combat vets or not, they did their part to keep us safe and free and should be thanked. One good point in that respect is that my town gives 10% off your property tax if you are a Veteran and another 15% off if you are a combat Vet. 25% off my property tax is pretty sweet .

Well, my brain hurts from trying to think back 40 years, so I'll kick back and read about other's experiences. Bring them on and let us hear your stories .

[nhparrot]

I was drafted during 'Nam, but after enlisting in the Air Force I spent most of my active duty time stateside. After finishing my active duty time, I spent time in both the Air Force Reserve and the Army Reserve.

I want to echo 2 of guntech's remarks

"Never Again" and "Whenever you see someone in uniform, make it a point to stop what you are doing, shake their hand and thank them."

Definition of a Veteran
"A veteran - whether active duty, retired, National Guard or Reserve - is someone who at one point in his life wrote a blank check made payable to the United States of America for an amount of 'up to and including my life.

That is honor. There are far too many people in this country who don't understand it. -- "

[guntech]

Originally Posted by nhparrot

There are far too many people in this country who don't understand it. -- "

In there defense, it is usually because they haven't lived, smelled or tasted it. They don't have any type of reference point. All they know is what they see glorified on TV or in the movies. When they see soldiers in the movies, it's easy to "watch", because they can't feel the stark fear that the individual is going through. Those who have will never forget it. It's something that stays inside you forever.

"We were Soldiers" is one of the best Viet Nam movies I've ever seen, but you still miss out a lot by not being able to smell it and have the feeling deep down in your heart that you will NEVER see your family again.

I never discuss the horror or gore part of it, but if a person has never been through it, they can never fully understand it and it is totally NOT their fault. If they dismiss it, then it is their fault for not even trying to understand.

[nhparrot]

By the way guntech - Thank You and Welcome Home.

__________________
~Glenn~

[guntech]

Thank you - and Thank you for serving also.

[Flashgordon]

I didn't serve, was too young but grew up on a few Military Bases (AF) while my Dad was in active duty.....
I work with guys and gals who served in Nam and The Gulf War, a great group of people.
Those of you who know me know I have the utmost respect for those who have and are serving.
Thank you for your dedication and service.

[GutPyle]

First off let me say Thank-you for serving. I cannot imagine what Guntech and nhparrot went through other than to hear it from other Vietnam vets that I now work with for the Army. I served 26 years in the Air Force (1981-2007) and it was the Marines and Army that kept the airfields safe. I know we like to joke and poke fun amongst the services, but it really is a joint effort from all branches; Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, Coast Guard, and now civilian agencies, to keep us safe from these cowards we call terrorists. I did enjoy my career and got to see many beautiful places and some not so beautiful places. I do have to say though I always tried to make the best of it no matter where I was. I hope you/all were able to do the same under the circumstances you were/are put in. I SALUTE all the fellow Vets!

[bubba42]

Thank you, CyberBilly, for creating this thread. Attached are a few of the reasons I serve. I am honored to be in the company of many in this forum who have done so much more than I to ensure the safety of those unable to defend themselves, and would like to thank them for helping, whether directly or indirectly, the safety and opportunity to pursue prosperity, that my family currently has. "Thank you".

The pictures were taken by a friend of mine when we were working in 2003. We missed the children coming out in the first shot, as the truck was moving. The people were so excited one had to be carefull when driving. The other, well, you can guess what it is. My friend removed the wires after taking this picture. My proudest moment was when I overheard a civilian say that they now had the opportunity to discuss politics in the tea house, without fear.

[guntech]

Originally Posted by GutPyle

I know we like to joke and poke fun amongst the services, but it really is a joint effort from all branches; Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, Coast Guard, and now civilian agencies, to keep us safe from these cowards we call terrorists.

I totally agree. Yet another reason our country is so strong !
Points sent ......

[TRDDunn]

I am too young to have served in Vietnam but would have in a heartbeat! I was in the Marine Corps from 95-04 and served in Operation Enduring Freedom in Afganistan. I think there are too many people that have forgotten what it means to be American!!! Too many not willing to fight for what we believe in! I cant understand why some people would defend the rights of known terrorists? Oh and I hate all these movie stars that promote anti war protests just to promote their careers! Ok rant over for now. SSGT Jason Dunn

[Torch]

I retired after serving 21 years in the USAF. I fly flags because I am proud to be an American. Some servicemen have never made it home. That is why we fly the POW flag. Remember them in your prayers.

[ardnut04]

I'm currently doing civilian work for the USAF, I never 'took the oath' but I'm thrilled to be a part of the military family, which is exactly how they've made me feel.

you're all the best of the best.

[imjin]

I did a 4-year enlistment in the Army straight out of high school in 1986 and served my last 2 years in Korea in the 2nd Infantry Division, which was fairly uneventful short of student rioters fire bombing the front gate at Camp Casey and the occasional North Korean 2-man incursion probing our lines along the DMZ, which during one of our rotations, I believe one of the snipers at guard post Olette took one of them and the other dragged his compatriot back across. I think we're at year 56 of the cease fire now from the 1953 Armistice. I ETS'd out somewhere around 7 months prior to the start of the first Gulf War. I remember in Ft. Benning when the first "new", as in out for over a year before we saw it, HMMWV (Humvee) rolled onto base for the first time and when the Bradley came out. We were still using Vietnam era APC's that were fitted with dual TOW launch tubes (M901 - lightly Armored Personnel Carriers), although my brigade wasn't slotted to get the Bradley... they all went to the armor brigade (M1 and M1A1 Abrams) up the street. That tank brigade, by the way, hated us - I was an 11H (mechanized Infantry anti-armor - tank killers) - and I still have their stolen tanker guidon hanging in my office. Tankers never could pull proper guard duty. In Benning, I remember our company being assigned to training duty now and then for the School of the Americas, where we helped train and aggress against Contras and Sandinistas ... before it became uncool to help train the drug cartel strong men of the future. As part of their training, we knew they would dive behind the Georgia pines so as incentive to get them up and moving, we'd take the occasional and "unofficial" dump next to certain trees in prime fields of fire so they wouldn't stay down long.

One of the highlights in Benning was when we got authorization from our field CO during a night training exercise with fresh lieutenants straight out of OCS to CS gas them in their sleep to test their MOPP readiness. I've never seen so many brass bars running into trees in my life.

I don't think enough positive things can be said about those that put their lives on the line for their country and to the rest of my brothers, I salute you.

[jan kohlmann]

Every so often I think of those young men who serve our nation in relative obscurity with its number one defense, nuclear submarines and weapons.

Thanks to the "Silent Service" of these great American sailors for keeping us safe.

Fair winds and following seas.