Floodj

I am sitting here enjoying my day off thinking it is November 11th. The day that ended the War to End all Wars, and now the day the United States thanks all who have serviced in the US Military by taking the day off. I have also noticed there are many members of the military on Rennlist.

I think it is time we sound off.

If you served reply with what branch you served in, when you served, what rank you achieved, your MOS (aka job), and a interesting thing you did (like graduating Airborne school, flying aircraft, serving in a conflict, winning an award, or maybe you were the guy who dated the General's daughter). Since this in an international forum, it would be cool to hear from our allies also.

I will kick this off...

I am an Active Duty Army Major, stationed in Heidelberg, Germany. I am a Transportation Officer. Something interesting, I have deployed four times. Two times to Bosnia and once to OEF and once to OIF.

Thanks,
--Joe

NC TRACKRAT

Thanks for your service, Joe. I was a LT in the Navy, active duty '63-'66, Navy Nuclear Weapons Officer at a DASA storage site. Served under then Capt. John D. Bulkeley, the PT Boat Squadron cdr. who took MacArthur off Corregidor (he received the Congressional Medal of Honor) and selected JFK for PT Boat duty. After leaving our command, then ADM. Bulkeley took on Castro at Guantanemo, cutting off the base water supply and exposing Castro for his lousy propaganda. I have always been grateful for the opportunity to serve my country and for the awesome amount of responsibility that I and my shipmates were given.

Van1

Air Force Major here. I am a navigator on various modified models of the Boeing C-135, currently the OC-135 Open Skies aircraft. I have been all over on countless trips and many Operations but I think that my most interesting trips have happened this year after I started flying the OC-135. I have been into Russia three times this year and am leaving again for a trip tomorrow to Russia (Siberia). As part of the Open Skies Treaty we go into country and are able to fly where ever we want unrestricted while taking pictures. I have had the pleasure of visiting downtown Moscow and Red Square twice this year. And let me tell you, you will see more high end cars in an hours period of time in Moscow than you will anywhere else in the world.

I think that it's interesting that I do this type of work as an invited guest after growing up fearing the Soviet Union.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Treaty_on_Open_Skies

Slow Guy

We've started off with the "O's", I'll start for the enlisted's.
USN FTM2 (Fire Control Tech. Missile 2nd class), we weren't firefighters, we fired missiles (or guns).
1977 - 1983, served on the USS Lynde McCormick DDG-8 and USS Brooke FFG-1. 3 WestPac deployments. The only thing close to an actual conflict during my time (aside from the cold war) was the Iranian Hostage Crisis. However we were just about to pull into Hong Kong when the Russians shot down KAL007 and we were sent up there to "look for survivors" knowing full well no one would be able to survive in those waters. We were just up there to harass the Russians. Nothing like playing "chicken" with 450' warships, which is just what we did for 5 days in some very close waters. Missed the chance to go back to Hong Kong. We also picked up a couple boatloads of Viet Namise refugees during a cruise.

I enjoyed the Navy, very eye opening to see/meet other cultures and their people. Pay sucked though.

Michael S.

Crusty old retired AF Master Sergeant here... 1982 - 1992. Spent my last 10 years active here at Shaw AFB supporting USCENTAF (now USAFCENT). I'm a network engineer (Cisco stuff). When I retired, I didn't even clean out my desk... Just came back as a slimy contractor. Been to all parts of the sandbox way too many times to count in the last 17 years! I keep thinking that I'm getting too old for this, but I still can't think of anything I'd rather do! And, if you can say that about your job, I think you're in pretty good shape!

AOW162435

US Navy, 1990 - 1994, Journalist. Stationed on the USS Virginia (CGN-38) during the Gulf War, and at Naval Air Station Keflavík, Iceland until separation (E-4).


Andreas

flyenby

I was in the Infantry Vietnam 1969-1970. My mos was 11 bravo, served in the 1st Infantry Division, and the 25th Infantry Division, as well as sniper school.....

lbuckley

USN Submarine JO, '92-'97, LT on a Trident missile boat. Our boat won the Battle E and my guys won the Green C for Communications. Thanks to all who served and are still serving!

ga993

I was an E-4 Airman in USAF as a Weather Specialist. Stationed at Hill AFB and was attached to Army last two years at Mainz Finthen (Germany) (now closed). Deployed to Southern Turkey in Desert Shield w/ Army unit in Germany, can't remember brigade. Took sniper fire outside of Sadaam's winter palace in northern Iraq, while in the back of a pickup truck was the only action I saw. Fortunately, wasn't hit.
brandon

bbs993tt

Great thread and thanks to you all - you guys deserve way more credit than you get. Keep em coming!

CADguy

- United States Air Force
- 1971 - 1974 (3 years 4 months, part of end of Vietnam RIF)
- E4 (Sergeant)
- Munitions Maintenance (BB stacker)
- I spent one year at U-Tapao Airfield, Thailand (B-52s), then four years (one in, then three after getting out) in Bitburg Airbase, West Germany. There I bought a used 1966 Maserati Sebring 3500 GTi, what a blast!, but rolled it.

curve lover

Stealth 993

USN, 92-96 Intelligence Specialist (IS) yes, I know it's a oxymoron.
On the USS California CGN-36
I tried out for the SEALS, & made it past the first round, but dislocated my knee in training. Ended up going to SAR (Sea Air Rescue) school instead. Got out on a medical in 96 after breaking my back.
Been to every place you never want to go.

Floodj

Thanks guys. It is great to see how many of us serve(d).

Keep them coming!

hoggel

Retired AF Master Sgt.. I was a flightine avionics tech on a lot of different types of aircraft in a lot of exotic places like Japan, Denmark, Turkey, Utah ... for 6 years of active duty and 14 years in the Reserve. Now I work for the A.F. as a civilian engineer.