Poll: Veterans on the forum

[braumeister]

We have learned that freedom comes at a price. And be thankful for the efforts of all those posting in this thread and those who have not posted but participated in our great country's military.

Yes. A severely disabled veteran I know expressed it this way:

A veteran doesn't have the right to speak louder than others, but they definitely have the obligation to listen.

 

[Sanstar]

Grew up an AF brat. Served as Army enlisted 73-78 stateside and overseas. GI Bill paid for my BS degree and cost of three babies born in Army hospitals was minimal. Met DH first year in. He was enlisted when we met and married. Went on to OCS and retired as LTC. Tricare and pension are significant part of our FI plan. Daughter is West Point grad, combat veteran and Bronze Star recipient for her work in Iraq. Son is a Marine.

 

[Offgrid Organic Farmer]

United States Navy 1971-1977. MT2 Polaris/Poseidon Nuclear Missile Technician. Served aboard USS Holland, USS Canopus, USS Simon Lake. Got to visit Scotland, Spain, Cuba, Panama Canal and Acapulco Mexico. State-side, Dam Neck Virginia, Groton Connecticut, Charleston S.C., Bremerton Washington, San Francisco, San Diego and Fort Lauderdale. Over all, it was a pleasant experience and set me up for a great career with the ability to retire at 60.

Hey, there MT2.

I am a Nav ET.

I cranked on the USS Canopus, and worked in W-5 on the USS Simon Lake.

I made patrols on the Casimir Pulaski SSBN 633, the George C Marshall SSBN 654 and the Alaska SSBN 732.

If you had stayed in you could have retired at 38.

 

[Van-Guard23]

United States Army from 1986 to 2013 with a break in service. Started out as E-1, got commissioned and retired as O-5.
DW also retired from the US Army and started out enlisted retiring as O-5...1993 to 2015.
Both of us did multiple deployments to "garden spots", Iraq and Afghanistan.

DD currently US Army Captain but graduated from USAFA and cross commissioned into the Army.

I am fond of saying military service is a family business...and business is booming! (All pun intended)

 

[exnavynuke]

USN 1996-2008 MM1/SS (Nuke). USS Maryland SSBN-738(G).

 

[RunningBum]

Lots of respect for all the veterans here. Thank you.

 

[Kristinia]

1978-1985 USAF: stationed at Plattsburgh AFB in NY during 80 Olympics; stationed at Tinker AFB in OK; Peterson AFB in Colorado Springs (Cheyenne Mtn- from the movie War Games); Luke AFB in AZ; Clark AFB in the Philippines

Air Force was a good place to be after high school - back when you got to see a bit of the world

 

[ExFlyBoy5]

Air Force was a good place to be after high school - back when you got to see a bit of the world

I was in from '93 to '14 and got to see PLENTY of the world. Granted, after 2001, those places got a bit more limited. However, a number of years before 9/11 one of our primary missions was airlift for the secret service/presidential support and when Clinton was president, he went to some fantastic places, as did I. Overall, it was a great 22 years and wouldn't trade it for the world.

 

[griffithee]

I failed the medical portion for vision to attend a service academy. I was nominated for USMA, USNA, and USCGA. I got a waiver to become a cook (94B) in the KSANG and did that for two years (1987-1989) and went to college. Transferred MOS to 11B in 1989 and did that until graduating college in 1992. 1993 Left the National Guard and enlisted in the Navy as a Nuclear Electrician (EM(N))
1993-1995 Navy Nuclear A School, Power School, Prototype (MTS-635)
1995-1998 USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN-71). Two deployments and two yard periods. Applied for OCS in 1997.
1998 OCS (Pensacola, FL (Think Richard Gere in "An Officer and a Gentleman). Commissioned as a Naval Supply Officer (3100).
1998-1999 Navy Supply Corps School
1999-2001 Submarine Officer Basic course and USS Jacksonville (SSN-699) One and half deployments plus workups. Qualified in submarines.
2001-2003 Staff Officer/ Assistant to Comptroller US Submarine Forces (COMNAVSUBFOR)
2003-2005 Aviation Support Officer (USS John F Kennedy (CV-67)) One deployment and workups.
2005-2007 Regional Support Lead (Fleet Industrial Supply Center, Sigonella - FISCSI) Completed JPME I and MBA
2007-2010 Budget Officer (US Special Operations Command (USSOCOM) Demonstrator/ MC USSOCOM Parachute demonstration team. One Baghdad deployment - Resource advisor to Iraqi National Counter Terrorism Force - Training Team.
2010-2012 Senior Naval Advisor KSA Eastern Fleet, Jubail, KSA
2012-2013 Comptroller, US Submarine Pacific Fleet, Pearl Harbor, HI
Retired 11/1/2013 - 100% VA Service Connected.

 

[bks]

USN 1971-77
George Washington Carver 73-77 Blue crew

2 years National Guard after leaving Navy

 

[kenwright396]

USAF 1973-1977 Avionics Communications Specialist
Seymour Johnson AFB, NC
Liked it a lot more after I got out

 

[ripper1]

USMC 75-79. Boot camp MCRD San Diego. Schools Battalion in Camp Pendleton. 76 at Camp Zukeran in Okinawa. 77-79 Kaneohe Marine Corps Air Station on Oahu. Great 4 yrs for me. Legal clerk by day and playing basketball on company teams.

 

[REWahoo]

USAF 1970 - 1978

Spent the first 18 months in training then served in three commands:
71 - 72 Pacific Air Force, Osan Korea (...)
72 - 75 Strategic Air Command, McCoy AFB FL and McConnell AFB KS (high altitude gas passer)
75 - 78 Air Training Command, Lackland AFB TX (Officer Training School instructor)

Got to see a lot of places on the US taxpayer's dime, even though I had to fly myself to most of them.

 

[vince]

U.S. Navy 68-72

 

[JPatrick]

Served as an Army Aviator beginning with two years in Nam where I flew three types of choppers. Following that came additional (more peaceful) aviation assignments until the 12 year mark at which time I branch transferred to the Military Police Corps where I completed a variety of criminal justice posts until year 22 . Then came retirement as an O-5. Best job yet.

 

[Rustic23]

67-87. F111/A and F, Ov-10a over 500 hrs combat time

 

[Iowagrad]

1986-1989 Army Reserve

1989-1994 Air Force Active Duty

1994-2015 Air Force Reserve

Great experience and many great friends!

Served for 29 years and gained an appreciation for our country and what ‘Service before self’ means. Unless you’ve served (however long) it’s tough to comprehend this feeling.

Thanks to all who have or are currently serving.

 

[OAG]

50's 60's & 70's is the way I answered; assume this is ok. All US Army AD. Besides VN, Korea, Turkey, Hawaii (a very short period before heading to VN) and Alaska. E-1 to PSG (E7) then W-1 to W-4. Really missed it after I retired (should have stayed for 35=No).

 

[DonBaldwin]

I was in the Army from 69 to 72 and served in the Signal Corps. in Pleiku, Vietnam.

 

[pullmyfinger]

AD USAF 93-99, Fairchild AFB and Spangdahlem AB. USAFR until 2006.

 

[kgtest]

USAF circa 2001 Graduated basic 3 days before 9/11 Operation Iraqi Freedom 30CS Space Monkey...Peacekeeper primarily, Atlas and Titan secondary. Had buddies that went to Kabul and never came back. You never knew how many frienda a soldier has until one is disrespected. Will never ever be able to compare any brotherhood to what I experienced good and bad.

 

[WWDog]

USAF 1974 - 1995 flew F-105G and F-4G Wild Weasels as EWO. AF sent me to NPGS to get a masters in EW Systems Eng. then served as Engineer and Systems/Tactical expert with technical expertise at a few different locations in between flying assignments. Wife did 25 years USAF as an Intelligence Officer at various locations.

 

[bmcgonig]

USMC 76-82.

One way ticket from Ireland with a green card and within 10 days signed the contract.

Boot camp in San Diego. 18 mos tech school in Memphis. Rest of the time in Beaufort SC, Yuma, Iwakuni, Subic Bay etc.

When someone "thanks me for my service" I feel guilty as it was some of the funnest years of my life with zero combat. Great place to grow up and get your $hit together.

 

[JAB1950]

US Army Signal Corps Officer 73-84, USAR 84-93 (ROTC Grad)

 

[TomH]

I retired from the Army as a Major (promotable) after 20 years and served from 1996 to 2016. I enlisted after college and my boss told me to start investing so I did a lot of reading that has paid off. I started out in mutual funds and later added real estate investing.