Poll: Veterans on the forum

[braumeister]

Since the topic came up, It might be interesting to see how many military veterans we have here.

Did you personally serve in the armed forces (of any country)?
If so, indicate the time period(s) in which you served (even if just part of the decade).

If you'd care to share something about your service, I think we would all enjoy that.

 

[braumeister]

US Air Force. I'm actually a year older than the USAF.

It was a very busy (and mostly very enjoyable) 21 years for me.
I was stationed for fairly long periods in nine states and four foreign countries.
I also had shorter but still significant stays in eleven other states and six other countries.
Vietnam vet with small disability. Final assignment was at the Pentagon.

 

[aja8888]

USAF 1964 - 1968. Overseas, then nuclear missile launch crew in Missouri.

 

[imoldernu]

1954-1969.
ROTC, USAR Ft. Benning OCS, Ft. Devens, USAR Reserves for 10 years, Captain Infantry.
No wars.

 

[Red Badger]

Went NG in 75. Active army 78-92. Got RIF'd when the Soviet Union had their "going out of business" implosion. Joined army reserve in 96. Retired in 2004.
3 tours (total 3 years) in Korea, 2 tours (4 years) in Germany, and a short stint in the sandbox. Stationed in about 10 different states.

As a retired E8 with a million years in service and over 7,000 "points," my military retirement (pay and Tricare) is a decent leg of our retirement stool.

I earned Air Assault wings by jumping out of helicopters. I earned Air Crew member wings by staying inside helicopters. The latter was more dangerous. Much more so...

I enjoyed my Army career. I wandered from ordinance to communication to combat arms to aviation. It was all exciting and challenging.

Interesting twist. I used to volunteer/teach part time at one of those "boot camp or prison" boot camps. The biggest lesson that I tried to impart was to get away from the environment that got them in trouble. I listed several options, including serving in the military. Decent pay, a structured and disciplined life, leadership and perhaps good skills (at that time, all branches would accept boot camp graduates).

We saved a few.

 

[Lewis Clark]

US Navy, 1982 - 2002.

I spent a lot of time in school but managed to serve on two submarines, with a great final tour at Cape Canaveral.

 

[Exrook]

US Navy, 1984-1993


First six years as NFO, then three years in the DC area

 

[Cut-Throat]

U.S.N --- 1971 -1975 --- Got Drafted into the Army During Nam in the 2nd Lottery ... Dodged the Draft by Enlisting in the Navy.... Trained Navy Pilots in Florida.


I was 'Guaranteed' Health Care for Life in the V.A. after Serving, But Bush Jr. Took it away in 2001, when the Gulf War was Racking up the wounded...
Couldn't raise taxes on the wealthy to support Veterans so they started Means testing it and took it away from other Veterans Instead.

 

[2soon2tell]

US Navy 69-72 Viet Nam Vet Discharged with disability 1972

 

[Tekward]

I joined the Navy at 18 and retired with a total of 38 years active and reserve service. The best part was having all three daughters join the service. I am Old Navy.

 

[calmloki]

USN. Enlisted in 1969 before the draft lottery, did a cruise on a WW2 era destroyer throwing lots of 5" rounds in shore off S. Vietnam, then another cruise on a nuclear cruiser off N. Vietnam.

 

[atmsmshr]

USN 1979-1984

Taught me my profession in nuclear power and appreciation of hard work and meaning of excellence.

GI Bill for college was a benefit for the remainder of my career.

VA mortgages for homes with no down and good rate used repeatedly - invaluable help in starting my family.

National service is a tremendous opportunity for a young person who is willing to apply themselves.

I am grateful for and humbled by those who have been in combat or sacrificed by serving for 20+ years.

Atom

 

[nash031]

Did you personally serve in the armed forces (of any country)?
If so, indicate the time period(s) in which you served (even if just part of the decade).

If you'd care to share something about your service, I think we would all enjoy that.

I didn't count the 90s even though I commissioned in December of 1999. Going on 19 years active duty USN. Intend to retire at O5 1 Jan 2020. Currently in my second command ride, best j*b there is!

 

[Gumby]

USN. Enlisted in 1969 before the draft lottery, did a cruise on a WW2 era destroyer throwing lots of 5" rounds in shore off S. Vietnam, then another cruise on a nuclear cruiser off N. Vietnam.

Which destroyer? My dad was there, doing the same thing on USS Fletcher (DD-445), USS Philip(DD-498) and USS Ernest G. Small (DD-838).

I went to the Naval Academy from 1977 to 1981, then was on active duty from 1981 to 1986 as an engineering division officer on two ballistic missile submarines (USS George Washington SSBN-598 and USS George Washington Carver SSBN-656). I stayed in the Individual Ready Reserve until 1992.

 

[friar1610]

3 years USNR enlisted while in college.
28 years active duty USN officer. Retired in '96. Overseas assignments in Philippines and Spain. Stateside tours literally from Maine to Florida + a year in California. Probably the only career Navy guy who never set foot in Hawaii.

 

[ls99]

67-70 US Army +10yrs reserve.

 

[Alectoris]

Yikes, plenty of doggies, chair force and rustpickers here. Surely I can't be the only jarhead.

USMC. '88-94. Basic issue Marine rifleman, although I only spent one year in a rifle battalion, the other 4 were spent doing the biddings of our Naval overlords.

It was a good six years. I got to travel, got paid to shoot guns, I was sent to a lot of cool schools and met good friends (we still have reunions). Maybe the best thing that it did was to teach me that sleeping in the mud and carrying heavy things on my back wasn't a great long term job choice and that a climate controlled classroom wasn't that bad after all.

 

[calmloki]

Which destroyer? My dad was there, doing the same thing on USS Fletcher (DD-445), USS Philip(DD-498) and USS Ernest G. Small (DD-838).

I went to the Naval Academy from 1977 to 1981, then was on active duty from 1981 to 1986 as an engineering division officer on two ballistic missile submarines (USS George Washington SSBN-598 and USS George Washington Carver SSBN-656). I stayed in the Individual Ready Reserve until 1992.

DD728 Mansfield, CGN9 Long Beach. The Mansfield was a Fletcher class destroyer. I liked it a lot.

 

[savory]

I am thinking you are not looking for Peace Corps but it is a type service. I served in PC.

Perhaps others have served in the US Public Health Service. I also consider that a form of service. I did not serve in USPHS.

 

[skipro33]

USAF 1973-1979 Special Ops; Combat Controller.
(and that's more info than anyone in my family, other than my wife, knows about my military stint.)

 

[REWahoo]

I am thinking you are not looking for Peace Corps but it is a type service. I served in PC.

Perhaps others have served in the US Public Health Service. I also consider that a form of service. I did not serve in USPHS.

Thanks for your service davef, but according to the OP...

Did you personally serve in the armed forces (of any country)?

 

[samclem]

21 years on USAF active duty. Non-rated. Some unit time (airlift) in the early years, staff jobs at various joint MAJCOMs/GCCs. The gummint wasted some money trying to educate me for several years/assignments. One staff tour in Korea, lots of TDYs and sleeping in hangars, some months in Afghanistan in the early part of that conflict.

Plenty of great assignments, fantastic opportunities, long hours.

It's trite to say it, but working with the people I served with and doing the things we were asked to do was a tremendous honor and privilege.

 

[samclem]

I am thinking you are not looking for Peace Corps but it is a type service. I served in PC.

Perhaps others have served in the US Public Health Service. I also consider that a form of service. I did not serve in USPHS.

There are a lot of folks out there doing great work, and it takes the whole team to be successful. Not strictly "veterans," but career foreign service officers, "other government agency" personnel, etc spend years away from home and are sometimes in quite a bit of peril in some crummy locations.

 

[Ed_The_Gypsy]

United States Army Signal Corps, 1966-1969. Most of my immediate and extended family joined up as well, when needed, then went home. No draftees in our lot.

Sent from my SM-G900V using Early Retirement Forum mobile app

 

[braumeister]

There are a lot of folks out there doing great work, and it takes the whole team to be successful. Not strictly "veterans," but career foreign service officers, "other government agency" personnel, etc spend years away from home and are sometimes in quite a bit of peril in some crummy locations.

Total agreement. I have the highest respect for them all, having served in some odd locations alongside them. It's all service to their country and worthy of great respect and gratitude.

But since it's right around Veterans Day, the point of this poll was just to count the military members.