Home Forums Miscellaneous Topics Military What did you do in the service?

I like the OP comment “the host said some of us had it easy and felt guilty for it”, I feel that way sometimes. I initially enlisted as a Combat Engineer, Army during Vietnam. As a hundred or more were at the Coral Gables, Fl. way station to transport out to basic, three names were called over the intercom to report to the office. We were told because we all had too many dependents (more than one) we needed a waiver to go Army or Marines, take about 6 weeks. I couldn’t wait 6 wks I needed a job, he said Navy and Air Force do not need waivers. I’m thinking, I’ve grown very fond of a woman’s “company” I’m NOT enlisting in the Navy for months and months on a ship, so I went Air Force. So, compared to combat, I had it easy, 20 years, retired, E8, feeling a little guilty every so often

I had 8 yrs in the Air Force. Airborn Early Warning and Control Tech. Nice name for a scope dope! That would be radar ops! Worked as a survelience tech, hight tech and weapons control tech. While station In Germany I was the unit small arms NCO and assistant security NCO. Was first of it's kind unit. Could deploy anywhere worldwide and establish radar ops in something like 24 hrs, can't remember for sure how long. Got out as an E-5

Air Force fighter pilot, intelligence last few of my 32+ years. Saw lots of country, worked with and for great people. No regrets, it was a privilege.

Air Force Intelligence. 2 years in Alaska and 2 in Taiwan. No question some faced/did a lot more than I. Especially since that was the height of Viet Nam. Always happy to buy those guys a beer but have no problem sitting at the table with them. I would have gone where I was sent and knew it was a possibility when I joined. Just lucked out in my assignments. No shame there.

Airforce 22 years Crewchief F16 and U2

USN - CTI
Balkans and counter terrorism/Islamic extremism in E. Europe as my mission/specialty.

My Air Force job morphed several times. In the early 70’s we were called Veterinary Technicians. We inspected all the food that arrived on base and all the facilities that served it. We also inspected all plants around us that made or sold food to Uncle Sam. Spent a lot of time in fish plants in Maine as for some reason the military bought large amounts of fish and canned sardines. We also took care of all the sentry dogs and pets belonging to military members and retires.
In the early 80’s we dropped the animal care and picked up Public Health duties where we eventually were doing more Public Health functions than food inspection.
It was a very challenging job and every day was something new.

Air Force Air Traffic Controller for 21 year. Four states and four foreign countries. Retired in 2008 and back working beside the active duty as a DoD controller. Five more years until full retirement.

Army MP from 78-82.

504thh MP, 2nd MP, 437th MP.

Got out, went to school, ran out of money, ROTC guys got me.

87-05, Field Artillery commissioned.

11th ACR, 1st ID, 25th ID (Ft. Lewis). FSO, PLT LDR, Recon Survey Officer, Task Force FSO, BDE FSO, S3, OC-T.

Retired in O5, went back to work for the army as a civilian Mil Analyst and will retire again this December.

US Army Jan '68 thru Dec '72.

UH-! Gunnery IP
OH-6 IP
Instrument IP (Ft. Rucker)
Aviation Safety Officer and Accident Investigator
B/2/17th Air Cav Camp Eagle RVN '69-'70
HHT/2/17th ACS Camp Eagle RVN '71-'72
B/1/9th Air Cav Bien Hoa '72
B/229th AHC, 1st Cav Bien Hoa '72
B/7/17th Air Cav Pleiku '72

A little less that 5 years, 2.5 dodging bullets. Grew weary of the noise and bailed out.

USAF 80-84 Computer Programmer the Comm group at SAC HQ.

Still active…. Nuclear machinist mate

Personal Spealest, then , the Chief of section Howitzer.

USAF Civil Engineering. Retired.

More than a few pushups.

Heavy equipment operator, Navy Seabees, MagV Taiwan 1966-68, Base maintenance/Base supply Chulai, Vietnam 1968/69. They told me I could stay in country an extra 6 months or get a year early out, no brainer.

I thank all that served.

Were I to do it over and stay Navy - Seabee community would be my choice. Assumes I remained an enlisted guy with bad color vision and couldn't fly Navy.

I was a wpns technician. 1977 to 1999.

Like Snowwolfe, my job title changed three times, but the work never did. I joined the air force as a wpns technician (air). That changed to Air Wpns Systems Tech and finally, avionics tech. I'm not really sure why the last change happened, but by that time I was teaching armament at the air school and closing in on retirement.

Bored holes in the ocean to defeat Godless Communism.