What Was Your Branch

[Guest cindyinside]

Army

11B infantry, 92Y supply, 45B small arms, 91D gennie wrench, fed tech

OIF 05-06 11b

OJS 07-08 92y (border mission)

OIF 09-10 92y / 45b

3AD, 7ARNG

14 months until ETS

Then i can finally be me

[Guest Musta Kani]

Canadian Forces (Air Force)

Bagotville 89-92

North Bay 92-00

Ottawa 00-07 (Transitioned there...8th to do so)

Trenton 07-current

[Guest Wendae]

Retired Marine. !960-1980.

[Guest AshleyDilemma]

U.S. Army

1984 - 1987 Ft. Hood, Texas

1st Bn 5th Cav 1CD / 1st Bn 8th Cav 1CD

11B10 Infantryman / 11M10 Fighting Vehicle Infantryman

[Guest ChloëC]

Didn't particularly notice this before

USAF Security Service (and no I was not a two oh thweetie, one of the more derogatory terms if I ever heard one)

I was Communications Analyst (202x0) which used to be called a Radio Intercept Analyst which in that guidebook given out in the late 60's to prospective enlistees actually said 'Radio Intercept Analyst (Weather)' and gave a description something like this - Analyzes USAF communications looking for possible problems and security breaches and also analyzes other atmospheric phenomena. That last was a euphanism for listening to (intercepting) Russian, Chinese, North Korean, Warsaw Pact, North Vietnamese, and Viet Cong radio transmissions, transcibing them, performing initial analysis on them and then forwarding them to the National Security Agency.

The fun part was that we actually worked for NSA and not the Air Force. Goodfellow AFB, our training base was the only training base not under ATC (Air Training Command) like Keesler, Shepherd, Chanute, and a few others were. We had pretty much free reign at times. Few inspections, fewer parades and drills, just lots of kp and general detail when we weren't in school. But if you knew somebody, you could get out of those too.

I actually wanted to go into Air Weather Service and put that down on my wish list and didn't care about anything else, but they made me put down 2 more and this specialty was what I wound up with. We were given a Top Secret Cryptographic clearance (a big deal).

My class and I were sent to Elmendorf AFB in Anchorage, Alaska for 2 years. I married a girl from back home while I was there, and extended my stay to the end of my enlistment. Got out 3 months early to go back to college.

Made E5 in 3 yrs 6 mos. Pretty good for those times. Re-enlistment bonus and other extra pay was about 10K, but most of us turned it down. I did have to do latrine cleaning duty a month before I got out. That was really enough to convince me not to stay. Best thing, they taught me to type and I got up to about 80 wpm before I left. I wound up analyzing Russian weather transmissions and got pretty good at it, getting several recognitions and a 3-day pass once. Alaska was fun then, before the oil.

Hugz

Chloë

[Guest Dawn D.]

Wow, Chloe. What a cool job you had!

__________________

Myself:

USAF 1976-1980

28th FMS

28th Bomb Wing

15th Air Force

Jet Engine Mechanic

Originally signed on what's called 'Early Enlistment Program' before I even graduated High School. First choice was Loadmaster. Turned out that position was not available. Got second choice, jet engine mech. I took college courses while I was in High School and applied those credits so that I was able to graduate a half year early. That made it possible to enlist ahead of when I would otherwise have had to wait (June) to get out of this God-forsaken town (which I moved back too afterward, lol).

Dawn

[Guest Donna Jean]

First choice was Loadmaster. Turned out that position was not available.

Dawn

Yeah, that's 'cause I GOT IT!.....lol

C-141 and C-130 Loanmaster

Huggs

Donna Jean

[Guest ChloëC]

There is a very distinct possibility that Donna Jean and I crossed paths at one time or another at Elmendorf. Small world.

Oh, yeah, I actually signed up for the Delayed Enlistment Program. I was sworn in, in May (1967) but didn't leave for basic until August. Had the summer, semi-free.

Chloë

[Guest Lacey Lynne]

Well, this is from 1969, but I was at the tail-end of this era. Those who've been through this in the late-1960s/early-1970s era will recognize the branch. Like, how could we forget?

That pic is actually from a Look Magazine article in 1969. Heck, I remember that article very well.

Summer of 1975. Enlisted. They were gonna send me to O.C.S. at Quantico, Virginia right after "The Island" and waive the college requirement. However, before mustering over to O.C.S., I "came out" as a consciousness objector. No lie. Thought they we're gonna send me to the brig, like, forever. Bet I'm one of the only privates to ever to get called "front and center" to the office of the commanding general of Parris Island and get personally reamed out by him from here to eternity and back. Heck, he called me things I never even heard of!

Anyway, they gave me an honorable medical discharge. Like, if I'm a button man for the mob, I'm a criminal, but if I'm a second looey leading a squad of government-sanctioned button men, I'm a hero. Uuuhhh, Houston, we have a problem. Does not computer. Error. Sterilize. Error.

However, I respect and salute all of you who did full service and complete hitches.

Lacey

[Guest candicets]

Cpl USMC 2006-2009

Medically retired due to combat injuries.

Artillery cannoneer

2007-2008 EOD security in Fallujah (so much for arty lol, but I wouldn't have changed it for the world)

[Guest Dawn D.]

@ Donna Jean,

LOL, That's alright. After taking a flight to Guam, TDY ina KC135; I was kind of glad I didn't get to be loadmaster. After leaving Guam from Andersen, we nearly ended up in the ocean due to severe turbulence. The crew was great fun though. Watched a navigator launch an egg from his lunch that he didn't want through the garbage disposal unit. Otherwise known as that teeny-tiny little sextant hole in the roof of the cockpit. Talk about disappear! Instant vaporization!

As a Jet Engine Mechanic, I never once actually worked in shop on them. My specialty was APU's. So, I was on board many of those KC135's all the time. It was a good time, being in the Air Force!

Dawn

[Guest Donna Jean]

@ Donna Jean,

The crew was great fun though. Watched a navigator launch an egg from his lunch that he didn't want through the garbage disposal unit. Otherwise known as that teeny-tiny little sextant hole in the roof of the cockpit. Talk about disappear! Instant vaporization!

Dawn

LOL.....yeah, we launched many a bug out the sextant hole..,.we'd have to load/unload in a hot funky place and when we got airborne again, I'd chase some humongous bugs around the cabin....

Then it was a ride for them out the sextant hole......0-450 MPH in 1.2 seconds.....

That's REAL hard on a bug!

Dee Jay

[Guest Dawn D.]

Danna Jean,

That took me a few minutes to quit laughing over. Thanks! And talk about hot/funky places; the first cockroach I ever saw in Guam was so freakin' huge......it made you get out of the way for it to pass by! Up to that point I never had seen a cockroach that was not scurrying to get out of sight. Lord! I couldn't wait to get out of that place!

Dawn

[Guest Donna Jean]

Danna Jean,

That took me a few minutes to quit laughing over. Thanks! And talk about hot/funky places; the first cockroach I ever saw in Guam was so freakin' huge......it made you get out of the way for it to pass by! Up to that point I never had seen a cockroach that was not scurrying to get out of sight. Lord! I couldn't wait to get out of that place!

Dawn

I SAW that cockroach when I was in Guam!

I went to stomp him and he reached up and grabbed my boot and threw me over.....

The heck with him!

Dee Jay

[Guest Elizabeth K]

Well, this is from 1969, but I was at the tail-end of this era. Those who've been through this in the late-1960s/early-1970s era will recognize the branch. Like, how could we forget?

That pic is actually from a Look Magazine article in 1969. Heck, I remember that article very well.

Summer of 1975. Enlisted. They were gonna send me to O.C.S. at Quantico, Virginia right after "The Island" and waive the college requirement. However, before mustering over to O.C.S., I "came out" as a consciousness objector. No lie. Thought they we're gonna send me to the brig, like, forever. Bet I'm one of the only privates to ever to get called "front and center" to the office of the commanding general of Parris Island and get personally reamed out by him from here to eternity and back. Heck, he called me things I never even heard of!

Anyway, they gave me an honorable medical discharge. Like, if I'm a button man for the mob, I'm a criminal, but if I'm a second looey leading a squad of government-sanctioned button men, I'm a hero. Uuuhhh, Houston, we have a problem. Does not computer. Error. Sterilize. Error.

However, I respect and salute all of you who did full service and complete hitches.

Lacey

Reminds me of my DI - Ft Sill, Oklahoma - US Army - 1968, but probably Marine Corps.

Lizzy

[Guest lynn319]

The 407th Brigade Support Battalion. 2nd Brigade..

An electrician serving both Desert Storm and OEF..

[Guest ~Brenda~]

I never had the opportunity to serve directly in the Armed forces. However, I have worked for the military. One of my proudest achievements was the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter.

I was honored to be part of the team that engineered the software that made this bird a reality.

Love

Brenda

[Guest EllieJay]

Royal Navy - Electrical Engineering Artificer, Fleet Arm (Helicopters),

1981 - 1986,

served aboard aircraft carriers,

HMS Invincible

HMS Illustrious

Loved the life, best friends I ever made.

[Carolyn Marie]

served aboard aircraft carriers,

HMS Invincible

HMS Illustrious

Thanks for your service, Ellie. BTW, I love the names of your ships!

Carolyn Marie

[Guest sarah_marie]

11B serving with the 101st ABN DIV, served with 1st ID from 2006 untill 2010 and now the 101st!! I love my job and love my service!! Stand up and be proud!!!!

[Guest Michellewhois]

I served from 1970 to 1994 when I retired. Some of the bases I was stationed overseas were, Tan Son Nhut with TDYs to Phang Rang and Da Nang (71-72), Germany (73-74), Korea (76-77 yes during the "Tree Incident"), crossed the Equator six times, am a Atlantic Commuter and crossed the Date line at least 20 times. In between I was PCS, as a non-flyer, to 7 different bases in the US.

[Guest Krysti]

Well airforce 2004 to 2011 was f 16 avionics troop then xtrain to flight engineer for my last 4 years. OIF/OEF vet and I do miss flying on my pave. Krysti. (everything else is classified )

[Guest roxannemariska]

Why am I surprised at how few of us service members there are here? Perhaps we just don't do surveys.

[Guest mdcausey]

U.S. Air Force

Electronics, Computers, Switching Systems & Kryptos

3.5 Years , Disabled

[Guest Hlali]

I was in the US Army for about 3.5 years (medical discharge).

25B, so I was in Signal (or "commo") doing computer network stuff in Grafenwöhr, Germany for most of my time in.