WHO SERVED

[OFT II]

Army from 1962 to 1965. Spent thirteen months in Korea with the 7th Infantry Division. Finished the rest of my hitch in Texas with the Defense Atomic Support Agency.

 

[BigBoy99]

Spent my Active and Reserve time in the US Air Force. I was involved with the Black Air Force, working with the SR-71, reconnaissance satellites, AF Special Operation Command, NSA, NRO, etc.

 

[deanodog]

USAF aircraft mechanic 1956-1960

 

[RSanch111]

Our President, Congress and Joint Chiefs will do the planing on the number of forces and equipment we will need to win a two front war. Thanks to the last administration we are at the Pre WW2 level for Army, Navy, Air Force, Coast Guard and Marines.
I believe General Mattis knows alot more about being prepared for and waging war than you or I and all the folks here.

Is General Mattis calling for a draft because the current all-volunteer military is lacking in capability or recruiting?

 

[RSanch111]

A question for regular Army veterans and draftee veterans who served in combat infantry roles at a time when the draft was in progress: What was the dynamic in your combat unit between draftees and regular Army? Was there any difference in how draftees were treated by regular army guys and vice versa?

 

[mbliss57]

I just watched "The Fence" in what was called the Fulda Gap in Germany in the early 70's. I KNOW that you can keep people "In" or "Out" with a fence.

The Fulda Gap.. I served 4 years active Army Field Artillery. 1976-1980.
3 years defending the Fulda gap from Schweinfurt, West Germany. The last 9 months at Fort Riley Kansas then active reserves 4 years.


My oldest late Uncle.. WWII wounded at Bastogne in Battle of the Bulge.
My youngest uncle Served Army 30 years.. Viet Nam and Germany.
My father Korean War as a tank mechanic.
No brothers as I am only boy.

I believe we should all serve 18 months to 2 years. I do agree that modern warfare has reduced significantly the number of ground troops needed in a major global non nuclear war.

But.. the appreciation for our nation, discipline, maturity and basic adult living skills would create a more patriotic population of young folks as well as drastically reducing the snowflake population and welfare rolls. It also improves the readiness potential at US governments disposal when the need arises.

 

[RobertJ.]

My great-uncle Kenny was in the Army, and fought on Okinawa. My dad was a Marine, he served between Korea and VN. I served between VN and Desert Storm.

 

[Baggy Wrinkle]

My military service was significantly different than most. I was an engineer. My first 3 years I was at sea converting diesel oil and bunker C into electricity, steam and kinetic energy. Like Ens Pulver, among other duties I was a ship's laundry officer leading a group of energetic young men in making dirty dungarees clean. While many of my contemporaries were cruising the warm waters of the South China Sea, I was in the Arctic conducting research and intel.

For the next 27 years, as both a regular and a reservist, I was what some would call a REMF. My job was to convert ideas and money, lots of money, into warships and weapons. The worst hazards I had to endure were paper cuts, computer viruses, and boring PowerPoint presentations. Commanding Officers of cruisers, destroyers and frigates would quake in their boots when I would call them and tell them " I'm from NavSea and I'm coming to visit your ship to help you".

I've been retired for 18 years and I'm still thrilled to read about ships and weapons I was part of developing out there serving our country. "Semper Paratus" and "Anchors Aweigh".

Baggy Wrinkle sends. BT

 

[Bkreutz]

US Army, 1969-1979. 1.5 combat tours, Without a doubt the most influential period of my life.

My Dad was a Marine fighter pilot, WWII and Korea

Every male in my family back to the middle ages was in combat, that trend ended with my son, given my combat experiences, I'm glad he didn't have to do that.

 

[straightshooter1]

I was a 17 year old senior in high school that hated school and I was a 17 year old senior at a high school that wanted me gone. I was a bit of a troublemaker.

The school had enough of me on February 18, 1965 and we both were happier being apart.

I waited half a day for the Marine Recruiter to show up (no one around the recruiting place had any idea where he was) and finally gave up and joined the Army.

Only smart move I ever made as a teenager.

Vietnam-8/65-2/67 and 11/67-11/68-30 months total.

See, I told you I only made one smart move as a teenager.

Bob

 

[Valistar]

Our President, Congress and Joint Chiefs will do the planing on the number of forces and equipment we will need to win a two front war. Thanks to the last administration we are at the Pre WW2 level for Army, Navy, Air Force, Coast Guard and Marines.
I believe General Mattis knows alot more about being prepared for and waging war than you or I and all the folks here.

Oh how soon we forget! I'm not in any way shape, form, or fashion defending the last administration, but the reason DOD has been depleted to current levels is due to Sequestration!!! Both sides are responsible for this ridiculous situation we're in!!!

Valistar

 

[CH47gunner]

Pops was a radio operator on C-47's - flew Market-Garden & Varsity.
Older brother was an artillery officer on 8" self propelled guns.
I enlisted in the US Army at 17, in 1969.
Basic at Ft. Ord, AIT Basic Acft. Maint. & Doorgunner school at Ft. Rucker, Ala. RVN 12/2/69 - 12/4/70 Doorgunner/Crewchief on CH-47C & Super C Chinooks. 213th ASHC BlackCats, 1st Aviation Brigade, III Corps, Phu Loi.

 

[Hair Trigger]

I didn't join until I was almost 32, then served 8 years USAF as a Flight Nurse. I'd been a RN for 5 years before joining, and was looking for a way to expand my skills. Served 1987-1995, during Operation Just Cause, Desert Shield and Desert Storm; my primary aircraft was the C-141B Starlifter, and I was also qualified in C-130's. Had I stayed single, I'd probably have gone for 20, but deployments and TDY's kept me away from new wife and new baby too much. I had met the Board for O-3, decided to get out, as I'd have had to commit to stay if I took the promotion. One of my bigger regrets in life. The other was that I didn't join a whole lot earlier than I did, like right after HS. I really enjoyed my time in service.

 

[Ozark Marine]

Is General Mattis calling for a draft because the current all-volunteer military is lacking in capability or recruiting?

Not Mattis, DOD or any government official is calling for the draft.
Some here (including me) are saying military service take punks and makes solid citizens of them.

 

[RSanch111]

Not Mattis, DOD or any government official is calling for the draft.
Some here (including me) are saying military service take punks and makes solid citizens of them.

I have a cousin who returned from Vietnam after a year of being with the Marines' 2/9 as less of as solid citizen than he was when he went in according to family members. While molding young men and women into the kinds of citizens their parents should have raised is an incidental result of maintaining our military, it's certainly not universal.

 

[Lee in Quartzsite]

US Navy, VP-48 P5M Aircrewman, '63-'66. Operated out of Cam Ranh Bay '65-'66 as a M-60 door gunner, ASW Tech Stateside.

 

[mcoe74]

My Great, Great Grandpa was in the CSA and held as a PW in PA. Four uncles in WWII (2 Army, 1 Navy, 1 Army Air Forces), several cousins in the Army (1 VN) and Navy.

For me, I enlisted in the Air Force after HS graduation, was 17 y/o, and had to have my dad sign approval. I served from 1974-2000. My assignments were in SAC (10 yrs in 3 tours), USAFA, European Command, Air Combat Command, Pacific AF Command, Air Mobility Command, and 11th Wing Bolling.

 

[joeintexas]

My brother spent 3 years in the Army, most of that in the brig! He had a short fuse.
I was Air Force communications 1968-1972. I stayed out of the brig.
Our oldest son just retired after 20 years in the Air Force, top security clearance, communications. He managed to stay out of the brig also.

 

[raljr1]

We too had family in in every conflict going back to the war between the states. Lost two family members in that one, at least one in WWII, and a cousin who was never the same after Nam...I didn't serve because I graduated high school in 73 and had a job. Guys were coming home and they didn't need me...my brother 4 years younger was enlisted but got hurt before he shipped out so they turned him down. My son is picking up the slack for me.His second tour.

God bless those of who who served on behalf of those of us who didn't get the call.

 

[Ozark Marine]

Yes sir, God Bless our troops serving here in the states and around the world.
They are a special breed of Americans.