A place for military to hang their hat

[Hyacinthe]

With all the ranting going on about the M.A.P. I thought I would start a thread for us military guys and gals, to share war stories or whatnot with each other.
Don't know if your all up to it but I'll start off.

I'm active duty Air Force, currently serving in the 5CCG.

I haven't been around long only just about to hit the 3 year mark.

I have served in both OEF and OIF.

Currently supporting operations in the gulf coast.

~Hy

[imported_Ssilmath]

Ok, I'll jump in here...

So far, I have yet to be deployed, so I have no war stories really...But...

I am Active Duty Air Force, serving in the 3rd CES...

I've been in the Air Force since July 03, and currently am an A1C...

I was slated to go to Iraq on the AEF 7 cycle, but another base stepped up and volunteered to cover Elmendorf's taskings, so I'm still in AK...

And on the whole, I am very glad I chose to join up <Nods>

[imported_Leannae]

Well here's a shocker for a few...

I enlisted in the United States Air Force in 1974, served during the Vietnam war. I was the 4th in my family of 5 to join the Air Force. My mother is on the wall of fame in San Antonio as one of the first 48 WAFs in 1948. When I signed my papers, the Air Force Times came out to take a picture and write an article because of the family history.

After I did my time and discharged (honorably) I moved to Canada where I met and married Bori.

[Hyacinthe]

I've been around since Oct 02 and at Robins AFB since July 03.
I recently sewed SrA and boy was that nice lol.
The 5th set up comunications in a few sites in Iraq Talil and Kirkuc (sp).

And I'm with ya on joining up..It's been fun so far!!

[imported_Denrath]

Been active duty Air Force (I am seeing a trend) since December 02.

Currently working with the 26th Operational Weather Squadron down at Barksdale.
No real war stories yet, but I have gotten to support a few interesting things, like the Shuttle Discovery in its trip back to Florida. Here lately I have been doing a lot of the forecasting for the Katrina (and now Rita) clean-ups.

I am supposed to PCS to Ft Hood soon, dont know when since the next bit of training I had to do was at Keesler. Should be sometime between November and March though.

[Hyacinthe]

From what I have read, Keesler is going to be fully functional soon. The students that were there were sent to their first duty stations for OJT but will go back to Keesler when they have room.

Keesler is cool, I was there for all of my tech training.
I'm a METNAVer so I know a lot of the weather equipment that you will be pulling info from.

Go BLUE!!

[Hyacinthe]

Leannae

Sorry I missed your post!

Once blue always blue [H]

~Hy

[imported_Denrath]

From what I have read, Keesler is going to be fully functional soon. The students that were there were sent to their first duty stations for OJT but will go back to Keesler when they have room.

Keesler is cool, I was there for all of my tech training.
I'm a METNAVer so I know a lot of the weather equipment that you will be pulling info from.

Go BLUE!!

Yeah, that was where mine was too. I liked it there. I could have sworn I heard the second floor of the weather building fell in though. Dont know if that is the case since I didnt see it with my own eyes. I DO know that a lot of the buildings out there are functioning with tarp roofs.

About every idea possible has been tossed out there on what to do with us. Reopen Chanute, send everyone on their way to just do OJT, classes will restart in March. All sorts of things.

[Hyacinthe]

Yeah, all in all things should settle down and thing get back to normal here pretty soon. I hope anyway.

I don't know if you have seen any pictures from Keesler from during Katrina but it was awful.... Half of the guys in my shop were tryig to identify locations on base and relate them to were we knew them to be but all thebuildings were half underwater [:|]

I didn't get to see Keesler first hand after the hurricane but several of our guys went down to establish backup com for the base.

~Hy

[imported_Leannae]

Chanute AFB, gawd does that place bring back memories. Been out of the "loop" for nearly 15 years now since moving north. I didn't know they closed it. <sigh>

[Tokoz]

Enlisted in 1998, when Radio Shack "readjusted" store managers pay. I realized that the only thing I was trained for was retail management and that at age 28 changing fields would be a challenge.

Been a chaplain's assistant the whole time. Spent 5 months in basic training at Ft. Jackson, SC due to injuries and the fact that I'm not very good with a rifle. First duty assignment was 299th Engineers (Combat) at Ft. Hood Texas. I learned there that I still sucked with a rifle, but could hit a pop-up target at 200 meters square in the forehead with an M203.

Next assignment was Baumholder, Germany with a new unit that was just starting, 1-94 Field Artillery (MLRS). It had been only a single battery and had moved up to being a battalion (and hense needed a chaplain and assistant.)

My ETS was extended due to Iraq. I served 76 days in the Middle East and then stop loss ended and I was allowed to go home.

Too chicken to leave the military for good, I enlisted in the Utah National Guard. I started in I Corp ARTY and was later moved to 1-145 FA HHB. My current job is the Utah State Support Chaplain's Assistant at Utah Joint Forces Headquarters. It's a full time mercy job, given to me while they process the medical chapter for my PTSD.

Once it's in the blood, it never leaves. They can chapter me out, but I'll always be a soldier. :)

[Hyacinthe]

Leannae the DOD has to realign bases every 8 years I think with the BRAC. We are going through another one now.. More bases gonna get closed and folks moved around..

Heya Tokoz!! I've been to Relaxin Jackson!! Processed MEPS there (god I hated that place).
Basicly I've been to Lackland AFB and Keesler AFB for basic andtech then Robins AFB for my first duty assignment.
I deployed to PakistanMarch of last year to support OEF and OIF. Nothing like waking up in the middle of the night to gunfire...(especially since in the AF you don't get to keep your rifle) Compared to my other two shopmates who got sent to Balad, Iraq it was an easy deployment (they were gettingmortars and rockets daily). Guess you could say I got the better end of that deal [:|]

Tokoz I hope you are able to findyour peace.

[Tokoz]

They may be chaptering me, but that doesn't mean they are deserting me either. :) They are working hard to help me. Lots of meds and therapy sessions so far. They say another 18 months or so and I'll be just as normal as I was before. :p

Yeah, there was mortar fire every night, just across the runway from us. I had a blog up, but the site's been down a long time. Red Cross and VA want it published because you can see in it the one day where I "turned." It's pretty obvious.

Actually, if you served in the military, David's saying to get in touch with TG, because they're willing to work with people to prove it. I'd say a copy of DD 214 should be enough.

[Hyacinthe]

If he wants proof all he need to do is send me an email to my .mil.... not like anyone else has access to it...lol

~Hy

[imported_Leannae]

Makes me curious now if any of my other old duty stations are still around. I know Lockbourne is long gone, replace by Rickenbacher, turned National Guard. Shepard was where I trained so pretty sure that's still there. Lackland will always be... gawd, 30+ years and I still have my issue "Lackland Laser". [:P]

Do they still issue those things?

[Hyacinthe]

Im not sure about the Lackland laser lol

Shep is still around.. still training...

~Hy

[imported_Denrath]

Yes, we still get issued the Lackland Lasers. Have tohave them through Tech school too. Cause apparently 40-60 people walking in a group is difficult to see in the early hours of the morning [:|]

Sheppard is still there. Sheppard and Keesler are the only tech school training bases left really I think.

[Hyacinthe]

Thinks....."Lackland Laser"..... OHHHHH yup still got my lightsabre lol!!

Lackland Sheppard Keesler... there are more training bases than that.. I just don't know them.... (Van something or another in Cali is one) and don't forget detatchments at other military bases too..

~Hy

[imported_Denrath]

Vandenburg, yeah I forgot there was some Tech school there. I dont remember where the Linguists go offhand now either.
And there are more training bases than those, but they are flight training such as Columbus, Laughlin, and Vance. That is why I said Tech School training :)

[imported_Leannae]

Actually, if you served in the military, David's saying to get in touch with TG, because they're willing to work with people to prove it. I'd say a copy of DD 214 should be enough.

I'd have to decline. Key word being served rather than serve. Being retired, I'm no longer away from my loved ones. To me it's sort of cheating the system to get a free account when I'm not honestly entitled to it. <shrug>