Veteran's Day Thread - sound off, vets!

[Kung]

Thought I'd start this thread for the obvious reason. I thought I'd ask if people would mind sharing their former/current military affiliations.

Myself:

July 1994 - September 2003 - Active Duty Navy. Got out of boot camp and went through the Naval Nuclear program; made it ALL the way to the very last test in 'prototype' - and failed twice due to stage fright. (I literally aced the written tests, but not the oral boards.) Converted to DS, then ET, and ended up running the networks on the USS Enterprise for near to 5 years, and did 2 cruises. Then went to CINCLANTFLT and served as a "C5 Systems Maintenance Technician."

December 2003 - Current - Army Reserves. Primary MOS is 25B (IT Systems Analyst) and secondary is 21B (Combat Engineer). I'm also an instructor.

 

[UteRunner]

Usaf-ang

Spent 6 years in Active Air Force as an Ammo troop at Hill AFB, Utah and Ramstein AB, Germany. Palace Chased to the Air National Guard and moved to Fairchild AFB, Spokane. Worked in the Parachute/Fabrication shop for about 2 years as a part-timer. I'm now at the Utah ANG in Salt Lake City as a full-time AGR (Active Guard/Reserve) Munitions Inspector and once again live right next to Hill AFB.

TDY's/Deployments:
Diego Garcia (British Indian Ocean Territory) 2002 (AWESOME!)
Ahmad Al Jaber AB, Kuwait 2003 (HOT, BUT AWESOME!)
Balad AB, Iraq 2008 (SUCKED MONKEY BALLS)
Plus a bunch of miscellaneous training TDY's (MOSTLY GOOD)

 

[04rnr]

IMHO, we need to have a Veterans Day once a month. Once a year is NOT enough, to Thank, the people that protect our rights, our freedoms and our liberties.

To all you Veterans, past and present, and lets not, forget the families of our Vets,

Thank You

 

[Kung]

I just hope people remember we don't do it for recognition. Of course, it's nice to hear 'Thank you' and the like; but while we do it for many reasons, nearly all of them are honest, involving some mix of love for God, for country, for our fellow man, for what is right, etc.

Forgot to mention - I'm blessed (IMHO) to not only be serving in the Army Reserves, but to be still 'serving' in some capacity in my civilian job at Fort Leonard Wood, in their network center, as an IT specialist. I call it 'serving' because our primary mission is to ensure network communications and computers stay up and operational for the units stationed there.

 

[04rnr]

I just hope people remember we don't do it for recognition. Of course, it's nice to hear 'Thank you' and the like; but while we do it for many reasons, nearly all of them are honest, involving some mix of love for God, for country, for our fellow man, for what is right, etc.

Forgot to mention - I'm blessed (IMHO) to not only be serving in the Army Reserves, but to be still 'serving' in some capacity in my civilian job at Fort Leonard Wood, in their network center, as an IT specialist. I call it 'serving' because our primary mission is to ensure network communications and computers stay up and operational for the units stationed there.

I spent a 2 week vaction at Lenywood lol many many moons ago lol.
I was Army 11B active, then did the printing gig in the reserves.

 

[scojoe]

U.S.N VAQ 129 Whibey island. 6 years

 

[BrianSD_42]

USN 2000 - 2006, I left as an STG2(SW).

WestPac 2003, 9 months
World Cruise 2005, 7 months, Op. Iraqi Freedom in the NAG

2006 - present, civilian

 

[BrianSD_42]

If you are an Operation Iraqi Freedom or veteran of the Afghanistan campaign then you should really check out IAVA.org


IAVA
Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America

also see:

Reddit /r /military
Military

or not quite as active

Reddit Veteran's Center​

I also just found this FULL HBO documentary someone posted on YouTube. I haven't watched it but I will when I get some free time tomorrow. It is HBO so I am sure it is good.


HBO | The Battle for Marjah | 2011 | 1:27:59

​

Lastly, if you are military, veteran or civilian, pretty much anyone ... I highly recommend these two full documentaries. I have seen both and they are very* good.


BBC | Why We Fight | 2005

​

The Fog of War | 2003 (all parts are posted in 480p)

​

:zoom:

 

[noneckrex]

2006-2010 ARMY Active Duty. 101st Screaming Eagles BABY!! Air Assault!
15 month tour in Iraq. Mainly stationed out of Tikrit. I was an 88M (Transport Operater) and literally was all over Iraq.
Very proud of where I have been and where I served. Proud to be from the 101st. Proud to see so many brothers in arms on here. You all are family and I am grateful for your service, whether prior or current.

 

[Wepps]

Still active!

Thank you to all the past and present Veterans for the personal sacrifices you have made.

I never miss the chance to say thank you to a Veteran when I meet them!

 

[vabluefish]

AD Navy, 1999 - Present.

 

[VTOL_Yoda]

USMC '88 to '94

Boot Camp in San Diego
CH-53 Helo School in Memphis
HMH-361 CH-53A/D Deployment to Okinawa, Korea, and Philippines
Earned aircrew wings in 1989
HMM-163 CH-53E Deployment to Persian Gulf
Desert Storm
VH-60N Crewchief for HMX-1
2000 flight hours total as aircrew

 

[1beastnstl]

United States Marine Corps, 6yrs Active

 

[zstampe]

Being a firefighter, I enjoy public service and would like to thank you guys for serving our country.

 

[Joshv4runner]

USMC 2007-Present

Bootcamp in San Diego, School of Infantry, Deployment to Iraq.

 

[BeachWagon]

US Coast Guard April 200- Feb 2005
FS3
USCGC Sherman- first Coast Guard Cutter to Circumnavigate, Gulf War Vet, Combat Tour, Enforcement of Oil Embargo against Iraq
USCGC Sassafras- Last Seagoing Buoy Tender, Guam
USCGC Hamilton- First Jet powered vessel, Winter Alaska, Bering Sea/ Arctic Ocean tour
USCGC Galveston Island- Back to Guam, FSO Tour, Patrol Boat
USCGC Sequoia- Longest maiden voyage in history, Wisconsin to Guam

US Merchant Marine 2006 to present
Worked for Military Sealift Command for a while doing supplies of food and fuel in the Persian Gulf, part of the Ethiopian Campaign against Somalia and evacuating US Citizens out of Lebanon when Israel bombed the hell outta them.

I loved my time in, miss it alot sometimes. But after almost 7 years of non stop action and watching destruction, vessels sinking, handcuffing people, skimming oil, sending people to jail, watching bombs fall for days on end, I am enjoying a much more peaceful time in my life for the last few years.
My hats are off to all the men and women who are still in and kicking down doors and taking names after all this time. May you come home safe.