Sure did... From 2002-2005 I was Infantry in 1st Brigade 101st Airborne division (D.co 1/327) Got out for about a year and a half, and went back into the reserves in 2007. Chose to be a heavy equipment operator, and have been there since. Did 2 years in Iraq, 2003-2004 and 2009-2010, and loved every bit of it! Met a lot of people that will always be family, but the army as a whole has changed so much that I will not be reenlisting and am down to only a couple months left.
Oct 1983 – Feb 2009 Marine Corps, 26 Years, (25.5 actually, close enough for government work) Technically less because I was not under contract while I was participating in Desert Storm. Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center 29 Palms Ca. Camp Pendleton, Ca Okinawa, Japan Camp Fuji, Japan Desert Shield/Desert Storm Marine Corp Air Station Cherry Point, NC Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, Japan Camp Lejeune, NC Operation Iraqi freedom With a few return visits here and there.
I did not serve, in my formative years I gave it a passing thought but it was just not for me. I do appreciate the sacrifice others have made on my behalf and thank you profusely for doing a job I cannot do.
My best friend from high school got this training at Ft. Wolters and then I think to Ft. Rucker. All I know he was in Nam the same time as I was and we did manage to see each other a couple of times. For the last six months of his tour he was a Cobra pilot up north and believe me he had some stories to tell. Thank god he made it back ok.
:cornut: You know, I honestly think that some of this Soldiering(Sailor, Marine, Airman, Coastie ) thing is in the blood/DNA ie: Great Great Grand Father- Confederate Artillery Great Grand Father- Confederate Infantry Grand Father- Royal Army (Scottish) Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders(the ladies from hell) Father- Army Air Corps/Air Force Me- Army SF My Son- Naval Aviation Jason
It should never be forgotten that returning 'Nam vets were spat upon, cursed as baby killers and otherwise relegated to second class citizens by not only the general public but in some cases by the VA until sense was made of the Agent Orange fiasco. It wasn't until Panama and Granada that troops were welcomed home as heroes
I will admit I was, let’s just say hard headed about other branches of the service as a young jarhead. Your mind changes about stuff like this once you put in a few years and you have visited one or two foreign countries “uninvitedâ€. I have met some pretty good people from all our branches of the service especially in those foreign countries, as far as I could tell we all had the same goal, get home in one piece. To those that serve(d) and to those that support, thanks. :beer
While home on leave in the early 70's, I was once asked how I liked being on glorified welfare. That statement and the fact we could not be seen off post in uniform unless commuting made for an interesting time. Fortunately I just ignored it all and pressed on. Now had I been spat upon, I would have ended up in the stockade.
When I came back from Nam in early 1971 it wasn't too pleasant but what I think happened in the many years between then and the first Gulf War was the American people realized what they as a society did and said, never again. To me that is the reason all those Gulf War vets were treated with the respect they deserved. Just my two cents.
I agree minirab but trust me you and your fellow Nam vets have my utmost respect, always have and always will. I disgust how y'all were treated but for most of Nam I was not even here and was under 5 when all was said and done. I salute you, job well done.
Totally agree. My dad did a tour in Vietnam, so I did quite a bit of reading and watching documentaries on the war. I always wondered how he put up with the very poor attitude of the American people. IMHO I think the Vietnam Vets had a lot to do with how Gulf War Vets were treated when we came back, not to mention all the support we received while we were there. It was a good feeling knowing people appreciated what we were doing.
:cornut: I remember coming back from Desert Storm to the cheering crowds but I wasn't laughing and cheering. I was deeply ashamed and wanted to scream at the crowds and say, "where the hell were y'all when the Viet Nam veterans returned?" But of course these weren't the same people and didn't deserve that but I still feel a little guilty. I was able to do something for the Viet Nam vets when we really stuck it to the Russians in Pakistan/Afghanistan in 1987-88(Charlie Wilson's war, You ought to see that movie). Now I'm at peace with myself. Jason
As others have said, ours was not a happy home coming. My buddy and I decided to join the VFW, thinking being around other vets would be a safe haven. We were told that Nam was not a war, so we did not qualify for membership and we should finish our beer and get out. I know the VFW has changed over the years, but that left a bad taste in my mouth I can not forget. Stayed out for a year and then went back in. I quickly found that having a combat patch on your right shoulder was something to be proud of and it was respected, so I remained on active duty, where I seemed to fit in nicely.
USN 1987-1992. Joined before graduating high school, served during the first Gulf War. Trained as a machinist, stationed in Alameda CA. My livelihood so far, has been a result of what I learned in those 4+ years. I served, I learned, I experienced...it can never be taken away from me. Bryan