Military

[Neumatic]

Figured I'd kick it off on the new forum with Veterans Day being this weekend. In the past this was largely a place for people thinking about joining the service to ask questions and get answers based on real world experiences of our veteran community. 

 

I am a 8 year veteran of the Army, I served 4 years Active and 4 years in the National Guard as a Tank Mechanic. I joined in 2009 after graduating high school. Was stationed at Ft. Riley while active duty and deployed to Iraq October 2010-2011. ETSed out of the Guard back in May of this year. 

 

While my service wasn't entirely enjoyable I wouldn't trade it for anything. I met a lot of great people, some I even consider family. Learned from great leaders and poor leaders alike. Got to shoot some big guns and even a tank a couple times (truly not as cool as it sounds). Overall my time in the Army really helped me develop as a person and set me up for success in the civilian world. Funny enough, I actually started this thread on the old forum when I signed up so now it's gone full circle.

 

Oh and Go Army, beat Navy.

[JDLefebvre]

1996 - 2016 active duty Air Force.  Retired as a Master Sgt.  Worked as an avionics specialist on the F-16 Fighting Falcon, tech school instructor, flight chief and Production Superintendent on the CV-22 Osprey. 

As you said Neu, wasn't always fun but wouldn't trade it for anything in the world.  Saw more amazing places than I ever imagined I would, did things I will always be proud of and met the best people who became like family.  

[LETSGOBROWNIES]

To everyone who served, thank you.

[carrolljcmc]

2000 - 2004 Active Duty Marine Corps. 

Worked in S-4 shop (0431 logistics), deployed many units to Japan, Afghanistan while not being deployed myself.  Was stationed at MCAS Miramar in San Diego, CA.

My re-up offer was only for 2 years, and in HI, so I passed (crazy sounding, I know).  Being married with a baby on the way a couple of months after I got to HI, as a 21-22 year old, I didn't think it would be good for any of us to move out there, if you know what I mean.

One regret I have was getting out, and another was not being deployed (out of my control), other than that, my time was a blast, and well worth it. 

[JDLefebvre]

I went 20 years with almost never being deployed.  Also, out of my control... I got stationed at a Test base where our primary mission was to evaluate weapons & software, then training bases where I taught and another where our aircraft were flown by new pilots in training.  My last 3 yrs were spent in AFSOC so got a dose of the "real" AF and deployed twice to locations in Africa.  

[Calibucsfan]

Never served but want to say thank you to all who have

[TENINCH]

2002 - 2011 Active Duty Air Force

My primary job was putting Jet Fuel on planes but I also worked with Liquid Nitrogen, Liquid Oxygen, and other fuels. Also spent time offloading fuel trucks and installing fuel bladders. The cool part was that I could see and be around everything from a C-5 to a B-52 to a F-35 but never had to actually work on them. Spent 5 years in Minot and 4 years in Okinawa Japan with multiple deployments to the Middle East mixed in.

Now I'm a government contractor that work with the Navy, Air Force, Marines, Coast Guard, and Army every day.

[Neumatic]

13 minutes ago, TENINCH said:

Now I'm a government contractor that work with the Navy, Air Force, Marines, Coast Guard, and Army every day.

That's awesome, I would have loved to do contracting work for the military. My skills and experience didn't really translate (thank you Army for training me to be a tank mechanic but using me as a poor mans infantry) and I decided I wanted to go home anyways. 

 

I did have the opportunity of working for the Guard full time. Which was actually a really good job, started out at about $23hr Tues-Fri 10hr a day and 1hr could be doing PT with no OT, career progression and a great retirement(down side is it's a 30yr retirement, rather than 20). It was troubleshooting/repairing and servicing all the units equipment, meaning anything they had but mainly Abrams and Bradleys. Biggest reason I didn't go for it was I knew I wanted out and in order to have the job you have to be in the Guard. Hind sight I really should have went for it even if it ended up just getting out after 3-4 years but I just knew it would sucker me into re-upping and I wasn't looking to get catfished by the Army ?.

[tom cody]

I've never served either but I respect anyone and everyone who has put on a uniform and those who continue to do so. Thank you all so much.

[kgarrett12486]

Never served, but have had family members in the Air Force, Navy and Marines.

To all that have served this country and helped preserve the freedoms we have (and honestly take for granted) I want to say thank you. 

[JDLefebvre]

Happy Veterans Day to ALL of my brothers and sisters in arms.  THANK YOU!!!!!

[rob_shadows]

Unfortunately wasn't able to serve because they don't allow people that require medication to control panic disorder to enlist (and rightfully so). 

Have a cousin that is career army (special forces)... Scares me sometimes to think of some of the situations he's probably been in.

[TVScout]

7 hours ago, rob_shadows said:

Unfortunately wasn't able to serve because they don't allow people that require medication to control panic disorder to enlist (and rightfully so). 

Have a cousin that is career army (special forces)... Scares me sometimes to think of some of the situations he's probably been in.

I too am 4F. Extremely flat feet to the point where it causes my lower body skeleton to be out of alignment. I also have IBD-UC, arthritis, and severe migraines. 4F four times.

[Shockwave]

Served 4 years in the Army back in 1997. Was 11M (Mechanized Infantry) Bradley driver and gunner. Got out because I had a family and was coming down on orders for Korea. I begged them to let me go to Germany instead so I could bring my family and they wouldn't budge. Finished up as an E5 and then out-processed honorably. Luckily I served mostly in peace time and the only major deployment was to Saudi on a border protection peace keeping mission.

 

Thank you to all who are and have served. You have my utmost respect

[JDLefebvre]

6 minutes ago, Shockey1979 said:

Served 4 years in the Army back in 1997. Was 11M (Mechanized Infantry) Bradley driver and gunner. Got out because I had a family and was coming down on orders for Korea. I begged them to let me go to Germany instead so I could bring my family and they wouldn't budge. Finished up as an E5 and then out-processed honorably. Luckily I served mostly in peace time and the only major deployment was to Saudi on a border protection peace keeping mission.

Korea was a big hurdle for a lot of people I served with in the AF as well.  I worked on F-16s and we had 3 units flying them on the 2 bases in S. Korea so remote tours were often coming around which meant a year away from family. I knew guys who ended up doing 3 remotes in their 20 years.  I was lucky and only did 1 tour in 03-04... If I knew what was waiting me for my last assignment (CV-22s in Clovis, New Mexico) I would've gladly volunteered for a 2nd remote to Korea to stay on 16s.   Stinks when assignments get in the way of keeping quality people in who want to be in... but as always the services needs trump the peoples need.  

Thanks for your time in!