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OK, vets, let's hear your enlistment story

3K views 44 replies 30 participants last post by  Al the Infidel 
#1 ·
In 1958 I had just graduated from High School in my remote little town in Wyoming. I was working a series of dirty-work temporary labor jobs, not getting anywhere at all , employment was hard to come by at that time. In early August I was working a ranch outside of town a few miles, putting up loose hay the old fashioned way with an overshot stacker. Hot, heavy work, in addition to working with the %%%%est bunch of ignoramuses you would ever not want to meet, alcoholic bums every one. By about the 4th day I was convinced there must be some better way to get through life.

They sent me into town with the ranch pickup truck to get parts or something. As I was exiting the store, I met up with the Air Force Recruiter whom I had met several times in High School. "Hi, Jerry, how ya doing? Want to join the Air Force today?" " I sure do, sign me up".

He followed me back to the ranch where I dropped off the truck and the parts, got in his car and never looked back, was at the Denver AFEES in about a week and off to Lackland.

Sometime now I drive by that same ranch, doesn't look much different, always makes me break out in a smile as I keep on down the road. :D
 
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#30 ·
The greatest generation..........

Not me, but my dad. In early 1941, he decided to enlist for 12 months and get out before the U.S. got pulled into WWII. Well, the best made plans of mice and men, Pearl Harbor happened before his 12 months were up so he got to stay for the duration of the war. He got home right at the bitter end of 1945. During his time in the Army, he spent about 2 1/2 years in China, Burma and India. He was an officer in a supply outfit that ran food, ammo and fuel out on the Burma road until 1944 when the U.S., Chinese, British and Burma armies pushed the Japanese out of Myitkina (pronounced Mitch e na). He was on the first relief supply column to Myitkina after it's recapture. From then on, they took the convoys all the way from Ledo in India to Kunming in China where the supplies and (sometimes) the trucks would be handed over to the Chinese army. By the way, these were the Nationalist Chinese under Chiang Kia Shek. The Burma/Ledo road was over 2000 miles long and had hundreds of switch backs that an American size truck could barely make! Often times, there would be a rock wall on one side and a sheer cliff on the other that dropped 2 or 3,000 feet! One thing that the Chinese troops were known for was that when they wanted a ride, they would stand in the road and point their Tommy guns at the drivers! Anyway, my dad had lots of stories and a bunch of pictures to back them up!
 
#31 ·
Got my draft notice 3 months after finishing technical training from two year school in 1969. Went to take the physical and was classified 4F, not fit for military service. When I asked why, I was told I had severe acne all over my body. I have dry skin, but there was a fellow there whose back and legs looked like raw hamburger. He was classified 1A. I talked to the draft board and they said if a recruiter would schedule a new physical, I could get a new opinion. Recruiter said draft board had to change classification before scheduling a physical. Neither would move first, so I sat out the war in SEA. In 1974, after draft went out of business, I enlisted in Air National Guard and stayed for 29 years, retiring in 2003. I guess I fixed their wagon.:D
 
#32 ·
1971 and my draft number was 2. So I thought I would do the patriotic thing and enlist. The army recruiter said 3 years active and 2 years active reserve. Five years seems like a long time to a 19 year old so went to tell the recruiter I would just get drafted so I could do my 2 years and get out. The army recruiter was at lunch. I noticed the Marine office across the hall. I stuck my head in and asked the sergeant if he had a 2 year enlistment. "Yes sir" he replied. I said 2 years and no reserve time? "No sir, 2 years and we are done with you". I asked what do I get for 2 years? He replied "a rifle and a hard time". I said sign me up. The army recruiter was mad because my paper work was complete minus my signature.

Went to 3rd Recon, Oona Point, Okinawa and then to Subic Bay,PI for dive school. That's where I discovered I had picked the wrong service. The Navy had beer machines in the barracks. Beer in the mess hall. Steak twice a week and all the ice cream you could eat. Better chow than any Army, Air Force or Marine bases I travelled through. Got out E 4 in under 2 years but the next go around it will be Navy.
 
#34 ·
Got out E 4 in under 2 years but the next go around it will be Navy.
With a Marine's luck the squids would make you a corpsman and send you out into the fleet doing short arm inspections all day...not good :D

...Oh to be young with a pocket full of cash on the streets of Olongapo again though!

Frank, another E-4 Mafia member
 
#33 ·
I knew I wanted military(Dad's influence) and loved guns.
Talked to the Navy recruiter, said "Me want guns."
Navy said, "You're our boy!"
I turned 18 in boot camp and was a Gunner's Mate from '76-'80, riding two destroyers out of Charleston, SC.
It was great fun but not the way I wanted to spend the next 16 years. Wrenched on motorcycles for the next 36 years. You know, for the glamour and all.
 
#36 · (Edited)
Grognard Ruminations

I don't remember the shoe shine boys Al but but I do remember flipping the kids quarters off the bridge by the Subic main gate and them diving for them. I think that was the Olongapo river (or Santa Rita?) but we had a different name for it because of all the raw sewage that was dumped in upstream.

Glad Sir Charles didn't finish you off. It would be a much duller world without you!

Frank

Edit: "after my first incident with punji sticks" ...First incident? Dang pal, how many times did you get stabbed? :eek:
 
#39 ·
Not really much of a story,,,

Not really much of a story,,,
I drew number 6 in the 2nd draft lottery (1970),,,
That pretty much guaranteed I would be drafted the following January.

Went to the 4-branch recruiting office the following week to talk to recruiters.

I had almost finished a 2-year electronics school,,,
The Air Force was the only branch that would guarantee a technical job.

Took the oath on November 20th, 1970,,,
Three days after my 19th birthday.

Gave them 8 years then said,,,
"I'm done being a GI."

I really was lucky,,,
I traveled all through my 8 years,,,
Got to see those "faraway lands and exotic people",,,
But when I decided to not go career I left and never even once looked back.

Aarond

.
 
#43 ·
I had a stellar time in the army. Raised by a navy cpo for the first 18 years of life I already understood military life before I entered service. Graduated HS June of 62 and me and a buddy were to enter the army together. My dad was on the Kitty Hawk due to return to San Diego 8 Sept. 62 and my mom asked if I'd wait til he got in to help her with my little brother. OK. Glyn went in July of 62 and I went in Sept of 62. Joined airborne unassigned. Basic I was made a trainee leader as I had had 3 years of cadet corps and knew some weaponry and drill and ceremonies. I was a squad leader for a while, plt guide, then company guideon bearer. After basic was elected for an nco leadership prep course at the nco academy. After that infantry ait. Jump school Feb of 83. Mar.. 63 101st abn div scheduled for the 187. Some sgts from the aerial delivery company came to the repo depo and interviewed myself and two other and would we rather go the the rigging company rather than the boonies. I bit and went to the rigging company. May June and July rigger school Ft. Lee Va. Learned a lot, lots of fun, got to do some extra jumping. Back at division did personnel chutes, then heavy pack, rigged loads for air drop out of several different aircraft. Division went to desert strike in California, I for some reason was left on post and got married in St. Louis Mo in May of 64. Nov. of 64 I shot in the division matches and won the long range new shooter. Rifle team picked me up. Shot every day which was what I really loved. Got to shoot in the all army matches, interservice matches, and did some traveling. I did ok, didn't win any of the big ones but got a couple of new shooter trophys. May of 65 I was sent down to the Boxwell Reservation which was a big boy scout camp along with a medic to teach rifle marksmanship to the scouts and run a range all summer. Fortunately or unfortunately they were building a road right behind my range and I was unable to open it up except for about half the time. Did a lot of fishing, hiking, canoeing on Old Hickory Lake. My wife was with me at the camp. Very big and pregnant and the scouters wives really took care of her. Beautiful summer for us. Camp closed down late August and the whole first Brigade had been sent to the Nam. I wasn't extended and got out of service on Sept 10 1965. I was in for 36 what I'd call fun months and when I got out I had 31 months in grade on my mosquito wing, E-3. I liked my service, fun, no war. I couldn't stand that so I spent 20 years on the mean streets of DC as a police officer. That's my story and I'm stickin to it.
 
#44 ·
Bar girls certainly had more info. Had a dive buddy out on float and wanted to know if he would be back before I rotated. Being on float meant you were part of a BLT(battalion landing team on a Navy LST) off the coast of VN. This was done so the U.S. could claim we only had so many troops in VN. What they didn't tell anyone was there were hundreds right off the coast.

Went to battalion headquarters and asked the 1st Lt adjutant when the BLT would return. He said it was classified and he could not tell me. Went into town and asked a bar girl. She gave me the date. What the heck?
 
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