What did you do in the military?

[clearconscience]

You served RicinOR!

I never did, talked to a recruiter a couple times but sadly gained my patriotism and honor later in life.

Thank you all who served in any capacity.

 

[SOrez]

I was a Reciprocating Engine Aircraft Propeller Specialist. I removed and replaced props, prop controls on C-124, C-133, C-130, C-54, C-47, O-2 ,O-1 aircraft.

 

[Tomahawk67]

Operated and maintained a nuclear weapons system (Tomahawk) on board a US Navy guided missile cruiser. Also operated and maintained Harpoon cruise missile system. This was during the end of the Cold war, Mid 80's to 90's .

 

[The Heretic]

I was an MK in the USCG. MK == Machinery Killer. Or rather Machinery Tech (the navy already had MT for Missile Tech).

First station as Aids to Navigation so I spent the better part of a year in the Tri-Cities working nagivation aids along the Columbia and Snake rivers. Not much need for an MK there - mostly I/Os and outboards, so it was just checking fluid levels daily on machinery, going out on the boats, and once I fixed a broken driveline on one of the trucks when we were out in the boonies - otherwise it was just manual work on the ATNs.

Then to a SAR station at Newport (Yaquina Bay).

That was this:





Although most of the time it was going out in much milder conditions and towing broken fishing boats back to port, there were a few times when it was a bit more exciting.

Most of the time MKs are there to make sure things don't break, and when they do break we fix them - but the latter was rare.

 

[uscsoldier]

Cambrai Fritsch Kaserne in Darmstadt ( College town FULL of girls . Lots of girls !!! ) attached to the 32nd AADCOM with about half the time TDY to Meisau Army depot on hazardous duty. Then 6 months in Friedburg. I truly hated Friedburg.

I was in Darmstadt as a dependent kid from 84-87

 

[wired]

I was in Darmstadt as a dependent kid from 84-87

Which housing area or were you out in economy housing?

 

[uscsoldier]

Which housing area or were you out in economy housing?

We lived in Santa Barbra, then dad retired and started working for the DOD and we move out to seeheim.

 

[wired]

We lived in Santa Barbra, then dad retired and started working for the DOD and we move out to seeheim.

Were you old enough to enjoy the city. Awesome town Darmstadt. If the whole Army was like CFK I would have reenlisted ( OK...no, I wouldn't. Reenlistment would have gotten me a 18 month ticket to Johnston Atoll chemical weapons incineration facility ) .

At least in Seeheim you had the Pfungstadter brewery just down the road. Nothing much else though.

 

[uscsoldier]

Were you old enough to enjoy the city. Awesome town Darmstadt. If the whole Army was like CFK I would have reenlisted ( OK...no, I wouldn't. Reenlistment would have gotten me a 18 month ticket to Johnston Atoll chemical weapons incineration facility ) .

At least in Seeheim you had the Pfungstadter brewery just down the road. Nothing much else though.

I was there for 8-10th grades, I enjoyed the bubblegum out of it. Much more so when we moved out of base housing. I was quite popular with the German girls and the exchange rate was awesome while we were that so I the $$$ to do pretty much what ever I wanted. A train ride to strasburg France was on 8 marks the hard rock club downtown was super cool. I believe the club on Kambri was called the rainbow club

 

[wired]

Did you make it over to that den of hedonism Zur Goldene Krone?

 

[uscsoldier]

Did you make it over to that den of hedonism Der Goldene Krone?

Doesn't sound familiar

 

[ejmpnu92]

United States Coast Guard, was a deckie on my first ship the USCGC Jarvis, home ported in Honolulu. After TC school (Telecommunications Specialist = Radioman but without the morse code) went to the USCGC Mellon home ported in Seattle. Spent a lot of time in Alaska. 3.5 years sea time, pretty proud of my time in.

 

[x2ndxall]

throughout Latin America


I bubblegumming HATE the desert....

I'll happily go back to the desert, bubbleguming hate this cockrot rain forest bubblegum.

 

[Bigbaddude]

I was a MK in the U.S Coast Guard from 87-92, First station was on a a buoy tender the Woodrush Sitka Alaska then a 65' buoy tender the Elderberry out of Petersburg Alaska.
Main thing I learned was how to drink and you never lost a girlfriend just you turn.
Got out cause I thought I what to be a crab firshermen.

 

[1980VCGP]

Spent 2 years in Germany from 73-75 in the 2MOB Comm group. Was a telephone installer. Did lots of trips to small Army bases to do field exercises that lasted 3-4 days. Did 2 trips to the middle East, Turkey and Cairo Egypt. Did get to see the pyramids. Last station was down in Victorville California at George AFB which is now a USPS postal hub. Did get to see a lot of Europe as the folks came over for a visit and ended up in Munich for the October fest. Lots of good beer.

 

[clearconscience]

I did live in the Phillipines for 2 years while my dad was there. I was a bit young to remember it though.
Here's a photo of a young me though

 

[Dungannon]

What did I do in the military?

Whatever they told me [most of the time]. For all but the last six months my MOS was 45B20 Small Arms Repairman. I was glad to get out. My only regret was not buying a camera and keeping a record of my experiences. At the time I was saving up all my money in anticipation of getting married.

 

[Retired Puddle Pirate]

Enlisted in the Coast Guard in 74. Figured I would do 4 years and get out. Fell in love, married, kids. Spent time in Maine, Key West FL during Cuban Refugee Ops, then Boston before being assigned as the independent duty Yeoman on cutter Citrus in Coos Bay. Did a lot of law enforcement boarding (mostly fisheries), SAR and large drug bust. Busted human trafficking. Not much admin work to do on a ship, so stood Quartermaster watches and boardings on ships. Went to Ohio, and then assigned to Marine Safety Office in Portland. I was the Coast Guard representative/coordinator to the Medal of Honor convention in Vancouver and arranged for the Cutter Munro to visit Portland/Vancouver during the convention and the Coast Guard silent drill team. Visited lots of schools and events with them. Had dinner with these great heroes. It was a great honor. Then assigned to 2 more ships out of Astoria. Last duty station was Air Station North Bend as the personnel supervisor.

Then retired from my first profession.

Got a chance to do a large variety of assignments that had nothing to do with my rating. Entered for and stayed for almost 25. Worked with many wonderful and talented people from the active duty and reserve sides.

Some crappy times, but mostly good. Would not have changed anything.

 

[wired]

Lots of Coast Guard here. Didnt expect that.

 

[The Heretic]

Lots of Coast Guard here. Didnt expect that.

There are several Coastie groups on FB - one that is general, and one that is for 44' MLBs (including other countries that had/have them or a variation of them). I was the engineer on the Victory (52312), the '400 and the first 44 the '300. The 44300 is at the Astoria museum now on static display. It was also the one that was run over by a freighter while docked - the freighter ran into the docks and the boat house at Newport - it pushed the '300 under water and caused a lot of damage to it, but the boat still floated and was watertight (except for some of the superstructure).