Jude 2

Answer to your branch of service. You can post if you are a veteran or active duty.

Veteran, medic, United Ststes Army.
Currently hold the rank of PFC (Proud Friendly Civilian).


TW

I am a Senior Airman in the US Air Force, stationed at Langley Air Force Base in Hampton, VA for 11 more days. I hold the title of 3N0X2 - Broadcast Journalist. Active duty, of course. Guard and Reserve don't compare.

I start terminal leave on November 6 and I am becoming a civilian once again. Moving to Vancouver, WA and trying to gain employment in the videography/broadcasting sector.

I've done my time:
July 2003-September 2004 - Lajes Field, Azores
September 2004-October 2005 - Langley AFB, VA
October 2005-May 2006 - International Zone, Baghdad, Iraq
May 2006-November 2006 - Langley AFB, VA

Yep, that's about it.

The story goes...
I wanted to get some "free" training (wanted training in electronics and audio video), so I was going to join the "military".

the recruiting station for the branches shared offices. more like cubicles really. not much for walls, except the couple rooms where you had to take tests.

Went to the AF cube, and we began to talk. the subject of illegal drugs came up and he asked, and I was honest about my past - I had done hallucinogenic drugs on more than a few occasions. he then asked me to list (for whatever reason) all the drugs I had "done" in my past (BTW - I was a Christian and had been completely clean and no problems for several years). He essentially told me that there was probably nothing he could do for me.

Next went to the marine cubicle. knowing that he was in full ear shot of my interview, he said right away that unless I wanted to be a grunt, there was nothing he could do either.

skipped the navy cube across the hallway (no offenses, but not only could I not swim, but my stereotypical image of a squid was, well incorrect, as I later learned)

Went to the Army Cubicle and I know he could hear everything that I had been going through with the other "stations". we interviewed a bit. he was a Christian and asked me about how I got saved, and what denomination I was and about my local church. we conversed a bit more and I told him that I wanted to be a better father and support my family better, but I needed college money, and on the job training. He didn't ask or mention anything about my past history with drugs at all, nor did it come up in any paperwork whatsoever.

after taking the initial test, and nearly acing it with time to spare, I went through some other tests and stuff over the next week. Went in to see about my score an what I qualified for. the printout was really long. He pointed to one toward the bottom of the list (remember the old dot-matrix printouts with attached sheets of paper that folded together? that's what this list was), and said that there was a couple jobs here that probably would be what I was looking for, satellite technician and audio/video repair tech.

I said I wanted the satellite tech job! woohoo!! he said that was great, and that an opening was coming up for training in that field in about 14 months or so, I was in luck!. well, that wasn't luck for me. I explained that I was ready to go now, and that I couldn't work at Wendy's and Hardees at the same time for very much longer, I was working all the time and had no time for my wife and new daughter. I asked about the 26T job. He frowned and said he would look in to it and give me a call tomorrow.

when he called, he said that God must have been looking out for me because an opening for a 26T (this is the army name for the audio/video tech) training was coming up and it coincided within a couple weeks of me finishing basic training.

Went to basic, learned alot, went on leave for a week, then to AIT (that's the training.) Graduated with honors, in fact the last 1/4 of the training (14 months or so of training!) was self-paced, and I finished way early, so just got to hang around and do other stuff during that time.

I had befriended a Christian Staff sergeant that was "in the know" and he revealed to me that my recruiter had pulled some strings and "created" a position for me as a 26T. Further that I WAS going to be stationed in Hawaii for 4 years, minimum! (I ended up being stationed at Ft. Irwin, but that is another story). Came in the Army as a E1 nuthin, came out of AIT as a PFC - the instructors all tried to pull strings to get me to stay and be a teacher. I had been helping the other students and in some cases taking over some of the classes.

By the way, AIT is where I learned about all the forces. I was in the Army, being trained at Lowrey AFB, had marine, army, and Naval, and AF instructors

got promoted at school, and shortly after I got stationed, and again, and again, and in 22 months - I was an e5 sergeant. My brother told me that his battlefield promotions in Cambodia (oops, I mean Vietnam) to e5 took him only 21 months from the time he went to basic.

I wouldn't trade my training and discipline I went through in the military for anything. Oh yea, and active reserves for two more years worth of weekends, fixing computers and making power points for the company commander to take to staff meetings. the General was jealous of him having better presentations than his overheads, and for the last year, I worked for him directly.

I not in military or never was but my husband served 4 years in US Army. So I was an Army wife. My son is currently serving in US Army. Right now he is in Kuwait but will be going to Iraq in few weeks. So now I am an Army Mom.

Unites States Navy 1963-1967

United States Air Force....Auxiliary

Chaplain( Lt. Col.) Served as chaplain for several bases for training in Applied Sucide Intervention Skills Training, Critical Incident Stress Management and base chapel duties while active chaplains deployed. Have served in disaster relief efforts in 8 states during floods, hurricanes, ect. Now serve as Group lll Chaplain responsible for training chaplains in dealing with cadet issues, moral leadership training and suicide intervention. Also serve on a standing CISM team for middle Tenn. Do domestic violence training for returning soldiers from Iraq. LOVE IT!

I recommend this activity for any pastor. I can hook you up. It is volunteer and requires no active duty assignment unless you request it.

I served in the USAF for 4 years. I was a Tactical Aircraft Maintenance Specialist, 2A3X3B or "Crew Chief" on the F-16. September 92-Sep96.

After basic training..

Sheppard AFB in Wichita Falls, TX till Feb 93
Moody AFB, Valdosta GA and while there I went on 2 Temporary duties. 4 months in Saudi Arabia(Dahran) and 4 months in Jordan(Azraq).

Proud to have served but proud to be a civilian.

I did not serve, but my dad who lurks on here alot did. So I am giving him his props for serving. Army. I'd try to guess the years, but it was before I was born so I know I'd mess that up.

US Army June 1969- Dec 1972

My husband was in the Marines for 22 yrs & 6 months. 1949-1971
I was with him except when he was overseas.
He served in Vietnam 3 times & was injured twice
but they were minor.
My daughter & I spent most of that time at Camp LeJune, NC.

http://geegee34.homestead.com/Zeno.html

I was a military wife for a total of about 32 years. My husband has served with all branches of the military. Active duty with Navy for 13 years. While with the Navy, he served with the Marines as a Corpsmen. Got out of Navy and served Reservist with the Army in West Virginia and was in the National Guard in Virginia as a Physician's Assistant. In 1992 he went active duty with the Air Force and retired after only being in AF for seven years as Captain in 1999. The military was a great life and we really enjoyed it. Oh...he also was assigned with the Coast Guard while he was stationed at the Brooklyn Naval Shipyard.

Got bless all our military folks.

I was in the Navy and stationed aboard the newest Destroyer Tender in the East Coast. We were the showboat of the east coast. We were sent to represent the USN to Mardi Gras one year. 24 on and 48 off. That was an experience I will never forget. We spent 4 weeks in Gitmo, yuck. We went on a 6 month cruise to the med. Saw Rome, the Vatican including an audience with the Pope, JP2, took a walking tour of Rome, and went to Naples, the armpit of the world, very nasty city.

Army 66 to 69 Viet Nam 01/68 to 01/69

Rev Rick, I salute you. You guys got no respect for your hard work. I thank you!!!!!! You are a hero!!!!