Active Duty, Retired, Military Dependents - let's start communicating

OK, I'll bite. USN FTM USS Hoel DDG13
9/76 - 9/82 2 cruises, 1 West-pac 1 West/So-pac

39A radar tech and while I'm glad that I did it, I'd never do it again. Why is it that almost every un-rep happens at 3 am!

First hubby (now deceased) was Navy. San Diego, USS AJAX. Al repair ship. He was a Machinist's Mate.That was in 71-75. I loved the San Diego area, as a place to visit. I would not have wanted to stay there. Second hubby had two enlistments in the army. He was infantry. He tried civilian life for awhile, then tried to re up, but they said his hearing was too bad. It was the shooting that did it, but he could not prove it. Your time in Nam sounds very exciting. Last year you were not on my friend's list, or I would have responded. Hope you get lots more.

Ashamed? Hell NO!! We're NOT ashamed!! LOL Ok now here's my story, actually my husband's story. He wanted to join the Navy but there wasn't any openings for the mos that he wanted so he decided to join the Army instead then he saw the uniforms for Airborne and thought he'd join them not even knowing what they were!! He found out a wee bit too soon what he'll be training for and it was a bit of a surprise and an ooops but too late now kind of thing but he ended up really enjoying the mos after a few jumps out of the airplanes. lol Anyway, he's been all over the United States during his career and married the first time while in Kentucky but it didn't last long. He went to Germany for four years and to Panama in the jungles, Korea two times a year each time and we were married when he went to Korea twice and gosh, that's not easy but we survived. Anyway, he's been to Austria and Switzerland and God knows where else he's been. lol Like you, he's retired now after 27 years, I don't know how many months though but I do know 27 years. He misses being the army life but I don't!! LOL I've had enough in the 15 years I had with it and for the life of me I don't know how he stayed in for so long!! He joined in 1979 and got out twice for different reasons but to do with family and got back in and he finished what he started!! LOL

So there ya have it!! Interesting enough I guess! I didn't see your discussion from a year ago or I would've responded!! Sorry!!

Oh and my dad was in the Army and fought the Korean war. My uncle retired from the Air force and he fought in the Vietnam war. Interesting bunch we are!

My hubby was Army for a couple of years. He was mostly stationed in Korea. He also was in Japan, and other places. His time in the service was between declared war dates, (even though there was shooting going on). Since his service dates where not during declared war times, him and I both have lost out on some benefits. I can say that he had gotten in the VA Health care system. They were terrific, I recommend to any military person to get in the health care system while they can. We have a friend that was in Nam, sadly he ended up a POW for a long time and was tortured and maimed. He was also wounded several times, they patched him up and sent him back out. He has been trying to get a service related disability for a long time, they keep denying him. They say too many years have passed. He also has some effects from Agent Orange. He has been given the run around. He does get good medical care from the VA, I will say that. I have an Uncle that is a retired Navy SeaBee, he was stationed out of Oxnard, CA. amoung other places. He lives close to the base. I was out last year visiting with him and we went on base many times. This is it for my rambling.

I haven't been in the services but I am an Army brat. My father served 20 years with the Australian Army and had active service in Korea and Vietnam. He was Signals Corps. He was quite damaged after serving in Vietnam and is an alcoholic as a result. I have always wanted to know more about his army service but it is something he never wants to discuss except with other military personnel. The troops were treated very badly by the public who didn't want them going to Vietnam and Dad is still quite bitter about it. I was incredulous when he said that, to go to Vietnam, the soldiers were made to wear civilian clothing and caught regular Qantas planes in order to avoid protests and being spat on. They were treated no better when they returned. From the very little that Dad has told me, it is no wonder so many men suffered psychologically when they were doing their duty and were despised by the public for it.

I enlisted in the Marine Corps straight out of High School in 1975, right after my 18th birthday. I served for more than 21 years, retiring as a MSgt (E8) in Jan 1997.

I completed Boot Camp at Parris Island, SC (the only place that women train), then served at Camp Lejeune, NC; Parris Island, SC; Iwakuni, Japan; South Weymouth, MA; Camp Lejeune again; Camp Smith, HI; NAS Patuxent River, MD. I also had the opportunity for short trips to Camp Pendleton, CA; Yuma, AZ; London; and Seoul, Korea.

I started out in Admin working on the General Staff until my second tour at Camp Lejeune where I worked in G-3 Plans and G-5, working with Operations and Plans, and got in on the ground floor of the classified computer systems that figured out how many beans, bullets and bandaids we needed to have stored and/or at the ready for any possible contingency in the world.

That system was used for the very first time in real-time right after I got to Hawaii and we readied for Desert Shield/Desert Storm. It was a very dynamic and stressful period, but we proved the system worked and I was extremely proud to have been instrumental in proving it.

It's been 11 years since I retired, and I still miss it - every day.

My son also served, and although he could have had any specialty he wanted, he chose Infantry and served three tours in Iraq, starting out as a young PFC (E2) and leaving as a Sgt (E5) Squad Leader.