Military Service

[Rob Peters]

Looking at many members profile on their posts I see a lot of our members who served in the military.  If you served in the military, law enforcement, fire department or EMT please let us know of your service.  

For our military veterans or current military members the information may be of interest to others who served.  You don't need to answer everything, just what you are comfortable.

I enlisted in the US Air Force in November of 1968 and served until September of 1972.  I received my Basic Training at Lackland AFB in San Antonio Texas.  From Basic Training I was sent to Chanute, AFB in Illinois for Jet Over Two training.  Jet Over Two is training for any jet with more than two engines.

After training in Illinois I was assigned to Blytheville AFB in Blytheville, Arkansas in March of 1969.  At Blytheville we had B52 Bombers (still being used) and KC135 (also still being used all these years later)  I was assigned as an Assistant Crew Chief on a KC135.  The KC135 air planes are used to refuel fighters and bombers in flight.  Inflight refueling is an amazing thing to witness while looking out the boom operators window in the rear belly of the plane.

Being stationed in Blytheville, ARK, which was a real small town where people in the military were hated (they were afraid we were going to steal their young daughters).  I was not used to small town life so I took as many TDY (temporary duty) Assignments as possible.  I visited many island bases in the Pacific. (Hawaii, Okinawa, Guam, Taiwan, Philippines, Japan, Wake Island, Midway Island etc.) I was at Oahu, HI Hickam AFB at least 20 times but in all of those stops there I only got off the base one time.   My extended TDY assignments were in support of the Viet Nam war out of a base in Thailand.  (I loved the Thailand area and the people there.)  

One of the times I was in Guam, in 1969, they found a WWII Japanese solider in a mountain jungle who didn't know the war had ended.  His rifle was still fully functional.

I was honorably discharged from the USAF in September of 1972 as an E-5 Staff SGT.

My time in the military, I would not change anything about it (except maybe being stationed in Blytheville).  I did not want to make the military a career because I wanted a family and I didn't feel it would be fair to a wife and kids to be gone from home months at a time.

rob

[GRAY 70 Monte Carlo]

Rob thank you for your years os service to this nation . God bless 

[willie]

I was not in the service but tip my hat to ALL that were!! Military, or any of the First Responders, Thank You All for what you do!!! I tip my hat to you ALL!!

God Bless!!!

[420ponies]

🤔.......Im surprised Willie, That you were not in the military. I was thinking you might have been a gunnery sergent . I'll have to think about my story (pretty basic).

[willie]

1 hour ago, 420ponies said:

🤔.......Im surprised Willie, That you were not in the military. I was thinking you might have been a gunnery sergent . I'll have to think about my story (pretty basic).

Jim i never got anything in the mail and no one approached me, so i really don't know why other than i always worked after school somewhere!  Sometimes i wish i had been called.    

And don't laugh i am a pretty good shot!!!  The paper always tells the story!!  lol

[Dtret]

40 minutes ago, willie said:

Jim i never got anything in the mail and no one approached me, so i really don't know why other than i always worked after school somewhere!  Sometimes i wish i had been called.    

And don't laugh i am a pretty good shot!!!  The paper always tells the story!!  lol

Results are in the evidence. Right. 

[cbolt]

Too long a story. Suffice it to say I enlisted in the US Navy in May 1983 and retired in July 2009 as an ATCS, Senior Chief Aviation Electronics Technician. From there I went to Basic Law Enforcement school and was hired by the Volusia County Sheriffs Office and worked patrol from 2011-2018, retiring a second time. 

In the Navy I worked on both the SH-3 Sea King and SH-60 Seahawk helicopters, maintaining both the airborne SONAR systems and avionic systems, but as my career progressed I became Quality Assurance qualified and performed inspection and repair of all the different aircraft systems, flight control, powerplant, hydraulic, electrical and structural. I became qualified to release aircraft "Safe for Flight" which basically says the aircraft is safe for the aircrew to fly, the aviation achievement I am most proud of. I made 7 Mediterranean deployments to include being forward deployed to Kuwait in 1998 and again in 2005 to support US Navy SEAL's in pipeline protection and ship interdiction operations. 

As a deputy sheriff I made numerous arrests and was involved in one shooting.

Bottom line, two retirement checks and great health insurance which contributes to my modest and peaceful pursuit of fishing, old cars, motorcycling, and traveling. Oh yeah, and dancing. Linda and I are accomplished ballroom dancers and I am a semi-professional DJ.

I wouldn't change a thing about my service. Both careers were rewarding and exciting at the same time. 

[Rob Peters]

41 minutes ago, cbolt said:

Too long a story. Suffice it to say I enlisted in the US Navy in May 1983 and retired in July 2009 as an ATCS, Senior Chief Aviation Electronics Technician. From there I went to Basic Law Enforcement school and was hired by the Volusia County Sheriffs Office and worked patrol from 2011-2018, retiring a second time. 

In the Navy I worked on both the SH-3 Sea King and SH-60 Seahawk helicopters, maintaining both the airborne SONAR systems and avionic systems, but as my career progressed I became Quality Assurance qualified and performed inspection and repair of all the different aircraft systems, flight control, powerplant, hydraulic, electrical and structural. I became qualified to release aircraft "Safe for Flight" which basically says the aircraft is safe for the aircrew to fly, the aviation achievement I am most proud of. I made 7 Mediterranean deployments to include being forward deployed to Kuwait in 1998 and again in 2005 to support US Navy SEAL's in pipeline protection and ship interdiction operations. 

As a deputy sheriff I made numerous arrests and was involved in one shooting.

Bottom line, two retirement checks and great health insurance which contributes to my modest and peaceful pursuit of fishing, old cars, motorcycling, and traveling. Oh yeah, and dancing. Linda and I are accomplished ballroom dancers and I am a semi-professional DJ.

I wouldn't change a thing about my service. Both careers were rewarding and exciting at the same time. 

Jim,  thank you for sharing your military history and public service history.    Sounds like you may have received your A&P certification.  As a Crew Chief on my KC135 I did post-flight and pre-flight inspections and was involved in extensive periodic weeks long inspections.  I also had the responsibility to sign off on the plane to release it for flight any time it was scheduled to fly and did the pre-flight walk around of the plane with the captain and crew.  

Thank you for your 26 years of military and 7 years of public service!

[cbolt]

15 minutes ago, Rob Peters said:

Jim,  thank you for sharing your military history and public service history.    Sounds like you may have received your A&P certification.  As a Crew Chief on my KC135 I did post-flight and pre-flight inspections and was involved in extensive periodic weeks long inspections.  I also had the responsibility to sign off on the plane to release it for flight any time it was scheduled to fly and did the pre-flight walk around of the plane with the captain and crew.  

Thank you for your 26 years of military and 7 years of public service!

I weighed my options when I retired from the Navy and felt I was very marketable. In addition to the A&P cert I was also flight deck coordinator, maintenance senior chief in HSL-46, authorized to make log book entries, qualified as a loadmaster for the USAF (in case we ever had to fly a helo via a C-5 or something from the states to Europe/middle east) tow tractor qualified, plane captain qualified, heck I was even qualified to drive a bus! I opted to use my people skills due to the working hours and excitement of law enforcement.

I could have even been a motorcycle safety instructor as I did that for the Navy too! LOL 

Rob, the USAF crew chiefs are part of the flight crew, correct? The Navy uses "crew chiefs" for functional check flights after major maintenance, usually powerplant guys. 

[70 Owner]

To all of our club members who are ex-military and/or first responders – thank you for your service!  I completed a 20-year career in the Air Force from 1983-2003.  I had basic training and tech school in Texas.  From there I was stationed at Little Rock AFB in Arkansas, where I worked on the Titan 2 nuclear missile system in underground silos.  After that, I went to Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida and was involved in launching military satellites from Titan rockets and some Space Shuttle missions.  I finished my career at Malmstrom AFB in Montana.  There I worked on the Minuteman nuclear missile system, and then managed maintenance and training teams as I progressed in rank.  It’s kind of ironic that I served 20 years in the Air Force, but was never involved with aircraft.  Like everything in life, there were good times and bad times, and my family and I had to make some sacrifices.  I’m glad that I did it.  I now have a son serving in the Air Force at Beale AFB in California.  I’m sure that things have changed since I was in, but I still believe military service is a good option for young people to gain skills and experience that will help them for life - all while serving our great nation.

[DragCat]

Nothing notable to post on an open forum 🤣 Did 6 years USN, left with a top secret clearance. Stationed on the 6th Fleet Flag Ship outta Gaeta Italy which I was on from the yards. Went through Gitmo engineering trials before we went to the med. Got to go all over Europe , very blessed . 

From there to San Diego on a Destroyer, did a west pac, also very blessed. Only down side we missed Austrialia because the Captain volunteered to chase a commie sub in the Pacific 🤣

Learned a lot, set me on course for my career afterwards . Can honestly say I didnt enjoy all of it but taught me some great life lessons 🤣

[Rob Peters]

Mark, thanks for your 6 years in the USN.  I also had a Top Secret clearance but never came across much of anything I may have been in danger of sharing.  Like you, I saw a good bit of the world and like you I learned a lot that helped prepare me for the world after my military service... was it all enjoyable? Like you there were parts I could have done without but overall I wouldn't trade it for the world.  Would have liked to see more than Spain and England in the European countries.  Would have loved to make it to Germany but it wasn't in the cards. 

While on the Pacific trips, I flew on refueling missions over Vietnam and it was amazing to see the areas bombed by the B52's and fighter/bomber. 

rob

[Rob Peters]

10 hours ago, cbolt said:

Rob, the USAF crew chiefs are part of the flight crew, correct? The Navy uses "crew chiefs" for functional check flights after major maintenance, usually powerplant guys. 

Jim, in reality as a Crew Chief we we were for the most part ground crew and each crew chief had responsibility for all aspects of that planes maintenance, pre-flight and post-flight inspections.  When we flew with the plane on TDY's on some of what was called island hopping trips we were delivering other pilots, and crews that would be flying the combat missions.  On those trips, yes we were flying as part of the crew and many of our flight crews would try to get us in crew quarters which were primarily officer quarters.  Even as enlisted men we did a lot of socializing with the flight officers.

rob

[DragCat]

9 hours ago, Rob Peters said:

 I also had a Top Secret clearance but never came across much of anything I may have been in danger of sharing. 

Rob, in your exit interview they should have told you that you can neither confirm nor deny you could share anything 🤣

[Rob Peters]

4 hours ago, DragCat said:

Rob, in your exit interview they should have told you that you can neither confirm nor deny you could share anything 🤣

Share what?

My exit interview was at a project transition program at a base in Topeka,  KS where they trained me for a job in Heating and Air Conditioning. It was a quick slam, bam thank you mam

 

[Chevy Dave]

When I was a member of the Oregon National Guard we were required to get a top secret security clearance in order to receive training at two missel bases in the Seattle area. When being interviewed by a major, he asked me if I had ever been in trouble with the law, I said that I was convicted of minor in possession of alcohol.  The major replied: " don't worry about that, everybody has had one of those.  I got the clearance.

[DragCat]

9 hours ago, Rob Peters said:

Share what?

My exit interview was at a project transition program at a base in Topeka,  KS where they trained me for a job in Heating and Air Conditioning. It was a quick slam, bam thank you mam

 

Guess its an Air Force thing 🤣

[Rob Peters]

1 hour ago, DragCat said:

Guess its an Air Force thing 🤣

Mark, Project Transition was not something they didn't advertise very much.  As a matter of fact I heard about it by mistake when I overheard a couple of guys talking about it at the NCO Club.  I asked them about it and told me it should be available to anyone interested.  The very next day I went to our squadron hanger/offices and talked to the training Sgt who just happened to be our retention Sgt.  He told me with the activities  stepping up in Vietnam the Squadron Commander would never approve it and told me with 3 months left on my enlistment I should really be considering signing up for another 4 years.

I left his office and went directly to our Squadron Commander office and requested a meeting.  The Squadron Commander approved it on the spot.  He checked and told meW there is a class starting the following Monday and if I could process off the base in 2 days I would have my orders by late Friday afternoon.  What would usually take 4-5 days to process off a base I was able to complete in 2 1/2 days. I packed everything up on Saturday and drove from Arkansas to Topeka Kansas on Sunday and started classes on Monday morning.  

rob

[Leghome]

I took all the pre testing for the Air Force and the recruiter told me I could choose any thing I wanted but then the next day my preinduction physical notice arrived for the draft, the reason I was joining the Air Force. Went down to INDY with a whole bunch of guys I knew from both high schools I attended and low and behold I became a 4F reject. I had a slight curveture of teh spine and a should blade out of place. When I got home the next day  I went back the recruiters office and he was disappointed because now the Air Force did not want me either. On one hand I was glad because I could not get drafted but on the other hand I felt I was missing out on something big. My dad and both granpas were in the Army, two of my moms brothers were Air Force members and a cousin who is 5 months to the day older. I try and support the American Legion, AmVets and VFW whenever possible

[klassic rob]

Evening. 10 years US Army , sent to first persian gulf war in 1990 as a weapons specialist with the 1st infantry division. spent time with the 25th in Hawaii, short stint in Thailand.  reenlisted  out on the Arizona memorial while in Hawaii. to transfer to Fort Irwin in Barstow california  to be part of the opposing forces tactical training program.  just as luck would have it , orders got changed sent to Fort Stewart GA. got out after that. loved my time in the service, no regrets.

[Rob Peters]

11 minutes ago, klassic rob said:

Evening. 10 years US Army , sent to first persian gulf war in 1990 as a weapons specialist with the 1st infantry division. spent time with the 25th in Hawaii, short stint in Thailand.  reenlisted  out on the Arizona memorial while in Hawaii. to transfer to Fort Irwin in Barstow california  to be part of the opposing forces tactical training program.  just as luck would have it , orders got changed sent to Fort Stewart GA. got out after that. loved my time in the service, no regrets.

Robert, thank you for your Army service.  Where in Thailand were you.  I loved Thailand and the Thai people.  When I worked for Johnson and Johnson I service blood analyzers and I had to go to the base in Barstow to service an analyzer at the military hospital there.  I drove there from Palm Springs.  Talk about a drive through the desert. On that long road to the base through the desert I couldn't help but notice a number of makeshift memorials set up along that desert road and asked some people at the base hospital about all of those memorials and were told they were all military people who had gone to town drinking and ended up crashing on their way back to the base.  Again, thanks for your service.

rob

[klassic rob]

 LopBuri Thailand  , loved it there , great food , great people.  Barstow , really wanted that assignment, about 4 hours from home.