How Many Has Military Service?

[BeverlyAnn]

US Navy 1968-1972  Aviation Electronics Technician on A-7s and member of special weapons loading team.  Petty Officer 2 at time of discharge.

Beverly

[BrandiOK]

US Army.....3 years....Combat Specialist (how sad)

[sandra]

  Ericka,

USAF 1968-72.  Lost exemption (divinity student)
at age 23.  This was before the lottery, and they
were drafting the oldest first.  In August I checked
with the draft board and they said that I should
expect to be drafted by November.  Not being sure
that we were right in being in Vietnam, but not
being a true conscientious objector, I talked with
recruiters.  Enlisted under Admin. in the AF, and
took procurement training after basic.  Served as
a paper-pusher for one of the missile programs --
the only time I ever saw one of the missiles was
watching a test launch from 50 miles away.

Got out because I didn't see any future for myself
in the military.  Used the GI Bill to get a master's
in the education field.

The best thing about my 3+ yrs on the west coast
(I'm from the Midwest) was participating in an inter-
denominational "folk" group (mostly civilian) which
sang in many, many different churches.  During
this time I taught myself how to play guitar.

Thanks  for the question!

Sandra

[Berliegh]

I'm shocked by this thread....so many people who were in the forces and are now T.....

I personally can't relate to it as I knew my origins from the start but I have admiration for people who can do something like that....which is extreamely brave....

[rhonda13000]

US Navy 1968-1972  Aviation Electronics Technician on A-7s and member of special weapons loading team.  Petty Officer 2 at time of discharge.

Beverly

A-7s, huh?

We had those for a while, here.

[KarenLyn]

US Navy 1968-1972  Aviation Electronics Technician on A-7s and member of special weapons loading team.  Petty Officer 2 at time of discharge.

Beverly

A wonder those A7's could get off the deck. Most of the electronics was full of vacuum tubes back then. I was an AT myself and worked on the ARC27 UHF radio and the ARN6 direction finder and hated messing with tubes.

Karen Lyn

[RebeccaFog]

I'm shocked by this thread....so many people who were in the forces and are now T.....

I personally can't relate to it as I knew my origins from the start but I have admiration for people who can do something like that....which is extreamely brave....

      I think in some cases, we didn't know any better.  Some of us were trying to live the way we were expected to and some could not understand why were were different and what made us different.  In my case, if I had understood my nature, I would have gone to college. As it was, I thought that 2 years in the army would get me out of my mother's house and I wouldn't have to think about not fitting in because the military has everyone conforming to a specific look and lifestyle. I just didn't know myself enough to be confident in the world.

[Rashelle]

Oh I knew I was TS when I went into the military just didn't know what I could do about it and also didn't think I'd live long enough to do anything about being TS. Rashelle

[BeverlyAnn]

US Navy 1968-1972  Aviation Electronics Technician on A-7s and member of special weapons loading team.  Petty Officer 2 at time of discharge.

Beverly

A wonder those A7's could get off the deck. Most of the electronics was full of vacuum tubes back then. I was an AT myself and worked on the ARC27 UHF radio and the ARN6 direction finder and hated messing with tubes.

Karen Lyn

LOL  The A-7 Corvair Corsair was full of that modern wonder, transistorized electronics like the ARC-51.  I hated that ARC-27 and I actually hurt my back carrying one.  I can't remember the designation of the Nav computer but it did still have vacuum tubes, servos and gears. 

You should have seen the duty officer's face the day the squadron base radio wouldn't work and I bounced the carbon mike off the deck a couple of times to loosen up the carbon pack inside it.  Worked fine after that.

Beverly

[Erika]

I was in the regular Army for six years and made it to Kuwait in 1991. I just got back fro Iraq in Nov with  the Army National Guard.

[Berliegh]

i Can't get my head around it.......so many people lived in denial......

[ErickaM]

I was in the regular Army for six years and made it to Kuwait in 1991. I just got back fro Iraq in Nov with  the Army National Guard.

Where at in Iraq I jsut spent 12 monts in Kirkuk, it is up in the northern provences.  This was my 2nd time in Iraq (as a contractor).

[Rashelle]

It wasn't living in denial it was existing in SUPPRESSION.
Rashelle

[ErickaM]

I really wouldn't consider it living in denial; it was more of not knowing who I am.  Also there is a little thing called service to country, I have almost quite literally seen the world thanks to the US Navy and also if it wasn't for my time in the Navy I would have never meet my wife, so I don't think it was all that bad.

[Sandi]

I spent four years and twelve days in the US Navy.
My ship, the USS Topeka and I are shown below.
Sorry the quality is poor, but the picture is from 1960. Yeah, I'm that ancient!

[rhonda13000]

That's a nice picture. 
Posted on: June 27, 2007, 10:37:06 PM

US Navy 1968-1972  Aviation Electronics Technician on A-7s and member of special weapons loading team.  Petty Officer 2 at time of discharge.

Beverly

A wonder those A7's could get off the deck. Most of the electronics was full of vacuum tubes back then. I was an AT myself and worked on the ARC27 UHF radio and the ARN6 direction finder and hated messing with tubes.

Karen Lyn

LOL  The A-7 Corvair Corsair was full of that modern wonder, transistorized electronics like the ARC-51.  I hated that ARC-27 and I actually hurt my back carrying one.  I can't remember the designation of the Nav computer but it did still have vacuum tubes, servos and gears. 

You should have seen the duty officer's face the day the squadron base radio wouldn't work and I bounced the carbon mike off the deck a couple of times to loosen up the carbon pack inside it.  Worked fine after that.

Beverly

[laughing and shaking her head]

I've...executed a few successful 'maintenance actions' using this tried and proven method.

"Corvair"! 

I thought that the F8U was an interesting aircraft.

[Berliegh]

It wasn't living in denial it was existing in SUPPRESSION.
Rashelle

Maybe in a country like America there was more propagander and pressure towards young people to join the forces. It's still happening today....

I personally couldn't live or cope with that type of lifestyle and I wouldn't be any good at it anyway. I would be petrified at the thought. You are all so brave...

[Steph]

I spent four years and twelve days in the US Navy.
My ship, the USS Topeka and I are shown below.
Sorry the quality is poor, but the picture is from 1960. Yeah, I'm that ancient!

That is a wonderful picture Sandi true memorabilia, and while this is probably not appropriate a striking picture of your former self.  Oh and yes you're not ancient, you're seasoned.

Chat later.

Steph

[RebeccaFog]

It wasn't living in denial it was existing in SUPPRESSION.
Rashelle

Maybe in a country like America there was more propagander and pressure towards young people to join the forces. It's still happening today....

I personally couldn't live or cope with that type of lifestyle and I wouldn't be any good at it anyway. I would be petrified at the thought. You are all so brave...

I definitely could not cope. I had one bad depression while I was in there.

[Sandi]

That is a wonderful picture Sandi true memorabilia, and while this is probably not appropriate a striking picture of your former self.

Well who I was in the past, is part of who I am today. Actually I find it more striking now that at the time it was taken. I used to think I was a skinny rather ugly guy. Now it appears that I was rather cute with my long vanished dimples.