Military: tell us your story

[jwally]

Thanks and God bless to all our guys and gals in service.

[stang]

Originally Posted by jerzkid Thank you ArkTek. I just thought of something though, I have a shirt that says "Operation Iraqi Freedom, Mission Accomplished, 2003". If that was true, the why did I get hit in 2004?

Because just like every war before, a lot of blood is spilled after victory is declared. From what I've read, Germany was no picnic either after VE day.

[jerzkid]

Originally Posted by stang Because just like every war before, a lot of blood is spilled after victory is declared. From what I've read, Germany was no picnic either after VE day.

You have a good point. I guess it's just bitter blood in me.

[Chemist]

Originally Posted by jerzkid You have a good point. I guess it's just bitter blood in me.

You've earned the right of that bitterness.

--Chemist

[2KWK4U]

1 Jan '06 will be my 10-year mark in the Air Force. I've spent my career thus far in Intelligence, and I have no stories to tell. Even if I could talk about the highlights of my career, they are NOTHING in comparison to stories like jerzkid's, or any others who have been deployed to the pointy end of the spear. Ground troops have my utmost respect.

[jrdallas]

Jerzkid, God Bless you. Your humble service makes us all proud to be Americans. Selfless sacrifice to defend our country and give the oppressed the same opportunity for freedom = Hero

[jerzkid]

Thank you all for your gratitude. It is simply overwhelming to me. Please don't forget that I'm not the only service member on this forum, and IMHO, the last one that needs thanks. All of you veterans need to know that you are loved and supported. Also, lets make sure to keep MSG Mckee in our prayers until we hear from him again and until he comes home.

[jerzkid]

I just realized I left out the irony I promised about the comparison of my grandfather and I. I will try to keep this one short.

My Grandfather was a Marine during the forgotten war, Korea. He fought at Chosin Resevoir under the command of the Great Gen. Lewis B. "Chesty" Puller. He was wounded at Chosin when a jeep he was in hit a landmine. He took shrapnel in his lower back. One of his very best friends, who happened to be sitting directly to his right, was killed. He was a field radio operator with 1bn, 2nd Marines, C co.

I served two tours in Iraq. I was wounded when my truck ran over what was determined to be 2 enemy placed, M-18 American Anti-tank mines (for those of you that are curious about how big a blast that is, it is 36 pounds of composition B). I broke the bottom 5 vertabrae in my lower back. One of my very best friends, who was sitting directly to my right, was killed. Attached to my unit and with us on the convoy that day, was 1bn, 2nd Marines, C co.

The similarities of our stories are scary to say the least. My grandfather passed away 9 years ago on the 26th of October. I know, and it's the only reason I can find, that he was the one that kept me alive. That's the only reason I am alive and I think our stories are so similar as a sign from him that he was there and he would keep me safe.

Ok, that's it. I just figured some people were curious about the irony I spoke of in my first post.

[Gizmo]

Well, jerzkid did what no one else in the Forum has been able to do.

He made me speechless!

There are no words to express my admiration for the way he has conducted his life. It amazes me how he has overcome adversity time and time again. How can a 57 year old man admire a young 23 year old boy? But I join the rest of you in saluting jerzkid.

Yes, he wrote a big post. This might qualify as the biggest single post in the Forum, in size and words. But I have never seen a post, I have never seen a story, I have never seen a book written in such an eloquent manner

I had seen a few indications that jerzkid had served his country. I thought about MSG McKee and what he is doing right now. Then I thought that there are certainly many more members who have given their time, their blood. That's when I decided to start this thread, to bring out those stories. And they started. Then came jerzkid's, and I was so pleased.

Some of you may be thinking: how can I tell my story after that? I encourage you to come on out and share with us. This is not a contest, not a game of one-upmanship. Each of you has done your part. Please continue this thread, for jerzkid, for Bart and for J.R., and for all the others who gave, are giving, and will give.

I'll restart it in the next post with my story. Bring it on!

Thanks, jerzkid! You are a .




.

[Gizmo]

Well, living in Miami and being classified 1A during the Vietnam conflict gave me the , so I went down and joined the United States Naval Reserve. They gave me a Monopoly card that said: stay out of the Navy for a year, so I went to weekly meetings and did my two weeks boot camp (yea, I know, that was such a long boot camp, but I suffered through it.) Then I went on two weeks of active duty and sailed from New Orleans to Veracruz and back.

After my year of freedom, during which I continued my college studies, so to speak, I went to induction or whatever it is called. Then they told me where I would be stationed: Key West, Florida. Oh, darn, how horrible. That must be 140, 150 miles from home. Those rats.

They dragged me on a 3 month cruise to northern Europe. I was forced to visit Spain, Germany, Denmark, England, and Scotland. I got my nose chalked in blue because we went north of the Arctic Circle. I understand the initiation for crossing the Equator is something you might like to forget. I suffered through my 22.5 months of active duty (yes, I got a Manpower Reduction pardon and left just before Christmas).

Well, someone had to defend those hippie girls in Key West, right?

So, come on, military and ex-military, tell us your stories. You can't be a bigger wimp than me!

.

[buckeyewilky]

jerzkid, your story is unbelievable. As I read your story you have to understand that my son is in the Army stationed in Germany(he is a Medic)
I concider myself a pretty strong willed person, but I had a hard time fighting back my tears reading your story. I just want to say thank for all that you have done and one day we will meet and I would like to shake your hand a just say thanks!!!!!!!

[jerzkid]

Originally Posted by gizmo2004 I understand the initiation for crossing the Equator is something you might like to forget.

It's called Shellbacks, and yes, you do want forget it. But it's so hard to forget something that you can smell three days later.

[BLAZR2_MAN]

Well my story starts in 1988 being tired and burned out from full time work and full time school I decided to join the us navy like my three brothers. On the 27 of December I left for boot camp in San Diego Ca and never looked back. The Rate or MOS for the other services also known as my chosen job was operations specialist, at the time I had no real idea what it really was but it did look cool on paper. After boot camp I was sent to Virginia beach for A school (basic rate knowledge) after three months.
1989-1992 OSSR/E1 USS Anchorage (LSD-36) My first deployment July 1989 still the best cruse of my career , six months Korea, Hong Kong, Philippines, Thailand, Okinawa, and my first time to Hawaii. And I was home for Christmas that year. As some of you older folks know there was a first gulf war December 01 1990 the anchorage was deployed for desert storm and desert shield and some tome spent supporting the UN embargo on Iraqi oil shipment aka operation southern watch. That was a seven-month deployment and the first four months were underway no port calls. And if that was not enough we did humanitarian relief in Bangladesh on the way home, the hardest deployment ever

1992- 1996 as an OS2/E-5 USS John Paul Jones DDG-53 I received my first C school (advanced specialty in rate) tomahawk weapon systems 0332 NEC, and Aegis weapon system 0311 NEC one deployment Gulf cruse with the Abraham Lincoln Carrier Battle Group. The cool thing was my older brother was on the Lincoln and we saw a lot of each other.

1996-1999 Afloat Planning Systems- Pacific. At the time I got these orders the detailer only knew he needed a 0322 NEC Tomahawk guy. Well that meant three years in Hawaii, had fun. Fourth deployment spent on the USS Kitty Hawk CV-63. This was staff duty, the only way to do six months hard time. During this time at APS-PAC I got to go underway on almost all of the West Coast Carriers. I must say it was a fun job, maybe the best job I ever had in the navy.

1999-2002Time for shore duty, this means I get a brake from working on ships. For Shore Duty I was assigned to work at a Military Processing Station in San Antonio TX from 1999-2002 and yes I was there during the attacks on Sept 11. the job I had there was as a processor for all of the services Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, and Coast Guard. I verified all of the paperwork and ensured eligibility for there service in the military.

2002-2003 OS1/E-6 USS George Philip FFG-12, this was a ship that was already on deployment when I got there, another grate cruse. Singapore, Philippines, Hong Kong, Okinawa, Darwin and Canes Australia, East Timor, and New Caledonia, after deployment the ship was decommissioned and mothballed.

2003- Present USS Rentz FFG-46, I have made two deployments on this ship both have bee counter Narco ops in the south east pacific first in 2003 net of eight tons of cocaine and then in 2005 none tons of cocaine. Upon return from the last deployment June 28 2005 I was sent TAD to the USNS Stockham to support the Global War on Terror. I am looking forward to getting home for Christmas this year, and my last tour for orders I retire in 2008. I guess in need to start looking for a job here soon. I cant wait to start earning over time again.

[jimbo]

Originally Posted by GO_DRVN I have what I consider to be one of the best jobs in the Army and that is being an Army Career Counselor... In over 19 years of doing this particular job I am proud of the fact that I have never once run across a Soldier that thought that I screwed them over in the process of keeping them in the Army.

Your attitude makes you one of my role models.

[jimbo]

Originally Posted by jerzkid (My Grandfather) was wounded at Chosin when a jeep he was in hit a landmine. He took shrapnel in his lower back. One of his very best friends, who happened to be sitting directly to his right, was killed. He was a field radio operator with 1bn, 2nd Marines, C co. I was wounded when my truck ran over what was determined to be 2 enemy placed, M-18 American Anti-tank mines (for those of you that are curious about how big a blast that is, it is 36 pounds of composition B). I broke the bottom 5 vertabrae in my lower back. One of my very best friends, who was sitting directly to my right, was killed. Attached to my unit and with us on the convoy that day, was 1bn, 2nd Marines, C co.

Who knows, but your experience is just too similar to your Grandfathers to be explained by mere coincidence. This is one of those incidents that makes me wonder if there are bigger things at play in the world than just simple cause and effect. That is spooky.