Who has served

[RamzFanz]

US Navy. Joined the Navy Nuclear Power Program in January '91 (actually went to MEPS March '91. I got lucky with the married deal. I was also married, but only 22 at the time.). Was 23 weeks into the 27 week Nuclear Field Electronics Technician (ET) "A" School, the hardest of the three ratings to get into, the hardest academic "A" school in the military and about to graduate with honors when I got diagnosed with Crohn's. I wanted to fight it, but the Navy doc over-medicated me...by a boatload and 20 days later I had a Grand Mal seizure that nearly killed me. Stopped breathing for something like 4 minutes and had to be resuscitated by the EMTs. Left a lesion in my brain that I have to this day. Left me with daily migraines that can't be treated like regular migraines because they aren't vascular in nature.

I woulda been a Reactor Operator (RO) had I finished my school and as much as I loved the Navy, I woulda tried to be a lifer or at least done my 20. I dunno if I coulda done it because my wife of 25 years now doesn't handle being without me well. At all. Not that I do much better, but I manage.

In a really weird turn of events, I was in a VA in Los Angeles and met a pair of Vets and we were swapping stories as Vets do and after I told mine about the "Gipper" speech about the Doc giving me the max meds for my body weight and having to "hit it hard" and all that, they looked at each other and one vet said, "bet I know the name of that Doc." I was incredulous. No way. There are thousands of military doctors. Then he blew me away and named him. Even described him. Same damned doctor had jacked up both of them. The one at Walter Reed and the other at Bethesda. By the time the Doc got me, he'd been Frank Burns'd all the way to Navy Captain (O-6), but treating recruits in Orlando, something you'd expect to see a Lieutenant to do. Captains should be running departments, not treating recruit drip... Now I got why. The Navy had passed this guy around like one of those Catholic priests.

Never got to my boat, which is a shame because I loved the work.

I was going for boomers. Run silent. Run deep.

And hey, I've eaten worse things than clear lettuce...

Dude, that's so screwed and so common in the military. This is a first person accont of why you NEVER trust the federal government. They don't see service as a sacrifice by a patriot, but as a number to be exploited.

I served. I watched as friends got screwed. The government WILL screw you if at all possible.

I never was, I loved my time as a recon marine, but if you think you will be cared for in life, that's Obamacare thinking. It's not real. I love Obamacare in what it offers, but hate that it did less than nothing to decrease costs. Eventually, it will fail. There is no free ride and no healthcare reform that doesn't address the manufactured costs of trial lawyers getting rich.

 

[Mackeyser]

When I first went to the VA, it blew me away that guys with missing limbs (plural) were fighting to get above the 50% disability rating so that they would be fully covered by the VA.

Even though some folks went to jail for what happened, it still ain't enough...

 

[PA Ram]

US Navy. Joined the Navy Nuclear Power Program in January '91 (actually went to MEPS March '91. I got lucky with the married deal. I was also married, but only 22 at the time.). Was 23 weeks into the 27 week Nuclear Field Electronics Technician (ET) "A" School, the hardest of the three ratings to get into, the hardest academic "A" school in the military and about to graduate with honors when I got diagnosed with Crohn's. I wanted to fight it, but the Navy doc over-medicated me...by a boatload and 20 days later I had a Grand Mal seizure that nearly killed me. Stopped breathing for something like 4 minutes and had to be resuscitated by the EMTs. Left a lesion in my brain that I have to this day. Left me with daily migraines that can't be treated like regular migraines because they aren't vascular in nature.

I woulda been a Reactor Operator (RO) had I finished my school and as much as I loved the Navy, I woulda tried to be a lifer or at least done my 20. I dunno if I coulda done it because my wife of 25 years now doesn't handle being without me well. At all. Not that I do much better, but I manage.

In a really weird turn of events, I was in a VA in Los Angeles and met a pair of Vets and we were swapping stories as Vets do and after I told mine about the "Gipper" speech about the Doc giving me the max meds for my body weight and having to "hit it hard" and all that, they looked at each other and one vet said, "bet I know the name of that Doc." I was incredulous. No way. There are thousands of military doctors. Then he blew me away and named him. Even described him. Same damned doctor had jacked up both of them. The one at Walter Reed and the other at Bethesda. By the time the Doc got me, he'd been Frank Burns'd all the way to Navy Captain (O-6), but treating recruits in Orlando, something you'd expect to see a Lieutenant to do. Captains should be running departments, not treating recruit drip... Now I got why. The Navy had passed this guy around like one of those Catholic priests.

Never got to my boat, which is a shame because I loved the work.

I was going for boomers. Run silent. Run deep.

And hey, I've eaten worse things than clear lettuce...

I hope they got that doctor out of there.

That's horrible.

I think it's important for vets to get involved with veterans support groups. We have to look out for each other. I try to give to Wounded Warrior when I can. The other thing is vets need to make sure they know about all of the benefits available to them. There are some options for homeless vets, for example.

A lot of returning vets today have become invisible to most of society. The war is ongoing and seemingly infinite and a lot of people have tuned it out. Unless people personally know a veteran they aren't likely touched by this at all. So yes--vets have to reach out to other vets. It's important.

 

[Zombie Slayer]

USAF here too. I served from 2005-2013. Worked five years in armament systems for the F-15E Strike Eagle. Went on two deployments in my time in that career field. After that I did a year of honor guard. Very rewarding and humbling experience doing funeral services for veterans. Even did a funeral for a guy who committed suicide who I deployed with once. My last two years in I switched up my job and cross trained and became a paralegal. Interesting to see the justice side of the military for sure. Got out after eight years to be closer to family. Currently using my gi bill to go to school. My father is retired Air Force. Served 21 years himself.

 

[Ramhusker]

USAF here too. I served from 2005-2013. Worked five years in armament systems for the F-15E Strike Eagle. Went on two deployments in my time in that career field. After that I did a year of honor guard. Very rewarding and humbling experience doing funeral services for veterans. Even did a funeral for a guy who committed suicide who I deployed with once. My last two years in I switched up my job and cross trained and became a paralegal. Interesting to see the justice side of the military for sure. Got out after eight years to be closer to family. Currently using my gi bill to go to school. My father is retired Air Force. Served 21 years himself.

I did about the same time, 1978-1987. I worked on flight controls, landing gear, canopies, arresting gear(tail hook) and Crash Recovery on the F4E Phantom. We were a Rapid Deployment Force so I don't even remember all the TDYs I went on but they included Egypt, Korea, Panama Canal, Guam, Hawaii, Las Vegas (Red Flag) about 9 times, and Wendover (bend over) Utah. I sure do miss that hog of an airplane but I don't miss a lot of "shine your shoes, straighten your gig line" part of the military.

 

[Mackeyser]

heh... gig line...

I still say that. It's funny how part of being in never leaves you and it really does create a bond of sorts with others who've served no matter the branch.

I've never been one to talk more than the friendliest bit of smak about other services (except during the Army-Navy game... cuz, that's SERIOUS business, man!!!)

We all served under the same flag, dealt with a lot of the same crapola, the same SNAFUs, same FUBARs, same "hurry up and waits", same "you have to be perfect while the company/division/battalion/whatever can and usually is/was completely messed up".

So, yeah. We all had that going for us...

 

[OldSchool]

Medically disqualified. I had taken all the test and was going to go in the Navy and be a Nuclear Engineer. Went down to meps took the physical and they noticed scarring in my ear. Sent me to a specialist and they found a hole in my ear drum. After getting it fixed I could have had any engineer job aside from Nuke(90% of reactors were on subs back then and you can't go on a sub with that kind of background) but decided on another career route.

 

[Rmfnlt]

Did not serve but want to thank all of you that did (or are serving)!!

My personal gratitude to all of you!

 

[Prime Time]

Started college in the fall of 69 and got a student deferment. After finishing my junior year I saw a news report that anyone over #75(those were the days when they had draft lotteries), would be exempt from being drafted. So I decided to quit school for a year and finish up my degree at some later point. Of course being the perpetually stoned dumbass that I was in those days I thought my draft # was higher than it actually was. You can't make up this kind of stupid.

In the fall of 72 I got my draft notice(the guy that gave me my mail that day said "Sorry dude.") and reported for a physical at Alameda, CA in January of 73. I passed and was due to report to the army around the beginning of March. In February of that year my dad passed away unexpectedly at age 43, and a few days later Nixon called off the draft so I didn't have to report.

Instead I got married to my ex a few months later, which was my own version of basic training.

As others have said in this thread, my gratitude goes to all those who have served and are still serving in our armed forces. Much respect and honor to all of you. :bow:

 

[IowaRam]

I would like to wish all our past , present and future veterans , a happy and safe Veterans Day

"I wish to have no connection with any ship that does not sail fast; for I intend to go in harm's way."

Captain John Paul Jones

 

[RhodyRams]

First let me say thanks to all that have served!!

My old man was Army and both my brother and I were born in Killeen Tx....he was in Nam when I was born.

Funny you mentioned gig lines..he would smack my brother and I upside the head of ours wasn't straight, on our parochial school uniforms!!! He had a heavy hand, which is the reason my mom left him, and also the reason I didn't follow in his footsteps

 

[thirteen28]

U.S. Navy, 1982-1988. Sonar Technician, Submarine, served on the fast attack submarine USS Olympia (SSN 717).

Best damn career move I ever made. Everything else was built off of that.

 

[Roman Snow]

USCG '84-'88. Man I had great duty. Presidential Honor Guard in DC my first year. Reagans Innauguration. Parades, Color Guard. Etc. then spent 2 years on an Ice breaker- trip to North and South Pole. Last year in helicopter search and rescue. My duty was easy.

My hat is off to you guys who laid it on the line. Thanks.

 

[blue4]

Us Navy 94-97 active duty at Little Creek VA. Mobile Diving and Salvage Unit Two. Should've been Mobile War Games and Mine Disarmament Training Unit. Made BM3, mostly piloted assault craft. If you've seen Saving Private Ryan..you know the boat guys who dropped off the soldiers on the beach and then were shredded by enemy fire? That was my job. Best time of my life, although I didn't realize it at the time. The ignorance of youth.

97-98 I did Navy reserves as a BM3. I did not like the reserves. I know that they all weren't like this, but my reserve unit was 50/50 men and women and the people I was with just used the unit to cheat on their spouses. Sometimes it's just a bad group of people. Again, the ignorance of youth to not know that there were options, or that a couple of years to wait it out is not a big deal in the grand scheme of life.

 

[Dieter the Brock]

You guys are all badass !
Big thanks to all of you

I tried to join in but was a little puny man with weakling arms - It was best for the country though, I admit that

The nearest I ever got to being an Army Ranger was by watching Eagles Dare 500x on KTLA