Our Military backgrounds

[Alfatwosix]

Well, with the success of Frenchy's tread on our family ties in WW2, how about our own military experience, if we have any.

Right then, I'll start with myself.

After finishing law school, I joined the Belgian army as an officer cadet.

I did 10 months of training in the armored school. Training went from basic infantry squad tactics up to the technical and tactical aspects of being a tank or recce platoon commander.

Then, promoted to 2nd lieutenant and sent to (West) Germany ('88 to '93) were I served as Platoon commander (Leopard I tank), 2nd in command of a combat Company, Assistant S2-S3 and seccond in command of HQ Company. One of the greatest experiences of my military career was participating in the winning CAT ' 89 team (Canadian Army Trophy, a NATO tank shooting contest)

Then from '93 to '95 I was a contracting and procurement officer in HQ in Brussels.

Then in the end of '95 went as contracting and procurement officer to Croatia and Bosnia for the mission IFOR. I served in Split (met my wife there) and Visoko (near Sarajevo) and was on this post for 13.5 months.

After that, I had an offer I could not refuse from my present company and am working in logistics in support of NATO, UN, US Army, oil companies etc....

Since halfway '97 I have worked in Sarajevo, Albania, Sierra Leone, Congo, Kazakhstan and, now, Jordan and Iraq.

How about you guys

[MAUS_TD]

Hi i be second,

when i was 18 i got drafted in the dutch army by the engineers.

Served my fourteen months and said to myself never trust the dutch if there is a war because the only thing you learn there is drinking using dope.

Before i enlisted i fought of becoming a full time soldier but after my time both al my savings where gone and my health too so i didnt do that.

So now i am a Network administrator for an it compagny and still drinking and using ****

:mad: :mad:

but a least i dont have to sleep no more in the open but in my warm bed

maus_td

[Heinzi]

Hi, I was in the German army (Bundeswehr) for 9 Month

I was Machinegunner of my squad. I shot most the time with the Mg3, rarely with the standart rifle "G36".

After the "Gefechtsausbildung" I was in the "flugeinsatz" of the "Heeresfliegerbrigade3". There I wrote Briefings for helicopter flights.

Some pics (better than word, especially with my poor english)

click

[Frenchy]

Served with VMFA-251 from 1976 to 1979. Joined the Marines in 1975. Boot camp at Parris Island, tech school in Memphis, Tn and MCAS Cherry Point to 1976 then sent to VMFA-251.

My job was as an aircraft electrician on F-4J and S Phantom II.

Honorably discharged in 1979 with the rank of Sgt. Went to college as soon as I got out and graduated with a BA in Philosophy in 1982. Been working in the TV business since 1979. How's that for putting my degree to work!

[jwxspoon]

US Army 1983 to 1991

1983-1986 Forward Observer assigned to A company, 2/75th Rangers, Ft. Lewis, Washington

1986-1987 Fire Support Sergeant for A company, 1-325 Parachute Infantry Regiment, 82nd Airborne, Ft. Bragg, North Carolina.

1987-1991 Special Forces School and then an SF 18E (A team commo sgt) assigned to ODA-752, 2nd Battalion, 7th SF Group, Ft. Bragg, North Carolina.

jw

[Sleeping Giant]

US Army 1991-1997

Basic/AIT E Co. 2/58 INF Ft Benning GA

C Co 3/22 INF 25th Infantry Division (L), Schofield Bks, HI

HHC 3/327 101st Abn (AASLT), Ft. Campbell KY.

Loved almost every minute of it, (Natl Trng Center in Ft. Irwin CA was damn cold), I'm an accountant now and would give anything to go back and do it again.

[Scheer]

Been in the Bundeswehr 80/81 , stationed in Ploen as a pioneer in 3 Pi./6 ( now disbanded ). Was MG gunner on a MG3 and driver of an Iltis. Laid lots of mines and blowed dozens of things up.Left as an OG .

Arrrgh, thats twentyfive years ago. :eek:

I´m feeling old ....

[AC]

I went to the Finnish army in summer -97 to serve in the 1st panzergrenadier (dunno if there is a proper english word) company in the armoured brigade. Military service is mandatory in Finland, ranging from 6-12 months (was something like 9-11 when I was in).

After the basic training I went to the Panssarikoulu (Tank School) where war-time platoon leaders for the armoured brigades are trained. There I learned the basics from individual soldier's skills to leading a company sized unit plus general stategy/tactics stuff.

After that I went back to the 1st panzergrenadier company to lead a platoon of grunts for 5 months or so. I got out after 11 months with the rank of 2nd Lt.

[Pfc Driscole James E]

United States Naval Service

Sept 19, 1969 to Sept 12, 1975

5 years 11 months 24 days

45 minutes USMC Sept 20, 1969 (got on wrong bus)

Service on USS Agile MSO-421

Service on USS Serria AD-18 (pronouced SEA_ERROR)

Service on USS Holder DD-819 (now part of the navy of Equador)

Despite volunteering twice for duty in the Republic of Viet Nam the Bureau of Personnel determined that my services were absolutely indispensable to keeping the Red Banner Fleet away from New Jersey.

By the grace of divine providence and oversight of the Bureau of Personnel I achieved the lofty rate and rating of Electronics Technician Radar Second Class.

[Airborne]

US Army 81-85 MOS: 11H2P

E co 505th Parachute Regiment, 82nd Airborne

This was an independant AT company (TOW missile)

FT Bragg, NC

While there:

REFORGER 82

Recondo School (FT Bragg)

Amphibious Training , Little Creek Virginia

Northern Warfare training, FT Greely, Alaska

Jungle School (Panama)

Anti-Armor Leaders course (FT Bragg)

NCO Academy

Desert Training, FT Huachuca (sp) Arizona

[Hans]

Well a distinguished crew of veterans

79-82, Baumholder Germany, 1-2 FA, FO/FIST, S-2 & S-4

83-86, Ft Riley Kansas, USA, Battalion Fire Support, Brigade FS, Service Battery Commander

86-89, Senior Advisor RG Stewart (West Point) for NY

90-92, 1142 school instructor, 77th ARCOM Mobilization officer

93-99, Various Admin and Civil Affairs positions

Retired Jan 1999

[Nidan1]

Originally posted by SchnellerHeinz:

Hi, I was in the German army (Bundeswehr) for 9 Month

I was Machinegunner of my squad. I shot most the time with the Mg3, rarely with the standart rifle "G36".

After the "Gefechtsausbildung" I was in the "flugeinsatz" of the "Heeresfliegerbrigade3". There I wrote Briefings for helicopter flights.

Some pics (better than word, especially with my poor english)

click

Great Pics SchnellerHeinz, its good to know that soldiers of all countries still cheat on their push-ups

BTW:

USMC 1965-1970

Combat Engineer 1965-1968

Armed Forces Police Detachment, Brooklyn, NY 1968-1970

[oren_m]

Israeli defence forces (IDF) 2000-2003.

I joined the 7'th armored division at july 2000,

since than i was involed in many armored actions all over the west bank and the Gaza strip, i guess that i am the only one here with actual combat experiance.

I also participade in advanced tank shooting course which in there i shoot all ranges bitween

200 m' and 6000 m'.

I was a gunner in Merkava Mk2.

[Alfatwosix]

since than i was involed in many armored actions all over the west bank and the Gaza strip, i guess that i am the only one here with actual combat experiance.

Nope, Oren, as I said I was in IFOR in Bosnia.

Also, in '93 I was in "restore hope", Somalia as a LO for General Keymeulen in sector south out of Kismaayo.

But, no, we did not have to actually kill people.

Hmmm... guess you're not far away from me then. Next time I'm at the Dead Sea I'll wave to you from the other side

[Sergei]

Tanks are my targets. I had training with APILAS, obsolete heavy recoilless rifles, LAW and toothpicks. Hopefully I will never need that training, as I still have nightmares of carrying endless amounts of AT mines on skis while dragging a recoilless rifle in a sled across an endless forest full of steep ridges all the while it is -35 C and a wolf pack is gnawing my heels.

[exSpecForSgt]

Originally posted by Alfatwosix:

</font><blockquote>quote:</font><hr />i guess that i am the only one here with actual combat experiance.

Nope, Oren, as I said I was in IFOR in Bosnia. Also, in '93 I was in "restore hope", Somalia as a LO for General Keymeulen in sector south out of Kismaayo. But, no, we did not have to actually kill people.</font>

[Panzer76]

My massive military experience:

3 months basic training and 8 months as medic.

Using, AG3, Glock 18, HMG 12.7mm etc in the cold, cold reaches of northeren Norway.

And I have to say, it was one mind blowing boring year!

PS! Never get shot! After learning about the effects various bullets etc can have, it's nasty, nasty stuff!

[gibsonm]

Royal Australian Armoured Corps 1981 to Present.

Have been a driver, gunner, commander, Troop Leader (LT), Squadron 2IC (CAPT), Squadron Commander (MAJ) and Regimental Second in Command (MAJ).

They are the "real" jobs (with soldiers). Plenty of other staff and instructional postings too.

Currently doing penance in a training job while getting my quals up to be a LTCOL and hopefully CO.

[KiloIndiaAlpha]

I did a long stint, 22 years, with Legio XX 'Valeria Victrix' and hit the dizzy heights of Optio. We had some good, if rather hard times and kicked a lot of butt!

I miss my old comrades.

[parafrog]

6 years Marine Force Recon, hence the moniker parafrog, as in parafrog devildog.

[Sardaukar]

1991-92, Finnish Defence Forces, 2nd Lt. (res)

1999-2002,commisioned into active service, 1st Lt.(tech).

Cheers,

M.S.

[Quinxi]

1974-1977 Pirmasens Germany. Officers Club manager and some similiar jobs.

1977-1978 Ft. Bragg ,NC. Class I (Food) officer 1st Support Command

1979-1981 Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Commissary (Food) Officer with operations in Saudi Arabia, Egypt and such.

1982-1984 Ft Lee ,Virginia. Commissary and subsistence course instructor and special staff officer to the commanding general.

1985-1986 Bayonne, New Jersey. Director of a subsistence buying, storing and shipping operation supporting Europe and many other areas.

1987-1988 Tegue, Korea. 19th Support Command, Food Advisor (dealing with dining facilities primarily).

1989-1994 Fort Leavenworth, Kansas. Instructor with the Command and General Staff College and Supply officer.

So 20 years in the US Army, Quartermaster Corps. Retired in 1994 as a Major, regular army.

[Berlichtingen]

USMC 83-87

Bootcamp San Diago

Radio School 29 Palms

Comm Plt, H&S 3/3 out of KMCAS Hawaii

Westpac (USS Vancouver... broke main shaft, back to Pearl, USS Denver until we reached Thailand, USS Schenektady).

Deployed to Okinawa in '85 for 6 months (2 spent in Korea up on the DMZ). Most of my time was spent as the radio operator on an 81mm FO team with K 3/3. Six months on a FAC team with K 3/3. Final 3 months spent with HQ Btry 1/12

[Kitty]

Former squire to Berli and now Senior Kinniget of the MBT, House of Berlichtingen. Veteran of the Los Angeles Riots.

Kitty

[SgtMuhammed]

1989-1991 US Army Reserves. A reserve drill sergeant unit, the biggest waste of money in the Army.

1991-1992 199th INF Brigade (MOT) Ft. Lewis, WA. Humvees with TOWs and MK19s. We were like a modern version of the Rat Patrol. During our NTC rotation our platoon was responsible for over 100 vehicle kills. Me and the Lt. claimed 7 BMPS, 2 choppers, and disco, all with a .50 cal.

1992-1994 6-502 INF Berlin Brigade. One of the last Ku'damm warriors. Best city fighters in the Army.

1994-1997 1-9 INF which became 1-5 INF Ft. Lewis, WA, again. 25 mile speed marches and living in the field. Had the joy of going to NTC twice as light infantry. I thought it sucked when I was motorized. Biggest movement was walking from the Arrowhead to the Whale, basically from one side of the trainign area to the other. Deployed to Gitmo, Cuba for the refugee crisis in 95. Came closest to combat during the cigarette riots. Me and a private holding a chicken wire fence against 3500 pissed off Cubans till the QRF arrived. Did get thumped on the head during a snatch and grab to get a murder suspect out of the camp (they were trying to get the guy we were carrying). This is the same camp that is now being used for POWs. When we got back we were designated the light component of the Army's Force XXI to introduce the new digitized equipment that 4th ID is using. I was one of the instructor/subject matter experts. I know a ton of people who are in the big sandbox right now. So far none of them have made the papers thank god.

1997-2000 1-4 INF OPFOR Hohenfels, Germany. The funnest assignment I ever had. Squad leader and BMP commander/gunner. Fought with and against nearly every member of NATO, the Brits were the funnest although patrols with the Germans always seemed to end up in a beer tent. The toughest fight was against the Dutch. Finished with 120 Bradley kills, 7 M1 Kills, and another 150 or so M113s and other vehicles, all confirmed by computer.

Left the Army on 9 Aug 2000 to finish my degree which I did in May 2003.

We are over here now on my wife's orders, she is a GS9 and director of the Child Developement Center here, and are getting ready to PCS back to the States to her new job in LA where I hope to start working towards my PhD.

Was never in actual combat but then most soldiers never are. I would still go in an instant if they asked.

I never had to take a life and never had to send one of my boys home in a bag so I feel I came out ahead.