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I consider myself one, but unfortunately I do not meet the goverments requirements.
I'll explain, back in the early 80's I enlisted in the Marine Corps. The first part of July I head off to Paris Island, S.C. (Think Very Hot and Humid) Apporx. a week and a half before graduation we set off on our final PT run for score. During this run I stepped off a curb and onto an unseen rock, not a large one, but large enough to throw me off balance and twist my left knee. I had already had three surgeries on this knee prior to entering basic training.
They imediatly sent me to Buefort Medical center where after examination and test, I was told I needed another operation on it. No problem, I thought. While waiting in the hospital I was informed that my knee was "UNfit for Duty".
I was devastated, I appealed the decision as far as I could but got turned down at each level. So almost 6 months after I arrived at boot camp I was leaving. (boot camp is only 3 months, BTW) Unfortunaly it was back where I came from, not out in the fleet Marines.
It would not have been so hard to leave except I wanted to be a Marine Very BAD!!! I went through all the hard parts of boot camp, I heard all the yelling, I was in the best shape of my life, except for my knee that is. All I had to do was that run and the final inspection, that's it we were basicly training to march across the parade deck and graduate.
If I would have graduated and served one day, just one day, and the same thing happened I would be considered a Marine by the goverment. In my heart I am a Marine though.
Our family will pray and support ALL our troops and thier loved ones at home!!!!
Now, back to the topic, I know Joe P. is a veteran, do we have anymore Letterhead Veteran's????????
Stationed aboard the USS Ranger CVA-61) Homeport Alameda NAS. Overseas homeport was Yokuska, Japan.
Vietnam, Yankee Station, South China Sea. 3 WestPac Cruises.
Job: Disbursing Clerk (Payroll) Tough job...but someone had to do it.
[ March 27, 2003, 12:08 PM: Message edited by: Jackson Smart ]
-------------------- Jackson Smart Jackson's Signs Port Angeles, WA ...."The Straits of Juan De Fuca in my front yard and Olympic National Park in my backyard...
"Living on Earth is expensive...but it does include a free trip around the Sun" Posts: 1000 | From: Port Angeles, Washington | Registered: Jan 1999
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U.S. Navy 66-68, joined the Navy to beat the draft. ABH-3, stationed on a helicopter carrier, basically an aircraft fire fighter, maintained the fire fighting equipment, painted some signs, murals and cartoons. Spent the "Summer of Love" dry docked in Boston. Served as the ships duty driver, made friends with the hippy protesters outside the gate , did two Caribbean cruises, I'm not complaining, it could have been worse, but I saw a LOT of money wasted and I mean a LOT.
[ March 27, 2003, 09:47 AM: Message edited by: George Perkins ]
-------------------- George Perkins Millington,TN. goatwell@bigriver.net
"I started out with nothing and still have most of it left"
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My dad was in the US Army from Sept 62 - Sept 65.
TWICE he came within one day of being shipped out to 'Nam but dodged that bullet, so to speak.
-------------------- Kimberly Zanetti Purcell www.amethystProductivity.com Folsom, CA email: Kimberly@AmethystProductivity.com
“Organizing is what you do before you do something, so that when you do it, it is not all mixed up.” AA Milne Posts: 3722 | From: Folsom, CA | Registered: Dec 2001
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The Army turned me down 3 times so I joined the Navy. Lifers hate when you tell them that. '66 - '69, Bosun's Mate 3rd/Ship's Sign Painter
Posts: 1859 | From: / | Registered: Nov 1998
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U.S. Navy 1989-1991 Stationed on supply ship in San Diego during Desert Storm, next in line for deployment, never actaully deployed to Gulf. War ended fast enough to prevent it.
-------------------- Amy Brown Life Skills 101 Private Address Posts: 3502 | From: Lake Helen, FL, USA | Registered: Feb 2001
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Navy here....spent "65,66, and 67 in Nam, Yankee Station and in Danang area. My younger brother was there same time, only in army, 9th Inf also in Nam same time, with 9th Inf. Div. south of Saigon at Bearcat.I was a shipfitter, with a damage control team(firefighter, emt, and decon team all rolled into one),and my brother was a forward observer for the artillery.
There is a similar post Oct 18,'02 on this BB
-------------------- Jeff Ogden 8727 NE 68 Terr. Gainesville FL, 32609 Posts: 2138 | From: 8827 NE 68 Terr Gainesville Fl 32609 | Registered: Aug 2002
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US Army,Army Security Agency, 1972-1975. Not always in agreement with government but always proud of the people fighting for freedom and especially glad and proud to be American. Thanks to all who support us, especially our Canadians and Austrialian friends.
-------------------- Tom & Kathy Durham House Springs, MO Posts: 654 | From: House Springs, MO | Registered: Apr 1999
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USAF 84-95 Jet Engine Mechanic FB 111's, KC 135's, OA 37B's Operation Just Cause Panama Operation Restore Hope Afterburners and water injection.
Bob K.
-------------------- "The 3-4 minute mark of "Freewill" by Rush.
Bob Kaschak Artisan Sign And Design Peru New York Posts: 1875 | From: Upstate NY | Registered: Jul 2002
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U.S. Navy 1967-1987 with alternate task assignments to U.S. Customs and Georgia Governor's Task Force for Drug Suppression.
All the while piddling in signs when I could.
-------------------- John Smith Kings Bay Signs (Retired) Kissimmee, Florida Posts: 817 | From: Central Florida - The Sunshine State | Registered: Jan 2000
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USAir Force 1970 - 1979 Viet Nam/Laos aircrew member AC-130. My wife also a veteran USAF 71 - 75 now my daughter Laura is a USAF Staff Sergeant on temporary assignment to Germany and is married to a Staff Sergeant in Cheyenne Wyoming. We honor and salute all our past servicemen and women and support with much respect our active duty military.
-------------------- Tony Lucero Eagle Graphics Waterford, MI www.eaglegph.com Posts: 305 | From: Waterford, MI, USA | Registered: Apr 2000
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DrCAS Custom Lettering and Design Saint Cloud, Minnesota
"Things work out best for the people who make the best of the way things work out." - Art Linkletter Posts: 6451 | From: Saint Cloud, Minnesota | Registered: Jun 1999
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my service was air force 65-69. it was either 2 yrs in the army and a for sure trip to nam or inlist. i got my draft notice at 19 yrs. 6 months old. so i enlisted in the air force. basic training was only 6 weeks because they were putting people in hotels in downtown san antonio tex while they could push out people to go to permenent duty stations. when i enlisted you filled out a form for what you would like to do for work and where you wanted to be stationed. i wanted PARAMEDIC, and to be stationed at EGLIN, FL.(made it here after 30 somethin yrs). i got to gas airplanes and shipped to LORING, AFB MAINE. got orders for nam, may of 68, i woulda been there for the tet offensive xmas 68. i refused to go,(already was trouble maker)they recended my orders, got it done under the sole surviving family name bearer. they left me there. i had a year left to serve, and they sent me orders to go to GUAM......had people living in tents, working 12 on 12 off, 7 days a week,gassin airplanes. AND....they wanted me to extend my service time so i could fullfill the 18 months of duty!!!!!!!!! yea right. got an early out in jan of 69, normal time woulda been aug. 69. had a couple years out and was living in maine(married a gal while stationed there) in 72, work was bad up there so i reenlisted. i had e-5 rating when i got discharged 69. they took me back in as e-2, filled an e-5 slot with me(recruiting quota)sent me to denver to train for workin on the computer. well life got worse, got a divorce, arrests, etc....i tried to get a reassignment outa the state of maine, the air force refused request, so i got my mother to get me out on a "hardship" discharge, she was in ill health and i was only family member. went back to pa in 73. while in the service i made some close friends, they went to nam, drivin fuel trucks....they never even found their dogtags......all they knew was they were dispatched with that truck..that was blown up.
-------------------- joe pribish-A SIGN MINT 2811 longleaf Dr. pensacola, fl 32526 850-637-1519 BEWARE THE TRUTH.....YOU MAY NOT LIKE WHAT YOU FIND Posts: 11582 | From: pensacola, fl. usa | Registered: Nov 1998
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Capt, US Air Force 1975-1983 Rhein Main AB, Germany
Lucky enough to work with the hostage releases at Weisbaden Hospital
Lost my brother in Quang Tri, Vietnam 1967 Remember my dad having to identify the body at the funeral home in Mississippi. He told my mother and I many years later that all there was left of him was his head and one shoulder. It nearly killed my mom. He was on his third tour in 'nam and only 3 days from leaving country. He volunteered to lead his marine recon team on a night expedition in lieu of sending newly arrived "green" soldiers into the bush where they would most likely be killed. They were ambushed and only his best high school buddie survived, leaving 18 dead. I will never forget my mothers screams when she saw that black government car pulled into our driveway that hot summer night. It was awful.
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Navy, 1946 and 1947 on a destroyer Uss Ozbourn DD864 got on in Boston, went thru the Panama Canal to San Diego. Left for Hawaii, a whole day and off to Japan in a 5 day typhoon. Spent most of the time on the China Sea patrol, rescue duty. Based in Tsingtao near the Russian boarder.
-------------------- Bill Riedel Riedel Sign Co., Inc. 15 Warren Street Little Ferry, N.J. 07643 billsr@riedelsignco.com Posts: 2953 | From: Little Ferry, New Jersey, USA | Registered: Feb 1999
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I grew up in the Army but joined the Coast Guard from '72-'76 as an electrician. One of the boats hit a reef and sank but it was OK. We just waded in to shore.
-------------------- Jim Upchurch Artworks Olympia WA Posts: 797 | From: Olympia, WA | Registered: Nov 1998
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Spent 120 days in the Kobar Towers outside Dahran Air Base 3 blocks from where they drove that truck bomb through the gate a year after I got back.
-------------------- Rob McCauley
Production Manager Archway Graphic Designs a Division of Sign Express, Inc. www.signexpress.tv Little Rock, Ar 501.224.0227 --- The most beautiful thing about a tree is what you do with it after you cut it down. ;-) Posts: 53 | From: Little Rock, Ar | Registered: Feb 2002
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USAF, 1970 – 1974, Shaw AFB, Sumter, SC, only 160 miles from my home. Got to come home a lot of weekends. Must admit I was very lucky. Had the job of a draftsman. One year into my enlistment they did away with that job classification and made draftsman a civilian job. My boss told me I would have to cross train or I would certainly be sent to Vietnam. I replied, “If the USAF just did away with my job classification how would I be sent anywhere?” I chose to remain in my field and stayed there for 3 years, 7 months and 29 days. I worked in the graphics department of a training school providing visual aids for the school. The last year we were consolidated into the Base Graphics Department. Worked with 12 other very talented individuals of all graphics abilities. A real learning experience that led me into the sign profession now for almost 30 years.
After reading several of the previous posts it makes my work seem so insignificant. My thoughts and prayers are with all of our current military personnel.
-------------------- Gary Winebarger Art & Sign Conover, NC Posts: 88 | From: Conover, NC USA | Registered: Nov 1998
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My father was in the US Navy Pilot and navigator on many types of planes PBY , Constellations Etc. He served from 1933 to 1963 and then ran a planetarium in for a high school in Northern Michigan. So when the draft was on my case where do you think I ended up. Spent 3 Wes-Pacs on the CVA 64 USS Constellation the carrier I see now is in the Iraqi theater. Worked on the airconditioning and refrigeration units on the ship. 1968 - 1971 How many shell backs we got out there. And you guys from down under don't count.
-------------------- Richard Girard Girard Signs & Graphics Oakland Park, Florida richard@girard.com 954-772-0059 Posts: 148 | From: Oakland Park, Florida U.S.A. | Registered: Nov 1998
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Richard, I crossed over in 67 on the USS Taylor DD468. Went to Pago Pago. We had no air conditioning or freshwater showers unless we were in port!Naked guys all over the deck with bars of soap as we chased rain showers to wash up in Vietnam.That ship had to be the worst smelling place I ever had to sleep.
-------------------- Bob & Marcia Peach Peach Signs Inc Sandwich, MA rpeach9828@aol.com Posts: 1020 | From: Sandwich, MA | Registered: Jan 2002
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