Those who said "I will support and defend ..."

[JoeEd]

1961-1965 US Air Force

Stationed in England for two years, aircraft mechanic on C47s. Played football during the season and traveled to quite a few countries in Europe on the AF team. Completed my active duty at Pope Air Force Base in Fayetteville NC. While there, worked on C130s and was deployed to the Republic of the Congo for 30 days during the rebel insurgency that caused unrest and instability.

Spent 20+ years with the Maryland Air National Guard with C130s and retired at the rank of
Master Sergeant.

Now, at 80, probably one of the oldest Maverick owners and enjoying it every day.

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[Big Dog 85]

Here is to not the oldest Mav onwners Iam 85
was in the army signal corp from 1955-1984 in germany a Nam-1961-1964 went to work for att till 1989 took no.2 buy out an then contracted for 7 years retired

 

[Dudley]

Thank you all who put you life on the line for all of us. Joined Sept 1988 separated September 1994 as an EO3 in the USN Seabees. Still to this day I tear up when I hear Taps.

Seabees! Amazing group! Thank you for being one. I am the chaplain of an Honor Guard and I, too, tear up at Taps every time, and as I watch, so do many of those attending the committal.

 

[Dudley]

1-1/2 years in Africa (63-64). 1 year in Nam, & 1 other S.E. Asia country (64-65)

Like I say to everyone I meet that I find out received orders and went to 'nam, Welcome home. Was that other SE Asia country due west of "Nam??

 

[Dudley]

Here is to not the oldest Mav onwners Iam 85
was in the army signal corp from 1955-1984 in germany a Nam-1961-1964 went to work for att till 1989 took no.2 buy out an then contracted for 7 years retired

Welcome Home! 29 years serving! Thank you! And, NEVER too old for a Mav, right???

 

[Dudley]

1961-1965 US Air Force

Stationed in England for two years, aircraft mechanic on C47s. Played football during the season and traveled to quite a few countries in Europe on the AF team. Completed my active duty at Pope Air Force Base in Fayetteville NC. While there, worked on C130s and was deployed to the Republic of the Congo for 30 days during the rebel insurgency that caused unrest and instability.

Spent 20+ years with the Maryland Air National Guard with C130s and retired at the rank of
Master Sergeant.

Now, at 80, probably one of the oldest Maverick owners and enjoying it every day.

YOU had an interesting tour in your 4-5 Air Force years! I kind of wish I would have joined the Guards but at the time of my discharge, due to my dealings with one certain "lifer", not "career soldier" NCO in Vietnam that caused in me an "attitude", shall we say, that made me realize serving stateside would not be good so I extended my tour by 6 months to get out of the army early, I realized that also would not have been good.

 

[Dudley]

USN Oct 64-Nov 85. Was on many classes of ships from Diesel subs, fast frigates, destroyers, cruisers (conventional and nuclear) and carriers. Two tours with Tonkin Gulf Yacht Club, two Med cruises and a North Atlantic. Forward deployed in Italy for 2 years. Also on ground support team for Skylab and testing for Aegis missiles and a tour of instructor duty.

You saw a LOT of this world in 21 years! Thank you for serving!

 

[TCPTX65]

USAF 1984 - 2007

Six years as a vehicle operator/dispatcher, 17 years as a biomedical equipment maintenance technician.

Served in Texas, Germany, Virginia, Ohio, Korea, and finished up in Texas.

Working now in training and education at Sheppard AFB, TX now.

 

[dlorton0844]

USMC 2000-2004

0844 Fire Direction Controlman, Field Artillery Surveyor
0933 Combat Marksmanship Coach

I'll never forget watching the twin towers fall as I was preparing to deploy. I was slated for a survey team to deploy to Iraq, but the decision was made to send an entire battery rather than a team and I never had to go. I'm thankful I was never really put in harm's way, but it's simultaneously one of my biggest regrets. I hate when people ask if I deployed and say "oh." when I tell them no. I signed the blank check, just wasn't chosen. I like to think one of my biggest contributions was my time as a marksmanship coach on the rifle ranges. I helped train many that did serve overseas as well as stateside.

To everyone else who has served, whether they commented here or not, thank you for your service!

 

[Dudley]

USMC 2000-2004

0844 Fire Direction Controlman, Field Artillery Surveyor
0933 Combat Marksmanship Coach
I signed the blank check, just wasn't chosen.

dlorton, that is exactly it. I did not join to go to Vietnam, but it happened. You joined ready to go, and you certainly could have. And it is true that every task all who served did was all part of "protect and defend." So, thank you!

 

[Dudley]

USAF 1984 - 2007

Six years as a vehicle operator/dispatcher, 17 years as a biomedical equipment maintenance technician.

Served in Texas, Germany, Virginia, Ohio, Korea, and finished up in Texas.

Working now in training and education at Sheppard AFB, TX now.

Dis some traveling! And thanks for serving!
Interestingly, I was trained in Supply, but when I got to Vietnam they made me dispatcher. Found out "Zeke", who worked supply, was trained for dispatch. We went to our Warrant Officer and asked to be switched so working in our MOS we could be promoted. He refused to do it. Zeke and I (Sparrow) did not get along with and pretty much ignored our Warrant, but worked hard and faithfully for our fellow soldiers.

 

[Dudley]

20 years in the US Navy, 1983-2003. Aviation Structural Mechanic Environmental Systems. I worked on the ejection seats, a/c and pressurization systems on A-4's, F-14's F-18's and P-3's. I also was there when they were testing the F-35 and worked on that a little bit. I was stationed at Miramar when Top Gun was filmed. Was on the USS John F Kennedy for Desert Shield/ Desert Storm.

Interesting 20 years in the Navy! And, for being in harms way on the JFK. Thanks for serving! BTW, did you meet any of the Top Gun cast???

 

[Big Dog 85]

Welcome Home! 29 years serving! Thank you! And, NEVER too old for a Mav, right???

That right

 

[magickman03]

Interesting 20 years in the Navy! And, for being in harms way on the JFK. Thanks for serving! BTW, did you meet any of the Top Gun cast???

I did meet some of them, Tom Cruise was an arrogant ass and I told him that to his face. Most of the rest of them were decent to us.. I recall hoping that he would get sick on himself on his initial flight, but then changed my mind because we would have to clean it up if he did....

 

[Chicago Mike]

1984 - 1994 Army, First 3 years as a 13B Field Artilleryman worked the 8 inch in Germany and M109A3 at Sill, then reclassed to 95B, MP. Stationed at Schweinfurt, Sill, Camp Humphries, Lewis and Hanau. Deployed to Panama for the Noriega party.
Worked for the DoD since 94, PCS locations include Rhein-Main, Ansbach, Stuttgart, MacDill AFB, Aviano AB, Mannheim, Heidelberg, Grafenwoehr, Wiesbaden, Sill and finally Ft. Bliss. Sprinkle in 18 months in Baghdad, TDYs to Croatia, Albania, Kosovo, Macedonia, Bosnia, Kuwait, England and Hungary. Retiring 1 October after 38 years...that literally flew by.

Thanks to all of you that served.

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