Veterans - Check in

[BlueCollar]

Post your years of service, branch of service, and state of residency. Rank if you wish.

In Texas we have organized the Texas Democratic Veterans.

I'm a US Navy Veteran. I am fortunate in that I never saw combat, serving from 1979-1983 in a Patrol Squadron in the Pacific. It was the "Cold War" so we spent a lot of time chasing Soviet submarines and running reconnaissance flights.(Petty Officer 2nd Class)

I'm asking all veterans to check in and add the veterans forum to the "my forums" section.

We have a collective vested interest in holding the Democratic Party accountable for our interests. In my opinion, the party has done little if anything to recognize our service and demand the Bush* administration treat Veterans with respect.

When the "Purple Heart " bandaid situation happened at the Republican Convention, there was no outrage from the Democratic Party...only here on DU.

It's time we stood up and demanded that our party recognize the needs of Veterans...not pay us lip service.

[TheDebbieDee]

1. 1982-1991, Regular Army, then 1991-2003, Army Reserve...

Missouri, Sergeant.

[nono]

2. Navy

1950-1954

[indianablue]

3. USN 1991-1997 (Indiana)

Sonar Tech Surface Second Class

Bases:

RTC, San Diego 1991
ASW, San Diego 1991-1992

Ships:

USS Sterett CG-31, San Diego 1992-1994 (Decommissioned)
USS Samuel B. Roberts FFG-58, Norfolk, VA 1994-1997

Deployments:

Counter Drug Operations (4 Months)
UNITAS ( 5 Months)
MED Cruise ( 6 Months)

Medals:

Navy Achievement, Good Conduct, Nation Defense, Armed Forces Service, Nato

Ribbons:

Meritorious Unit Commendation, Battle 'E' (2 Awards), Sea Service (3 Awards)

[BlueCollar]

4. three Navy, one army

the Marines/Air Force/Coast Guard hiding?

Thanks for responding guys..

[atreides1]

5. Checking In

I'm a US Army veteran, I served from 1978-1991, I volunteered for Operation Desert Storm, and saw some shooting.


101st Airborne Division, Ft. Campbell, Ky 1978-1982
11th Signal Brigade, Ft. Huachuca, Az 1982-1984
Supply Company MFO, Sinai, Egypt 1984-1985
4th Infantry Division(Mech) Ft. Carson, CO 1985-1987
Supply Company MFO, Sinai, Egypt 1987-1988
25th Infantry Division(Light) Schofield Barracks, HI 1988-1991

Final Rank: Sergeant(E5)

Awards and Decorations: Army Commendation Medal, Army Achievement Medal(2), Army Good Conduct Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Southwest Asia Service Medal w/Campaign Device, Liberation of Kuwait Medal(SA), Liberation of Kuwait Medal(Kuwait), MFO Medal, NCO Development Ribbon w/Number 2 Device, Overseas Service Ribbon, Army Service Ribbon, Mechanics Badge, Rifle Qualification Badge.

While stationed at Schofield Barracks I volunteered to serve in Desert Storm. I was assigned to the 101st Abn Div, 426th S&S Batallion.

I currently reside in Tucson Arizona.

[BlueCollar]

6. thanks for checking in - 3 Navy 2 Army

Marines/Coast Guard and Air Force still missing in action?

Fort Huachuca? Where the Hell is that? LOL

[DS1]

7. Believe me, I wanted to put a real bruise behind each and every

one of those 'purple hearts'.

Those fuckers needed to earn them, hard.

btw - USMC - 4 yrs - 91-95

[BlueCollar]

3 Navy 2 Army 1 Marine

About damn time Marine...:hi:

thanks for posting

[DS1]

Well, they say we're kinda slow

;-)

[BlueCollar]

15. Who says?

LOL

[MindPilot]

8. USN '72-73'

Fireman 1st, electrician, Vietnam

[BlueCollar]

9. 4 Navy etc

Looks like the Navy is showing everyone up tonight...lol

[cruadin]

10. Air Force, 1980-86

SSgt., A208x2A
Air Medal w/ 6 Oak Leaf Clusters
Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal
Good Conduct Medal

[BlueCollar]

12. About damn time SSGt...

thanks for posting...now all we need is a Coast Guard Veteran to round this out...

[cruadin]

14. Well...at least I beat the Coast Guard.

[BlueCollar]

17. It may be time to

put the Coast Guard on the side of a milk carton...

[MindPilot]

11. Couple observations

Everyine who has posted probably rattled off there assignments and years of service right off the tops of our heads. But * can't. Hmmmm

You're right about holding the the democrats' feet to the fire on veterans' issues. I was hoping Kerry would repeatedly beat * about the head with the administration record on vets, but I was disappointed.

[BlueCollar]

13. Me too

Let's see if Pelosi or the new Senate "leader" has the cojones to do anything about it...

[BamaGirl]

16. Army

1993-1996

I was an MP. Spent my time at MacClellan and Rucker. Served in Bama and stayed here lol.

[BlueCollar]

18. thanks for posting

Still looking for that elusive "Coastie" though...:-)

[Justin54B20L]

19. 1998-2002 Army

54B - Chemical Operations Specialist
(now reclassified to 74D I think)

1998-2000 - 69th Chemical Company - Germany
2000-2002 - 584th Maintenance Co. - Ft. Campbell, KY

Service in Albania (Task Force Hawk), Macedonia, and Kosovo

[hollywood926]

20. U.S. Navy 1987-1991 Bahrain

and 8 years of reserve duty in Columbus, Ohio following that.

[no name no slogan]

21. It's too bad Paul Wellstone is not with us

He was a real champion of Veterans and Veterans' Rights. I only hope that another Senator will emerge to champion the rights of those of you who served this country in uniform.

[TroubleMan]

22. USMC 1992-2000

nt.

[Submariner]

23. USN 1965-69 - EM3 (SS)

I was a snipe on the pigboats.

[lpbk2713]

24. USN 1965-69 - AK2

Spent most of my time in a squadron in Rota, Spain.

[Samoflange]

25. USAF 1994-2000

Senior Airman, aircrew member

Tinker AFB, Oklahoma

Flew on the "airliner with a Frisbee on top"

Aerial Achievement Medal (60+ combat support missions)
Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal

The interesting thing about my Wing, was that even though it had a reputation for being where the screw-ups were reassigned, a good deal of us were fairly liberal. Highly diverse crews (in rank, gender and ethnicity) made for a need to get along.

[dry99]

26. USAF 1972-1976

Protecting us all from the godless Canadians (Air Defense Command) Michigan. Our Radar could only "see" 150 miles.

[cleofus1]

27. Navy Journalist Michael Ortega

1976 San Diego Recruit Training Center
1977-78 Defense Information School Ft. Ben Harrison Indianapolis
1978-79 Diego Garcia British Indian Ocean Territory
1979-1981 Far East Network Tokyo, Yokota Air Base Japan
1981-82 Navy Reserves Tustin California El Toro Marine Base (I think)

[DS1]

28. 4 Army, 3 Air Force, 8 Navy, 2 Marines

so far

I've seen countless check-in threads, but can't recall a breakdown of branches.

[Dzimbowicz]

29. USMC 1974-80

MOS 1811 (Tank Crewman), made Sgt.

In order to gain more money for college, I went into the SC Army National Guard in 1980, was commissioned and by the end of it all I made Captain, branch 12A (Armor).

[DS1]

30. Cool! So the obvious question is

Compare being an NCO in the Marines to a Captain the Army.

:7

[Dzimbowicz]

31. Marine NCOs make the best Army officers

Not really, but that's the standard line. If I had remained enlisted, I probably would have remained in until retirement. After serving in a line company (PLT LDR, XO, CO), the Battalion CO made me the Battalion Liaison Officer (a fancy title for an overpaid office boy). This is the main reason I left.

[landdaddy]

32. Army

enlisted. Vietnam 68/69, 6 months Fort Brag then Vietnam again for 1970.
Sgt. E-5. IV Corps, Can Tho area both tours.