Before deploying was "cool"

2014-12-22T21:01:37-05:00

There were many opportunities..
For me it stated with Operation Nimrod Dancer deployed an infantry brigade task force from 7th INF DIV to protect US citizens and possessions, and perform a show of force in Panama for 6 months in 1989.
Than weeks later after coming home deployed again for operation Just Cause.

Just cause was 25 years ago this month, the first of many Christmas days away from home... it seems that for me that started a long tradition of not being with family.. Later there was Iraq, than Iraq again, than Afghanistan.

For those that have been deployed over the holidays ,,, where did it start for you?

Response by SGT Mark Estes made Nov 18 at 2018 12:23 PM

2018-11-18T12:23:19-05:00

OEF and OIF started in 2003 for me.

Response by SGT Ben Keen made Nov 18 at 2018 10:00 PM

2018-11-18T22:00:17-05:00

Operation Southern Watch, 2001 started it for me.

What made that deployment memorable was we deployed just weeks after the 9/11 attacks. For the first few days, we weren't sure if we were going to stay in Kuwait or move out. Thankfully, we stayed put and completed our mission of defending the Southern no-fly Zone. It felts sort of unreal to go back just a few months later and be mere miles away from the Iraqi border knowing that in hours, we would be crossing that line.

Response by CPL Private RallyPoint Member made Sep 27 at 2025 3:41 PM

2025-09-27T15:41:07-04:00

What ribbon were you awarded for Nimrod Dancer?

Response by MSG Thomas Currie made Sep 28 at 2025 11:02 AM

2025-09-28T11:02:40-04:00

We didn't have "deployments" in my days, overseas assignments even in combat were just regular individual tours -- the only difference between an overseas tour and a PCS was that the tour had an EXPECTED return date. Whole units only moved during a large build-up or draw-down of forces.

My first was to Vietnam, 23 July 1968, returning 22 July 1969.

Personally I think the system of individual replacements was more effective than unit deployments during a protracted situation. Of course when a unit initially arrived there were the same learning problems that come with deployments, but after those first few months the unit would remain effective as old hands got short, then left, and new replacements trickled in -- there were generally enough old hands to take care of training the new guys. With unit deployments, the whole unit starts out as new guys, learns how to operate in the area, then everyone gets short, an entire unit of new guys arrives, and all the old guys go home, leaving the new unit to figure it all out on their own. And with the shorter length of deployments, a unit is getting short quite soon after they actually know what they are doing.

And, of course, in our last prolonged situation the Army fell into the ridiculous assumption that all Brigade Combat Teams are interchangeable -- "A Brigade is a Brigade" -- which ends up being awful for the units and for the Army as a whole. Perhaps even worse, that attitude spread down within the units so that battalions and even company-size units were considered interchangeable.

Response by SGT Carl Blas made Sep 28 at 2025 9:02 PM

2025-09-28T21:02:56-04:00

We were in Panama 1975, running around in the jungles for three months, 2/505Inf, 82nd ABN.

Response by SSG Rob Lawrence made Nov 24 at 2025 11:54 AM

2025-11-24T11:54:01-05:00

I kucked out about Christmas. I was in active service for 13 years and the National Guard for another 8 years. I NEVER missed a Christmas at home. I did nuss ine Thanksgiving in 1972, while serving with the US Navy in Vietnam.