Do key dates stick in your mind? What are your dates & why?

2017-05-01T16:07:55-04:00

Do you remember dates around your deployment, battles, promotion, awards, etc.? Why are these dates important to you?

Response by LTC Ivan Raiklin, Esq. made May 1 at 2017 4:10 PM

2017-05-01T16:10:32-04:00

July 4

Response by MSG Private RallyPoint Member made May 1 at 2017 4:34 PM

2017-05-01T16:34:07-04:00

03-30-1993: I joined the Army
06-04-1993: I shipped out for Basic Training
06-11-1993: Day 1 of Basic.....and my 18th Birthday
07-16-1996: Got married (the first time)
01-18-1998: Officially Divorced
04-24-2003: ETSd from the Army
10-08-2008: Rejoined the Army
06-26-2010: Deployed to Iraq
07-08-2011: Returned home from DEMOB
08-13-2011: Remarried
09-11-2011: Mother passed away
01-02-2012: Promoted to SGT
10-24-2012: Birth of Ayla, my daughter
02-02-2015: Promoted to SSG

I have a funny thing about remembering dates, apparently.

Response by SGT Philip Roncari made May 1 at 2017 4:38 PM

2017-05-01T16:38:01-04:00

11-10-66 the day my company had it's first KIA,Williamson Robert("Squirrel") I have visited him on the Wall many times, where he stays in my memories every day with my other Brothers from that terrible place of my younger days,Welcome Home Brothers.

Response by CPT Jim Schwebach made May 1 at 2017 4:38 PM

2017-05-01T16:38:25-04:00

February 26, 1967 - First time wounded, and my then wife's birthday.
August 18, 1967 - Action for which awarded first BS"V" and my oldest daughter born.

Response by Lt Col Scott Shuttleworth made May 1 at 2017 5:26 PM

2017-05-01T17:26:34-04:00

Apr 13th 1985 - Enlistment
Feb 18th 199x - The day I married my soulmate.
Dec 21st 19xx - Day my daughter was born
Sept 11, 2001 - The day the world changed
Aug 1 2011 - My retirement date

Response by SGT David A. 'Cowboy' Groth made May 1 at 2017 5:39 PM

2017-05-01T17:39:50-04:00

09-06-76 was sworn in after passing military efficiency test, 07-07-77 went to basic.

Response by CPT Aaron Kletzing made May 1 at 2017 5:49 PM

2017-05-01T17:49:39-04:00

Deployed on Dec 8, 2007. Left Iraq via BIAP on Feb 26, 2009. Long time ago. Remember it like yesterday.

Response by PO1 William "Chip" Nagel made May 1 at 2017 5:57 PM

2017-05-01T17:57:18-04:00

15 Jun 1991 Mt Pinatubo, Definitely Not Forgetting that Date. The Day the Sky Turned "Orange and Black" Next time I want to be father away than 25 Miles.

Response by MSgt Steven Holt, NRP, CCEMT-P made May 1 at 2017 6:17 PM

2017-05-01T18:17:16-04:00

October 3, 1993 - Mogadishu Somalia
September 11, 2001 - Fall of the Twin Towers
January 6, 2008 - Deployed to Iraq
August 20, 2008 - Returned from Iraq without my Battle
January 1, 2010 - Retired from Active Duty

Response by SSG Steven Borders made May 1 at 2017 7:23 PM

2017-05-01T19:23:32-04:00

June 14, 2010 Day I joined the Army/Army's Birthday.

Response by CPO Private RallyPoint Member made May 1 at 2017 7:47 PM

2017-05-01T19:47:59-04:00

May 5th, 1989 left for Bootcamp
Aug 2, 1990, the day Iraq invaded Kuwait, I new my world was going to change for ever.

Dec 7th, the day we left for Bahrain and two weeks later moved into northern part of Saudi Arabia, and started building infrastructure for Shield and Strom.
Jan 17, 1991 02:45 on Generator watch and could see the planes flying over we new the war was starting.
Then around 03:45-04:00 we took incoming FROG missiles and went to MOPP 1 Gas mask on.

Feb 12, 1991 part of 21 man special task Force left to join Marine Task Force Troy on the border of Saudi Arabia and Kuwait. The Task Force was a deception Task Force part of the Left hook. Mission was to Act as 2MARDIV moving forward and staging to cross the berm and breach for ground invasion. We built the pre fab Tanks & artillery pieces we had cut back at camp in Jan for this ground invasion. We had PYSOPS playing tank sounds and we drove all over so they would think we had more than 400 troops. We took Motars and Machine Gun fire from Iraqi patrols. I will never forget that time.
My first award as E-3 Certificate Of Commendation From Commanding General I Marine Expeditionary Force For Being a Team Member Task Force Troy and Received my First Combat Action Ribbon for coming under Fire and returning Fire to Iraqi Patrols. Also Fleet Marine Force Combat Operations insignia.

May 12th, 1992 was already Deployed to Porta Rico for 8 month deployment and was picked for a 35 man Detachment to redeploy GITMO Cuba as part of JTF Gulf Bravo, to help with Haitian Migration Camps the first ones. My First Achievement Medal a Joint Service Achievement Medal For Outstanding Performance attached to JTF Gulf Bravo.

Nov 11, 2001 I remember this day as I was in Port Hueneme CA as an Instructor and was Day 2 in 986.2- RRR/ADR (Rapid Runway Repair/ Airfield Damage Repair) class, we had to decide to drop class or keep going and it was hard, because half the class was Equipment Operators and they had to pull equipment and started Hardening the base and extra Force Protection. This was also the day my Warfare community started to change.

September 16, 2002 the day I pinned my Anchors on.

March 21, 2003 the day we crossed the Line Of Departure into Iraq.
April 9th completed rapiers on the Major Bridge on MSR into Baghdad, allowing Logistics and Combat Troops to keep moving through Baghdad on to Tikrit. Second Combat Action Ribbon

Sept 4, 2004 Labor day weekend we lost a 3rd class petty officer KIA in Fallujah Iraq SW3 Eric Knott

04 Sept, 2005 we flew out for Hurricane Katrina Joint Recovery Task Force

Dec 11, 2005 AOIC of 40 man Disaster Recovery Team Deploying to relieve a Battalion in Pakistan, for a Earth quake Recovery operation and later a CA/HA follow on mission
March 05, 2006 was chosen by Commander of Task Force to meet POTUS 43 GW Bush, President Pervez Musharraf, Secretary Of State Condoleeza Rice and First Lady Laura Bush
Joint Service Commendation Medal

April 10, 2010 Left on an IA Tour with Army JTF for 1 yr
Nov 5, 2010 09:10 AM My MRAP took a Direct Hit from an IED (Received Army Combat Action Badge)
March 12, 2011 17:28 PM Took a complex attack and my second IED on my Vic (SUV)
Defense Meritorious Service Medal

Jan 27, 2012 left for Afghanistan
Sept 10, 2012 Returned to Gulf Port

March 22, 2013 Retirement ceremony
June 1, 2013 First day out of Navy

Response by PO1 Brian Austin made May 1 at 2017 8:19 PM

2017-05-01T20:19:33-04:00

Just a few...
23 July 1975 - Mother passed away.
29 Jan 1981 - Enlisted in Delayed Entry Program
03 Aug 1981 - Reported to RTC San Diego for basic training.
28 Dec 1984 - Reported to Subic Bay Philippines...A very Happy Birthday to me!
06 Dec 1986 - Got Married.
30 Sept 2003 - Officially retired from the Navy.
17 Mar 2004 - Went to Iraq as a contractor.
24 Nov 2011 - Returned home from Iraq, for good and unemployed, but an awesome Thanksgiving.

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made May 1 at 2017 10:32 PM

2017-05-01T22:32:06-04:00

Sadly, a lot of my memories over the past 13 years have been anchored around deployments. I don't always remember specific dates, but I always have to recall whether the event happened before, during, or after a deployment, and then try to narrow it down to the month and day.

So I'd say the start and finish of my deployments were significant events for the sake of my long term memory.

Response by COL Charles Williams made May 2 at 2017 12:03 AM

2017-05-02T00:03:25-04:00

Yes... SN Vivien Roman-Hampton the date I was married, my kids birthdays, 9-11, the date I was injured in Iraq, and the date we turned Saddam over the GOI for execution...

Response by SFC William Stephens A. Jr., 3 MSM, JSCM made May 2 at 2017 9:55 AM

2017-05-02T09:55:37-04:00

15 JUNE 2007 year my Daughter was born ARMY BIRTHDAY, 31 OCT 2008 HALLOWEEN MY RETIREMENT 20 years and some.

Response by SPC Rudy Hawkins made May 2 at 2017 8:17 PM

2017-05-02T20:17:00-04:00

27Jul81- Started bootcamp in Parris Island
29 Oct 82 Deployed to Lebanon
23 Oct 83 BLT hdqrs Bombed in Beirut, 241 Lives lost
26 Jul 85 Honorably discharged from USMC
25 May 2006 Enlisted NJANG
22 Jun 2008 Activated for Iraq deployment
........

Response by 1SG Billye Jackson made May 2 at 2017 10:35 PM

2017-05-02T22:35:16-04:00

4 Oct 1967 I had Left the Bush the Day Before and My Arty Recon Sgt, and My Replacement were KIA. Max and I had worked in a 3 man FO Team for 8 months. His Death was bad enough but for the Kid who took my place 24 hr's earlier was a Bet Much.

Response by CAPT Kevin B. made May 2 at 2017 11:12 PM

2017-05-02T23:12:04-04:00

Specific dates and I do not get along. I screw up my wife's birthday, our anniversary, etc. Surprising I know our son's birthdays probably due to the amount of pain that would be inflicted if I didn't. My wife on the other hand knows all the dates and time things occurred for which she'll bring it up at the most embarrassing circumstances. The hard lock dates are Deployment: Too Soon and Redeployment: Too Late.

Response by Sally Webster made May 4 at 2017 11:56 PM

2017-05-04T23:56:28-04:00

August 25th 2012 7:30 PM will stick in my mind forever as the mother of former Army Sgt. Tyler James Webster. Please see the crowd funding page I have set up for him and donate and send out his web site URL to all you know to get this issue to go viral on the internet.

https://gogetfunding.com/save-former-army-sgt/

My son deserves a new trial and a second chance toward his future. I look forward to messages back to me on this site that YOU will NOT leave one trooper behind.

Loving regards,

Sally Webster
loving Mother of
Sgt. Tyler James Webster

Save Former Army Sgt.

Dear Readers, As a mother, I post to you my plea to take heart and help me save former U.S. Army soldier Sgt. Tyler James Webster. Tyler needs your financial support in order to retain private practice criminal defense attorney Brockton Hunter of Minnesota for his defense toward a new trial and/or pay his now public defense attorney Larry Brock to convert back to private practice. Tyler has been charged with 2nd degree murder but as a...

Response by David Clark made May 7 at 2017 8:37 AM

2017-05-07T08:37:07-04:00

"9 /11" cause it showed what America could become without the mitary we have. Don't remember the date but the enemy was on American soil I believe in Alaska in World War II correct me if I'm wrong

Response by LTJG Private RallyPoint Member made May 11 at 2017 5:39 AM

2017-05-11T05:39:07-04:00

Feels like the longer I stay in the harder it is to remember the dates of significant events! That could be because I'm getting older.

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made May 23 at 2017 10:34 PM

2017-05-23T22:34:07-04:00

I can recall the exact dates that I left home for mobilization, deployed overseas, returned back for demob and then finally arrived back home. But then again I am also a logistician and numbers just stick to me like that.