Name something you wish was around when you were active duty..?

Cpl D L Parker — Wed, 29 Jun 2016 00:36:42 -0400

I missed the Jeep by one year, all Khaki uniforms and I hear Okinawa was pretty lively back in the day.

Response by Sgt Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 29 at 2016 12:56 AM

Sgt Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 29 Jun 2016 00:56:22 -0400

Cpl D L Parker I served 1968 -1972. I drove jeeps, and wore the Khaki uniform. No big deal. I spent three or four days in Okinawa going to Vietnam and coming back. I remember the beautiful countryside but also remember it could be a dangerous place to be. The only thing I would change would be MREs instead of C rations.

Response by SrA Matthew Knight made Jun 29 at 2016 1:48 AM

SrA Matthew Knight — Wed, 29 Jun 2016 01:48:21 -0400

I missed BDUs by about a year. People can talk crap about BDUs all they want, at least the pattern on BDUs and DCUs was effective in their respective environments unlike the ABU. I also missed out on the Sand boots with ABUs which is something I think the AF should have stuck with anyway over these ugly looking green things. At least sand boots can match decent with just about anything. Sage green matches with sage green, that's about it.

Response by PO1 William "Chip" Nagel made Jun 29 at 2016 2:35 AM

PO1 William "Chip" Nagel — Wed, 29 Jun 2016 02:35:00 -0400

SM-3 Surface to Air Missile, Much more reliable that the SM-2 Block 2/3. SM-2 had a very bad tendency to return to sender and the last close call left a serious mental scar, Self Destructed way to close to me.

Response by PO2 Robert Aitchison made Jun 29 at 2016 10:51 AM

PO2 Robert Aitchison — Wed, 29 Jun 2016 10:51:46 -0400

E-Mail aboard ship.

Response by MSgt Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 29 at 2016 11:05 AM

MSgt Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 29 Jun 2016 11:05:40 -0400

"Buck Sgts"...only cuz I remember the older troops talking about them when I was a young airman.

Response by SSG Karl Fowler made Jun 29 at 2016 8:25 PM

SSG Karl Fowler — Wed, 29 Jun 2016 20:25:40 -0400

I wore the hot Khaki uniforms and the memories that I had of all my jeep rides was one day while in our motor pool I revved the engine up and popped the clutch BAM there goes the drive shaft. so I put it 4 wheel drive and drove it around and parked it. Right in front of the Motor SGT ....he let me know what was on his mind and did not mind sharing it with me.

Response by SCPO Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 30 at 2016 1:04 AM

SCPO Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 30 Jun 2016 01:04:43 -0400

C-47s.

Response by LCDR Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 12 at 2018 3:01 PM

LCDR Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 12 Feb 2018 15:01:15 -0500

Battleships. Tho a nuclear powered battleship with the EM fired shells, rail guns, etc sounds nice. Expensive, but nice.

Response by SGT Mark Halmrast made Feb 12 at 2018 3:06 PM

SGT Mark Halmrast — Mon, 12 Feb 2018 15:06:29 -0500

C-rats. I joined when first gen MREs came out. Not many first gen products are wholesale successes. I mean, Chickenloaf. Really?

Response by SGT Mark Halmrast made Feb 12 at 2018 3:15 PM

SGT Mark Halmrast — Mon, 12 Feb 2018 15:15:17 -0500

We had jeeps (scout platoon, 82nd.)
Army switched to Hummer right at end of my enlistment.
Signed the jeeps over for good.
That was a sad day.
(I drive a jeep today.)

Response by SFC Dennis A. made Feb 12 at 2018 3:17 PM

SFC Dennis A. — Mon, 12 Feb 2018 15:17:19 -0500

I would say email/internet, on the many deployments, TDY's and overseas assignments it would have been nice to communicate with the family more often and without the 3 to 4+ weeks turn around of snail mail.

Response by SGM Erik Marquez made Feb 12 at 2018 4:14 PM

SGM Erik Marquez — Mon, 12 Feb 2018 16:14:42 -0500

I drove an M151 for 15 months at my first duty station, all up and around the Fulda Gap, got to meet an East German spy while my commander was off doing commander things, carried a M1911 and an M16 ......Something i wish was around? Noting I can think of really, well maybe a BAR...though Id hate to have to hump it all day.

Response by CPT Jack Durish made Feb 12 at 2018 5:11 PM

CPT Jack Durish — Mon, 12 Feb 2018 17:11:01 -0500

Nazis. I would much rather have fought them than Vietnamese

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 12 at 2018 6:33 PM

SGT Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 12 Feb 2018 18:33:16 -0500

I wish they still have the Steel Pot helmet, you can warm water in it, dig a hole, sit on it, use it for a pillow, use it for a shocker ball (Jungle rules), put boots under it and tell everyone you're "Short", imagine it as a pet Turtle, and most of all, use it as a weapon in hand to hand combat.

Response by Maj John Bell made Feb 12 at 2018 8:08 PM

Maj John Bell — Mon, 12 Feb 2018 20:08:36 -0500

Mickey's Big mouth's at the O'Club.

Response by SSG Edward Tilton made Feb 12 at 2018 8:21 PM

SSG Edward Tilton — Mon, 12 Feb 2018 20:21:22 -0500

M114 Recon vehicle, gas fueled Chrysler Engine. Like the Jeep it was top heavy. I did Khakis

Response by SGT James Bradley made Oct 31 at 2021 11:16 PM

SGT James Bradley — Sun, 31 Oct 2021 23:16:24 -0400

Do not have a clue…..

Response by SSG Eric Blue made Jan 19 at 2022 6:31 PM

SSG Eric Blue — Wed, 19 Jan 2022 18:31:08 -0500

Being able to wear my hair how I want to. I enjoyed having my cornrows and my dreads when I had them before military service. Now that I'm retired, I see soldiers and leaders being able to wear those styles without reservation.