What does the term 'Cold War' mean to you?

2013-12-30T23:37:08-05:00

I lived in Germany at Ramstein with the TFW and MAC.  During that time we had two terrorist attacks,  numerous complaints by T-39 pilots of being buzzed by MIGs.    It was a powder keg ready to ignite but fortunately it did not.   What do you think of Veterans who served back then?   Ordinary peacetime servicemen or was there more to it than that.   I remember the cannonading effects of F-4s but also an awareness that certain places might not be so safe for military.

Response by SFC James Baber made Dec 30 at 2013 11:57 PM

2013-12-30T23:57:59-05:00

I was in Germany when the disco was bombed, I remember being in full battle gear for many months after that whenever we did any types of guard or transport duties.

We always had that feeling of looking over our shoulders and time we were near the wall or downtown.

It was a much different time for all us old guys, even though I just retired 3 years ago, I have the experience from both the Cold war and the war on terrorism.

Response by SMSgt Private RallyPoint Member made Dec 31 at 2013 8:19 AM

2013-12-31T08:19:39-05:00

The Cold War was a mix of propaganda, international networking, and proxy conflicts with the funding of adversarial entities. That will leave scars; but they won't all be easy ones to spot. Internal biases and skewed perceptions due to years of selective reporting and/or exposure to idealogies. I guess I see eveyone as unique and none are more special than the next. Wartime and Peacetime are not something I can really identify.

Response by SSG Richard Stevens made Jan 1 at 2014 12:22 PM

2014-01-01T12:22:30-05:00

i was in Germany in 1980 to 1982 and than 1984 to 1989 worked on the pershing missile in Neu ulm i was over there during the bombings and the KGB i had a good time

Response by Lt Col Luis A. Rojas made Jan 1 at 2014 12:34 PM

2014-01-01T12:34:25-05:00

I joined the Air Force on the tail end of the Cold War (1988 to 1991). I was a young Lieutenant in a Minuteman II missile silo at Whiteman AFB Missouri. I remember reporting to the wing operations briefing one morning prior to departing for my 24-hour alert, when we received the news that President George Bush Sr. had ordered all MMII missiles to standdown from alert effective immediately. Very interesting times.

Response by SSgt Brian Newton made Jan 2 at 2014 8:15 AM

2014-01-02T08:15:54-05:00

Stationed in Belgium in 1988-1990 at Florence AB. Belgium, 485th TMW, this was my first duty assignment out of Tech School. It was an eye opener to say the least. We had protesters at the gates, we were always on a heightened alert, practicing CBRNE exercises twice a month. Having to have your Chemical Gear with you at your duty station or in your dorm room. This was the first time I heard the word Terrorist. However it made me a better Airman, and NCO, esp. when I came back to the states and became the Units CBRNE/Deployment Training NCO. I remember being told by a Senior NCO that this training was for nothing and that was the attitude of most who never served overseas a day in their career. You could just look at someone and their attitude and tell who served in USAFE, who served in Korea, Japan, they were always aware of their surroundings, they were the one's reporting out of ordinary things (sometimes to the point of their peers saying you were paranoid). I think those that served in the cold war have a heightened sense of awareness that most don't have today.

Response by SPC Charles Brown made Apr 15 at 2014 8:10 PM

2014-04-15T20:10:05-04:00

We as a race, and by that I mean human, are on the eve of destruction. With the spread of Communism in the 20th century, and the proliferation of nuclear weapons on the part of the "super powers" the lives of every person in the world could have been ended many times over. There was a constant threat of serious confrontations breaking out which would have precipitated the end of life as we knew it then, as well as it could very well happen again today. Terror attacks have gotten worse, and there are many more methods to spread terror now that are being employed. Anthrax, Sarin Gas, and other such items can create havoc as well.

Response by SSG Jeffrey Spencer made Apr 18 at 2014 11:44 PM

2014-04-18T23:44:08-04:00

I served during these times. We had enough threats during the time I was in, just after Viet Nam. We were put on alert when N. Korea killed 3 American officers, again when Russian subs off the coast of California were found monitoring my unit's work. Then we had Libya, Grenada, Panama. Not to mention the Iron Curtain and threat of MAD.

Response by Sgt Randy Hill made Jun 16 at 2014 3:12 PM

2014-06-16T15:12:59-04:00

I was cold war cannon fodder had Turkey got any hotter. I think standing up to the Soviet sphere of influence is just as important today with Russia. For one we cut our budgets and announce these things to the whole world and wonder why these other large nations are probing for weakness. Really really stupid foreign policy continues to plague the present administration. We are going to go places we have fought before because I regret that we are not allowed to finish these jobs that when we have them won.

Response by MSgt Lancia Stewart made Jun 16 at 2014 4:35 PM

2014-06-16T16:35:40-04:00

I saw first-hand what Cold War meant. My first assignment was West Berlin, Germany. After two years, I realized the Cold War was a term for the leaders and head of state; the average uniforms standing watch were like us, and we were like them. When I saw The Wall come down, it was a sigh of relief mixed with apprehension and hope for the future.

But don't get me wrong. My brethren are not surprised by Putin's actions then or now.