Posted on May 19, 2014
What is your top 10 list of cool/unique things you've done in your military career?
46.8K
233
164
9
9
0
list 10 things you've done that you think are way cool and/or unique that you probably wouldn't have gotten to do as a civilian.
Military Career
Fun
Experience
Posted >1 y ago
Responses: 64
1
1
0
10) Kaiserslautern (Near Ramstein) - Saw a biker with a broken bike and took him to the local Hell's Angels. He was also an Air Force Veteran. They treated me with respect being a service member. They invited me back any time.
9) K-Town- At a dance club and bar in a strip mall, I saw a fellow veteran being threatened by punkers, so I stepped in between the combatants and the antagonists left. His punker friends and I became friends of a kind.
8) Bad Durkheim Winefest. Very cool, hundreds of people from around the world were dancing to Ooompah music, hand to shoulder and I was not the only veteran.
7) Ramstein - A friend of mine was date-raped. I supported her as a friend and eventually the baby was adopted by a mixed couple. All were blessed and I am thankful to be able to help.
6) Rhein Mein - Went to a football game against Mildenhall in which we won like 6-3 or something. Loved the trip to London and got to see some of the old school buildings.
5) Went to Paris with a girl friend and went up on the Eiffel Tower. It got stuck and I commented this was like a real life disaster movie. And when we got at the top I said it was going to tip over. My ladyfriend told me to be quiet. ha.
4) Ramstein AB. - As a Meteorologist issued a Severe Icing Warning and all flying ceased for awhile. The power went to my head.
3) Saarbrucken (Near Trier) - I told my friends to watch as I was going to walk through a bunch of dangerous looking punk rockers.
2) Chanute AFB - The instructors challenged us future forecasters to a softball game. We destroyed them and I went 5 for 5 and played errorless third base.
1) Sheppard AFB - A Colonel told the NCOIC of my training unit to send me to Student Leadership School because of my work in the dorm. I ended up as a Squadron leader (Red Rope). Crazy how I never dreamed cleaning up some old barracks would impress somebody so much.
9) K-Town- At a dance club and bar in a strip mall, I saw a fellow veteran being threatened by punkers, so I stepped in between the combatants and the antagonists left. His punker friends and I became friends of a kind.
8) Bad Durkheim Winefest. Very cool, hundreds of people from around the world were dancing to Ooompah music, hand to shoulder and I was not the only veteran.
7) Ramstein - A friend of mine was date-raped. I supported her as a friend and eventually the baby was adopted by a mixed couple. All were blessed and I am thankful to be able to help.
6) Rhein Mein - Went to a football game against Mildenhall in which we won like 6-3 or something. Loved the trip to London and got to see some of the old school buildings.
5) Went to Paris with a girl friend and went up on the Eiffel Tower. It got stuck and I commented this was like a real life disaster movie. And when we got at the top I said it was going to tip over. My ladyfriend told me to be quiet. ha.
4) Ramstein AB. - As a Meteorologist issued a Severe Icing Warning and all flying ceased for awhile. The power went to my head.
3) Saarbrucken (Near Trier) - I told my friends to watch as I was going to walk through a bunch of dangerous looking punk rockers.
2) Chanute AFB - The instructors challenged us future forecasters to a softball game. We destroyed them and I went 5 for 5 and played errorless third base.
1) Sheppard AFB - A Colonel told the NCOIC of my training unit to send me to Student Leadership School because of my work in the dorm. I ended up as a Squadron leader (Red Rope). Crazy how I never dreamed cleaning up some old barracks would impress somebody so much.
(1)
(0)
1
1
0
I would have to say the best things so far are:
1) Sailed to the Antarctic
2) Sailed to the Arctic
3) Stationed in Seattle
4) Stationed in Boston
5) The Six Line Crossing Certificates I have received. (Red Nosed Emperor Penguin, Blue Nose Polar Bear, Golden Shellback, Golden Dragon, Shellback, and Spanish Maine)
1) Sailed to the Antarctic
2) Sailed to the Arctic
3) Stationed in Seattle
4) Stationed in Boston
5) The Six Line Crossing Certificates I have received. (Red Nosed Emperor Penguin, Blue Nose Polar Bear, Golden Shellback, Golden Dragon, Shellback, and Spanish Maine)
(1)
(0)
SGT Shon D. Hill
Much respect for sea service PO! I was very afraid of all that water, so Ty for doing it! Loved my boots on ground even with blisters ;). Ty for Navy share, need more of it here. Question: how to address your title, is it Petty Officer "last name" always? Any short version correct or appropriate? Curious, since all my family Navy yet I'm unsure ;). I should know this!
(0)
(0)
PO2 (Join to see)
Well it might be different in the Navy. As for myself I am a Coastie, so for me personally I prefer ET2, which is my rate and rank all tied into one. But the most professional is Petty Officer Lastname.
(0)
(0)
PO2 (Join to see)
It also changes once you hit the E-7 mark as well, then you become Chief, E-8 is Senior Chief, and E-9 is Master Chief
(0)
(0)
0
0
0
0
0
0
I scuba dived in the Red Sea, walked the Via Dolorosa in Jerusalem, and climbed to the top of Mt Sinai during a 6 month tour with the MFO.
I got to see what true poverty and hunger are during a tour in Somalia in 1993, and have gained an appreciation for just how good we have it in the United States.
I got to see what true poverty and hunger are during a tour in Somalia in 1993, and have gained an appreciation for just how good we have it in the United States.
(0)
(0)
0
0
0
We were our way back from Al Asad in a C-5 full of spare parts, tools and 2 broke dick CH-53Ds. Fire warning light in the left wing went off and the crew declared emergency. Not able to maintain enough altitude to make it to Incerlik, the AC called Anakara for landing clearance, which was summarily denied.
The pilot made the call to land anyway on just the 2 starboard engines, which we were told had never been done before outside of a simulator. Every emergency vehicle in the city surrounded the plane. A very tense 30 minute standoff ensued.
Finally a few vans pulled up from the embassy and took us to a 5 star resort hotel, which we had to stay in because they had armed security. $700/night. Very nice 5 day stay.
It just so happens that we were there November 10th and were invited to the Embassy for the Marine Corps Ball, hosted by the American Ambassador and attended by numerous Turkish dignitaries. Of course all we had were desert MarPat cammies. VIP baby!!!
Broke down again in Rota, but that was not as nearly exciting.
At the end of the trip my government credit card was up to about $20G. The Fiscal Officer was mad as hell but I already had clearance from the Group CO to do whatever was needed.
Fun days indeed.
The pilot made the call to land anyway on just the 2 starboard engines, which we were told had never been done before outside of a simulator. Every emergency vehicle in the city surrounded the plane. A very tense 30 minute standoff ensued.
Finally a few vans pulled up from the embassy and took us to a 5 star resort hotel, which we had to stay in because they had armed security. $700/night. Very nice 5 day stay.
It just so happens that we were there November 10th and were invited to the Embassy for the Marine Corps Ball, hosted by the American Ambassador and attended by numerous Turkish dignitaries. Of course all we had were desert MarPat cammies. VIP baby!!!
Broke down again in Rota, but that was not as nearly exciting.
At the end of the trip my government credit card was up to about $20G. The Fiscal Officer was mad as hell but I already had clearance from the Group CO to do whatever was needed.
Fun days indeed.
(0)
(0)
0
0
0
Bowling in in XMAS tournament in Geissen Germany. The first sergeant bought a beer for every strike I got. I bowled 205, 199, 220, 186, 180 and 136. We won by 3000 pins.
(0)
(0)
0
0
0
Playing golf at Rheinblick golf course in weisbaden Germany 1967. Organizational day.
(0)
(0)
0
0
0
0
0
0
Memorable experiences in my Military career:
1. Sworn in to the Army by my dad while living in the Republic of China (ROC)
2. Staged off of Phu Quoc Island approx. 80 miles West of IV Corps, S.Vietnam in order to operate off of LPD-7, USS Cleveland which was located in the Gulf of Siam. Our mission was to fly cover for large truck resupply convoys coming out of Sihanoukville, Cambodia up the Western highway to Phnom Penh, Capitol of Cambodia (until low fuel forced return to ship).
3. Flew cover for Riverine fuel/resupply convoys up the Mekong river as far as Phnom Penh.
4. Flew into Laos out of Khe Sanh during Lam Sanh 71-9, an operation in which the US lost hundreds of helicopters in a two-month period.
5. Mountain qualified to land on some of the highest peaks in Colorado. Flew MAST missions in CO.
6. Deployed radio relay teams to the top of rock spires in Monument Valley, Utah during the oil spill in Lake Meade, AZ in early ‘70s.
7. Herded stray cattle from the inside the impact area with an OH-58A at Ft Carson in the early ‘70s.
8. Korean DMZ route qualified in OH-58 while stationed at Camp Casey, ROK in ‘74/75.
9. Test pilot on the experimental “proof of concept” Blackhawk Medevac test-bed designated the YUH-60Q which later developed into the UH-60M.
1. Sworn in to the Army by my dad while living in the Republic of China (ROC)
2. Staged off of Phu Quoc Island approx. 80 miles West of IV Corps, S.Vietnam in order to operate off of LPD-7, USS Cleveland which was located in the Gulf of Siam. Our mission was to fly cover for large truck resupply convoys coming out of Sihanoukville, Cambodia up the Western highway to Phnom Penh, Capitol of Cambodia (until low fuel forced return to ship).
3. Flew cover for Riverine fuel/resupply convoys up the Mekong river as far as Phnom Penh.
4. Flew into Laos out of Khe Sanh during Lam Sanh 71-9, an operation in which the US lost hundreds of helicopters in a two-month period.
5. Mountain qualified to land on some of the highest peaks in Colorado. Flew MAST missions in CO.
6. Deployed radio relay teams to the top of rock spires in Monument Valley, Utah during the oil spill in Lake Meade, AZ in early ‘70s.
7. Herded stray cattle from the inside the impact area with an OH-58A at Ft Carson in the early ‘70s.
8. Korean DMZ route qualified in OH-58 while stationed at Camp Casey, ROK in ‘74/75.
9. Test pilot on the experimental “proof of concept” Blackhawk Medevac test-bed designated the YUH-60Q which later developed into the UH-60M.
(0)
(0)
0
0
0
From the earliest to the latest in my military career:
1. Performed KP in every mess hall in the South Eastern Signal School after my graduation from radio-teletype school. (1960)
2. Traveled by train from Fort Gordon to Fort Leavenworth--July 1960-- and reported to MPs that I needed a ride to the garrison as I had no idea where I was at the train depot. This was after popping numerous cans of beer along the rails. They grinned a lot after putting me in their '57 Chevrolet staff car.
3. Played several characters in Andy Griffith's, "No Time for Sergeants" at the Fort Leavenworth Playhouse with the opening number as Country guitar picker and singer, b. navigator, and drunken Infantryman starting a fight with the main character (my best performance). (1961)
4. Winning Instrumentalist Competition at Fort Leavenworth playing and singing "Ghost Riders in the Sky." (1961)
5. Promoted to buck sergeant for simply performing several facing movements at the promotion board in Camp Casey, Korea. (Oct 1962)
6. Winning Fort Gordon's Entertainment Contest in the instrumentalist category with a PFC from another unit. Went to finals at Fort Bragg, but didn't win. Had loads of fun though. (1963)
7. Attended Third Army NCO Academy (1963) Had a half-day off when JFK was assassinated.
8. Called in off leave to attend E6 promotion board having only one slot in battalion.-- I got it. (1966)
9. Jumped from C-130s, C-141s, UH-1H helicopters, CH-47 Chinook, and C7 Caribou (1973-1979)
10. Assigned as first Special Security Officer (Enlisted E7) to the 82d Airborne Division
(Oct 1976-Aug 1979) Most prestigious and rigorous assignment.
1. Performed KP in every mess hall in the South Eastern Signal School after my graduation from radio-teletype school. (1960)
2. Traveled by train from Fort Gordon to Fort Leavenworth--July 1960-- and reported to MPs that I needed a ride to the garrison as I had no idea where I was at the train depot. This was after popping numerous cans of beer along the rails. They grinned a lot after putting me in their '57 Chevrolet staff car.
3. Played several characters in Andy Griffith's, "No Time for Sergeants" at the Fort Leavenworth Playhouse with the opening number as Country guitar picker and singer, b. navigator, and drunken Infantryman starting a fight with the main character (my best performance). (1961)
4. Winning Instrumentalist Competition at Fort Leavenworth playing and singing "Ghost Riders in the Sky." (1961)
5. Promoted to buck sergeant for simply performing several facing movements at the promotion board in Camp Casey, Korea. (Oct 1962)
6. Winning Fort Gordon's Entertainment Contest in the instrumentalist category with a PFC from another unit. Went to finals at Fort Bragg, but didn't win. Had loads of fun though. (1963)
7. Attended Third Army NCO Academy (1963) Had a half-day off when JFK was assassinated.
8. Called in off leave to attend E6 promotion board having only one slot in battalion.-- I got it. (1966)
9. Jumped from C-130s, C-141s, UH-1H helicopters, CH-47 Chinook, and C7 Caribou (1973-1979)
10. Assigned as first Special Security Officer (Enlisted E7) to the 82d Airborne Division
(Oct 1976-Aug 1979) Most prestigious and rigorous assignment.
(0)
(0)
Read This Next
Continue with Facebook 
Continue with Google