What was the highlight/most cherished memory of your military career?

being released from illegal detention

Going to Iraq healthy n returning Healthy, along with graduating from DS School! HOO-AH

May god bless you for your compassion and fortitude. I would not give a rice cake to your officer.

When I knew how to maneuver tanks with simple voice commands. Each section, each tank knew the SOPs. Each Tank Commander, gunner, loader, driver knew their jobs. I must give a lot of credit to the PLT SGT for letting me focus on tactics, and the E-6 for being Tank Gods.

The year I spent "wintering over" at Byrd Station, Antarctica, during Operation Deep Freeze 67. I was the only communicator (Radioman First Class) at the research station.

The day I (and my team) were awarded Certificates of Merit for scoring 266 out of a possible score of 300 on a Team Military Skills Land Navigation Stakes course as a young sergeant in 1970s Korea. It was a gruelling, all-day, wet, muddy and exhausting experience. I could count on one hand the number of things that went like we had practiced. It was the highest score and were 'First Place'.
It also meant more as time went by in my 20 year career because as I was promoted and won many more awards (individual and team) it continued to stand out as a 'proof' to myself that I could lead soldiers.

The day I separated!

getting out. I just had a bad streak of luck with bad leaders. After getting injured the last time before getting out it was just downhill from there. to often a "broke dick" is treated like crap while used for every ounce of work they can get out of them. At that point the comradery that I loved and cherished faded. I miss the family I had in the military just not the BS from the shty leaders I had around me.

SSG Steven E. I have had many, so it is hard to pick one. But, I think the most memorable moment I can remember is the feeling I had when I graduated from Ranger School in 1985, knowing 300 started and less than 100 were standing.

We got stuck at an IPHONE outpost on black air advisory for a few days. We ran out of food and began trading. We ate a large meal and danced as if they were family. I tell everyone the best meal of my life was that one.