What is the nicest thing you've ever done in the military that no one knows about?

CPT Aaron Kletzing — Thu, 26 Sep 2013 19:56:25 -0400

I was asked this question not long ago. I've heard others tell me how they "donated" a missing supply item to a peer who was about to get charged for it. Someone also told me that he took the blame for something that was his friend's fault, so that his friend wouldn't lose his weekend pass where he was going to travel to see his wife and kids.

What about you?

Response by SFC Michael Hasbun made Sep 30 at 2013 3:10 PM

SFC Michael Hasbun — Mon, 30 Sep 2013 15:10:11 -0400

I submitted my ex-wife for the Samuel Sharpe award. I never heard anything about it afterwards, but hey, it's the thought that counts..

Response by SFC James Baber made Dec 22 at 2013 4:58 PM

SFC James Baber — Sun, 22 Dec 2013 16:58:37 -0500

I have done the one you mentioned about giving Soldiers missing items from TA-50 over the years. I used to collect every loose piece I found in the field and cleaned it, and did the same from many deployments over the years, would keep it stockpiled for that exact reason, as we all know junior Soldiers are famous for losing stuff on a regular basis.

It would mysteriously appear when the time came for their final inspection for turn for either PCS or ETS.

I had about 2 duffle bags full of excess items during my career, after I retired I actually still had almost 2 bags full, and since I retired from a TRADOC base, not a lot of field issued equipment so I just sold the rest to my local surplus store.

Response by MSG Private RallyPoint Member made Dec 22 at 2013 7:00 PM

MSG Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 22 Dec 2013 19:00:21 -0500

We had a new soldier show up to our unit.  He flew straight to JBLM after he graduated basic at Ft. Benning and he had absolutely nothing in his barracks room for months.  For one reason or another he refused to go home on leave and he was also broke and couldn't afford civilian clothes.  I brought back a bunch of clothes and books for him from home and handed them over discreetly.  He is much more lively outside of work now!

Response by CPT Private RallyPoint Member made Dec 22 at 2013 7:45 PM

CPT Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 22 Dec 2013 19:45:50 -0500

I was in the Frankfurt airport when a SPC walked up to the boarding area in ACUs clearly planning to join the commercial flight to Kuwait. I identified myself and took him aside and told him he needed to change immediately. Everything was checked. The gate representative told me there was no way to retrieve the bag and have him make the flight. I took him into the only clothing store in our part of the airport. The cheapest thing in there as a $40 pair of Tommy Hilfiger shorts. I asked for a big bag so he could put his uniform in it.

In Kuwait, I overheard him telling the story to another Soldier. He complained that the shorts were "chumpy" and that he looked like a clown with his green socks and combat boots. He felt the whole thing "wasn't any big deal" and that I was a dumb LT. I was pissed, handed him my contact information and told him he needed to pay me back. He didn't even bother to put a remorseful look on his face. When I got back to my TOC, I looked up his CDR, drafted an email, then hit delete. Never heard from him again.

Response by SGM Private RallyPoint Member made Dec 22 at 2013 7:49 PM

SGM Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 22 Dec 2013 19:49:47 -0500

This wasn't anything that I did.  This past Christmas my Brigade signed up to sponsor an orphanage.  The Brigade signed on to purchase presents for kids ranging in ages 1-17.  My company had recently redeployed and weren't aware that this drive had been going on for the previous three weeks.  Well I found out that of the 69 kids the rest of the Brigade only signed up for 27 of those kids.  In my morning PT formation I put it out to my Soldiers.  That day, actually from 0900-0920, my amazing Soldiers signed up to sponsor the rest of the kids, 42 in all.  They continued to give, Toys for Tots, Angel Tree, anything they could find.   

Response by LTC Private RallyPoint Member made Dec 22 at 2013 11:43 PM

LTC Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 22 Dec 2013 23:43:24 -0500

<font color="#000000" size="3" face="Times New Roman">

</font><p style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;" class="MsoNormal"><span style='color: black; line-height: 115%; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;'>I have written
letters to the VA for a Soldier who was discharged and had no record of her
deployment or IED even in her file.<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /><o:p></o:p></span></p><font color="#000000" size="3" face="Times New Roman">

</font><p style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;" class="MsoNormal"><span style='color: black; line-height: 115%; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;'>I wrote a few
letters of recommendation for boards or jobs for past soldiers.<o:p></o:p></span></p><font color="#000000" size="3" face="Times New Roman">

</font><p style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;" class="MsoNormal"><span style='color: black; line-height: 115%; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;'>I put together
at least 15 retroactive Combat Action Badge packets for former soldiers from
OIF 1 that have been awarded some of those who were awarded were vets and
members of other services at the time of the award.<o:p></o:p></span></p><font color="#000000" size="3" face="Times New Roman">

</font><p style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;" class="MsoNormal"><span style='color: black; line-height: 115%; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;'>I ensured my
former soldiers got word of our unit award and had it added to their records.<o:p></o:p></span></p><font color="#000000" size="3" face="Times New Roman">

</font><p style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;" class="MsoNormal"><span style='color: black; line-height: 115%; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;'>Once word got
out among my former soldiers that I was helping people, they kept coming to me.<o:p></o:p></span></p><font color="#000000" size="3" face="Times New Roman">

</font>

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 15 at 2014 9:26 AM

SFC Private RallyPoint Member — Sat, 15 Mar 2014 09:26:37 -0400

Maybe I'm too modest, but I like to think everything that I've done to influence or help a Soldier was done for no praise. Sounds naive, but I believe there's two types of Soldiers in the military, those that want "recognition" and those that want "achievement". I'm the achievement type.

Now for that 1 particular time....I think I erase them in my mind on purpose, because they all are done like second nature. I'm not trying be complicated, maybe it's early, but the question sounds to me like "When was the last time you dreamt of a dragon?" I d k. lol

Response by SPC(P) Delcina Myers made Mar 22 at 2014 11:56 AM

SPC(P) Delcina Myers — Sat, 22 Mar 2014 11:56:54 -0400

3 years ago this March, I just came home from drill. I changed my clothes to civis, picked up my 7 month old daughter and decided to go to wal mart. I went to my local gas station (because wal mart was 30 miles away) and was filling up my car, when all of a sudden I hear screeching tires. I look over in time to see a collision. A wheelchair accessable van (A) was coming from the north, and an SUV was coming from the south (B). A was driving WAAY too fast, and collided with B who was turning to her left. The impact was so hard, the van went on its side and a tire came off and proceeded to roll/jump towards me. My first thought was to stop it from hitting my car... Then something (Angel - Ghost - Spirit, whatever) grabbed me out of the way right before the tire hit my car - Left a huge ass dent. I know its illegal to leave your kids in a car unattended, but I was the only one there. I ran to the SUV, seen that the girl was okay, gave her my phone to call 911 and then her mother (mothers truck) and ran over to the van. I saw smoke, I thought the van was going to catch on fire. I couldn't find a rock nearby or I would have broken the window - The van is totaled, what more damage would really harm it?<div><br></div><div>The lady in the van was handicapped. I recognized her, she sits in a wheelchair. I picked her up and carried her (all the while her pee bag spilling on me) in my arms out the back of the van and sat her in the grass far enough away from the van (come to find out the smoke I saw was just the broken radiator - hot fluids on a cold-ish ground) and waited for the ambulance to show up. </div><div><br></div><div>EMTs showed up. Didn't take my name or story down, didnt even care as to HOW the lady got out. Police didnt care, either. Thankfully the gas attendant stood by my car and kept an eye on my daughter.</div><div><br></div><div>I had moved away, then moved back, and when I went into her place of business about 1 1/2 years later I had asked her how she was from her accident. She says, "How did you know about that?" I told her that I was the one who pulled her out. She thanked me a million times, and told me that she had a broken leg, cracked ribs, a broken neck and a minor concussion (I guess her head hit the steering wheel). </div><div><br></div><div>A few people know about this now. I didn't make it a big deal - It was my duty to help.</div><div><br></div><div>But what no one knows, is that I was about 4 months pregnant with my son. And I was still on drill status as this happened on a saturday.</div>

Response by SGT Richard H. made Aug 26 at 2014 1:18 PM

SGT Richard H. — Tue, 26 Aug 2014 13:18:58 -0400

I gave one of my soldiers $200 to get his electricity turned back on and told him that if he told anyone or tried to pay me back that I'd make him wish he were dead.

Response by SFC Mark Merino made Dec 27 at 2014 1:47 AM

SFC Mark Merino — Sat, 27 Dec 2014 01:47:14 -0500

This is a great thread CPT Aaron Kletzing . I just found it today. I hope it stays active because it is very heart warming to read these great examples. You never know how much a random act of kindness can impact someone's life. The urge to pay it forward is awesome when it really touches your heart.

Response by SGT Michael Glenn made Jan 8 at 2015 7:24 PM

SGT Michael Glenn — Thu, 08 Jan 2015 19:24:43 -0500

It depends on what you mean as nice and people knowing about it. When I has CQ I had a wave of soldiers try to bum rush me at the desk, was like 10 all huddled together and all talking to me at once...I yelled "AT EASE" and they all stopped in their tracks. I then motioned them to part from each other and after a few seconds of hesitation they did to reveal two young ladies they were trying to sneak up stairs and a couple cases of beer. All looked worried and one started to fast talk trying to explain...I merely put my finger up to my mouth and made a shhhhhhhhh gesture.... picked up the news paper and said" do you want to have a 1st call before 1st call to get them out , or are they not spending the night?" the looks on their faces was dismay and when I looked back up they were still standing there so I told them to bunch back up before someone saw them and to get lost. What followed was a few years of awesome friendships from this group and unyielding respect. I made it very clear that I would not look the other way for drugs or disrespect so not to even try, but as long as they wore a uniform and could die for their country I saw it absurd to deny them these things. DO I GET MY MEDAL NOW???? I want to be like the 1sg !!!! hehehe

Response by CPT Aaron Kletzing made Feb 19 at 2015 1:46 PM

CPT Aaron Kletzing — Thu, 19 Feb 2015 13:46:41 -0500

I'd love to resurrect this thread. Hop in, folks. Some touching stories in here. Add yours!