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VETS! Share your military service pictures/videos


chevysoldier

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Let's share some of our experiences from being in the military.

Basic Training:

The gas chamber.

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After we completed our final test for tracked recovery school (H8). They let us mess around in the mud.

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Inside the M88. My mom used to tell me these are the only pictures I would be smiling in. I really enjoyed being on an M88.

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Iraq when I was active duty.

Sunset on guard duty:

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Some of my guys trying to get a picture into a 4 wheel drive magazine:

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One of the many road side shops.

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My M88A1 Recovery Vehicle.

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I think this is our convoy getting ready to leave Kuwait to go into Iraq.

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Toby Keith came and performed for us.

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Me and my TC (tank commander) on the M88. I am on the right side in the driver's seat. He his on the M2 50 cal.

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Our makeshift bench press.

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Boredom took over and I tried to see how big I could blow a latex glove. It popped just after this picture.

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And I learned to use crutches like stilts.

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This was my crew.

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After active duty I did two years with the Ohio National Guard. We deployed to Louisiana in response of Hurricane Gustav.

We stayed in a high school gym

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The local girl scout came and baked us brownies and cookies then sang some songs. It was really sweet.

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We handed out water, food and ice to the people.

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Water levels were really high!

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Signs and trees were down all over the place.

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Edited by chevysoldier
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I was in the Air Force, we were too busy doing our jobs to take pictures. :D

True. Besides, who wants to see someone alseep in the belly of a C-141 anyway, or guarding the static displays at the front gate. :D (I keeeed, I keeeed!)

This is me and my boy Greg (on the left) on a small det to Nyutaburu Air Base in Nyutaburu, Japan. This was a cool det, as we were the only Yanks on the island, and the base for that matter, as it was a Japanese installation. They were incredibly gracious hosts, and I made sure that no matter how drunk I got, not to throw up their expensive Japanese liquor. And my bud Greg here, well he now owns and operates www.sportbikes4hire.com. Just saw him at the IMS for the first time in about 15 years. Good times!

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Thanks for serving guys!
Thanks for serving guys, majority of my family and friends server in all branches of military.

Thank you. I greatly appreciate this and am sure the others do also.

Some of you may have seen me post this picture up on here before. I usually post this in a thread about a service member that given their life. Interesting story is I originally saw this in an email from my mom. It was one of those chain emails sent around about supporting our troops and what they do. When I got to this picture I recognized the Blackhorse shoulder patch. That is the patch of the 11th ACR, the unit I deployed with. It really took me by surprise this was in a chain email. I know those guys and they were mourning the loss of one of our soldiers killed over there. I emailed my mom back to tell her and she was very surprised also, didn't even notice the patch. I have since seen this picture, or a variation of the background, in many emails and videos supporting our troops.

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Edited by chevysoldier
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We're used to it. The jealously sets in as soon as you guys can't score high enough to qualify for our jobs.

I will say the AF does have some shit hot secret squirrel jobs that would be cool to have. Then again, you would think the AF was unionized, since everyone had such a specialized job, almost to the point of overkill. Case in point, when I was in Okinawa in '93, we were on a det to Kadena Air Base. I was an F/A-18 airframes mech, and had gone to school primarily as a hydraulics specialist. So one afternoon we're out of 1 gallon cans of hyd fluid so I went with my SNCOIC over to an F-15 squadron to see if they minded loaning us a can for our bowser for jet launches. They were happy to oblige and we got to BSing about our jobs. Now as a Marine mech, when I had to replace a hydraulic actuator on a jet, I would take my toolbox, go out to the bird, yank the panel, the part, and replace the part myself (or with a fellow mech depending on the size of the actuator). The AF mechs...one guy pulls the panel, a second swaps out parts, a 3rd runs the maintenance test for it, then the first goes back an puts the panel back on. And no one does the other guys job. My SSgt and I are calling BS, figuring the AF guys are just giving us a hard time. But their TSgt is overwhelingly serious about that. Said it was part of their concepts of QA. We said it sounded like the AF really wanted to be GM.

Still, the AF always had the nicest barracks, chow facilities, and gyms. They also had the hottest chicks, who we found fancied Marines more than anyone.:cool::sex::tagteam:

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Thank you. I greatly appreciate this and am sure the others do also.

Yep, x1,000. Of all the folks that thank me (and humbly I have gotten a lot of thanks) I tell them all that the best way to thank a vet is to do something good with your freedom. Exercise your rights that we live and die for. Sure some folks out there exercise them in ways that sometimes fly in the face of those of us that fought for them, but if we take that away from them then we take it away from everyone, and those that gave the ultimate sacrafice have done so in vain. Like a lot of Marines, I talk my fair share of junk, and all in fun. I am fortunate to have not had to serve in combat, and found my time to be bookended by the two Gulf Wars. I have lost friends there, and have a step brother (also a Marine) who is battling mental issues following his two trips to Iraq. I thank my Lord each day for those that went before me, and hope that the ones that followed found that what little piece of our fraternity of brothers and sisters in arms I maintained to be in worthy condition to carry on. Though it sounds contradictory, I am humbly proud to have served in the same fraterinty of some of the finest men and women I have ever met, be it while on the same watch, or places like here with folks who now simply have Vet on their resume.:bow:

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Yep, x1,000. Of all the folks that thank me (and humbly I have gotten a lot of thanks) I tell them all that the best way to thank a vet is to do something good with your freedom. Exercise your rights that we live and die for. Sure some folks out there exercise them in ways that sometimes fly in the face of those of us that fought for them, but if we take that away from them then we take it away from everyone, and those that gave the ultimate sacrafice have done so in vain. Like a lot of Marines, I talk my fair share of junk, and all in fun. I am fortunate to have not had to serve in combat, and found my time to be bookended by the two Gulf Wars. I have lost friends there, and have a step brother (also a Marine) who is battling mental issues following his two trips to Iraq. I thank my Lord each day for those that went before me, and hope that the ones that followed found that what little piece of our fraternity of brothers and sisters in arms I maintained to be in worthy condition to carry on. Though it sounds contradictory, I am humbly proud to have served in the same fraterinty of some of the finest men and women I have ever met, be it while on the same watch, or places like here with folks who now simply have Vet on their resume.:bow:

You had a better reply than I did. I still feel awkward when I get thanked, like I don't deserve it. I don't say that with a holier-than-thou attitude, most vets will understand. I agree with what you say about those that use their rights and freedoms in a way that may piss us off, but it is their right. As much as I despise Westboro Baptist Church, they have the right to say what they want to say, as long as it stays civil.

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Thank you. I greatly appreciate this and am sure the others do also.

Some of you may have seen me post this picture up on here before. I usually post this in a thread about a service member that given their life. Interesting story is I originally saw this in an email from my mom. It was one of those chain emails sent around about supporting our troops and what they do. When I got to this picture I recognized the Blackhorse shoulder patch. That is the patch of the 11th ACR, the unit I deployed with. It really took me by surprise this was in a chain email. I know those guys and they were mourning the loss of one of our soldiers killed over there. I emailed my mom back to tell her and she was very surprised also, didn't even notice the patch. I have since seen this picture, or a variation of the background, in many emails and videos supporting our troops.

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You're Welcome

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Most of my photos are from Iraq, so here's some more.

This was one of our medics. He was from Kenya and one hell of a guy. He would run 2 miles is about 10 or 11 minutes. After he would finish, he would turn around, run full sprint to the last guy taking his test and would help to pick up the pace. We used to joke with him he learned how to run so fat because he had to outrun the lions. :lol:

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This is the power pack (engine and transmission assy) from an M88. Take off the top deck, 12 bolts, 6 electrical plugs a a couple linkages and it's pull right out. If you were good, you could pull one, drop it on the ground and reinstall it to operational condition in about 15 minutes.

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One of the many dust storms we encountered.

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We went out on a three day mission. We were stopped here for a couple days and used the building on the left as our crapper. The guy walking is going there. lol

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The guys reconned the area.

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Edited by chevysoldier
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For the record... most of us Vietnam Era vets didn't get much thanks. Doesn't matter, didn't care, most of us were drafted anyway. We were ok with it. I expected to be in the military at some point anyway. My whole family tree has been in service.

So after 9/11, in the Atlanta airport, myself and everyone else are thanking the troops for their service. I mentioned to one that was great to see and hear, and it didn't happen when we got back from Vietnam tours. All the troops in the area around us, stood up and thanked me for my service. Welcome Home...

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I love all ya guys. The Vietnam era vets I would talk to at the bases always had the best stories. Those guys were awesome. I wouldn't trade my time growing up a military brat, serving myself or being a military spouse for anything.

Veterans day at Golden Corral i was at a table with a korean war F4 pilot who was shot down twice. it was an awesome story.

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