50 Years today

[kilowatt]

Just happen to look at calendar as writing out checks to pay bills and realized it has been 50 years ago today's date and being Monday Feb 17th, the same that year in 1964....I boarded the bus at the Army recruiters ofice and off to Fort Ord, CA for induction into the US Army.
The Beatles just invaded the USA and my hair was cut to a discussing 1/4" and all my clothes got dumped into the garage cans outside the Quartermasters Bldg. Their went my Blue Suede Shoes and black pants and shirt.....
Looking back to that day now, it was the best thing for me and turned my life in a different direction. There were few guys that were my age then, most were 17-19 year olds. I spent my 22 birthday at Ft. Ord during Basic Training.

It sure does not feel like it has been "half a Century" since that day. Next year, in 2015, I along with some of my Army buddies from Vietnam plan on going back to observe half a century that we went to VN and are still friends that meet every 2 years in Las Vegas. Las vegas this year and Vietnam next year.

Brian
http://i44.tinypic.com/es7x8z.jpg[/IMG]

 

[nvhunter]

I salute you sir!!

 

[264mag]

>I salute you sir!!


+1 Thank's for your Service Brian.

 

[kingfish]

Thank you for your service...



Government doesn't fix anything and has spent trillions proving it!!!
Let's face it...After Monday and Tuesday, even the calender says WTF!

 

[feddoc]

Welcome home.

 

[sageadvice]

Sounds pretty neat ol Pard. Thank You for your service to our Country!!!

Joey


"It's all about knowing what your firearms practical limitations are and combining that with your own personal limitations!"

 

[RELH]

Brian you made it to Ft. Ord 16 months before me. June of 1965. I enlisted after getting out of high school that year instead of waiting for them to draft me.
I understand they have now closed down Ft. Ord. I loved those rifle ranges that went out to 500 meters. If you were there in 1964 that means you were introduced to the M-14 as I was. I liked it alot better then the mattel toy rifle M-16.

RELH

 

[eelgrass]

Congratulations for making it this far Brian. I hope your VN reunion is a success.

Were you drafted or did you join?

Steve

 

[mtmuley]

Thank you for your service. I try to acknowledge any serviceman I meet. Some are even taken aback that they are noticed, but always appreciative as am I. mtmuley

 

[nfh]

Thanks for your service!

 

[Wiszard]

I also give a big "thank you" to a serviceman or woman when I come across one. It doesn't matter if I'm at a restaurant or in a store somewhere. I always acknowledge their service. Most of the time I get a "thank you" in return as if I've done anything for them. ) They make our country what it is. Thanks for serving, Brian. You guys don't get enough credit.

Steve

Cancer doesn't discriminate...don't take your good health for granted because it can be gone in a heartbeat. Please go back and read the last line. This time really understand what it says.

 

[LongRangeBangin]

Thanks so much for you, an everyone like you who has served this great country. You have provided me 46 years of getting outta bed an doing what ever my heart desires. I appreciate the service. You could never know how indebted I am to guys like you. Thanks

 

[kilowatt]

LAST EDITED ON Feb-17-14 AT 09:33PM (MST)[p]RELH...When I went thru B.T. there at Ft. Ord it was Feb. 1964 and almost 4 years after I got out of school. In that time I was married, divorced and one daughter and work was hard to find unless you enjoy setting chokers in the woods or driving logging trucks or "pulling green chain".
I was dating a gal here in town and her Mom told me that I was second from the top of list to be drafted....had forgot about the damn draft back then. She worked at the SS Office here.
So I joined the Army and got educated really soon...LOL
That damn rifle range had a lot of sand out there plus we even marched down to the ocean somewhere to shoot. Try that in the wind with sand blowing in your eyes. Yes, the M-14 was a kick to shoot.

Eelgrass...Steve yes I joined the Army.

So many never had the chance to come back in one piece and that is and will always be a sad moment for us all.

Oh yea, out at that rifle range one day, one of the Sgt's told one of the guys in the pit if he could see the bird, I think it was a crow been to long in time to remember now, and the tall lanky "hillbilly" from the south looked down range and said YES SGT! If you can shoot that bird in the head, I will give you a perfect score and you are done for the rest of the day. The kid said, "Sgt that is a long shot I don't know." I will try Sgt and see if I can. The kid aimed and did not pull the trigger for about 15 seconds or more and the Sgt said "what is the matter"? The kid looked up and said OK Sgt and popped the head of that crow or maybe it was a seagull but we seen feathers around that spot...LOL The Sgt standing up on the higher ground said get out of that damn hole the next Pvt got down in there. The Sgt was checking off the score sheet and cussing to himself.
P.S.....Often wonder if the girl's mother just said that to get me away from her daughter...LOL

Brian
http://i44.tinypic.com/es7x8z.jpg[/IMG]

 

[NVPete]

LAST EDITED ON Feb-17-14 AT 10:22PM (MST)[p]LAST EDITED ON Feb-17-14 AT 10:18?PM (MST)

WOW! First off: Thank you for your service to this GREAT nation (in my heart it STILL is!) Things were sure different back then, weren't they? While you were entering service, I was in my senior year of high school, not really worrying much about current events. I was able to graduate, do two years of college; but then made some really stupid decisions which led to being drafted into the Army. I was one of the lucky ones...Infantry MOS 11Charlie (mortars...Ft. Polk, LA "Tigerland" Advanced Infantry Training).Somehow I ended up in 4th Infantry Div. 1/22nd Inf. Regt. in 4.2 inch mortars platoon. Those guns weighed 750 lbs. and projectiles weighed 35 lbs., so we couldn't pack stuff much into the jungles...but out at a dozen Fire Support Bases (can't even remember names). I too liked the M-14, and I think we had ONE day training and shooting the M-16, then after AIT never seeing an M-14 again, but packing the M-16 (I always wondered how well I would do if I ever had to actually FIRE it...and one day actually got the chance as a "sniper" (?) sprayed us fully automatic w/o hitting anything...from my foxhole I returned fire by spraying two twenty round clips back (lol)!! I survived more crazy stuff than that sniper, both during and after service, and it amazes me that I can say "WOW! I'm still here!" every day! I hope you have a GREAT experience on your return trip, and again thanks so much for your service!

 

[NVPete]

Thought I'd post a pic of "Bucky" wearing my hat...

 

[bullskin]

That would be about the time my dad left, too, Kilo. There were a lot of good men and boys on those buses. Thank you.

 

[wilhille]

Thank you for your service! My date is 11 April 2001.

I just got out on 17 November 2013. I miss it already and I am proud to have served in the greatest Army in the world.

Once again thank you for your service. What you gentlemen did is the reason we are the greatest.

 

[BeanMan]

Brian, Thank you for your service!

 

[Zeke]

My hat is off for you sir!
I was just 10 years old when you got on that bus.
That's a long time ago...or just a blink of the eye!
Well done,
Zeke

 

[Gator]

Sub sailor here.
I was 7 years old that year.

"I have found if you go the extra mile it's Never crowded".
>[Font][Font color = "green"]Life member of
>the MM green signature club.[font/]

 

[slickrock]

A way overdue thank you Kilo! Hope you got the respect you deserved when you came home from VN. I know many didn't.

Slick

"The Road goes on forever & the Party never Ends"

 

[rutnbuck]

Cheers to all you vets. Thanks for all you gave and did.
Be Well

Rutnbuck