Anyone have military service under their belts?

[Justin Barylski]

Hello MTO users! I have been a member on the forum here for a few years now, but recently had to take a break as I was enrolling in the Canadian Armed Forces and completing my Basic Military Qualification 

So that got me thinking about how many other members here have current or previous service in a branch of the Armed forces, and do you have any good (clean) stories you can tell about you time serving?

[MadPlumbarian]

Congrats,
I would have served if my medical allowed me cause I come from a large family of people who served, and I highly respect anyone who has served or is serving!
JR

[kkokkolis]

I served in the Medical Corps for Army Air Wing and Special Forces. It was nice, I missed my wife and kids though.

I have some photos besides an Apache somewhere.

[Butch]

2 Years United States Army Medical Corps  32nd Surgical Hospital Mobile Army
a mash unit

1967 - 1969

Wurzberg Germany

[Huntsman]

Hope this is not a hijack but .....

I am the son of a militiay man - Royal Army Chaplains Department
We lived in Germany twice for a year or so in the 60s
I had lived in 7 different places by the age of 12, but we kids loved the military life, new places to explore, new friends to make every couple of years and we loved Germany .... real snow at Christmas was the best. And lots of different foods and sweets. We were eating Haribo gummi bears and bratwurst about 20 years before everyone else!!

Dad did an unaccompanied tour of the Middle East (Sharjah) for 11 months.
Can you imagine it ?  .... 11 months with no wife and kids (and us and Mum with no Dad/hubby) and no fly backs or fly outs!
We were fine - We had a great time, and found it quite exciting
 - But I'm not sure how Mum managed - Well I am actually - She's the ultimte pragmatist - So just got on with it ! But  to you Mum.

I think there are a few other military kids here on the forum
 

[pomsbz]

IDF conscript. Infantry (Netzah Yehuda Batallion) during 2nd Intifada. Full demob (no reservist status) when my disability started showing up. I was so young and naive I thought it was fun, first time in my life I felt that I was truly justifying my existence.

[kkokkolis]

It might be fun during peacetime only.

[Smashie]

Royal Marines from 87 to 97. It was kind of inevitable as most of my family on my fathers side were either Navy or Booties.

96 was the year I finished then spent a year recovering from a list of injuries that makes for interesting reading, plus unbeknown to me (at the time) a smurf ton of other issues.

I wouldn’t change a single day of it!

[Grant Lamontagne]

My father was military- I was raised on military bases all over Canada.  Dad was never posted overseas after having a family, although he met my mother while posted to Europe and staying in Glasgow.

I had always intended to join the military- it was the only life I knew, and there was never any doubt that I would join.  I was in my teens when I realized that APC's driving down the street in front of your house was't a normal thing for everyone.

Then I got busted up and wasn't able to pass the medical requirements.

Then they changed the medical requirements, but by then I had started amassing a few other injuries.  They kept lowering the standards, but I have kept pace with corresponding injuries.   

I still toy with the idea now, although at 44 years old and barely able to walk I wonder what good I'd be to anyone.

Def

[pomsbz]

My father was military- I was raised on military bases all over Canada.  Dad was never posted overseas after having a family, although he met my mother while posted to Europe and staying in Glasgow.

I had always intended to join the military- it was the only life I knew, and there was never any doubt that I would join.  I was in my teens when I realized that APC's driving down the street in front of your house was't a normal thing for everyone.

Then I got busted up and wasn't able to pass the medical requirements.

Then they changed the medical requirements, but by then I had started amassing a few other injuries.  They kept lowering the standards, but I have kept pace with corresponding injuries.   

I still toy with the idea now, although at 44 years old and barely able to walk I wonder what good I'd be to anyone.

Def

Barely able to walk? Not good, any hope for recovery? Wishing you well from someone who can barely walk. 

[Grant Lamontagne]

Been almost 20 years now... post traumatic arthritis in one knee, both ankles and now I have a hip that isn't happy.

If there was a deposit for returning a body in good shape when you are done with it, I wouldn't have a hope in hell of collecting!  :-)

Oh yeah, and an elbow that's a bit wonky at times....

Def

[pomsbz]

Been almost 20 years now... post traumatic arthritis in one knee, both ankles and now I have a hip that isn't happy.

If there was a deposit for returning a body in good shape when you are done with it, I wouldn't have a hope in hell of collecting!  :-)

Oh yeah, and an elbow that's a bit wonky at times....

Def

We could do a thread talking about living with this kind of stuff and still having loads of fun? Lots of people either with disabilities, arthritis, etc. Age, accident or born that way. I've had both ankles and feet fully fused as a result of my disability. Like walking on two painful peg legs but far better than what came before. As you can imagine weight is a constant problem as a result. My hands are a story for another day.

[Nix]

I was in for over 24 years.  I signed up for 4 years, but then kept finding interesting things to do. Before you know it....it's time to retire. 

[getahl]

None myself. Senior year of high school, I went down to the Navy recruiter. Rather, my friend who'd enlisted gave them my phone number. Anyhow,  went down, had a small interview, turned out to be too obese for service, and wasn't motivated enough to lose the weight at the time. By the time I did, I was halfway through college, and never went back to the recruiter.

My dad was AF, both grandfathers Army. All three posted in the Philippines during Vietnam and WWII, respectively.   I wonder if I have any half-relatives over there lol

[Gerhard Gerber]

Thankfully not, I missed conscripted military service by 3 years, and I never looked forward to it.

I got some insight into why mental breakdown and brainwashing is required when you're trying to control a large number of men, but I'm just not a herd animal.

If I'd have done military service I would have been on the loosing side politically, although completely overpowering militarily.  This was too much for many.....

I can understand the brotherhood of soldiers defending their country, I would be more than willing to do that, but thanks to the information age we know we are just pawns.

I refuse to die for somebody's chess game 

[Butch]

This thread got me reminiscing, I think one of the things I miss most, the railway stations in Germany. There were always food carts & invariably there was one with the black german rye buns sliced in half with a slab of swiss cheese. That and a Wurtzburger Hoffbrau ..........pure heaven.

[Aloha]

  to those that have served. 

I went down to the recruiter after HS and planned to join as my brother did after he graduated HS.  I also went to the local college as well to see options.  I thought I'd make a run at college after looking at courses so I never made it back to the recruiter.  Back then the recruiter never once talked about money for college.  It certainly would have swayed me in that direction.       

[Gath]

Well as a Finn I was a consript, though only for 160 days.
At least as a consript you definitely meet all kinds.

One of the guys selected for corporal training in our group was a good guy but honestly the slowest guy I've seen who wasn't special needs, really didn't understand that decision.

The Signal officers leading our unit were pretty average dudes, but somehow two  of three were absolutely awful at navigating. When we went orienteering both went over time of 2 hours, I finished little over and hour and I could probably go only half as fast as them.
Another time one of them was relieved of command in an attack exercise as he couldn't find the "enemy" unit 400 meters away, approximately marked on his map.

The most infamous happening with our group that often prompted veiled giggles of Schadenfreude was when most of us had gone to the first longer field training.

Meanwhile our barracks was naturally minimally staffed, with only one Corporal from the previous group present.
But all the guys who were selected for training for truck driving remained at the barracks as they had scheduled training to finish their regular licenses.

So some of them had the bright idea of jumping out of a window and going drinking but unfortunately for them a lieutenant from the Military Academy in the same city spotted them and coming back they had military police waiting. Nevermind the disciplinary actions (no getting out for weeks, extra duties) they couldn't attend the training and despite the unit Captain's pleas for them it wasn't rescheduled and these guys got stuck doing busywork for a year, instead of getting licenses worth €6000-20000+, And some of the most pleasant duties in the army.

[Don Pablo]

Nevermind the disciplinary actions (no getting out for weeks, extra duties) they couldn't attend the training and despite the unit Captain's pleas for them it wasn't rescheduled and these guys got stuck doing busywork for a year, instead of getting licenses worth €6000-20000+, And some of the most pleasant duties in the army.

If I'm understanding this correctly.... Sounds like this punishment hurt the organisation more than it helped. 

[kkokkolis]

I think that there should be a both sexes universal conscription for peace duties. You might get access to Universities in return and do community or street or ecosystem work that would build a “good citizen” conscience. Able people and some professionals (like doctors) might be choosen for the military still.

[lister]

How about you get free access to universities no matter what, but you must attend life and stuff courses as part of it. The courses would include stuff like first aid, orienteering, crafting skills, orienteering, survival, cooking, handling of weapons, tactics training, physical training and how to do it right... This way you get adults that can repair their torn clothing, maintain their dwellings, help injured people, can cook for them selves... And as a bonus, you have a whole population that does not take much training when the time comes to defend their country (and I emphasize the defend their country part!).

Also you could expose general public to joys of having mult multi-tools. 

[Gath]

If I'm understanding this correctly.... Sounds like this punishment hurt the organisation more than it helped. 

Drivers are trained with some surplus, and as the training is expensive and the job extremely important in wartime the army doesn't want to train unreliable people. And as they're consripts, the army strictly speaking only needs their skills if there's war in Finland, which is a remote possibility.

Meanwhile these guys lost valuable training in a field with great employment prospects and solid pay, in fact most truck drivers currently working in Finland got their licenses in the army.

[Don Pablo]

Drivers are trained with some surplus, and as the training is expensive and the job extremely important in wartime the army doesn't want to train unreliable people. And as they're consripts, the army strictly speaking only needs their skills if there's war in Finland, which is a remote possibility.

Meanwhile these guys lost valuable training in a field with great employment prospects and solid pay, in fact most truck drivers currently working in Finland got their licenses in the army.

Now I see. Thanks!

[Huntsman]

Good story Gath

And a tough price to pay for a coupe of beers - But they deserved it - Well done Finnish army   

The one thing you don't do in the army is dick around, or break the rules - Your squad, and ultimately country, needs you to do your job !

[Gerhard Gerber]

I think that there should be a both sexes universal conscription for peace duties. You might get access to Universities in return and do community or street or ecosystem work that would build a “good citizen” conscience. Able people and some professionals (like doctors) might be choosen for the military still.

In a well-governed country that is a great idea on many levels...

Not everybody can afford a "gap year", and to expect an 18-year old to decide then and there what he/she/it's going to do with their lives is senseless.
 
Some time spent productively to become a bit more mature, meet people and be exposed to more options in life is a very good thing.

[Sea Monster]

The one thing you don't do in the army is dick around, or break the rules - Your squad, and ultimately country, needs you to do your job !

I heard somewhere that the military was pretty much 95% dicking around and breaking rules, and 5% ironing uniforms and doing parades so that the public never suspects what they are funding.

just something I heard though.....

[Grant Lamontagne]

I heard somewhere that the military was pretty much 95% dicking around and breaking rules, and 5% ironing uniforms and doing parades so that the public never suspects what they are funding.

just something I heard though.....

Right up until it is time to drive over an IED and you are the "lucky one" who only loses a leg.

Having grown up in a military environment I have seen how much "busy work" and time wasting there can be in military life, but it also seems like an inadequate trade off compared to the sacrifices they may be called upon to make.

The Canadian military tries to minimize a lot of wasted manpower by sending the military out on a lot of humanitarian missions, such as helping after floods, earthquakes and other disasters, and I have to say, I am extremely proud of that fact.  It keeps the military busy, makes use of their skills while teaching them new ones and keeps them grounded, knowing how good we have life in Canada, the importance of protecting it, and for helping others. 

You have to appreciate someone who is willing to stand in harm's way so that you can say what you like about them, but you absolutely have to respect someone who, when there isn't a threat, is willing to climb down in the mud and help someone else out.

Def

[SteveC]

 

[SteveC]

I heard somewhere that the military was pretty much 95% dicking around and breaking rules, and 5% ironing uniforms and doing parades so that the public never suspects what they are funding.

just something I heard though.....

I just gotta say that this is a pretty disrespectful comment .

[Butch]

I just gotta say that this is a pretty disrespectful comment .