For Those Of You Who Are Or Were In The Military

[KyCatFan_rivals45723]

Any of you have some interesting stories related to the time you served?

I was in the Air Force from 91 to 95 and was a crew chief on the E-4B. A movie called The Sum of All Fears was on TV the other day (I watch it whenever I see it on) and it actually has one of the planes I had a hand in maintaining in the movie. There were only 4 of them in existence and I worked on all 4. It brings back memories from my time at Offutt AFB in Nebraska. Here is a screenshot and a video clip from the movie.

The E-4B was also in an old HBO movie called By Dawn's Early Light. Here's a screenshot from a YouTube video from the movie.

I just think it is pretty cool that I actually physically had my hands on these planes and was able to see them in movies on my TV and at the cinemas. Of course the second movie was made over a year before I got to Offutt AFB, but still find it interesting to see it in that film as well. Especially since I actually had to have top secret clearance to work on it and they didn't really let many people be around these planes besides the flight and maintenance crews. Now things are different and there is a tour video on YouTube.



The video is pretty bland, but I guess they can't just walk up to a drawer and say this is where the nuclear launch codes are kept while on alert and in flight. If you watched to the end, the seats right outside the cockpit (we called it the flight deck) with the names on them were where the crew chiefs sat when accompanying the plane on alert.

Hopefully that wasn't to boring for you all. Feel free to post any interesting stories about your job, where you were stationed, things you saw, etc.

 

[WildcatfaninOhio]

I served in the most expensive war of all. The Cold War. Was in USAF back in the late 70s. Worked as a grunt A1C on Minuteman III nuclear ICBMs outside Cheyenne WY. Serviced 200 missile silos and 20 command capsules spread out across thousands of square miles of cattle ranches.

Was fascinating at the time to learn about the advanced technology that was in those electronic racks full of vacuum tubes and relays. Of course I now have more computing power in my phone than all those racks ever could have managed.

 

[KyCatFan_rivals45723]

I served in the most expensive war of all. The Cold War. Was in USAF back in the late 70s. Worked as a grunt A1C on Minuteman III nuclear ICBMs outside Cheyenne WY. Serviced 200 missile silos and 20 command capsules spread out across thousands of square miles of cattle ranches.

Was fascinating at the time to learn about the advanced technology that was in those electronic racks full of vacuum tubes and relays. Of course I now have more computing power in my phone than all those racks ever could have managed.

I know what you mean. Our planes basically had overhead projectors on them when I served. Now they have flat screen tv's. Most of the technology though is still from the 70's because it is supposedly less susceptible against an EMP compared to today's technology.

 

[H. Lecter]

I was stationed in Korea 94-95. Could go into the bars where whores would do anything you wanted but you weren’t allowed to go to offpost pharmacy’s or barbershops. Never knew why...

 

[HymanKaplan_rivals48997]

USAF - 84 to 90

20833C - Czech/Slovak cryptologic linguist with the 6913th ESS

served at FSA Gablingen

I was working on the day that Rust flew the private plane into and landed at Red Square.

Many of you may not remember it, but at the time, it was a pretty big Cold War event.

 

[CastleRubric]

I"ll be up later and will share a couple
Have to think about what t o leave out


Hey Clown - we just missed each others active duty periods

So -- NOT insinuating anything but......CLOWN and WYVERN were two well trusted / somewhat connected Air Force studs at one point


I"m just sayin



(still studs)

 

[CastleRubric]

I was stationed in Korea 94-95. Could go into the bars where whores would do anything you wanted but you weren’t allowed to go to offpost pharmacy’s or barbershops. Never knew why...

visited Osan twice in 94-95 timeframe

Do you remember a labor strike / protest outside one of your gates?

 

[BCD]

Air Force/Air Force Reserve from 1983-2016.
Kunsan AB Korea 91-92. Flew through hurricanes, saw the Kuwait murder wall, had Chinese aircraft defect, low and at high speed during an ORI so aircraft were loaded with dummy rounds....witnessed U2 chasers, stood toe to toe with 26 satellite trucks full of media after 9/11.

 

[H. Lecter]

visited Osan twice in 94-95 timeframe

Do you remember a labor strike / protest outside one of your gates?

No labor strike or protest would’ve happen outside my post. Camp Pelham was a few miles from DMZ and very small maybe about 10 acres.

 

[Catman100]

US Navy 86-90
USS Eisenhower aircraft carrier
After returning from a flawless/issue free 6 month Med cruise, collided with a civilian tanker ship in Norfolk harbor within eyesight of the pier.
Captain was gone 2 weeks later.

 

[BCD]

visited Osan twice in 94-95 timeframe

Do you remember a labor strike / protest outside one of your gates?

They did that all the time at Kunsan. Price of rice too low? Block the gate at the Kun! Peppers not selling? Block the gate at the Kun!

 

[CastleRubric]

Osan AB was the first time I saw A10s flying overhead

You hear that characteristic whistling sound- and look up to see those slow but determined gunships circling the area

I’m in Tucson now which is home to Davis-Monthan AFB. - so I see A10’s flying around all the time now

They still sound the same and are still tied for my all time favorite USAF (non nuclear) asset

 

[HymanKaplan_rivals48997]

My last Commander, Lt.Col Wakefield was a former 'WartHog' pilot.

 

[KyCatFan_rivals45723]

Osan AB was the first time I saw A10s flying overhead

You hear that characteristic whistling sound- and look up to see those slow but determined gunships circling the area

I’m in Tucson now which is home to Davis-Monthan AFB. - so I see A10’s flying around all the time now

They still sound the same and are still tied for my all time favorite USAF (non nuclear) asset

The A-10 was always one of my favorite planes. I have a picture of myself from tech school standing in front of an A-10 with the gatling gun right next to my head. I have a big head and it is most definitely bigger than my head.

 

[JamesIII]

USMC - 2005-2009

Stationed in 29 Palms, that place sucks for those who have been there. Also went on 2 tours in Iraq, so I essentially I just saw the desert a lot. On one we had a reporter embedded with us for about a week and I was specifically told not to answer any of his questions and/or talk to him because I was a smartass and they thought I would say something that might look bad on our unit.

It would have probably went something like this:

Reporter: How do you think the war is going?

Me: It's f*cking stupid. We receive "intelligence" that weapons are being smuggled through the Wadi every night. We go there every night, tripping on rocks and falling down because we only use our NVG's to see. Guess what we have to do the next night? Go to the f*cking Wadi. We need better intelligence or they need to fire that guy that keeps sending us there. Also, I would like to take a shower because we don't have running water.

 

[warrior-cat]

Osan AB was the first time I saw A10s flying overhead

You hear that characteristic whistling sound- and look up to see those slow but determined gunships circling the area

I’m in Tucson now which is home to Davis-Monthan AFB. - so I see A10’s flying around all the time now

They still sound the same and are still tied for my all time favorite USAF (non nuclear) asset

Air Force wanted to get rid of them years ago but, they are still way too effective on the battle field and are a very tough plane to shoot down. My favorite combat aircraft too.

 

[warrior-cat]

This is what I served on in the Gulf War and Germany as well. Spent time with other Guns but this one the most. The M110A1 Howitzer and M548 ammo carrier. Each round was a 208lb bullet.

 

[dgtatu01]

Air Force wanted to get rid of them years ago but, they are still way too effective on the battle field and are a very tough plane to shoot down. My favorite combat aircraft too.

The AF probably doesn't, but some congressman is dying to get a kickback from a defense contractor on some newfangled $1 billion/per jet POS that doesnt work. Meanwhile we let our VA hospitals fall apart.

I digress before this goes to political. Thank you all for your service, I never served, but I love working with veterans because they just get stuff done without all the BS everyone else has to wrap everything up in.

 

[AustinTXCat]

USAF - 84 to 90

20833C - Czech/Slovak cryptologic linguist with the 6913th ESS

served at FSA Gablingen

I was working on the day that Rust flew the private plane into and landed at Red Square.

Many of you may not remember it, but at the time, it was a pretty big Cold War event.

I remember it well, as I served 11 years in Germany during the 80s and 90s.

Mathias Rust. [laughing]. An amazing hacker before hacking became cool.

His actions that day got many high-ranking Soviet generals, including one WW2 hero, fired from their jobs. Additionally, several hundred other Soviet air defense officers were relieved of duty. It's been argued this single event accelerated East-West German re-unification because those generals who opposed Mikhail Gorbachev were removed.

More insanity from the era:

Wade Roberts AWOL, desertion and defection to the Soviet Union in 1987. I'd just been reassigned from the NATO site near Burbach back to U.S. sector at Kirchgoens (Ayers Kaserne). Giessen, where Roberts deserted, was located roughly 15 miles away from the Rock. Dude had a cute German girlfriend. He deserted with her. Big propaganda win at the time for the Soviets. Less than 8 months later, he began crying and wanted to come back.. Guess he was unhappy hunting snakes.

Stephen Schap. He beheaded his wife's boyfriend in a phone booth at McPheeter's Barracks near Bad Hersfeld in December, 1993 while the boyfriend talked on the phone with the wife. Schap then carried the head to the hospital where his unfaithful wife had been admitted with pregnancy complications (she was pregnant by the deceased) and sat it on the table beside her bed.

Crazy times back then.

 

[mustangman456]

I was stationed in Korea from 1996-1997. The weather was rough. Snow does go side to side. Something to see.

 

[Catman100]

We also did "Good Morning America!!!" from the flight deck, for Good Morning America, back in like 88-89.

 

[Pygmy Sasquatch]

Did a couple of years in 15 Squadron at USAFA, nothing like you guys that did full enlistments. Punched out early. The old man did 28 years, 4 full deployments to RVN and a few shorter deployments in the SEA region - mostly FAC. Silver star and two bronze mostly for **** up around Dong Ha. Was raised my whole life on military posts and have a soft spot for USAF.

 

[BlueVelvetFog]

I didn’t serve, but I want to thank the hell out of y’all for your service