At the Air Station, they would take me on helo rides and on the boat while rescue swimmer drills. One trip, we come across a pod of killer whales and had to get the rescue swimmers out of the water fast!
Oh lordy. I have so much military in my background I’m surprised I didn’t roll out of the womb counting cadence. Great-grand uncle was a Marine of great renown, both grandfathers military (one Marine, one Navy; both WWII vets) father a Vietnam vet / 20+ years Army, mom 30 years Army / Army Reserve. They met in the Army. Got a Navy vet BiL too.
I did 4 years of Navy ROTC (rank of LTCDR; Public Affairs Officer and commander of our Rifle and Color Guard teams) and had big offers from both Army and Navy recruiters, but then my dad became ill and other circumstances kept me from going all in.
Interesting side note; I had some apparently rare combinations in my ASVAB scores that made me very desirable to the Army’s Intelligence division and the Navy’s nuclear program. Go figure.
In that case Air Force brat. Father was strategic air command so we moved every 2 years. Four elementary schools, two middle schools, two high schools scattered over five different states. (Not counting the months Dad was overseas without us.)
Me, many moon ago. Served 4 years active duty Navy E-4 (Petty Officer Third Class) as an AT (Aviation Electronics Technician) . Stationed at NAS Pensicola FL, and Whidbey Island, Wa. My father was a Marine. Now I’m Civil Service back working for the Navy in the Environmental department.
Army brat here! My mom did 20 years, retired as a Lt Colonel. Military intelligence (a well known oxymoron, of course), taught English Lit at West Point, speechwriter to Deputy Chief of Staff Shinseki. Here she is in the 101st Airborne Division, when General Westmoreland visited Fort Campbell-- right behind the guy in front (she’s the short one):
Hi! Retired Army Captain here; I had a total of 17 years and change before I had to be medically retired. I’ve served at Fort Bliss (Don’t let the name fool you; it SUCKED), Fort Lee, and Fort Belvoir in my career. I started out in 31st ADA BDE, then went to 300th ASG, then 55th Sustainment BDE (which is where I retired out of). I was a 35D (all-source intelligence) officer while I was in and deployed once on active duty (which is where I sustained the back injury that ended up medically retiring me about a decade later). Glad to see other military MSTies here!
Hi fellow military peeps and thanks for your service! Me: brief stint in the Army back in 1993 - stationed at Fort Jackson, Fort Devens, Fort Huachuca, then as a dependent with my ex at Field Station Kunia in Hawaii. 33T was my MOS (Electronics Warfare Tactical Systems Repairer). Nice to meet you all!
…Retired USAF munitions guy, '78 - '98 - B-52s, F-16s, and F-15s. Built bombs, missiles, and assorted other explodey things, but today I only use my powers for good.