Jump to content

Dream Duty stations or Highway to Hell?


The Few

Recommended Posts

Hello my fellow brother's and sisters of the military, or Civilian counter Partners!

 

Love to hear some stories about your "BEST" duty station assignments, or the absolutely WORST!!

 

I will have to say I cant just list one for my best or worst...

 

Mind you, the locations listed below had VERY beautiful landscape.. But the bases themselves as far as the base operations and family accommodations, were either very good, or Very bad!!!

 

BEST:

Camp Lejeune N.C,

Okinawa, Japan

Camp Pendelton, Ca

 

WORST:

Iwakuni, Japan

Waldbrol, Germany

Aviano Italy

 

The Few

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I had 5 overseas assignments and 3 stateside assignments. 4 out of the 5 overseas assignments were back to back. First 3 were great, the 4th really sucked and enjoyed number 5.

 

The Greats Were:

 

SHAPE, Belgium

Tehran, Iran

Kabul, Afghanistan

St Louis, MO

Sinop, Turkey

The Pentagon

 

Those that sucked:

Ft Knox, KY

Algiers, Algeria

 

Dennis

USA Master Sergeant Ret.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I had one 7 year overseas assignment, and have been stationed at the AF Academy once, Lackland AFB three times counting basic, and Barksdale AFB three times counting my reserve assignment during my college break in service.

 

I was assigned to Shepherd AFB for 4 months of my 1 year MLT (Medical Lab tech School,) and Keesler AFB for the last six months of MLT Tech School.

 

Best were all but the tech school year when I was driving home weekends 5- 7 hours Friday night, and returning Sunday evening. And my two permanent party assignments to Lackluster AFB, TX.

Keesler was great for the fishing and food.

 

Best from in descending order are

1. AF Academy - Go Falcons!

2. Spangdahlem AB Germany.

3. Barksdale AFB, LA three times.

 

Worst,

Shepherd AFB, TX

 

Of course there were better and worse times at each base depending on the commander and missions.

 

As a child my dad was assigned to Lowery in Denver CO, Wheeling West Virginia, and Steubenville OH. And he got out and we went to Bogota Colombia South America. Can't say much about those as I was under six for them.

RV/Derek
http://www.rvroadie.com Email on the bottom of my website page.
Retired AF 1971-1998


When you see a worthy man, endeavor to emulate him. When you see an unworthy man, look inside yourself. - Confucius

 

“Those who can make you believe absurdities, can make you commit atrocities.” ... Voltaire

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I had 4 overseas assignments and only one stateside assignment aside from schools. The schools were one year long so I guess you could almost count them as stateside which I will for this.

 

Best:

Edzell, Scotland

Monterey, California (3 times)

Rota, Spain (2 times)

San Miguel, Philippines

 

Worst:

Lincoln, NE (recruiting)

 

I would note that my time in San Miguel and Rota also included a lot of TDY "haze gray underway" time, 8 different ships, which afforded a lot opportunity to see a lot of Japan, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Singapore, Thailand, Italy, Israel, Greece, Sardinia, and Balearic Islands. As a family were able to visit Germany, Portugal, England and Wales.

 

All in all I (we) enjoyed all our time, even Lincoln (aside from the duty). Only reason I pushed Rota and San Miguel down was due to the family separation.

SignatureNewest.jpg.a1bc8322b0862056fd28e25d5b1458db.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Chalkie

 

Did you become a Cornhusker Fan while you were in Lincoln? We grew up about 65 miles SW of Lincoln.

 

Dennis

 

Well, no. With the wife and I being alumni of KU and K-State, respectively that wasn't going to happen. ;) But game days were great for shopping downtown, never an issue with parking and you practically had the stores to yourself. :)

SignatureNewest.jpg.a1bc8322b0862056fd28e25d5b1458db.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

Duty stations:

 

New London, CT Diesel Sub, SS, on the river

Bainbridge MD for the summer. WWII barracks

Ballston Spa, NY for the winter. Dungarees aren't good for cold temps.

New London, CT Two Missle Subs, SSBN, out of Holy Loch, Scotland

Pearl Harbor, HI One SSN and then an SSBN.

Idaho Falls, ID Instructor duty

Norfolk, VA Fast Combat Support Ship, AOE. Mostly in the Med

 

None really bad. New London because I met my wife there, more than 52 years ago. Some better than others.

Idaho for the West and the mountains. Jackson Hole was about 3 hours away.

Pearl for the tropics and the beaches.

In the Med I got to visit ports that we had cruised by on the subs.

 

Bill

Bill & Lynn Baxter

MCI102A3 Conversion, Detroit Diesel S50  

dolphins.jpgVisitedStatesMap.jpgVisitedProvincesMap.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Best: Ft. Benjamin Harrison, Indianapolis, IN

Worst: Ft. Dix, NJ

 

2000 Winnebago Ultimate Freedom USQ40JD, ISC 8.3 Cummins 350, Spartan MM Chassis. USA IN 1SG retired;Good Sam Life member,FMCA ." And so, my fellow Americans: ask not what your country can do for you--ask what you can do for your country.  John F. Kennedy 20 Jan 1961

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Worst was Ft Knox. O those freaking hills. Next on list for not to enjoying was Ft. Gordon Ga. I was part of the Last Class for MP School before it was moved to ALabama.
Best i say was FT Dix NJ So many bars , hookers. An a 6 Hour Ride To back home.

2000 Itasca Horizon DP (Got Total During Irma). 

Vice President of Charlotte County Defenders LE MC

http://charlotte.defenderslemc.com/

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Best assignment Heidelburg and Mannheim Germany.

 

Worst: C Battery 3rd Battalion 71st ADA Air Defense Artillery (Nike Hercules) Big nuclear weapons, all gone now.

I can confirm that. I spent three years at the 3/71 Direct Support Platoon from 66 to 69. Charlie battery was essentially on the top of a mountain so there wasn't any place to go, but those guys generally worked 24 on/24 off so there wasn't much time to go anywhere, anyhow. Most of our batteries only had two crews, so if someone was sick or on leave, the guy on the other crew had to double.

 

Just to adjust the level of difficulty, while I was there we had the absolute best and worst battalion commanders I ever served under.

 

Are you aware that there is a 3/71 FB page?

******************************************************
John, Jean and (the late) Molly & Mea (the puppy) Springer Spaniels
2016 F250 CCSB w/Andersen Ultimate Hitch
2014 Shasta Phoenix 27RL XLT
BataanMissing.com - AirSafety.com
******************************************************

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Spent more time at sea rather than on shore. But I loved all of the ships I served on.

 

DD-951

CV-64

LSD-33

AE-21

 

As an inspector, I've ridden on many others too.

Retired USN Engineer

2020 Ram 2500 Bighorn 6.7 Diesel

2014 Crossroads Zinger 27RL (Traded)

2022 Grand Design Reflection 315RLTS

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I spent a majority of my time in all three Marine Divisions deployed. I liked the one year tour at Guantamo Bay during 1986. I was fortunate to have a corner room overlooking the bay. Tarpon fishing was great fun, but sweated my butt-off realing them bad boys in (good workout).

Mike

2016 Heartland Landmark Newport 365 w/MoRryde IS and 8k PSI disc brakes

RAM 3500 DRW 4.1

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I can confirm that. I spent three years at the 3/71 Direct Support Platoon from 66 to 69. Charlie battery was essentially on the top of a mountain so there wasn't any place to go, but those guys generally worked 24 on/24 off so there wasn't much time to go anywhere, anyhow. Most of our batteries only had two crews, so if someone was sick or on leave, the guy on the other crew had to double.

 

Just to adjust the level of difficulty, while I was there we had the absolute best and worst battalion commanders I ever served under.

 

Are you aware that there is a 3/71 FB page?

Hey John, I was there 76-77 and it was no bett4er than when you were there. We worked 24 on 24 off for 8 months, then we got more MP's in, so we worked for 24 on 24 off then an 8 hour day for 4 months. The town was called Hardheim, Germany, but was referred to has Hard time. Yes, I am aware of the 3/71st FB page, there is one for each battery also.

Ron
US Army retired
2010 Tiffin Phaeton 40QTH
2016 Ford F150 XLT

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I spent a majority of my time in all three Marine Divisions deployed. I liked the one year tour at Guantamo Bay during 1986. I was fortunate to have a corner room overlooking the bay. Tarpon fishing was great fun, but sweated my butt-off realing them bad boys in (good workout).

I loved Gitmo. Mainly since I was a diver. Rode on several ships out of Gitmo for training engineers. Was not stationed there though.

Retired USN Engineer

2020 Ram 2500 Bighorn 6.7 Diesel

2014 Crossroads Zinger 27RL (Traded)

2022 Grand Design Reflection 315RLTS

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 month later...

For the Gitmo fans the first line of the song.

Oh Guantanamo City has hundreds of doors . . . Let's just leave it there. :o

RV/Derek
http://www.rvroadie.com Email on the bottom of my website page.
Retired AF 1971-1998


When you see a worthy man, endeavor to emulate him. When you see an unworthy man, look inside yourself. - Confucius

 

“Those who can make you believe absurdities, can make you commit atrocities.” ... Voltaire

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

×
×
  • Create New...