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[USAFE7Ret.]

To ALL my Brothers and Sisters, Welcome Home. I'm retired USAF 1971 - 1992. 809th SPS F.E. Warren AFB, WY, 432nd SPS Udorn Thani AB, Thailand, 2017th Communication SQ McGuire AFB, NJ, HQ 1989th Communication GP Torrejon AB, Spain, 6594th Test GP Hickam AFB, HI, 3518th USAF Recruiting SQ Wayne, NJ, 3516th USAF Recruiting SQ Wayne and Hackensack, NJ, 965th Air Warn Ctrl SQ Tinker AFB, OK, 962nd Air Warn Ctrl SQ Elmendorf AFB, AK, Det. 5, 1369th Audiovisual SQ (Combat Camera) Elmendorf AFB, AK, 603rd Communications SQ Elmendorf AFB, AK. I am fully retired now and looking forward to RVing across this Great Nation. Thank you ALL for your Service.

[Ray,IN]

Welcome home brother! I was drafted in 1966 also retired in 1992,  I've been retired longer than I served. I look forward to your participation in the various forums.

[bigjim]

yes, welcome aboard.  Not retired but 7 1/2 years active in MC and  AF plus reserve and National guard time.  Joined MC in 1966 after working for a circus for a short time after graduating HS.

[DJW]

Ray, IN

Like you I have been out longer than I was in.  I was in for 20 years 6 months 3 days.  Been out 27 years 5 months and 16 days.  The time sure does fly by.

USAFE7Ret.

Welcome enjoy your retirement you earned it.

Dennis

[Ray,IN]

Just in case you are not on the TRICARE for Life emailing list: https://newsroom.tricare.mil/Articles/Article/2529972/join-march-25-webinar-for-introduction-to-tricare-for-life

Edited March 16, 2021 by Ray,IN

[RV_]

Welcome,

I missed this earlier as I am not on here as much anymore. I'm a retired E7 1971-1998 With some break in service and reserve time while in college. So 27 years active/reserve time and 23 for retirement, 24 for pay. I was a Medic, then Small Arms Marksmanship Training Unit (SAMTU) then four years Med Lab Technology (Including 1 year Tech School) during my reserve time on break in service for college 1981-1886, then  back active and my career field was renamed Combat Arms Training and Maintenance (CATM) until my last year as Sup at Lackland over the Medina Ranges programs and the first Worldwide Security Police Peacekeeper Challenge there since SPs were now SFs, and the SF Agency and General Coleman relocated there from Kirtland. THen they declared all Combat Arms folks would be converted to cops with no options other than to get out in mid year and Me and my folks had to wear the beret and not allowed our Red Hats for a bit. I had already put in my papers for a 1 Feb '98 retirement date and did.

[NamMedevac 70]

Welcome to this informative forum with such experts as RV who knows all things technical such as Tesla and Starlink plus internet and computers.  He will keep you/us up to date.  Happy Camping. Former Acct & SEC CFP.

498th Army Medevac unit Vietnam "Unarmed and Alone So That Others May Live" | Facebook

Edited March 22, 2021 by NamMedevac 70

[bigjim]

7 hours ago, NamMedevac 70 said:

498th Army Medevac unit Vietnam "Unarmed and Alone So That Others May Live" | Facebook

so is this only available on facebook? No dig on anyone for using facebook but I don't and likely never will as I have a grudge against them for some damage caused in my extended family.  I know it could happen anywhere and that is a downside of the internet.  Anyway after my rant it does look interesting though I am glad I never had to use your services.

[NamMedevac 70]

SAT TB.  FB allows me to post hundreds of my U.S. and overseas photos including Army Vietnam service with short or long narratives for each photo.  Also can publish other FB pages with more photos etc for different life events over 45 years, etc., etc.  I can also enter links anywhere on my photos and narratives.  Also easily made contact with old friends from many years ago in the Army, hometown including HS reunions, civilian overseas helicopter operations.  Most have FB pages. All this for free. 

I don't care for Zuker but for me the best deal so far.  Also have Wordpress and Google Photos but not nearly as effective for me.  I understand your strong dislike for FB and it is shared by millions.

Some people I know shut down their account or let their FB page go inactive for 4 or more years but they are still living.  CIAO

P.S. A high school buddy of mine and fellow EMS attendant was wounded in 1969  in Nam as a Marine medic and an Army medevac rescued him from the bush.  We both received PHs, mine in 1970.

Edited March 23, 2021 by NamMedevac 70

[bigjim]

I frequently blame my memory on my medications whether it is true or not.  I think I may have told you in the past I was active Marine and flew out of Danang on Oct. 30, 1968. My brother was there I think 69 or 70 and was on a lrrps team for 18months. You could have pulled him out maybe. We don't talk about stuff much.

[NamMedevac 70]

I remember your telling me you served with the Marines in Nam in 68.

I flew Army Dustoff medevac missions just south of your I Corp location in Northern II Corp from bases at An Khe, Pleiku, QuiNhon(An Son), LZ English and Uplift.  Major units I supported were 4th ID, 173rd Airborne, ARVN 22nd Division and ROK Tiger and White Horse division. 

I was also severely shot up on the May 1970 Cambodian Invasion just west of Pleiku and flew several rescue hoist missions into southern Laos to rescue Army LRRP and non Army SOG teams in trouble with the NVA. 

There were three Army Dustoff units in I Corp supporting the Marines.  They were 237th, 326th and 101st Airborne medevac with bases at Hue Phu Bai and DaNang.  Your bro may have known my good buddy Allen Hallbaurer a wounded marine medic in 69 who is from Belton, Texas.  498th Dustoff Three Two 1970.

Edited March 23, 2021 by NamMedevac 70

[Kirk W]

10 hours ago, bigjim said:

We don't talk about stuff much.

That is the case with most combat veterans that I have known. 

Edited March 23, 2021 by Kirk W

[NamMedevac 70]

 Not all combat vets are alike thank goodness and many civilians I know from my hometown and even presently really want to know what many of us experienced as reality and not hollywood BS.

A recent HS reunion honored me as I was only living member of my class of several hundred that was a combat veteran of any war.  Also hometown news paper has written several articles on the combat experiences of myself and WWII veterans over the years as their readers want to hear from those who were actually there.  If this upsets others then T  So there you are folks.  Former Acct/SEC CFP.

https://www.facebook.com/498thDustoffUnarmedandAlone

A common enough American disease is jealously

 

 

Edited March 23, 2021 by NamMedevac 70

[DanZemke]

You deserve to be honored!  Thank you for serving your country.  I realize that means me, and all those I care deeply about.

I sense that you are proud of what you've done - and should be!

[bigjim]

4 hours ago, NamMedevac 70 said:

Not all combat vets are alike thank goodness and many civilians I know from my hometown and even presently really want to know what many of us experienced as reality and not hollywood BS

 I agree and I think it is good for them to relate experience. You can pretty much tell which ones are factual. It is one reason I would like to see your experiences but sure can't fault you for using what works best for you. (facebooK)  I have been  watching some of the YouTube ones from WW11 lately. Watched a good one this AM.  Wish I would have asked my uncle and some others about their experience but since I find it difficult to speak about mine I have a hard time asking about others experience unless I know them really well.  Back in my uncles time I was too young and dumb to ask anything. He was in WW11 and recalled for Korea and stayed in untill he had 29 years and about 11 months when he had a heart attack and didn't make it  on Kadena  in Okinawa just as he was about to retire.  I think 1963 or 64.

[NamMedevac 70]

I appreciate the Thank You Dan and wish you all the best.

[RV_]

My hat's off to you guys who engaged in combat during your careers. I was a medic 71-75, then a Lab Tech for three years, but spent 20 years of my 27 years including a year active reserves for Med Lab  tech school, and three years AFRES while I was being a lab tech and full time college student, then my last as the ground weapons instructor. We were ready to go to every war we had from Vietnam to The first Iraq war after which I retired. But since we had to inspect and R&R all the ground weapons and repair them when they broke, assignments allowed only a few of us to go because we took care of the weapons and retraining of the deployees at the ranges to re-zero and then to the classroom/cleaning room to clean lubricate then check the weapons for function and condition. So they kept telling us we were more important there to equip the troops actually going than going ourselves. I can't complain but thank all of you with or without combat experience for your service. Hindsight I can be grateful for no nightmares, no PTSD, and no missing personal parts to you guys that did, and continue, to go. Huah.

[bigjim]

I  have said this before but I respect anyone that served and were subject to deployment.  I did not do much in my humble opinion and sometimes it is just the luck of the draw.  When I was an active Marine I came back to my old unit from SEA/aka sunny VN and a friend that had been at the same place his entire hitch until the got orders for VN and he only had 9 1/2 months left on his enlistment. I had enough time for a full 13 mo. tour and tried to find a way to go in his place but in all the wisdom of the military we couldn't make it happen. Who knows?  I did not do this for him per se but for my own reasons that may or may not have been stupid.

[Kirk W]

1 hour ago, bigjim said:

I  have said this before but I respect anyone that served and were subject to deployment. 

Anyone who served their time and did whatever they were directed to do, to the best of their ability, are validly proud veterans. Some of us were deployed in different ways and locations, depending on the branch of service and the individual's job there, but the key is doing one's best to serve where needed. I too have a special feeling for those who were subjected to "incoming" rounds, but there were other duties which could be just as traumatic. My uncle was a Navy Chief Corpsman who served as a triage team leader in Guam for wounded arriving from Viet Nam. It was his job to choose who was low in priority for medical care because they weren't likely to survive, so treat others first. He never completely stopped having nightmares about that experience, yet not once was he subjected to i incoming rounds.  

One thing that I have found fascinating is how differently we sometimes view the more tense experiences when in the armed forces after many years have passed. Experiences that were exciting and that we enjoyed when very young, look far more risky when considered by someone who is now in his elder years. Our cocky bravado tends to fade with time. 

Edited March 27, 2021 by Kirk W

[bigjim]

3 hours ago, Kirk W said:

Our cocky bravado

I still have too much of that sometimes but pretty much remember I don't have the butt to back it up.  I would say now I fall in the aligator- hummingbird camp.

A good example of what  Kirk's uncle dealt with  is what happened in MOH winner Roy Benevidez case.  An incredible military history among so many more.

[NamMedevac 70]

I had the honor of shaking hands and saluting  two MOH recipients at veterans memorial services over the years.  They both died young like SGT. Benavidez (age 63)  along with fellow (84 year old) medevac Dustoff pilot CWO Mike Novosel MOH and his medevac son (still young) who was a fellow flight student at Hunter AAF in 1969.  Father and son flew Dustoff missions together in Nam and died within several years of each other in Florida.  RIP to all of them.

https://www.facebook.com/498thMemorialPageVietnamPilots

Edited March 28, 2021 by NamMedevac 70

[bigjim]

Of course from my point of view all dust off pilots deserved at least a Silver Star.  If we get started though we can't stop there. There so many more that I believe deserve way more.  Like most MOH recipients say, they  are not more deserving but are representing so many others that deserve recognition. 

I was just in it for the money. 😁  I think I was an E-3 the whole time I was there but don't trust my memory so I could have been a PFC.   The big money was in the combat pay, right?

[jamtracy]

I was just a cook.

[Kirk W]

12 minutes ago, jamtracy said:

I was just a cook.

Where I was there were two people you didn't want to make enemies of. The cook and the corpsman! I consider cooks to be pretty important to any long patrol.

Edited March 28, 2021 by Kirk W

[NamMedevac 70]

  I love those cook jokes in the movies.  

" Blame it on the cook" said Gary Bussey in a movie.

"He is a cook??" ask Tommy Lee Jones in a movie.

 

Capt. Bill Perkins flying with the Royal Thai Air Police

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.1735404620095049&type=3

Edited March 29, 2021 by NamMedevac 70