Correct.

Already passed the tests for OCS and that would be at least 3 years anyway. By enlisting I got a guarantee of Airborne training which I didn't get until I returned from RVN as a captain.

Several of my soldiers extended in RVN like you. And a couple who had longer enlistments but were still PFCs extended to make SP4 'cuz every first sergeant in the world knew anyone returning PFCs had to be a goof ball and thus available for every bad detail and SP4s supervised those details.

Lots of oddities in the Draft. I had an attorney as a rifleman who turned down a JAG commission just to keep his Army time to the bare minimum 18 months. He wasn't with me long before he was whisked up to brigade and to SSG as the staff legal "clerk." I had a SGT who got in a pushing match with a doctor while in the hospital and they Article 15ed him down to SP4. Then they discovered they couldn't take his NCO status so promoted him to CPL -- one of the very few infantry CPLs of that era. He was kinda proud of it.

Welcome home, brother,

-- Chuck

 

There was a drafted guy in my company that was the biggest pothead there. He was the only guy that made Sargent (others made Spec 5) because he could fix a truck or ambulance like nobodies business. He was also a nice guy, always happy. (and always stoned).

 

Too hard to pick just three moments.

 

I was given an MOS and sent to Key West NAS from basic. I was in the Army saving the Navy..

 

Grant what was your MOS? And please, description, no numbers. I don’t remember what all those numbers meant.

 

And, I do not know what all of the letters mean either.

But, Google is my friend, so I learned some things.

 

1. Leaving home at the age of 17 with my father's consent to end the years long battle with my mother.
2 Deciding to go to the high school hangout to seek a date with a gal named Cheryl McManus and then meeting my future wife at the same table.
3. Meeting with three of my cousins where we all decided to quit college and join the Marine Corps to go to Vietnam. We all made it there. My oldest cousin did four tours and earned a pocket full of medals.

 

In Key West I was with ARADCOM and sat in a positive pressure building in the AADCAP. That was the fire control center for the Caribbean. I had a safe full of classified missile parts and passed them out as needed to the Hawk batteries. In Vietnam I worked for the AG and spent most of my time traveling throughout the central highlands. I turned down an opportunity to go to West Point.

 

1. Decided in 11th grade that I'd rather keep company with myself that to continue to hang out with the three loud and phony girls I was with.
2. Decided to make my first solo car trip to Parker, Arizona (280 miles) for the weekend, at 19 years-old. That was very liberating.
3. I can think of more decisions but none are coming to my mind yet that were a challenge to make.

 

1. at age 17 standing in the hospital room by my fathers remains after he had his fatal heart attack, promising to make him proud. And living by that promise.
2. Getting the courage up to ask the girl at my security desk for her phone number. that was almost 46 years ago. she's been my lovely bride for 42 in June.
3. Making the decision to move in with my in-laws which ultimately led to me going back to school for my degree.