Kids Say the Darndest Things
 

On 2/26/2018 5:53 PM, Bill wrote:
Mr. Luddite wrote:
On 2/26/2018 11:42 AM, wrote:
On Mon, 26 Feb 2018 07:40:08 -0500, "Mr. Luddite"
wrote:

On 2/26/2018 5:27 AM, Mr. Luddite wrote:
On 2/25/2018 9:44 PM, wrote:
On Sun, 25 Feb 2018 23:02:13 -0000 (UTC), Bill
wrote:


I wonder how many service members are discharged before turning 21
anyway, but I understand your point.Â* Military service matures most.


Very few, I'd reckon.


Kiddy cruise.Â*Â* Join the navy reserves while in high school.Â*Â* When you
graduated, went to basic and 2 years duty.Â*Â* Then discharged.Â* At least
when I was in high school.

That was pretty much everyone who was drafted when that was a thing
and the 4 years after your 2 "in" was inactive reserve.
Unfortunately they "extended" a lot of those guys in the late 60s,
exploiting that inactive reserve clause. The guys in the grass were
usually 2 and out if they didn't re up but there were a lot of support
USAF and maybe even navy guys with critical skills who had to do the
whole 6 year nut.
I was in a 1 year reserve program that got extended by a month (13
months active duty), putting me pretty much in the same VA category as
a 2 year guy. I never used any of it.



I did just short of 9 years active and was supposed to be discharged in
April.Â* Started my short-timer's calendar and also sending out resumes
for jobs.Â* Then, a few weeks before D-day, I was informed that my
enlistment had been extended for an additional 2 months.Â* I went a
little bonkers because my understanding had been that after 8 years of
active duty, your required eligibility for military service was
complete.Â* Anyway, I lost the argument but the CO of the command (this
was in Annapolis, MD) who was also a short-timer told me I could go home
for the last few weeks and just call in every morning for muster.Â* I was
processed for discharge and my discharge papers would be mailed to me.
He also said he'd try to find out what the extension was all about
because itÂ* wasn't like I held a critical billet at the command and they
didn't need my replacement.Â* The Navy was beginning to decommission the
commandÂ* and were already mothballing equipment.

The CO found out that (unknown to me) I had been selected to attend a 5
week prep schoolÂ* called "Officer Development School (ODS)" which would
then lead to a direct commission to Warrant as an LDO (limited duty
officer).Â* LDO's are not flag officers and can never be a CO of a ship
or anything.Â* They usually serve in at commands that require their
educational and technical specialties.

Anyway, I didn't opt for it.Â* The extension was to allow time for the
orders and the school schedule.Â* Only problem was they neglected to tell
me about it in the paperwork shuffle.Â* My only guess is that the Navy
had invested a lot of schools in me during my enlistment plus I had been
taking courses at local colleges and on-line and was not that far from
meeting a degree requirement.

My DD-214 includes the following statement:Â* "Member's service extended
by two months.Â* Extension was at the request and for the convenience of
the government".


I should correct something. I didn't do "on-line" courses. I did
traditional correspondents courses on the ships when we were deployed.
On-line courses didn't exist back then. :-)

Also, (and unknown to me at the time) I had been advanced in rank to
E-6 however the advancement notices had not been published. E-6 and
above was a per-requisite for the LDO program and the 2 month extension
allowed it to become official. I wouldn't have done it anyway. Why
would a more senior enlisted want to start all over again as a very
junior officer? No thanks. Besides, I had pretty much had enough of
the Navy by that time.

I was supposed to be fast tracked in the CG and it was not uncommon
for guys to be E-6 (FT1) in 4 years with the CPO as the incentive to
ship over. Unfortunately me taking the GM 3&2 course and pushing that
instead of the FT3 that was pretty much automatic after "A" school,
derailed that path. When I got to my reserve unit I was in an ORTAUG
and back to being a Gunner's Mate until they finally found me 3 years
later. They gave me my FT3 crow and shipped me off to the ORTEL
(electronics unit). I couldn't wait to get out after that.



I don't know of anyone who was "fast tracked" in the Navy. Some were
given E-3 straight out of boot camp if they had a college degree. I
also never heard of anyone getting advanced as an incentive for
re-enlisting. Money, yes, as a re-enlistment bonus for critical
(needed) rates but no advancement in rank. To be advanced you had to
have completed the qualifications, done the courses, get the sign-offs
and recommendations, have the required time in your current rank, take
the test and wait and see if you made it.

Often the Navy had several "increments" of advancements. If you scored
high enough on the test combined with time in rank, you might make it on
the "first" increment, meaning sooner than others. Some may be advanced
but would have to wait until the second or third increment. I remember
that some delayed advancements permitted you to sew the new "crow" on
your uniforms and take on responsibilities for the new rank but you had
to wait until the official date according to what increment you were
advanced under to receive the additional pay.






The Air Force sucked for getting rank if you changed specialties. They
disbanded the mobile comm squadron I was first in and sent to the IT
section as I worked on computers, as a clerk. Then changed to fixing
airborne radar units. Each a different AFSC. So was hard to get the two
years experience two get the promotion in rank. Was an AF problem



When I converted from RM (Radioman) to ET (Electronics Tech) it required
a six year extension of my enlistment contract. I was an E-4 and had
been in the Navy for 2 years and seven months. I was technically
"discharged" (while underway on the ship) and immediately sworn back in
for another 6 years. That's how when you include the 2 month extension
"at the request and convenience of the government" at the end of the 6
year gig, I ended up with 8 years and 9 months of active duty.

One thing I haven't mentioned. The Navy needed ETs but they didn't
advance anyone in rank as an incentive. But, I did receive a $10,000
bonus which was big money for a jr. enlisted guy back in 1971.

Kids Say the Darndest Things
 

On Mon, 26 Feb 2018 17:07:03 -0500, wrote:

On Mon, 26 Feb 2018 14:54:27 -0500, John H.
wrote:

On Mon, 26 Feb 2018 14:29:24 -0500, wrote:

On Mon, 26 Feb 2018 12:10:31 -0500, "Mr. Luddite"
wrote:

On 2/26/2018 11:42 AM, wrote:


I was supposed to be fast tracked in the CG and it was not uncommon
for guys to be E-6 (FT1) in 4 years with the CPO as the incentive to
ship over. Unfortunately me taking the GM 3&2 course and pushing that
instead of the FT3 that was pretty much automatic after "A" school,
derailed that path. When I got to my reserve unit I was in an ORTAUG
and back to being a Gunner's Mate until they finally found me 3 years
later. They gave me my FT3 crow and shipped me off to the ORTEL
(electronics unit). I couldn't wait to get out after that.



I don't know of anyone who was "fast tracked" in the Navy. Some were
given E-3 straight out of boot camp if they had a college degree. I
also never heard of anyone getting advanced as an incentive for
re-enlisting. Money, yes, as a re-enlistment bonus for critical
(needed) rates but no advancement in rank. To be advanced you had to
have completed the qualifications, done the courses, get the sign-offs
and recommendations, have the required time in your current rank, take
the test and wait and see if you made it.


You still needed the courses and the recommendations but if you had a
rate in the pipe near your enlistment date, they would hold it and
tell you you got it when you re upped.
The FT rate (and a few others) were on the fast track in the CG. You
could get your FT3 right out of "A" school, about 6 months in. That
was up to the ship captain and mine did not believe in it. Even so it
would usually be by your first anniversary. Then it was 6 months FT3
to 2 and one year time in grade for the FT1 (if you had the courses
in). CPO was 2 years. You could have CPO in the pipe after 4 and just
waiting for the clock. I was just not that motivated to be an FT. I
really preferred to be a GM. There were a couple of FTs in the ORTEL
who did do that for a while but stalled at FT2 or FT1 and really
didn't care any more either. The ORTEL was the most useless waste of
time anyone ever had. In the ORTAUG (deck apes and snipes) we had a 40
footer and if you got on the crew you actually did stuff. I helped
rewire the boat when it was just a hole in the water we were throwing
time and money at so I had a place on the crew.

Often the Navy had several "increments" of advancements. If you scored
high enough on the test combined with time in rank, you might make it on
the "first" increment, meaning sooner than others. Some may be advanced
but would have to wait until the second or third increment. I remember
that some delayed advancements permitted you to sew the new "crow" on
your uniforms and take on responsibilities for the new rank but you had
to wait until the official date according to what increment you were
advanced under to receive the additional pay.

For some reason in the critical rates they made it go as fast as you
wanted to go but most FTs were in the reserves. I only met a few who
were regular coast guard. The advancement was the same tho.
I think they shipped over from the reserves.
It was a new car in those days. ($2500 or so)
The 22 year old FT chiefs were famous, although most were in reserve
units. I met one in New York who screwed with me about why I did not
have my crow yet. He didn't get the GM idea at all ;-)
I had an interesting reserve career. My first year I was in Category
H, no drills and one 30 day ACDUTRA a year. They made that go away and
put me in the ORTAUG. I had to TAD to a local unit whenever I
traveled. That was interesting. I did it in Boston and New York. Then
they changed the rules again and I had to come back to my own unit for
drills. IBM hated that. In the summer of 69 they had to fly me home 4
times, 3 for drills and one for the regular "8 week trip".
They really squeezed me hard to get out when my time was up and paid
me to do it (raise and a promotion). I imagine that was illegal.


Sure wish the Coast Guard had been drafting people back in '65!

You could always join if you passed the tests.

Nope, I had a pretty decent job.

Kids Say the Darndest Things
 

On Mon, 26 Feb 2018 17:09:21 -0500, wrote:

On Mon, 26 Feb 2018 14:58:03 -0500, John H.
wrote:

On Mon, 26 Feb 2018 14:32:21 -0500, wrote:

On Mon, 26 Feb 2018 12:28:10 -0500, John H.
wrote:

On Mon, 26 Feb 2018 11:44:16 -0500, wrote:

On Mon, 26 Feb 2018 08:31:30 -0500, John H.
wrote:

Kiddy cruise. Join the navy reserves while in high school. When you
graduated, went to basic and 2 years duty. Then discharged. At least
when I was in high school.

I don't think the Army ever had anything like that. The least time for a voluntary enlistment was
three years. For a draftee, the time was two years. But draftees weren't drafted at 18 either. I was
21 when I got my notice.

I know some 18-19 year old draftees circa 65-66.
Did you have a deferment?

Not at all. I was drafted in 1965. All the guys I went in with that were drafted were about the same
age.

Maybe you had some buddies that volunteered for the draft?

Maybe but one of the guys had his draft notice when he joined the
marines at 19 (in 1966). I suspect the age started creeping down after
65 when we really admitted there was a war going on.

That could well be. In '67-'68 we got a huge shipment of McNamara's 100,000 troops in Germany. The
Army was scraping the bottom of the barrel then, and we sure suffered for it. I left Germany for
Vietnam at the end of '68, and I was glad to get away.

My golfing buddy that I have known since 3d grade was one of those. He
graduated from college in june of 68 and was drafted within 6 months.
They ended up making him a computer guy in Germany.
That is where he took up golf.

If he graduated college and could read, he wasn't one of McNamarra's 100,000.

Kids Say the Darndest Things
 

John H. wrote:
On Mon, 26 Feb 2018 14:32:21 -0500, wrote:

On Mon, 26 Feb 2018 12:28:10 -0500, John H.
wrote:

On Mon, 26 Feb 2018 11:44:16 -0500, wrote:

On Mon, 26 Feb 2018 08:31:30 -0500, John H.
wrote:

Kiddy cruise. Join the navy reserves while in high school. When you
graduated, went to basic and 2 years duty. Then discharged. At least
when I was in high school.

I don't think the Army ever had anything like that. The least time
for a voluntary enlistment was
three years. For a draftee, the time was two years. But draftees
weren't drafted at 18 either. I was
21 when I got my notice.

I know some 18-19 year old draftees circa 65-66.
Did you have a deferment?

Not at all. I was drafted in 1965. All the guys I went in with that
were drafted were about the same
age.

Maybe you had some buddies that volunteered for the draft?

Maybe but one of the guys had his draft notice when he joined the
marines at 19 (in 1966). I suspect the age started creeping down after
65 when we really admitted there was a war going on.

That could well be. In '67-'68 we got a huge shipment of McNamara's
100,000 troops in Germany. The
Army was scraping the bottom of the barrel then, and we sure suffered for
it. I left Germany for
Vietnam at the end of '68, and I was glad to get away.


You got my brother in law. APC driver in Germany 1969.

Kids Say the Darndest Things
 

Mr. Luddite wrote:
On 2/26/2018 5:53 PM, Bill wrote:
Mr. Luddite wrote:
On 2/26/2018 11:42 AM, wrote:
On Mon, 26 Feb 2018 07:40:08 -0500, "Mr. Luddite"
wrote:

On 2/26/2018 5:27 AM, Mr. Luddite wrote:
On 2/25/2018 9:44 PM, wrote:
On Sun, 25 Feb 2018 23:02:13 -0000 (UTC), Bill
wrote:


I wonder how many service members are discharged before turning 21
anyway, but I understand your point.Â* Military service matures most.


Very few, I'd reckon.


Kiddy cruise.Â*Â* Join the navy reserves while in high school.Â*Â* When you
graduated, went to basic and 2 years duty.Â*Â* Then discharged.Â* At least
when I was in high school.

That was pretty much everyone who was drafted when that was a thing
and the 4 years after your 2 "in" was inactive reserve.
Unfortunately they "extended" a lot of those guys in the late 60s,
exploiting that inactive reserve clause. The guys in the grass were
usually 2 and out if they didn't re up but there were a lot of support
USAF and maybe even navy guys with critical skills who had to do the
whole 6 year nut.
I was in a 1 year reserve program that got extended by a month (13
months active duty), putting me pretty much in the same VA category as
a 2 year guy. I never used any of it.



I did just short of 9 years active and was supposed to be discharged in
April.Â* Started my short-timer's calendar and also sending out resumes
for jobs.Â* Then, a few weeks before D-day, I was informed that my
enlistment had been extended for an additional 2 months.Â* I went a
little bonkers because my understanding had been that after 8 years of
active duty, your required eligibility for military service was
complete.Â* Anyway, I lost the argument but the CO of the command (this
was in Annapolis, MD) who was also a short-timer told me I could go home
for the last few weeks and just call in every morning for muster.Â* I was
processed for discharge and my discharge papers would be mailed to me.
He also said he'd try to find out what the extension was all about
because itÂ* wasn't like I held a critical billet at the command and they
didn't need my replacement.Â* The Navy was beginning to decommission the
commandÂ* and were already mothballing equipment.

The CO found out that (unknown to me) I had been selected to attend a 5
week prep schoolÂ* called "Officer Development School (ODS)" which would
then lead to a direct commission to Warrant as an LDO (limited duty
officer).Â* LDO's are not flag officers and can never be a CO of a ship
or anything.Â* They usually serve in at commands that require their
educational and technical specialties.

Anyway, I didn't opt for it.Â* The extension was to allow time for the
orders and the school schedule.Â* Only problem was they neglected to tell
me about it in the paperwork shuffle.Â* My only guess is that the Navy
had invested a lot of schools in me during my enlistment plus I had been
taking courses at local colleges and on-line and was not that far from
meeting a degree requirement.

My DD-214 includes the following statement:Â* "Member's service extended
by two months.Â* Extension was at the request and for the convenience of
the government".


I should correct something. I didn't do "on-line" courses. I did
traditional correspondents courses on the ships when we were deployed.
On-line courses didn't exist back then. :-)

Also, (and unknown to me at the time) I had been advanced in rank to
E-6 however the advancement notices had not been published. E-6 and
above was a per-requisite for the LDO program and the 2 month extension
allowed it to become official. I wouldn't have done it anyway. Why
would a more senior enlisted want to start all over again as a very
junior officer? No thanks. Besides, I had pretty much had enough of
the Navy by that time.

I was supposed to be fast tracked in the CG and it was not uncommon
for guys to be E-6 (FT1) in 4 years with the CPO as the incentive to
ship over. Unfortunately me taking the GM 3&2 course and pushing that
instead of the FT3 that was pretty much automatic after "A" school,
derailed that path. When I got to my reserve unit I was in an ORTAUG
and back to being a Gunner's Mate until they finally found me 3 years
later. They gave me my FT3 crow and shipped me off to the ORTEL
(electronics unit). I couldn't wait to get out after that.



I don't know of anyone who was "fast tracked" in the Navy. Some were
given E-3 straight out of boot camp if they had a college degree. I
also never heard of anyone getting advanced as an incentive for
re-enlisting. Money, yes, as a re-enlistment bonus for critical
(needed) rates but no advancement in rank. To be advanced you had to
have completed the qualifications, done the courses, get the sign-offs
and recommendations, have the required time in your current rank, take
the test and wait and see if you made it.

Often the Navy had several "increments" of advancements. If you scored
high enough on the test combined with time in rank, you might make it on
the "first" increment, meaning sooner than others. Some may be advanced
but would have to wait until the second or third increment. I remember
that some delayed advancements permitted you to sew the new "crow" on
your uniforms and take on responsibilities for the new rank but you had
to wait until the official date according to what increment you were
advanced under to receive the additional pay.






The Air Force sucked for getting rank if you changed specialties. They
disbanded the mobile comm squadron I was first in and sent to the IT
section as I worked on computers, as a clerk. Then changed to fixing
airborne radar units. Each a different AFSC. So was hard to get the two
years experience two get the promotion in rank. Was an AF problem



When I converted from RM (Radioman) to ET (Electronics Tech) it required
a six year extension of my enlistment contract. I was an E-4 and had
been in the Navy for 2 years and seven months. I was technically
"discharged" (while underway on the ship) and immediately sworn back in
for another 6 years. That's how when you include the 2 month extension
"at the request and convenience of the government" at the end of the 6
year gig, I ended up with 8 years and 9 months of active duty.

One thing I haven't mentioned. The Navy needed ETs but they didn't
advance anyone in rank as an incentive. But, I did receive a $10,000
bonus which was big money for a jr. enlisted guy back in 1971.




I had a draft notice Christmas 1964. Mailed to wrong address. Mom
remarried and moved, I was extended for more classes at NCR school. So,
tried the AF reserves and lucked out for a slot. I went in as an
electronics guy. School was ground Navigation Aids. ILS, tacan, loran,
etc.

Kids Say the Darndest Things
 

On Monday, 26 February 2018 16:08:56 UTC-4, John H wrote:
On Mon, 26 Feb 2018 11:47:26 -0800 (PST), True North wrote:

On Monday, 26 February 2018 14:00:55 UTC-4, Mr. Luddite wrote:
On 2/26/2018 12:38 PM, Mr. Luddite wrote:
On 2/26/2018 12:33 PM, John H. wrote:
On Mon, 26 Feb 2018 12:10:31 -0500, "Mr. Luddite"
wrote:

On 2/26/2018 11:42 AM, wrote:
On Mon, 26 Feb 2018 07:40:08 -0500, "Mr. Luddite"
wrote:

On 2/26/2018 5:27 AM, Mr. Luddite wrote:
On 2/25/2018 9:44 PM, wrote:
On Sun, 25 Feb 2018 23:02:13 -0000 (UTC), Bill
wrote:


I wonder how many service members are discharged before
turning 21
anyway, but I understand your point.Â* Military service matures
most.


Very few, I'd reckon.


Kiddy cruise.Â*Â* Join the navy reserves while in high school.
When you
graduated, went to basic and 2 years duty.Â*Â* Then discharged.
At least
when I was in high school.

That was pretty much everyone who was drafted when that was a thing
and the 4 years after your 2 "in" was inactive reserve.
Unfortunately they "extended" a lot of those guys in the late 60s,
exploiting that inactive reserve clause. The guys in the grass were
usually 2 and out if they didn't re up but there were a lot of
support
USAF and maybe even navy guys with critical skills who had to do the
whole 6 year nut.
I was in a 1 year reserve program that got extended by a month (13
months active duty), putting me pretty much in the same VA
category as
a 2 year guy. I never used any of it.



I did just short of 9 years active and was supposed to be
discharged in
April.Â* Started my short-timer's calendar and also sending out
resumes
for jobs.Â* Then, a few weeks before D-day, I was informed that my
enlistment had been extended for an additional 2 months.Â* I went a
little bonkers because my understanding had been that after 8
years of
active duty, your required eligibility for military service was
complete.Â* Anyway, I lost the argument but the CO of the command
(this
was in Annapolis, MD) who was also a short-timer told me I could
go home
for the last few weeks and just call in every morning for muster.
I was
processed for discharge and my discharge papers would be mailed to
me.
He also said he'd try to find out what the extension was all about
because itÂ* wasn't like I held a critical billet at the command
and they
didn't need my replacement.Â* The Navy was beginning to
decommission the
commandÂ* and were already mothballing equipment.

The CO found out that (unknown to me) I had been selected to
attend a 5
week prep schoolÂ* called "Officer Development School (ODS)" which
would
then lead to a direct commission to Warrant as an LDO (limited duty
officer).Â* LDO's are not flag officers and can never be a CO of a
ship
or anything.Â* They usually serve in at commands that require their
educational and technical specialties.

Anyway, I didn't opt for it.Â* The extension was to allow time for the
orders and the school schedule.Â* Only problem was they neglected
to tell
me about it in the paperwork shuffle.Â* My only guess is that the Navy
had invested a lot of schools in me during my enlistment plus I
had been
taking courses at local colleges and on-line and was not that far
from
meeting a degree requirement.

My DD-214 includes the following statement:Â* "Member's service
extended
by two months.Â* Extension was at the request and for the
convenience of
the government".


I should correct something.Â* I didn't do "on-line" courses.Â* I did
traditional correspondents courses on the ships when we were deployed.
On-line courses didn't exist back then.Â* :-)

Also, (and unknown to me at the time)Â* I had been advanced in rank to
E-6 however the advancement notices had not been published.Â* E-6 and
above was a per-requisite for the LDO program and the 2 month
extension
allowed it to become official.Â*Â* I wouldn't have done it anyway.Â* Why
would a more senior enlisted want to start all over again as a very
junior officer?Â*Â* No thanks. Besides, I had pretty much had enough of
the Navy by that time.

I was supposed to be fast tracked in the CG and it was not uncommon
for guys to be E-6 (FT1) in 4 years with the CPO as the incentive to
ship over. Unfortunately me taking the GM 3&2 course and pushing that
instead of the FT3 that was pretty much automatic after "A" school,
derailed that path. When I got to my reserve unit I was in an ORTAUG
and back to being a Gunner's Mate until they finally found me 3 years
later. They gave me my FT3 crow and shipped me off to the ORTEL
(electronics unit). I couldn't wait to get out after that.



I don't know of anyone who was "fast tracked" in the Navy.Â* Some were
given E-3 straight out of boot camp if they had a college degree.Â* I
also never heard of anyone getting advanced as an incentive for
re-enlisting. Money, yes,Â* as a re-enlistment bonus for critical
(needed) rates but no advancement in rank.Â* To be advanced you had to
have completed the qualifications, done the courses, get the sign-offs
and recommendations, have the required time in your current rank, take
the test and wait and see if you made it.

Often the Navy had several "increments" of advancements.Â* If you scored
high enough on the test combined with time in rank, you might make it on
the "first" increment, meaning sooner than others.Â* Some may be advanced
but would have to wait until the second or third increment.Â* I remember
that some delayed advancements permitted you to sew the new "crow" on
your uniforms and take on responsibilities for the new rank but you had
to wait until the official date according to what increment you were
advanced under to receive the additional pay.



The Army publishes promotion 'scores' for each grade and specialty
monthly. Soldiers earn points for
schools, time in grade, efficiency reports, and a few other things.
There is no such thing as using
a promotion as an incentive to stay in. If a specialty is hurting for
soldiers at a particular
grade, the published promotion score is lowered to get more soldiers
in the right grade for that
specialty. If a specialty is overstrength in a particular grade, the
score for that grade is made
very high so few people will qualify.



Pretty much the same as the Navy, at least back in my time when ships
had sails.Â* :-)



This conversation made me remember something. When I left the Navy my
father-in-law was giving me hell for not sticking it out after 9 years
so I'd get a pension. He *was* my wife's father after all. :-)

So, after a couple of months of being discharged I went to see a
recruiter about joining the reserves. If I joined within a certain time
frame, the reserve status could convert back to active duty with no time
lost for retirement benefits. Since I wasn't sure about a civilian
career and to get my father-in-law off my back, I signed up for the
reserves for 2 years.

I asked the recruiter or whoever I was talking to what the chances of
getting advanced to E-7 if I signed up. The original "art of the deal"
negotiator. Ha!

He just laughed at me. Said if I signed up right away they wouldn't
reduce me in rank.

You'd see a lot of that here in a Navy town. Guys would do their 25 and get out in their early 40's and hopefully into a civvy job. The smarter ones would get on with maybe an electronic or weapons contractor and others would end up in the post office. Depended on your useable military skills.
One of my cousins retired as a Lt Colonel in our Air Force and the next week moved down a floor to take a Reserves job at our Defense Headquarters in Ottawa.

According to Harry, he must have sucked to retire at only a Lt. Colonel.

No war time or battlefield promotions for him. He had to earn them the hard way.

Kids Say the Darndest Things
 

On Mon, 26 Feb 2018 22:53:09 -0000 (UTC), Bill
wrote:


The Air Force sucked for getting rank if you changed specialties. They
disbanded the mobile comm squadron I was first in and sent to the IT
section as I worked on computers, as a clerk. Then changed to fixing
airborne radar units. Each a different AFSC. So was hard to get the two
years experience two get the promotion in rank. Was an AF problem

Every AF guy I knew complained about how slow enlisted rank came, yet
they had teenaged colonels.

Kids Say the Darndest Things
 

wrote:
On Mon, 26 Feb 2018 22:53:09 -0000 (UTC), Bill
wrote:


The Air Force sucked for getting rank if you changed specialties. They
disbanded the mobile comm squadron I was first in and sent to the IT
section as I worked on computers, as a clerk. Then changed to fixing
airborne radar units. Each a different AFSC. So was hard to get the two
years experience two get the promotion in rank. Was an AF problem

Every AF guy I knew complained about how slow enlisted rank came, yet
they had teenaged colonels.


Probably good golfers. First thing built at any Air Force base was a golf
course I think.

Kids Say the Darndest Things
 

On Tue, 27 Feb 2018 04:31:25 -0000 (UTC), Bill
wrote:

wrote:
On Mon, 26 Feb 2018 22:53:09 -0000 (UTC), Bill
wrote:


The Air Force sucked for getting rank if you changed specialties. They
disbanded the mobile comm squadron I was first in and sent to the IT
section as I worked on computers, as a clerk. Then changed to fixing
airborne radar units. Each a different AFSC. So was hard to get the two
years experience two get the promotion in rank. Was an AF problem

Every AF guy I knew complained about how slow enlisted rank came, yet
they had teenaged colonels.


Probably good golfers. First thing built at any Air Force base was a golf
course I think.

I know Andrews had a great golf course and a nice trap/skeet range. It
was the first place I ever shot skeet. One of my hunting buddies was
an AF guy. I ended up shooting there so often, the regulars thought I
must be an air force guy too. I was never questioned at all. It was
free. (bring your own ammo tho)
In those days they waived everyone through the gate.