On Mon, 26 Feb 2018 05:24:36 -0000 (UTC), Bill
wrote:

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. Military service matures most.


Very few, I'd reckon.


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.

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 transferred out of my reserve unit 5 days before the general volunteered
the wing for active duty with the Pueblo crisis. He got another star and
all the rest of the unit pretty much got screwed.

We had a Lt Cmdr who resigned his commission in the USCGR because he
had decided the Coast Guard was going to call up a unit and the unit
they were most likely to call was the ORTAUG ("ship augmentation" deck
apes) in Washington DC.
In the end he screwed up. They never called up any units
It was really silly anyway. The only CG units in Vietnam were river
patrol boats and pretty much all of the reserves were there to provide
manpower on Navy vessels. There was no shortage of those Navy guys and
they would probably have wanted the guys in the ORTEL anyway
(Electronic rates).
They had more volunteers for the river boats than slots so that was
not going to be a thing.

On 2/26/18 1:26 AM, wrote:
On Mon, 26 Feb 2018 05:24:36 -0000 (UTC), Bill
wrote:

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. Military service matures most.


Very few, I'd reckon.


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.

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 transferred out of my reserve unit 5 days before the general volunteered
the wing for active duty with the Pueblo crisis. He got another star and
all the rest of the unit pretty much got screwed.

We had a Lt Cmdr who resigned his commission in the USCGR because he
had decided the Coast Guard was going to call up a unit and the unit
they were most likely to call was the ORTAUG ("ship augmentation" deck
apes) in Washington DC.
In the end he screwed up. They never called up any units
It was really silly anyway. The only CG units in Vietnam were river
patrol boats and pretty much all of the reserves were there to provide
manpower on Navy vessels. There was no shortage of those Navy guys and
they would probably have wanted the guys in the ORTEL anyway
(Electronic rates).
They had more volunteers for the river boats than slots so that was
not going to be a thing.



Please correct me if I am wrong, but it seems that the only rec.boats
poster here who might have been shot at by elements of the various North
Vietnamese ground forces was Herring, and, in his case, deservedly so.

The rest of you fellas didn't see that sort of combat, correct? That
includes you, Luddite, Bilious Bill, FlaJim, W'hine, et cetera.

On 2/26/2018 6:44 AM, Keyser Soze wrote:
On 2/26/18 1:26 AM, wrote:
On Mon, 26 Feb 2018 05:24:36 -0000 (UTC), Bill
wrote:

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 transferred out of my reserve unit 5 days before the general
volunteered
the wing for active duty with the Pueblo crisis.Â*Â* He got another
star and
all the rest of the unit pretty much got screwed.

We had a Lt Cmdr who resigned his commission in the USCGR because he
had decided the Coast Guard was going to call up a unit and the unit
they were most likely to call was the ORTAUG ("ship augmentation" deck
apes) in Washington DC.
In the end he screwed up. They never called up any units
It was really silly anyway. The only CG units in Vietnam were river
patrol boats and pretty much all of the reserves were there to provide
manpower on Navy vessels. There was no shortage of those Navy guys and
they would probably have wanted the guys in the ORTEL anyway
(Electronic rates).
They had more volunteers for the river boats than slots so that was
not going to be a thing.



Please correct me if I am wrong, but it seems that the only rec.boats
poster here who might have been shot at by elements of the various North
Vietnamese ground forces was Herring, and, in his case, deservedly so.

The rest of you fellas didn't see that sort of combat, correct? That
includes you, Luddite, Bilious Bill, FlaJim, W'hine, et cetera.


Actually, my feeling is that it's none of your business but:

For me only a short, six week experience in coastal areas off Vietnam
early in my Navy adventure. Left due to an injury that although minor
(and not fully documented as to how), still required medical attention
not readily available and was eventually transferred back to the states.

No Harry. It was not "self inflicted". :-)

Certainly not a "combat vet" nor do I consider myself a Vietnam Vet even
though my service records document Vietnam service. Compared to others I
never felt I was there long enough nor did I experience what others
(like my Hospital Corpsman buddy) experienced. He disagrees but I have
too much respect for those who had to spend full tours there.

I never wanted to be thought of as another John Kerry so to me it was
no big deal.

On Mon, 26 Feb 2018 06:44:09 -0500, Keyser Soze wrote:

On 2/26/18 1:26 AM, wrote:
On Mon, 26 Feb 2018 05:24:36 -0000 (UTC), Bill
wrote:

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. Military service matures most.


Very few, I'd reckon.


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.

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 transferred out of my reserve unit 5 days before the general volunteered
the wing for active duty with the Pueblo crisis. He got another star and
all the rest of the unit pretty much got screwed.

We had a Lt Cmdr who resigned his commission in the USCGR because he
had decided the Coast Guard was going to call up a unit and the unit
they were most likely to call was the ORTAUG ("ship augmentation" deck
apes) in Washington DC.
In the end he screwed up. They never called up any units
It was really silly anyway. The only CG units in Vietnam were river
patrol boats and pretty much all of the reserves were there to provide
manpower on Navy vessels. There was no shortage of those Navy guys and
they would probably have wanted the guys in the ORTEL anyway
(Electronic rates).
They had more volunteers for the river boats than slots so that was
not going to be a thing.



Please correct me if I am wrong, but it seems that the only rec.boats
poster here who might have been shot at by elements of the various North
Vietnamese ground forces was Herring, and, in his case, deservedly so.

The rest of you fellas didn't see that sort of combat, correct? That
includes you, Luddite, Bilious Bill, FlaJim, W'hine, et cetera.

And what the **** does your comment have to do with the discussion?

On Mon, 26 Feb 2018 06:44:09 -0500, Keyser Soze
wrote:

On 2/26/18 1:26 AM, wrote:
On Mon, 26 Feb 2018 05:24:36 -0000 (UTC), Bill
wrote:

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. Military service matures most.


Very few, I'd reckon.


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.

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 transferred out of my reserve unit 5 days before the general volunteered
the wing for active duty with the Pueblo crisis. He got another star and
all the rest of the unit pretty much got screwed.

We had a Lt Cmdr who resigned his commission in the USCGR because he
had decided the Coast Guard was going to call up a unit and the unit
they were most likely to call was the ORTAUG ("ship augmentation" deck
apes) in Washington DC.
In the end he screwed up. They never called up any units
It was really silly anyway. The only CG units in Vietnam were river
patrol boats and pretty much all of the reserves were there to provide
manpower on Navy vessels. There was no shortage of those Navy guys and
they would probably have wanted the guys in the ORTEL anyway
(Electronic rates).
They had more volunteers for the river boats than slots so that was
not going to be a thing.



Please correct me if I am wrong, but it seems that the only rec.boats
poster here who might have been shot at by elements of the various North
Vietnamese ground forces was Herring, and, in his case, deservedly so.

The rest of you fellas didn't see that sort of combat, correct? That
includes you, Luddite, Bilious Bill, FlaJim, W'hine, et cetera.

The reality is the vast majority of people in the military 65-74, were
not in the grass, just as the majority of Korea or even WWII veterans
were not actually in combat. What's your point?