SSO Servicemen

[Grand Moff Tim]

I've seen a few of you floating around, so I figured I'd start a thread where we can talk a bit about ourselves, and perhaps answer any questions non-servicemen might have (trolls not welcome). If a similar thread already exists, I won't cry (too hard) if this is merged with it.

Anyways, some questions you might consider?

What Branch?
When?
What was your job? (MOS, Rating, description, be as specific as you like)
How far up the ladder did you climb?
Where were you stationed?
Did you ever deploy? Where/when?
Any other thoughts?


Being the thread starter, I'll of course start by answering those questions myself.

I was in the Navy from 2002-2007.
My job was a Cryptological Technician Interpretive, or CTI for short. Official job description here: Cryptology : Information & Technology : Careers & Jobs: Navy.com
I somehow managed to make CTI2/E5 before separating.
My basic training was in Great Lakes, IL, my language training was at the Defense Language Institute in Monterey, CA, and I was stationed at Ft. Gordon, GA for the remainder of my time in.
I did deploy once, but deployments for CTIs aren't quite like the deployments usually associated with the Navy. Instead of going out with a ship, making the trip, floating around a while, then making the trip back, I was flown to Naval Air Station Bahrain where I would hop on a helo out to whatever ship in the area needed a linguist. When that strike group left, I'd take a helo back to NAS Bahrain and wait for the next strike group to come in and take a helo back out to one of their ships. I did get to take a quick flight out to Naples to meet up with an oncoming Carrier Strike Group that needed a linguist on board for the Suez/Red Sea crossing, so I at least got to muck around in Italy for a couple days instead of roasting it up in the Gulf the whole time. The ships I did end up floating around on were the USS Gonzalez (DDG-66) and the USS San Jacinto (CG-56).
All in all, it was a valuable life experience, and easily the most important thing I've done with myself so far in life. In the end I wasn't really suited for long-term military service, but I certainly left with a healthy repsect for those that stick it out for 20+ years (like my Dad, also a CTI).

Finally, thanks to all you duders out there who volunteer to serve your country. I really appreciate it, and I wish for the best for you and yours.

[TXDeathMetal]

While I have never served in the military, I approve of this thread

[Grand Moff Tim]

Lemme just leave this here...

[Chickenhawk]

My name is Chris, and I approve of this thread

If I could rep you again, Tim, I would.

I am not in the service anymore since being Medically Discharged, but I'll add my shit anyways.

What Branch? Army.
When? 2005-2009
What was your job? (MOS, Rating, description, be as specific as you like) 89B Ammunition Specialist: Generically defined:
Ammunition, explosives, their components, and weapons are known within the Army as 'ordnance' and require proper care when dealing with them. Ammunition Specialists are specialized Soldiers whose primary responsibility is all aspects in the management of ordnance (ammunition and explosives). Ammunition Specialists are primarily responsible for receiving, storing, and issuing conventional ammunition, guided missiles, large rockets, explosives, and other ammunition and explosive related items; performs maintenance (field and sustainment), modification, destruction and demilitarization on ammunition and explosive components.

Duties performed by Soldiers in this MOS include:

Assists in receipt, storage, issue, maintenance, modification, destruction and demilitarization of explosive items. Performs ammunition supply stock control and accounting duties using both automated and manual procedures. Operates MHE to maneuver ammunition.

Supervises lower grade soldiers and provides technical guidance to the soldiers in the accomplishment of their duties. Assists in the preparation of transportation of ammunition, ammunition components and explosives.

tl;dr I gave the Warfighters bullets, and blew a lot of shit up when the EOD were being punks and didn't want to do it. I was also privileged enough to be an Ammunition Liaison for 10th Group Special Forces (Airborne) for 3 months while in Iraq, and everything that comes along with that assignment.

How far up the ladder did you climb? Corporeal E4 (long story, but I should have left the Military as a Sergeant...)

Where were you stationed? Fort Hood, Primarily. I was also a Reservist in St. Joseph, Missouri for 3 months, spent 4 weeks at Ft. Benning, 2 weeks at Ft. Riley, 6 weeks at NTC/Ft. Irwin, 5 weeks at Ft. Bragg, and 1 week at Ft. Bliss.

Did you ever deploy? Where/when? Deployed to COB Adder / AFB Tallil in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom from January 2007 to April 2008. Spent a lot of time away from Adder, but that's where I called 'home' while I was there.

Any other thoughts? Lots.



Side note: I want to personally thank any servicemember on this site, and anybody that genuinely supports us. If any of you make a trip through northwestern Missouri, let me know beforehand, and I will make sure we meet up, and I will buy you a beer.



EDIT:


Also this:

[Grand Moff Tim]

Aw, come on. I know there are some more of you out there.

To fill the lull, I'll throw in some pics.

Here's me the day I graduated from Language Training and put on my crow:





And here's a screen shot of my quick appearance on the PBS documentary series "Carrier" when I was on the USS Gonzalez getting ready to join a boarding party on its way to board an Iraqi cargo vessel:



It's a good documentary series. I'm pretty sure it's available on the PBS site, and I recommend checking it out.

[Rook]

I'm not in the services, but I have a couple of Q's.

1) Any royal engineers here (or american equivalent)? I'd love to know what you get up to.
2) How does length of service work? If someone wanted to serve for 3 or 4 years but not the rest of their life, can you do that?
3) Who choses what you do? Can you just wake up one morning and say 'I want to be a sniper' or 'I want to blow shit up'? I'm not saying I wanna blow shit up but I always wondered who put you where you are lol.

Cheers dudes. HUGE respect.

[Chickenhawk]

Originally Posted by Fun111

I'm not in the services, but I have a couple of Q's.

1) Any royal engineers here (or american equivalent)? I'd love to know what you get up to.

There's a lot of different engineering jobs in the Military. All depends on what you want to do.

2) How does length of service work? If someone wanted to serve for 3 or 4 years but not the rest of their life, can you do that?

Active duty enlistments can be as short as 4 years (that's all I originally signed up for), and sometimes as short as 1 year (hardship tour, I don't know much about it, though).

If you only signed up for 4 or 6 years, within your last 18-24 months you can re-enlist for more time.

3) Who choses what you do? Can you just wake up one morning and say 'I want to be a sniper' or 'I want to blow shit up'? I'm not saying I wanna blow shit up but I always wondered who put you where you are lol.

Cheers dudes. HUGE respect.

You take an aptitude test prior to enlisting. If you score high enough, you can open the vast majority of jobs (enlisted...officer is a totally different game that I really don't know much about).

You pick, the recruiter finds out if there are any openings, they end up trying to fill the jobs most in demand.

Blowing shit up is something I did, but it's mainly reserved for Combat Engineers and EOD. Spec Ops (Special Forces, Rangers, etc) do blow stuff up, but you don't exactly join the military and haul stright off to Special Forces Selection.

Sniper schools are only open to highly qualified combat arms soldiers (mainly Infantry, Rangers and SF), and is not a seperate job (MOS), but a specilized school.

But, take everything I've said with a grain of salt, since I speak mainly about the Army. The other branches do things differently.

Tim: Navy uniforms look so stupid






No offence :hugs:

[Blind Theory]

All my uncles are/were in the military. I'm not quite old enough for it...still a little less than a month out for that. Still don't think I'll enlist but for those that do and have, much respect. One of my uncles was a Senior Chief in the Navy (E8 or something like that) and the other one is working with homeland defense type stuff (Air Force E8 I think). So I have tons of respect for our military servicemen and women. Stay safe for those of you that are in the military and are deployed/otherwise.

[Grand Moff Tim]

Originally Posted by Chickenhawk

Tim: Navy uniforms look so stupid



No offence :hugs:

[Grand Moff Tim]

[JamesM]

Thank you servicemen.

[Blind Theory]

Enlisting in the Marine Corps this July. Not yet in but getting closer.

[Guitarman700]

Grand Moff Tim looks kind like Woody Harrelson in that second pic. Which is awesome.
A big thank you to everyone in this thread!

[ddtonfire]

Applying for Navy OCS and AF OTS; will find out in September! For now... hurry up and wait.

[Chickenhawk]

Found a picture on my Facebook:

(I'm the one in the green...duh.)

[Stealthdjentstic]

Respect!

[ittoa666]

That pic is unusually badass. Now all you need in the background are a bunch of dead taliban to make it look like you killed a bunch and your humvee blew up.

[Alberto7]

Not a serviceman myself, but I have become increasingly interested. Being away from my home country makes it hard if I ever decided to join the military. I also have a buddy who's taking his ASVAB today to join the US Air Force. Will follow this thread closely.

Mad respect!

[HaMMerHeD]

I was regular Army. My MOS was 97G, which at the time (1995) was Multi-Discipline Counter-Intelligence Operator/Analyst. As the MOS definitions change from time to time, MOS 97G may be something else entirely now.

I can't give any specific details about what I did or where I went, but I did BCT at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri, and AIT at Fort Huachuca, Arizona.

Edit: it looks like the 97G designation has been retired.

[Grand Moff Tim]

Originally Posted by HaMMerHeD

AIT at Fort Huachuca, Arizona.

A-ha. Say no more. Heh.

[HaMMerHeD]

Originally Posted by Grand Moff Tim

A-ha. Say no more. Heh.

Indeed.

[Clydefrog]

Current Air Force. E3 (Airman 1st Class). Been in for almost a year and a half. I am deploying in less than ten days (want to see my smallpox sore? :P ). I am a 3D0X2, which is a Cyber Systems Operator.

Me 6 years ago (long hair):



Me 1 year and 3 months ago:



Me 1 year ago:


Me 9 months ago (dead center):



Me 3 months ago with my new Carvin:



I am a network technician for this. :



Instead of being in a normal comm squad I am part of an aircraft maintenance squadron which is really different and strange, but the only place I'll be mission essential

[ghostred7]

What Branch?
US Army

When?
1994-2000

What was your job? (MOS, Rating, description, be as specific as you like):
19D, Armored Reconnaissance Specialist (Cav Scout)

How far up the ladder did you climb?
SPC/E4

Where were you stationed?
Ft. Polk, LA (the whole damn time, 2/2 ACR)

Did you ever deploy? Where/when?
1995-1996: Haiti, 1997-1998: Bosnia

Any other thoughts?
I still have friends in and we're having a Troop reunion soon. I'm glad some stayed in, also glad I stayed out. I was injured in the line of duty and would probably break in half if I tried to do half that stuff again. I feel for our troops daily, but am also very pleased that all of the soldiers I know that are still in, are still answering Facebook posts and phone calls. Scouts Out!

[Vinchester]

Wow. Awesome jobs guys.

I have huge respect for professional soldiers

[Jakke]

My dad were in the military, ranger, both para and mountaneer. He came pretty high too, Lieutenant Colonel as a matter of fact

I as a chemist would love to blow stuff up in the military, unfortunately Sweden don't have too much of armed forces, so I had to go to uni instead. Still, not a bad trade