Uncle Meat

[GrayCobra]

Uncle Meat,

You should be proud. 20+ in the Air Force. Thanks for your time, effort, and professionalism.

It was 20+ years ago I joined the Army. Retiring in late July, with nothing but my pride, a baby Gray '03 Cobra, and a few pounds of flesh and bone missing to show for it. Pretty much the way I can in.

Uncle Sam doesn't promise too much, but you get to see lots of the world. Meet intersting people and ***. I think you know where I'm coming from. I was in Karbula, both of them. Iraq, and Afganistan. And you couldn't make me prouder of the men and women in service. I did not say boy's and girl's. It takes about 30 seconds to loose that. It does make me feel better knowing that people over here have a pretty good feeling for those in the services.

One thing really scared me about coming home. It scared the heck out of me coming back stateside, thinking it was gonna be like V-Nam. My hat is off to all American's. Thanks for being so...nice! Even if they drive a Chevy.

 

[Uncle Meat]

uncle meat you said you were in alabama right??? I just finished warrant officer school and am on fort rucker

I've met a bunch of guys from Rucker. You looking for some folks to race or hang out with? You need to head on over to the 'Bama Mafia website and say hi then! Great bunch of guys who meet up for dyno days and trips to the track. Bunch of them just got back from a group run on the "Dragon". These guys always have something going on somewhere. There's a group dyno day sign up going on now. Date is still up in the air for next month though. I see quite a few of the Ft. Rucker guys driving here to MMP to hang out and race with us. We had a private track rental just a month or two ago.

U.M.

 

[Uncle Meat]

Uncle Meat,

You should be proud. 20+ in the Air Force. Thanks for your time, effort, and professionalism.

Thank you! and right back at ya!

Hell, I'm still serving today actually, just in a different capacity. I'm a USAF DoD civilian working out of the Maxwell/Gunter Annex in Montgomery. I test software for the AF these days. My whole family has been in the military at some point though. My father was a Navy corman during WWII and spent a while in the European theater. My oldest brother did the 'Nam thing. He was a Huey pilot and he graduated from Ft. Rucker back in '67 or '68 I believe? He ended up doing 2 tours before rotating back to the states. I don't need to tell you what it takes to do 2 tours as a Huey pilot performing dust-off missions day in and day out! He's a Lutheran minister now. 'Nuff said. My other brother was stationed in Thailand as a B-52 crew chief in early '71 or '72. He turned buffs that were flying sorties over those same jungles my eldest brother had flown over only a couple years earlier.

I'm the only one in the family that decided to make a career out of it... Hell, I hit my 10 year mark so fast I just kept telling myself ... your half-way to retirement, get the 20 in and start something different. Kind of where I'm at today.

U.M.

 

[GrayCobra]

I can't say that every day was enjoyable, but..

Uncle Meat,

Your whole family served, wow! Most of the men in my family did as well making it seem natural for me to follow the boot steps. Dad was a Marine in WWII causing all kind of **** for the other guy's in 'Okinawa.' Step father got out after serving the whole of WWII as a Army Signal Crapper (his words!) resigning his commission as a Major. Favorite cousin retired at MG level from AirForce (Jack Foster, formed the Alamo Wing at one of the bases in San Antonio). Two others retired as COL's from Army Intel, enough said. Most of them ran off to join the military to get away from the women in the family.

Lost an uncle in WWII, aerial combat mission in Pacific. Lost 3 cousins early in the Nam. Each one early in their tour. Not to many men folk under the age of 70 left in the family. Most of the younger one's became professional collegians. Yes, I do wave the flag.

I'm going through the Grab Your Parachute thing now. It isn't that hard to learn to be easy going and work the civilian sector. Discovering we can be nice and competitive too! Having a Cobra under my feet gives me a thrill you can't get without a Parachute.

A few connections might even get me started on a second career.

 

[VooDooChild]

Marine One,
You with 2nd AAVBN??

 

[Marine One]

Marine One,
You with 2nd AAVBN??

Not presently, buy I was a Company Commander there a few years ago.

 

[VooDooChild]

I was there from 81-about 85 and from 90-91. I bet we know each other.

 

[Marine One]

I was there from 81-about 85 and from 90-91. I bet we know each other.

I was there from 86-88, was at 1st Tracks from 82-83.
Send me a PM, please.

 

[jordanvraptor]

85 - 89 Corporal USMC. Crash Crew at MCAS Cherry Point. Didn't do squat except watch Harriers and other assorted planes turn themselves into really expensive paperweights.

Semper Fi

 

[propellerhead]

5 years, 11 months active duty US Air Force back in the late 80s to early 90s. It was Reagan's Air Force where we believed in peace through superior firepower. Go Strategic Air Command! Back in the days when we had many bases with many heavy bombers on alert that could wipe out anything and everything in the USSR. Plus we had all the ICBM in the ground, and the ones on trucks in Europe. And the ones in submarines in the ocean. Nuke 'em till the glow!

Nice to see fellow vets here. Aaahhhrooo!

 

[Marine One]

85 - 89 Corporal USMC. Crash Crew at MCAS Cherry Point. Didn't do squat except watch Harriers and other assorted planes turn themselves into really expensive paperweights.

Semper Fi

Semper Fi! We still refer to Harriers as Carolina Lawn Darts!

 

[WMDPALMER]

Good to hear/read about you guys. I spent 8+ years Active AF and have been in the Reserves for the last three. I have been trying to go back active for the last 3+ months but the AF is kicking out 18K troops! Now i'm trying to go back in as a Recruiter. We will see!

Will

 

[54life]

I love mustangs but I am also a helo pilot....tons of adrenaline plus you've got hellfire missiles, rockets, and a vulcan cannon I'm currently stuck in a th-67

 

[Marine One]

Maybe Stangnet needs a Vet's Board?
There sure seems to be enough of us out here.

WMDPALMER I'm surprised that the AF isn't beating a path to your door with everything I'm hearing about the services needing more people. A buddy of mine who was a former Army Sgt just went back into the Guard after being out for 22+ years. At 46 he's got to be one of the oldest Sgts in the service!
Good luck to you, and God bless all vets.

We few, we happy few, we Band of Brothers.......

 

[WMDPALMER]

Marine one,

I too am surprised with the Army looking at bringing back over 5K retired Troops in Critical specialties. The Air Force is reorganizing the force to more of a Reserve/Guard it would seem. They are alowing troops to break there Active duty commitmenta and join the Reserves if they want. When I was Active duty troops were being stretched really thin. I was in a Mobility unit the was TDY constantly. Pretty cool places too but with a family on the way it seemed the right thing to do. I can only immagine how bad it is now. Now that we got our stuff in one sock, i really miss it. such a hard to decision to get out and an easy decision to get back in. Hopefully find something out soon. No news is good news they say!

 

[WMDPALMER]

Marine one,

BTW, As a kid we always went to Topsail for vacation. I hear it has really grown in the past 10 years. Love that place!

 

[EvilEyez]

Vets

It's good to see so many vets with the same interest in mustangs. Ooorrrahhh!

 

[doogz]

to all of you!

 

[Marine One]

Marine one,

BTW, As a kid we always went to Topsail for vacation. I hear it has really grown in the past 10 years. Love that place!

You wouldn't recognize the place. The property values and construction has gone through the roof. Houses everywhere.