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USO Canteen FReeper Style....FReeper FRiday..May 24,2002
FRiends of the USO Canteen FReeper Style and Snow Bunny

Posted on 05/24/2002 1:43:40 AM PDT by Snow Bunny

I would like you to meet FReeper Veteran HiJinx.

Thank you HiJinx for serving our country !

Somehow I always knew I was destined to be a part of the U.S. Armed Forces and travel around the world. That may be because my Air Force Father brought me in to this world as an Englishman, then taught me to walk and talk as an Italian! My poor grandparents couldn't understand a word I was saying when I first met them in Dayton, Ohio.

My Dad was career Air Force, my Step-Dad was Navy, so my brother and I joined the Army. Natural choice, right? This is the obligatory graduation photo, complete with the old bus driver's cap.

For some reason, they didn't trust us with live ammo on the live fire rush and cover course, so we used blanks. I'm not really pointing my M-16 at the photographer, it just looks that way. Maybe there's a good reason for them not to trust us!

The training was completed, graduation was a day away, and we were restricted to our barracks. Note the WWII era corrugated sheet metal construction. Our Basic Training Company, C-2-3, was the only one in the 3rd Battalion 'living' in Quonset huts in 1976. At the end of BCT I had lost 35 pounds and Mrs. HJ had not seen me for 3 months. On the back of this picture I penned "Here's a lousy picture by a lousy photographer, but it gives you an idea what we do on the weekends - sit around and wait!!"

My entire career was spent as a Military Intelligence NCO, and I'm rather proud to have been one of President Reagan's Cold War Warriors. My first duty station was at the USASA Field Station Berlin. Everything above the third floor of the main ops building (the one in the back) was antennas. Ostensibly, we were there providing worldwide communications support to American forces. The site has now been turned over to a German concern and is in use as a resort with a ski-lift, grass ski-slope, and toboggan run down the backside. There's also a 'clothing optional' beach at the base of the mountain. No, I never went there...wink-wink!

I re-enlisted 4 times during my career, this was the first. The Company Commander in this ceremony, a Captain, just finished his tour last year as the Deputy Commanding General of the US Army Intelligence Center at Ft. Huachuca.

Much of the photographic record of my time in uniform has me out of uniform! Our blonde Cocker Spaniel Sebastian is receiving a new pillow for his bed for Christmas. The poor boy begged for everything. Check out those paws...to dust those hardwood floors, we'd toss a ball for him to chase...he made a great dust mop, and got lots of exercise to boot!

My first CONUS (stateside) assignment was to the Big Red One (1st Infantry Division) at Ft. Riley, KS. Here Dad is doting on Jonathan, who is a natural ham. He'd follow a camera anywhere!

Another of the sights that all MI soldiers should be familiar with is the AN/FLR-9 (Flare 9) HF/DF Antenna System. This is the Augsburg site, where I spent 3 and a half pretty good years. On an earlier thread we paid tribute to NSA soldiers and civilians who had lost their lives in the line of duty, and the memorial says they 'Served in Silence.' That is still true to some extent. These sites are only shown now because they are no longer in use. ~Photo courtesy Carl Schweibinz

My final tour of duty was as a Combat Developments NCO here at Ft. Huachuca. I'm here to tell you, this was rough duty! TDY every month, living out of a suitcase, and putting on Dog and Pony shows to convince the Army to develop our new systems. The Association of the US Army (AUSA) shows weren't too bad, until the Chief of Staff, Army (GEN Sullivan) showed up for his briefing with 35 staff officers in tow!

This is what consumed my final years of service. The Army Family of Common Sensors was to be the last set of Intelligence and Electronic Warfare systems the Army would ever need, with reconfigurable electronics and antenna systems to handle the mission of the 10 different systems currently in the field. Pictured from left to right are the Ground Based Common Sensor-Light on a Heavy Hummer, the GBCS-Heavy on an Electronic Fighting Vehicle, and the USMCs Mobile Electronic Warfare Support System on an LAV-25. The upgraded Black Hawk is the Advanced Quickfix system with COMINT/ELINT sensor package and extended range fuel tanks.

For those who would like to see a larger, more detailed picture of Field Station Berlin on top of the Teufelsberg, click here. This is quite large, please be patient. Ditto for a larger picture of the AFCS Intelligence Collection Systems, click here.



TOPICS: Miscellaneous
KEYWORDS: usocanteen
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To: Billie
Thanks Billie for that tribute and the image of "Old Glory."

The rough hands of those troops folding the flag show a soft gentle touch. You can tell by their expressions it's more than just a colored cloth.

141 posted on 05/24/2002 8:18:44 AM PDT by Diver Dave
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To: AFVetGal
Thanks for that link. Gotta go wipe my eyes and nose.
142 posted on 05/24/2002 8:22:29 AM PDT by Diver Dave
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To: COB1
For a little girl who lost her own Daddy while young, this poem touches me in a way I can't even describe........thank you.......
143 posted on 05/24/2002 8:22:51 AM PDT by WhyisaTexasgirlinPA
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To: Snow Bunny;all

BSA Troop 77, Vallejo,CA

144 posted on 05/24/2002 8:23:30 AM PDT by SAMWolf
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To: Colt .45
my son had to memorize a poem in his 5th grade class this year ...he chose that one and got an "A".

thanks for posting it again.

145 posted on 05/24/2002 8:23:41 AM PDT by MudPuppy
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To: Billie
Uhhhh....Billie, I'm not being picky, but I count six in the rundown.
NOT that I disagree with you!
LOL!
You didn't mention that in your part of the country the caliche dust in March makes everyone look like they've had a bag of Gold Medal flour poured over them, and the tumbleweeds travel faster than Superman ever dreamed of!
146 posted on 05/24/2002 8:24:25 AM PDT by COB1
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To: COB1
OOPS! SIX it is! LOL!
147 posted on 05/24/2002 8:29:29 AM PDT by Billie
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To: WhyisaTexasgirlinPA
I had a hard time posting that, Texasgirl.
I kept remembering the little girl who hid in my coveralls in the back floorboard of my car and jumped up two hundred miles down the road toward the job site with, "Hi, daddy!"
If I could do it over, she'd get a lot of hugs instead of a swat on the butt as I took her back home.
148 posted on 05/24/2002 8:30:40 AM PDT by COB1
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To: COB1
Thank you so much for sharing the beautiful poem! Amen! to your prayer!
149 posted on 05/24/2002 8:31:45 AM PDT by Alamo-Girl
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To: MeeknMing; Victoria delsoul
LOL! Who's next? That sounds like Victoria! :)
150 posted on 05/24/2002 8:33:53 AM PDT by MistyCA
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To: SAMWolf
Salute to those Boy Scouts in Vallejo, CA. Thanks for posting the pics.

A local cemetery here will be marking 8000 Veteran's graves with a flag for services on Monday.

Also, on Monday morning, a group will be tossing flowers into the Tuolumne River in rememberance of sailor's killed in action.

151 posted on 05/24/2002 8:37:23 AM PDT by Diver Dave
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To: Snow Bunny;All
Freedom's Ultimate Price
152 posted on 05/24/2002 8:39:01 AM PDT by SAMWolf
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To: SAMWolf
Very sad...thanks for posting those pictures of the fallen men, but it is very sad to see the faces of men so young who have paid the ultimate price for our freedom. :( I pray for their families and all the other men and women serving in our military.

Amazing Grace

153 posted on 05/24/2002 8:45:01 AM PDT by MistyCA
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To: SAMWolf
Great pic, SAM! It reminds me of a bumper sticker a co-worker has on his truck:

America returns to Values
The Boy Scouts never left.

154 posted on 05/24/2002 8:50:05 AM PDT by HiJinx
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To: SAMWolf
Lord's Prayer
155 posted on 05/24/2002 8:54:03 AM PDT by MistyCA
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To: HiJinx
Thanks Hijinx for participating in another of these "This Is Your Life" threads -).  It always great to read about the exploits of our Freeper Vets. Thank you for your service.
156 posted on 05/24/2002 8:55:35 AM PDT by The Thin Man
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To: SAMWolf
AirForce
157 posted on 05/24/2002 8:57:35 AM PDT by MistyCA
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To: SAMWolf
American Trilogy
158 posted on 05/24/2002 9:01:17 AM PDT by MistyCA
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To: SAMWolf
Don't forget Marine Jeannette Winters, Operation Enduring Freedom, who perished in Jan.


159 posted on 05/24/2002 9:02:57 AM PDT by CIApilot
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To: MistyCA; Victoria delsoul
LOL! Who's next? That sounds like Victoria! :)

LOL! Here's, let's put another one of GWB here now!


Who's Next?

160 posted on 05/24/2002 9:03:37 AM PDT by MeekOneGOP
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