USO Canteen FReeper Style....FReeper FRiday..May 24,2002

FRiends of the USO Canteen FReeper Style and Snow Bunny

[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.

[HiJinx]

Great Graphic...very Southwest!
You're a treasure, thank you for being you!

[Pippin]

HOWDY, JEN! How is your day?

[Victoria Delsoul]

Thanks for posting your daughter's heartwarming and lovely poem, Cob.

Nice to see you.

[Johnny Gage]

I love those "reflections" pictures. Thanks for posting that!

[MistyCA]

I am very sorry for your loss. We daughters are never old enough to lose our dads, but it must be particularly difficult for a little girl. :(

[Victoria Delsoul]

Thank you for your kind words, HiJinx.

Hope you're having a great day.

[MistyCA]

Well now, I also counted and saw 6 items on that list, however! As Billie said, there were only 5 seasons (one of them was repeated twice!) :)

[SpookBrat]

Oh you are such a sweet mommy. What great ideas you had. Thank you so much. I think I'll get out of the house for awhile and go shopping, to see what I can find.

Heck, my brother is sitting a few feet from me and he was in the Air Force. I guess I could just ask him.

That's so neat your son was in Turkey. We were in Ankara. I love that country. Did he like it there? People either hated it or loved it, no in-between.

[redhead]

"A Memorial with pix and names of those killed Sept. 11 at the Pentagon; includes links to memorials for those who died in NYC and Pennsylvania."

Dang! I keep tearing up over these pictures and memorials! Every day brings something new to stir my heart and bring the tears.

We buried a beloved nephew in the military cemetery at Fort Snelling, in St. Paul. Even in such a "small" cemetery, the markers stretched to the horizon in every direction. As we drove through that field of green and white, all I could think of was, "Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!"

[SpookBrat]

It was frustrating because you usually can tell the sea level is creeping up. This big wave came out of no where. I learned my lesson...park your stuff way far away from the water. LOL

[Victoria Delsoul]

Wow! That's a great photo. Thanks Meek. :-)

[MistyCA]

A special moment to remember our fallen lady :( Click for a Snappy Salute!

[HiJinx]

Yes, that was a very touching story. And the author is right, we hate to throw away anything...there's a record for everything somewhere, you just need to know how to find it!

Putting in the details and names allows us to realize that numbers like a half million or millions of lost lives actually equates to Harris(B) and Huntley(CP), the bombardier and co-pilot lost in the B-17 that ditched.

[MistyCA]

I never tire of seeing GW pix! Thanks! :)

[WhyisaTexasgirlinPA]

Thank you Misty......but I had a wonderful Father and he is always with me........

[MistyCA]

I love that song...

God Bless the USA!

[MistyCA]

Nope....I am not the victim picker around here! I only add logistical support :)

[Diver Dave]

"Hi, daddy!"

After all these years, with 3 grown daughters, it's always special to hear those words.

Also ranked up near the top of the list, to hear the excited screaming voices in unison: "Daddy's Home!" followed by the sound of running footsteps.

It just doesn't get any better than that.

I pray for the day when all of our Daddies overseas and those deployed on regular ops get to hear those words again - "Daddy's Home!"

[68-69TonkinGulfYachtClub]

SALUTE

Thank You Brother for your service to our country
and your continual support for our military.

[Victoria Delsoul]

Thanks Misty! :-)