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.

[tomkow6]

Good morning, Snow Bunny! Good morning ALL! Once again, it's a beautiful morning in Streamwood, IL.

To all the Vets out there, AND the men & women currently serving our country, THANK YOU!

How's about a little humor to help start off the day:

When he was on spring break in Cancun, a University of Alabama football player met an attractive female student from an Ivy League school at one of the get-acquainted parties.

"Where do y'all go to school?" the Alabama athlete drawled. So to football player took a deep breath and shouted,

"WHERE DO Y'ALL GO TO SCHOOL?"

[tomkow6]

Darn! Hate when that happens. Forgot a line.

Let's try that attempt at humor again:

When he was on spring break in Cancun, a University of Alabama football player met an attractive female student from an Ivy League school at one of the get-acquainted parties.

"Where do y'all go to school?" the Alabama athlete drawled.

The young woman answered: “Yale”

So to football player took a deep breath and shouted, "WHERE DO Y'ALL GO TO SCHOOL?"

[Iowa Granny]

Good Morning everybody. The coffee is ready and there's an egg and sausage caserole. You can garnish it with those chopped tomatoes and green peppers if you like. Also, there's ham slices, Potatoes O'Brien, fresh pineapple chunks, toast w/cherry jam, and OJ. Enjoy!

[uglybiker]

Mornin' all. Just grabbing some coffee before I head to work.

[Taxman]

Thank you!

[Jen]

Tom, hon. You tell a joke like Snow Bunny and I do. hehehehe

[Jen]

Yum! Egg and sausage casserole is my favorite. Does it have Mozzarella cheese and mushrooms in it?

[tomkow6]

What can I say? I only had four cups of coffee in me when I posted that first time. I realized the error after four more cups were in me. Don't pick on me! Boo Hoo! Now I'm gonna cry. No body loves me! I'm gonna go outside & eat some worms. ;-)

[lodwick]

Good Morning everyone.

[Jen]

Good Morning HiJinx - Great photos and writeup about your career in the Army! Thanks so much for sharing and letting us see the 'real you'. I really like Freeper Friday!

Is that round antenna called the 'elephant cage'?

[Jen]

HAHAHAHA! Don't eat worms, hon... Crickets are more nutritious. ;-)

[SassyMom]

Good Morning All! I would like to start today off by thanking each and every veteran. Thank you so much for serving our country. I respect and admire you all so much. Thank You and God Bless You.

I also would like to thank all of you that are serving our country now. Thank you for putting your lives on the line every day so that we all can enjoy freedom. I appreciate you for what you are doing. Thank you to your families and friends also. Because they are serving too. God Bless You All!

I hope everyone has a wonderful Memorial Day Weekend.

[SassyMom]

Good Morning HJ! Thank you so much for sharing with us about your Army career. I really love Freeper Fridays.

Thank you for serving our country! God Bless You and Your Family!

[JustAmy]

A special Thank You to HiJinx and a thank you to all of our Veterans. You are remembered this Memorial Day week-end and will always be appreciated. Thank You to our current military servicemen and women. We thank all of you (past and present) for protecting our freedoms.
God Bless and Protect our Military.
God Bless and Protect our President ... and
God Bless and Protect America!

[firewalk]

Good Morning! I've enjoyed reading this thread so much!

HiJinx, Thank you for sharing everything with us, especially the pictures!

Huge Thank You for helping to protect all of us!

Best Wishes,
BIS

[g'nad]

'mornin' Granny...thanks for the awesome chow. Please pass the gravy?...

tomkow: Yale...ROTFLMAO...good one...

Hey Jinx! Great bio! I love all the "Behind the Green Door" stuff. I'm very familiar withe the LAV-MEWSS... good work, my friend... Snow Bunny, 'mornin' darlin', your lookin' radiant today!

Having a gathering of old jarhead buddies today at my place. We get secured at noon, I'll PT... then the carnage will begin... these are guys I've covered alot of ground with, shared pain, fear and sweat with and haven't seen in years... It's gonna be a "Viking" night... meat from the grill, homebrew, bourbon and scotch... no veggies, chips or eating utensils...
Don't worry, nobody's gonna be driving anywhere... oh yeah...no women allowed...;o) we wouldn't want common sense to be present...

We'll toast and remember our fallen brothers...there will be a few empty seats that I truly wish could be filled...

I'm looking forward to it.

[lodwick]

Good morning and good job with the posts - thanks!

[SassyMom]

I hope that you and your buddies have a great/safe time this evening.

[lds23]

I'd like to thank you all for your kind words about my Uncle Mike, who was called up by the supreme commander earlier this week. I'd also like to post a few more things about his service record, if you all don't mind.

Uncle Mike dedicated his life to full-time military service. He joined the NJ National Guard 102nd Cavalry (now redesignated as the 117th Cavalry) in 1939. Family members still can recall him on his horse (the youngest ones thinking he was a Canadian Mountie). During World War II, now a part of the Army, he landed at Omaha Beach the day after D-Day with the 112th Field Artillery Unit. He participated in five major battles, including the Battle of the Bulge, earning a total of five battle stars, the World War II Campaign Medal, and the Legion of Merit. He continued his service with the National Guard, retiring with the rank of sergeant major in 1980.

He was a member of the Knights of Columbus, American Legion Post, Veterans of Foreign Wars, and the 112th Field Artillery Association. Thank you to all of these groups, each of which made a prayerful and stirring commemoration at his wake last night.

[lodwick]

You guys have a super Viking night - God bless you all. JL
(No steeenking utensils! ;-))