Personal Military Photos and Memories

[DerAdlerIstGelandet]

I've been unpacking boxes and stuff since moving into our new house and came across lots of old pics, including many from my old Army days.

I know we have a lot of former military members here (and maybe some still serving), and thought it would be neat to get a nice thread going to post your personal photos and memories. Especially with many of us getting up there in age.

It does not matter what country or branch (Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, Coast Guard, etc.). Share anything you want. Old pictures, stories, memories, etc.

 

[DerAdlerIstGelandet]

I'll start with a few.

Giving a passenger briefing to Spanish Soldiers in Kosovo in 2022. One of my fondest memories will always be working other troops from all over the world.

 

[DerAdlerIstGelandet]

Maintenance in an NBC environment training. Fort Eustis, VA, 2000.

 

[DerAdlerIstGelandet]

One thing is for sure, anywhere you go in the Army there is going to be mud. Lots of mud.

 

[Gnomey]

Good shots Chris!

 

[DerAdlerIstGelandet]

I hope to see and hear a lot of photos and stories in this thread ladies and gents, so start posting!

 

[Airframes]

Wlll do, when I get home, find the few remaining photos and get them scanned.

 

[cvairwerks]

A suggestion for all... Once you've scanned the photos, place each in an archival sleeve and write in ink, a note about the photo with the details about who is in the shot, what was happening, dates and units involved. Old photos with no info have little meaning or understanding to following generations.

 

[PBPICS]

Maintenance in an NBC environment training. Fort Eustis, VA,

In 2004, while working at ABC News in New York, I volunteered for the what the company called "go teams" which meant that I had to take CNBR survival training. That training was taught by a former British Army specialist who claimed to have written the guidelines for those scenarios. The catalyst for the training was the Republican convention and they expected that there might be a follow up to the 911 attacks. My final exam for the course was getting my hazmat suit complete with gas mask on in 30 seconds (the time might be different since it was 18 years ago). I passed the test!

 

[DerAdlerIstGelandet]

In 2004, while working at ABC News in New York, I volunteered for the what the company called "go teams" which meant that I had to take CNBR survival training. That training was taught by a former British Army specialist who claimed to have written the guidelines for those scenarios. The catalyst for the training was the Republican convention and they expected that there might be a follow up to the 911 attacks. My final exam for the course was getting my hazmat suit complete with gas mask on in 30 seconds (the time might be different since it was 18 years ago). I passed the test!

What? They did not make you wear it in a gas chamber?

 

[Thumpalumpacus]

Most of my pics from my service burnt up in a storage fire in 2002. I've posted a couple elsewhere here on the forum, but it's just me leaning against my car, etc.

 

[DerAdlerIstGelandet]

Most of my pics from my service burnt up in a storage fire in 2002. I've posted a couple elsewhere here on the forum, but it's just me leaning against my car, etc.

I'm sure you goy stories to tell though. Post em here.

 

[Thumpalumpacus]

I'm sure you goy stories to tell though. Post em here.

Oh, I got stories all right. I'll drop 'em in as they fit the flow.

 

[PBPICS]

What? They did not make you wear it in a gas chamber?

No, they were concerned about liability! What our instructor did do was show us a film of a tethered goat exposed to nerve gas…the poor goat only lasted a few seconds. That was … an eye opener, a wake-up call, a scare the heck out of us moment, ergo…getting our hazmat suits on in record time. Thankfully we never needed to
"go" towards…

 

[DerAdlerIstGelandet]

No, they were concerned about liability! What our instructor did do was show us a film of a tethered goat exposed to nerve gas…the poor goat only lasted a few seconds. That was … an eye opener, a wake-up call, a scare the heck out of us moment, ergo…getting our hazmat suits on in record time. Thankfully we never needed to
"go" towards…

Yeah, but they could have used CS gas like the military. Makes your eyes burn, gives you a cough, and makes your nose run like crazy. Nothing else. It's best to go in when you have a cold because you won't have one when you come out.



They made us put the mask back on and clear it in the chamber to show that we know how, and that the mask works. Then afterwards we had to take the mask off again, and each had to recite their Name, Rank, and Social before we could all leave the chamber together.

 

[Thumpalumpacus]

No, they were concerned about liability! What our instructor did do was show us a film of a tethered goat exposed to nerve gas…the poor goat only lasted a few seconds. That was … an eye opener, a wake-up call, a scare the heck out of us moment, ergo…getting our hazmat suits on in record time. Thankfully we never needed to
"go" towards…

I'll never forget an outbriefing as I was leaving Carswell to deploy supporting Desert Storm in Aug 1990. One of the several briefings we got was on chemical weapons because of Saddam's history with using them. As we filed into that hangar we each were handed a small leaflet about signs and symptoms of nerve-gas poisoning, which I actually bothered to read while the officer was droning on.

One of the symptoms listed, I shit you not, was "death". I'm thinking to myself, "That's the result, not a symptom, you f***head." But along with White's death earlier that year in a training fire, that briefing woke me up to what my taking the oath really meant.

 

[special ed]

Subject: Flu shots
Place: USAFR 926TCS hangar
Time: Years 1963-1965
As most of us know new medicines were tested on troops, right after prisoner tests.
There were three of us buddys in the monthly drills. The original three Eds.
1963: We saw the medics setting up tables in the center of the hangar and discovered the new flu shots on the tables. Upon proper recon, we realised there will not be enough shots for everyone. After lunch, the announcement was made for people to get their shots. Since our sargents had disappeared, there was no one to force us out of our shops. The next month we found that everyone who took the shots got the flu. It was a live virus sufficiently weakened "to not be a problem".
1964: We saw the medics set up the shot tables and saw that once again there would not be enough shots, although many more. The authorities were very insistent that all personnel will be shot and line up alphabetically. The three Eds had long before learned how to disappear legally. For example, I never left the Prop shop without a clipboard and forms. The next month everyone who had the shot had the flu.
1965: The medics set up the flu shot tables and the shots. Recon showed the first box of 12 syringes had 000 needles while all of the other boxes contained size 0 needles. It was obvious there will be no escape this time as the shops will be monitored during shot time. After lunch, the three Eds positioned themselves as close to the first table as possible, seated on an engine packing box. Just as the PA began to announce the shots, we pushed off and ran to the first table. All over the hangar could be heard, "Shearer, Goldman and Babin are running for the shot line." While we were not first, we were in the first twelve. The rest of the day the troops had sore arms from those "square" needles. The next month everyone reported having the flu.

That was the last flu shot I had until Covid.

 

[PBPICS]

Yeah, but they could have used CS gas like the military. Makes your eyes burn, gives you a cough, and makes your nose run like crazy. Nothing else. It's best to go in when you have a cold because you won't have one when you come out.



They made us put the mask back on and clear it in the chamber to show that we know how, and that the mask works. Then afterwards we had to take the mask off again, and each had to recite their Name, Rank, and Social before we could all leave the chamber together.

During the week long course on how to survive we learned that there were (I think I'm correct in the name, if not, please correct me) "Ambipens" available, but not to the journalists, only first responders, the military, government officials, etc. That didn't go over too well especially when we found out that the London bureau had a supply for their own people. The biggest pitfall with using them was that if you injected yourself with them you immediately became a liability because you'd almost immediately become incapacitated. No good solution there. I would have to say that among the two dozen or so members of the classes not one of us were suicidal … although some saw the "goteams" as a way to make a name for themselves. On the contrary there was some…me included who saw survival as the catalyst.

 

[Greg Boeser]

Yeah, but they could have used CS gas like the military. Makes your eyes burn, gives you a cough, and makes your nose run like crazy. Nothing else. It's best to go in when you have a cold because you won't have one when you come out.



They made us put the mask back on and clear it in the chamber to show that we know how, and that the mask works. Then afterwards we had to take the mask off again, and each had to recite their Name, Rank, and Social before we could all leave the chamber together.

Prior to our deployment to the Gulf in 2003, we had to go through the gas chamber as part of our pre-deployment checks. Then we marched down to the finance office to get our finance briefing, fill out SGLI forms etc. We were, of course, still covered in CS powder. Those poor finance clerks. Dealing with us brought them to tears.

 

[DerAdlerIstGelandet]

Prior to our deployment to the Gulf in 2003, we had to go through the gas chamber as part of our pre-deployment checks. Then we marched down to the finance office to get our finance briefing, fill out SGLI forms etc. We were, of course, still covered in CS powder. Those poor finance clerks. Dealing with us brought them to tears.

Now that's funny.