# FALL IN! Military Doper Roll-Call **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [June 27, 2000, 11:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fall-in-military-doper-roll-call/23794 "2000-06-27T23:34:23Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Spiritus\_Mundi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c68b51/32.png) [@Spiritus\_Mundi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spiritus_Mundi)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2000, 6:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fall-in-military-doper-roll-call/23794/21 "2000-06-28T06:57:58Z")
MOS 16B (Nike Hercules Electronic Crem Member) served in Ft Bliss, Tx Wagenfeld, Germany Ft Monmouth, NJ West Point, NY (well, cadet–not active duty) Pleased to meet you all, even the boat queers. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Bluesman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/97f17d/32.png) [@Bluesman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bluesman)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2000, 7:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fall-in-military-doper-roll-call/23794/22 "2000-06-28T07:06:21Z")
Hey, Bluepony, them girls over there are diggin’ us AF types. Wave to 'em, man! I tell ya, they’re hot for these uniforms! Okay, I’ll go talk to 'em… Hi, Falcon! And Sassy…nice to see Purplebear here, too. Thanks for stopping in to say “hello”. Awfully nice to see you ladies in here. ---
**Author:** ![Xgemina](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/b5e925/32.png) [@Xgemina](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Xgemina)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2000, 7:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fall-in-military-doper-roll-call/23794/23 "2000-06-28T07:11:05Z")
What only two grunts on the whole board? Primary MOS: 11B/11M Secondary MOS: 96B Intelligence Specialist(it wasn’t my idea) Rank: Corporal 1990-94 Infantry training at Ft. Benning, GA Ray Barracks, Frieberg, Germany B 5/18 Inf, 3rd Armor Division Ft. Hood, TX HHC 3rd Bde 1st Cavalry Lucky me, I got three trips to the world’s largest ashtray, 1 as a grunt and 2 as a HQ REMF ---
**Author:** ![SSgtBaloo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ac91a4/32.png) [@SSgtBaloo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SSgtBaloo)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2000, 7:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fall-in-military-doper-roll-call/23794/24 "2000-06-28T07:25:59Z")
**Service, rank and duty station:** [ul]USAF. Enlisted 30 JAN 80.[/ul] **Assignments:** [ul]1) Lackland AFB, TX – Basic training (Came in with one stripe for college credit) 2) Keesler AFB, MS – Technical School (Electronic Warfare Systems Specialist, Gained another stripe due to time in service.) 3) Ramstein AB, Germany – First active duty assignment in the (un)real Air Force. Worked F-4Es (Pigs – yeah, I know they’re supposed to be called “Phantoms”, but you never had to work on 'em). Earned 3d stripe. 4) Seymour Johnson AFB, NC – First stateside assignment other than basic & tech school. Worked F-4Es (again). Earned 4th stripe (SSgt) right after I reenlisted for the first time. 5) Shaw AFB, SC – First base I ever stayed at for more than 2 years. Worked RF-4Cs (_still_ pigs) and F-16s. Repeatedly missed promotion to TSgt by fractions of a point, unknowingly setting precedent for the rest of my career. 6) Dad died. Humanitarian reassignment to Mather AFB, CA (now closed) – Worked B-52s and was SACrificed for the first time (old SAC troops know what I’m talking about). Went to NCO Leadership School, earning Distinguished Graduate (one of only 2 in a class of ~30). Helped close bomb wing and was transferred to… 7) Fairchild AFB, WA – Went on first deployment in career (to Guam, and a subdeployment to Diego Garcia, home of the only 2-lane bowling alley I’ve ever seen). Got to stay extra time at DG when Saddam Hussein invaded Kuwait & Uncle Sugar didn’t know if they wanted us to start bombing right away or not. Went on 3-month-long party, er, _TDY_ to a technical school located in Austin Texas (fine party town, in my opinion) in preparation for an assignment to… 8) A bunker deep in the ground in Korea. 'Nuff said about that. 9) Transferred to Cannon AFB, NM – Less than 1½ weeks on station was hit by drunk trying to make an “orange” light. Spent much of the next few months learning how to use my “new” knee. Worked F-111s, then F-16s. Finished out as Squadron Training Manager. First time I ever worked directly for the Commander, first time I ever worked for a boss who actually came out & said “Good job” instead of telling me “You’re _supposed_ to be excellent – that’s what you get _paid_ to do.” Decided it was worth putting up with the rest of the putzes to work for one genuinely superior commander (I hope he eventually makes General).[/ul] I retired in February of this year. ~~Baloo ---
**Author:** ![missbunny](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/76d3ee/32.png) [@missbunny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/missbunny)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2000, 1:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fall-in-military-doper-roll-call/23794/25 "2000-06-28T13:37:26Z")
**Army brat** Father: Major, USA (retired) Active duty WWII, Korea, Vietnam (USA Signal Corps) Army attaché to NATO, Izmir, Turkey Next-oldest brother: USA, 6 years (no clue as to rank); Fort Benning, Fort Lee (I think), and Germany Oldest brother: Burned draft card, went to Canada ---
**Author:** ![SwimmingRiddles](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/43a26b/32.png) [@SwimmingRiddles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SwimmingRiddles)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2000, 1:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fall-in-military-doper-roll-call/23794/26 "2000-06-28T13:43:03Z")
Daugher of a Vietnam Vet and best friend to Army Intelligence chick. She’s been in Korea for the past 3 years, and is coming home for the first time in a month! Yah! Yea! OK, so I shouldn’t be posting in this thread, but due to my dad, I sure as hell know more about the US Military than most civilians. Back when the Plattsburg Airforce Base was open, we’d do our food shopping at the Commissary, and to this day I am still the only civ I know who can tell rank from uniform. Plus my old military ID card still strikes fear in bank tellers. ---
**Author:** ![Jman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jman/32/4416_2.png) [@Jman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jman)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2000, 2:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fall-in-military-doper-roll-call/23794/27 "2000-06-28T14:17:15Z")
Not active yet… Army ROTC at Cornell U. to be commissioned May 2001 (2LT) Jman ---
**Author:** ![soulsling](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a5b964/32.png) [@soulsling](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/soulsling)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2000, 2:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fall-in-military-doper-roll-call/23794/28 "2000-06-28T14:34:50Z")
**Xgemina** , they only need the two of us grunts to do all the real dirty work 😃 Gimme some mountains to plow through anytime! ---
**Author:** ![pldennison](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/9fc29f/32.png) [@pldennison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pldennison)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2000, 2:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fall-in-military-doper-roll-call/23794/29 "2000-06-28T14:35:51Z")
In fact, for years, I thought my last name was “8371.” (My sponsor’s “last four,” for you non-military types.) My father, though: –Chief Warrant Officer CW3 (Ret.) –Enlisted 1962, U.S. Army, took basic training at Ft. Dix –Served in Vietnam from 1966-1970, with several rotations home and back, including two to get my mother pregnant. –I don’t know his entire active duty history by heart, but the stations I was alive for included: Gila Bend AFB, Gila Bend, AZ 1972-1974 (incl. TDY to Alaska) Ft. Lee, VA 1974-76 (incl. TDY to Okinawa) Ernst Ludwig Kaserne, Darmstadt, Germany 1976-79 Ft. Leonard Wood, MO 1979-81 Ft. Belvoir, VA 1981-84 Schofield Barracks, HI 1984-87 Ft. Belvoir, VA 1987-88 ---
**Author:** ![Spiny\_Norman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9de0a6/32.png) [@Spiny\_Norman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spiny_Norman)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2000, 3:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fall-in-military-doper-roll-call/23794/30 "2000-06-28T15:37:21Z")
OK, being a Dane, I can’t throw all those cool acronyms around (well, I could, but noone would understand them), but here goes: Homeguardsman 1984-1986 (Private) Volunteered for “Dronningens Livregiment” (“The Queens Regiment”, roughly speaking - actually the Queen Mother, these days) and served 1986-1987. Mechanized infantry (M113 APCs), platoon signalman, would like to roast the designer of the AN-PRC 25 radio over a slow fire. Awarded the regimental gold watch on graduating, and yes, I was DAMN proud of that. Homeguardsman 1988-1999 - Private, corporal, squad sergeant, acting platoon sergeant. Left the Home Guards when moving to Germany - will definitely rejoin the Guards upon returning to Denmark. S. Norman ---
**Author:** ![GolfWidow](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a698b9/32.png) [@GolfWidow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GolfWidow)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2000, 4:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fall-in-military-doper-roll-call/23794/31 "2000-06-28T16:09:27Z")
Navy brat checking in: Father, QMCS(SS) USS Sailfish, SS-303 USS Corporal, SS-346 USS Jallao, SS-368 USS Grayling, SSN-646 USS Croaker, AGSS-246 USS Shark, SSN-591 Instructor, Sub School, Groton, CT Retired 1981 I still miss moving every two years. ---
**Author:** ![Falcon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/49beb7/32.png) [@Falcon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Falcon)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2000, 4:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fall-in-military-doper-roll-call/23794/32 "2000-06-28T16:14:17Z")
> [@](#): > > \*\* > Hey, Bluepony, them girls over there are diggin’ us AF types. > > Wave to 'em, man! I tell ya, they’re hot for these uniforms! > > Okay, I’ll go talk to 'em… > > Hi, Falcon! And Sassy…nice to see Purplebear here, too. Thanks for stopping in to say “hello”. Awfully nice to see you ladies in here. > \*\* _giggles_ Well, hello there…nice to see y’all as well. I always did love a man in uniform. ---
**Author:** ![BF](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/b5ac83/32.png) [@BF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BF)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2000, 4:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fall-in-military-doper-roll-call/23794/33 "2000-06-28T16:19:36Z")
Golfwidow, I probably met your Dad, I started subscol in '81. Six years fast-attack subs. Five years active reserve Explosive Ordnance Disposal. ---
**Author:** ![GolfWidow](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a698b9/32.png) [@GolfWidow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GolfWidow)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2000, 4:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fall-in-military-doper-roll-call/23794/34 "2000-06-28T16:28:26Z")
> [@](#): > > \*\* > Golfwidow, > I probably met your Dad, I started subscol in '81. > Six years fast-attack subs. > Five years active reserve Explosive Ordnance Disposal. > > \*\* His name is Gerald Matthews ---
**Author:** ![Fiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e274bd/32.png) [@Fiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fiver)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2000, 5:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fall-in-military-doper-roll-call/23794/35 "2000-06-28T17:15:42Z")
Right here. U.S. Navy officer, commissioned via OCS in Newport, active duty 1989-1993. I was stationed in Newport, San Diego, Yokosuka and Pearl Harbor, and served aboard USS REEVES, homeported in Yoko and then at Pearl. ---
**Author:** ![zev\_steinhardt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/97f17d/32.png) [@zev\_steinhardt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zev_steinhardt)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2000, 5:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fall-in-military-doper-roll-call/23794/36 "2000-06-28T17:25:15Z")
[slight hijack] I asked this in another thread but maybe since more people checked in here… I am looking for a source (web preferably) where I can get information on promotions and advancement (enlisted and/or officer). I found some sites (like Perscom) but found it very confusing and/or full of military acronyms I didn’t understand. Is there anyplace I can find info in a simple format on requirements for different ranks in the different services? (Army E-4, two years of service, this training course, etc., for example) Zev Steinhardt [/slight hijack] ---
**Author:** ![Lord\_Vega](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/a9adbd/32.png) [@Lord\_Vega](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lord_Vega)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2000, 7:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fall-in-military-doper-roll-call/23794/37 "2000-06-28T19:09:08Z")
Retarded ET1(SW) checking in. Started my trip with the Yacht Club in 1975, Retired in 1992. Some of the commands I can list: USS Hassayampa - Oiler USS Reeves - Missile Cruiser USS Proteus - Submarine Tender NMCB3 Gold Team - Sea-Bee Battalion Great Lakes Naval Station - Electronics School Instructor USNS Siruis - Civilian Cargo Ship SIMA Little Creek - Safety Office While the Gulf war was happeneing, I got TAD orders (Travelling Around Drunk) to visit various ships in the gulf. V. ---
**Author:** ![Vestal\_Blue](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/5e9695/32.png) [@Vestal\_Blue](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Vestal_Blue)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2000, 7:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fall-in-military-doper-roll-call/23794/38 "2000-06-28T19:52:02Z")
> [@](#): > > \*\* > what? am i the only army around these here parts? sheesh, talk about lonely. always the way, one infantryman goes on ahead while all the other fellas stay on their ships and at base drinkin’ beers and kicking up their feet, i tell ya, sheesh! > \*\* I’ll remember that when you call for air support, ya grunt! 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![soulsling](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a5b964/32.png) [@soulsling](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/soulsling)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2000, 8:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fall-in-military-doper-roll-call/23794/39 "2000-06-28T20:08:07Z")
thanx **Vestal** , i’m sure it won’t be the weather stopping you or anything 😉 actually, since your’e a flyboy, and actually, since most of you fellas are, what’s with that anyway? Whenever we needed to make jumps or in training call in for air support (JRTC), there were always excuses about the weather, and on a perfectly nice day??? so what’d the dope on that? ---
**Author:** ![Bluepony](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Bluepony](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bluepony)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2000, 8:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fall-in-military-doper-roll-call/23794/40 "2000-06-28T20:26:33Z")
> [@](#): > > \*\* > thanx **Vestal** , i’m sure it won’t be the weather stopping you or anything 😉 > > actually, since your’e a flyboy, and actually, since most of you fellas are, what’s with that anyway? Whenever we needed to make jumps or in training call in for air support (JRTC), there were always excuses about the weather, and on a perfectly nice day??? so what’d the dope on that? > \*\* Hey Grunt, We flyboys had our priorities. Had to get the cable TV and AC up and running in the tent before we could worry about mundane stuff like air support and airlift. 😉 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fall-in-military-doper-roll-call/23794.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fall-in-military-doper-roll-call/23794.md?page=3)