When I graduated from UCLA in January 1951 with a B.S. in Public Health, I was draft bait. I began visiting Military Recruiter's stations in Los Angeles. The USAF Recruiter, after I finished all the physical and mental tests, asked me if I had any interest in flying. I said 'yes' and he advised me not to open the draft letter should it arrive in the mail, but to pack light and call him to arrange a trip to San Antonio, Texas at Lackland, AFB. Flying school would be a few weeks off and my assignment was Greenville, Mississippi for AT-6 Training and then Advanced Training at Vance AFB, Enid, Oklahoma in B-25's. Randolph AFB for B29 transition with a 9 man crew. I was the Co-Pilot. Then Topeka, Kansas at Forbes Field Radar and Navigation (B-29).Next …show more content…
In December 1952, we were assigned a B-29 to fly to Okinawa as our A/C Capt Don Paulsel had many hours in a B-29. Our assignment was SAC 20th AD, 19th Bomber Command, 93rd Bomb Squadron, Kadena AFB, Okinawa.During the 1950s we were subject to the draft and I didn't want to spend two years in the Army. I went to various recruiting offices and the Air Force was the most receptive. Their recruiters were well organized in Los Angeles to join up. After I completed mental and physical testing, I was asked if I had ever considered flying. Up until that time, I hadn't but I said, "Tell me about it." When I accepted their offer, they told me not to open any letter I might receive from the Draft Board. They said I should call them if I got a letter and they would swear me in and send me to San Antonio for a short stay until flying school became available. I followed their directions and my USAF flying experience got underway within three weeks.WHETHER YOU WERE IN THE SERVICE FOR SEVERAL YEARS OR AS A CAREER, PLEASE DESCRIBE THE DIRECTION OR PATH YOU TOOK. WHAT WAS YOUR REASON FOR LEAVING?I served 4 years, and turned down the offer of a USAF Career Officer due to the Cold War and our conversion to B-47 Atom …show more content…
But, I had been considering staying in and had already made the decision not to sign up.The B-47 was an attractive bomber with six jet engines but I had seen enough combat. My C.O. was somewhat surprised when I declined and told him that I was planning to go to dental school to become a dentist. He sent me to B-47 Ground School and I became the base B-47 Flight Simulator Instructor for my remaining two years of service.IF YOU PARTICIPATED IN ANY MILITARY OPERATIONS, INCLUDING COMBAT, HUMANITARIAN AND PEACEKEEPING OPERATIONS, PLEASE DESCRIBE THOSE WHICH WERE THE MOST SIGNIFICANT TO YOU AND, IF LIFE-CHANGING, IN WHAT WAY.My primary duty was B29 co-pilot and I flew twenty-eight missions from Okinawa to North Korea every third night. This was a very maturing experience for a young 23 year old. Search lights, flak attacks and MIG-15's added much to our own concerns and excitement. We approached the target in a "Stream" with the leader at lowest altitude, and the rest of stacked higher behind. We were 500 feet and 1 minute separation between us.The last line was the newest crews and they carried a Flash Bomb which followed their bomb
From that assignment, I was selected as an aviator in the Texas Army National Guard, and elected to fly UH-60Ms at the 1st Battalion, 108th Aviation Regiment in Austin, Texas. I attended Warrant Officer Candidate School at Fort Rucker, Alabama, where I completed the course
This gave me much more insight as to how to be a pilot, what it takes to live the life of an Army Rotary Wing Aviator. I was enthralled and immediately decided I could not suffer a part time contract to fly, I had to have the lifestyle and the opportunity of active duty. This created a timing problem as I was still fresh in a 6 year contract. I did not waste the time I had left; I focused on becoming the best soldier I could. Fueled by the expertise, dedication and experience of the aviators I have come across, I began requesting training above my level and consistently rising to the challenges of my superiors and performing above average. I surprised myself along the way, surpassing my own high expectations, and after appreciating every success I reset the bar higher than before. The struggles that have caused me to push back my timeline are not seen as regrets. Every struggle was beat. Every hurdle showed me how much more I am capable of. My desire and dedication hasn’t changed because of this but my understanding has; I would compare it to a child’s wild, superfluous dream turning into an adult’s strong, focused
At times the language and environment was harsh but I came to the conclusion that I needed to take a step back and allow someone to help me progress myself as an adult. For me, graduating basic training was one of the proudest moments of my life and whenever I look back at that day, I know that if I hadn’t of been put through that stress, I wouldn’t have the skills I do today to deal with that. The military was a great thing for me to experience, and I will always be thankful for
United States Army Recruiting has gone through numerous challenges in war time. Even during the peace time, recruiting command engages on real time mission day after day, month after month. I can clearly say that the command was in war of accomplishing mission of providing strength of all volunteer Army well before the 911. It takes a gut, total commitment, and winner's attitude for accomplishing mission regardless of the situation. I am really glad that I am in the honored profession called Army Recruiting that gave me so much of what I am supposed to be and better person period.
Upon learning I was able to leave my enlistment in the Air Force early, I knew it was the
With the doomed job market and my inability to find work, I decided I would join the military. I talked this decision over with my mother and she decided that I was not allowed to join the Marines or the Army. With those options completely removed from the table, it was down to the Air Force, Coast Guard, or Navy. In my opinion, the Air Force seemed boring so I applied to the Coast Guard and the Navy. The Coast Guard took nearly three months to reply to my online information request, whereas the Navy recruiter called me first thing the next morning. The process went very quick and within four months, I was on my way to
When I first enlisted in the Army, I had no idea what to expect. I didn't know where I would end up or if I would enjoy it. In fact the only thing I did know was that I was going to end up in Oklahoma for Basic Training and San Antonio for Advanced Individual Training to become a medic. Soon after my arrival to Oklahoma I discovered that my life was going to be forever changed.
Joining the air force and becoming a air force commissioned officer is a long term dream of mine. It is time for me to bring that dream to fruition and make it a incredible reality. I believe in serving, protecting my country and everything I love on a higher level. Majority of my family serves in the military from my brother, my uncle, and even my cousins. There is a true belief in my heart that protecting my family in a country that creates such opportunities for them are of extreme importance. I believe in being a sheepdog, one that is ready to respond to the threat once the time arises, and protect.
So when I turned eighteen, I and some of my classmates flew to the neighboring island to see the United States Army Recruiter. My recruiter showed me a video of what an infantryman does and I was sold, then told him that this is the perfect job for me. I didn’t know what I was getting myself into. It was hard for my parents to accept that I was joining the Army, especially my mom, all she could think of was that I was going to war and bad things could happen to me. She didn’t want me to experience that kind of life and she couldn’t bear the thought of losing one of her own children. So the day I flew off to basic I told my parents, “Everything will be fine trust me”. This was my first time leaving the islands and being away from my family for a good while. So myself and two of my buddies started basic training together, we stuck together as soon as we got to 30th AG. I didn’t know what I was getting myself into I have never seen so many different people in one area. I have never experienced being away on my own for the first time, I had no clue what was going on. I wanted to give up and quit, but I told myself no! I cannot go back home as a quitter, ever since then, my motivation that kept me going was my family and friends, I wanted them to be proud of who I’ve become. I graduated basic training February 2005 with Fort Campbell
During my sophomore year in high school, I met Vincent; a man who had been an Army drill sergeant and who encouraged my dream of joining the military. However, he noticed a greater calling on my life and advised me to go to college before entering into the armed forces. He saw that 11-year-old who could never get enough "toys" to take apart and put back together and resurrected him. Pouring over countless careers in the Air Force, I decided not to stray far from my fondness of planes
As much as sergeants, did not like a lowly recruit to refer to them as officers, the reverse was doubly so. The first time I did this to him; he jumped me and likely thought I was not being observant. The next few times he might have thought I was crazy, as he had me ‘drop and give him twenty.’ After that, I got to the point, if I saw him, passed him, or he passed me, I would stop and assume that I called had him sergeant and ‘drop myself’ and start doing push-ups. By then, he would look at me as I did push-ups at seeing him, shake his head and walk away. Like a cat, I seemed to live by my habits, or more specifically they were my default settings.
Over the course of your life you make multiple life changing decisions. The decision to leave civilian life and my current career as a financial advisor and to join the Navy as a pilot is one of those and one I don’t take lightly. It comes with deliberate thought and a lot of self-introspection. Through this process I have discovered that becoming a naval aviator is part of who I am and that I have what it takes to become an officer in the United States Navy. I grew up in a household with a military background.
The military is an intangible. It requires someone to invest their lives into something that they cannot necessarily own. The recruiter must make the intangible valuable with the goals of the recruit in mind. They don’t use gimmicks or beg them to join, but they do inform the recruit about the benefits of serving and what is in it for them. Recruiters for the military attempt to avoid deception when recruiting, because it can sometimes weaken the force with more delusional soldiers. The best way to recruit is not to trick them, but to use harsh reality. The recruiter knows that they are selling a long term commitment that also has some restrictions, but being completely honest would get them compliance. They first start out by telling
At age four I knew that I would someday serve in the Armed Forces. I primarily focused on serving in the Army but had a few distractions through the years. During the summer between my junior and senior year of high school, I decided it was time to talk to an Army recruiter and evaluate my options. My only desire was to join the Army; I had not given much thought to what exactly in the Army I would like to do. I had no idea or conception of an opportunity to serve in a position on the Army Staff at the Pentagon. After 19 years of service I was given just that opportunity. While very stressful and a demanding work environment, Army Retention Operations was a valuable learning and growing experience where I gained a strategic perspective of the Army through interaction with other governmental agencies and was able to influence Army Retention policy.
I was born in a very small coal mining town in East Tennessee. Labor jobs were just the way it was. I performed very well in high school and earned honors, service club officer positions, and JROTC cadet battalion commander. My parents divorced by the time my brother and I entered school. We never received the coaching or guidance to continue school into college. Military service is common in small town American and with my uncle's influence, that is what I did. Here too, I performed very well and held elite positions outside my normal duties. Family issues influenced me to depart from the planned career of military service. Being involved in the type of special operations I was made me a pretty high strung and super motivated civilian laborer