Army times

[crowkiller]

Did you ever have a "that was near" moment when you was in the army?
We have a conscription (not sure about the word, what I mean is: every healthy Finnish male has to serve military time ) in Finland.
I served as a military police, I had several "near" moments: once I almost got shot, another MP fired his 7,62X33 STG behind me, the bullet went beside me within a meter, there was a meter gap from me and a pine tree.
Once as we tried to get a drunk old man to leave the shooting range, he grabbed my holster with the Browning 9mm. Me and my partner told him to get the ... before we lock him up, and so he did. It was a retired captain. If it had been a strong violent man anything could had happened.
Almost got shot a second time, at the "cat range" with targets jumping up from the ground a woman soldier behind me shot at a blueberry bush directly beside my feet, I got dirt all over me and in my eyes. ( I shot the target anyway;))
Finally I got my right eye blinded for a week when a bandy ball hit me during a gymnastic hour, the coach said "marines don´t use protection when playing"
Military police unit was then under the second coastal hunters department (marines)
If my boys don´t want to serve their time I don´t mind, I gave a bit of my eyesight and nearly got killed. That is not acceptable in peace time:stop:

[gitano]

crowkiller - Just for the sake of offering a little cross-cultural information, our term is "close call" and "that was a close one".

Conscription is the exact word. We don't use it very much because the US has a "thing" about 'conscription'. It's a hang-over from our revolution when we were 'conscripted' into the British Army and Navy. Instead, when we need soldiers, we have "the Draft". It is a type of conscription, but one's service is determined by lottery instead of for everyone. During the Viet Nam War, a drawing was made of the numbers from 1 to 365 corresponding to January 1 to Dcember 31. The young men were 'called to service' based on their birthday as it was selected by the lottery. For the two years before I joined the US Navy, my birthday was selected 361 and 363. They never got over about 180 if I remember correctly. Nowadays - after Viet Nam - "the draft" is a 'dirty word' in the US, but every 18-year-old male has to "sign up for the draft" even though we haven't had one since the Viet Nam War.

For those that don't want to serve, I have no problem. I just wish they'd keep their mouths shut. If you don't serve you don't deserve to criticize those that do or the policies they fight for. But I have two girls, so it's not an issue for me anyway. No draft for women in the US. Don't even get me started on that one.

I rode submarines as a sonarman during the Viet Nam War. We had some 'close calls'. Some real... Some imagined...

Sakorock is a Viet Nam vet as is Alboy and Bill Thibeault too I think. Rick has told me of some of his 'close calls'.

Paul

[Alboy]

Vietnam ERA vet for me Gitano, the difference being I was in and active but not sent to 'Nam. Ticked me off then but I am thankful now. Is that knowledge from age?
 
I remember that my number ws 72 and frozen, that may be because I was using college deferments for four years. I also remember that my best bud at the time was 6'6" and defered on medical got a 364 for a draft number go figure. Around Houston the draw normally went around the numbers you remember but I also heard in some areas it went much higer to reach the quotas needed.
 
Draft is not a dirty word in this house. I think ALL able bodied youngsters should put in at least 2 years serving their country and for a multitude of reasons. None of mine did but I am not the only influence in their lives.
 
As for close calls, more than one. I was adventurous and volunteered for "FUN" things to do. One was that pretty red head that was just a little more married than she professed to be. The end of a 1911 looks like a tunnel from the wrong end. I also fell out of a few airplanes, had to go to my reserve once and that was interesting.
 
US Air Force
27th Special Operations Squadron
1st Special Operations Wing
1973-1978
We were part of the First Responders of the Joint Forces then, now generally referred as Special ops and including all branches of service although the Navy Seals are the most famous now. They don't really work in a vacuumn but are the front line.

[gitano]

I have mixed emotions about mandatory national service. In fact, I have a fundamental resistance to "mandatory" anything. I feel about it about like I do seat belts. Sound odd? Not really...

I think NOT wearing seat belts borders on stupidity. I ALWAYS wear seat belts. But.... It galls me to no small degree that the parasites we call politicians made a LAW that FORCES me to wear them. I HATE THAT. So it goes with national service.

I agree that service to one's country has benefits that only those that have served can realize. HOWEVER, I HATE that some government fascist can come into my house and take my children and FORCE them at gun-point to "serve" their country. And that is EXACTLY what "they" can do today in the United States of America.

In my family, there were 5 males. Three chose to serve and two did not. (Viet Nam killed the two of them that were 'in-country' - slowly.) There is ABSOLUTELY not even a thought given by those of us that did serve, that those that didn't, should have. Each adult - and by God if you're old enough to die fighting your country's wars you should be old enough to make your own decisions - must make that decision for themselves.

"Serving" is always good, and one doesn't need to carry a gun to "serve" one's country. And I would  not put those that chose not to serve in jail. Not serving is its own punishment. Furthermore, the sons of bachelors that make the conscription laws find ways to avoid serving, and keeping their kith and kin from serving. THEM, I WOULD put in jail.

Paul

By the way... One of the many idiosyncrasies of American English are the words "close" and "close". They look the same, but depending on context, are not.

First - "close" - the act of shutting something that is open, such as "close the door", or "close the gate", or "close your mouth". It is pronounced kloz with the "o" pronounced "oh" and the "s" like "z" in zoo.

Second - "close" - meaning "near" or adjacent to, as in "that was a close call", or "don't stand so close to me". It is pronounced kloss with the "o" again pronounced "oh" but in this word the "s" is pronounced like the "s" in Sam or stop.

Paul

[Bill Thibeault]

In 1969, while flying a CH-47 "Chinook" helicopter in VietNam, I delivered a sling load of artillery ammo to a firebase atop a mountain.  The Chinook creates rotor wash in excess of 100 mph, and we blew a porta-potty type latrine over, and it rolled about 50 feet down the side of the mountain.  Problem was there was a poor soldier setting in it at the time.  When he crawled out, covered in excrement and p*ss, I'm sure he would have shot us if he had had a rifle in the crapper with him.

That unlucky soldier probably tells this "War Story" from a whole different prospective than mine.

[noel]

I hope he is still alive to have a perspective,Bill.what a party story that would be!did I a tell you about the time.......lol!

[recoil junky]

A lot of people I've been acquainted with in my life have served in one of the branches of our armed services. One of my uncles was in command of the USS Enterprise CVN-65 (it was in dry dock at the time) he was also on the Oriskany during the Korean and Vietnam wars. Another was a lifer in the USCG along with two of his sons (all stationed in Ketchican) Two brothers-in-law were in the Navy during Desert Storm and one in the Army at the tail end of Vietnam and my oldest son was in the Army (medic in the 82nd) An old family friend was in the Navy (Pacific theater) during WWII. Another guy I worked with was in the 1st Marines in the Pacific and was on Guadacanal etc. Two friends were door gunners on HUEI gunships in Vietnam. Another was with the 101st during the Battle of the Bulge. Some had stories to tell, others wouldn't talk at all.

Me? I didn't serve in the military, but some people think I did by the way I act. :undecided: However, I did serve on a 100% volunteer ambulance service for 6 years as an EMT-D so while I wasn't "shot at"I saw enough needless death and destruction to last a couple lifetimes. I did CPR on enough dead people to prove that it doesn't work 99.9% of the time.  Still have nightmares and there are still things I can't even talk to the missus about.

For those that did serve, whether in peace or wartime, voluntarily or by conscription you have my deepest gratitude and appreciation.

RJ  

[LvrLover]

Me? I didn't serve in the military, but some people think I did by the way I act. :undecided: However, I did serve on a 100% volunteer ambulance service for 6 years as an EMT-D so while I wasn't "shot at"I saw enough needless death and destruction to last a couple lifetimes. I did CPR on enough dead people to prove that it doesn't work 99.9% of the time. Still have nightmares and there are still things I can't even talk to the missus about.
 
 
RJ

I don't know about anyone else, but in my opinion people who serve their communities as police, fire, ambulance, rescue and other such positions are as worthy of respect and honor as anyone in the military. Thank you. That in NO WAY diminishes how much respect and honor I have for those who serve in the armed forces. Thank you. Those aren't just trite words from a irresponsible civilian. I am humbled and often shamed by the realization of what others do for me and mine EVERY DAY.

[gitano]

Service is service. Serving is what matters.

Paul

[crowkiller]

When I read your stories and others, I remember when I was in the army I actually considered to become (don´t know the word) a FN soldier just to maybe get in some real action.
That is what a stupid 18 year old boy wants!
When you think about it, it seems wrong to send stupid boys to kill people. In my opinion.
If soldiers are older and smarter maybe civilian kills would decrease.
Everything just cant be excused with " it´s for my country" and other patriotic speeches.

[bowhunter 51]

I've regret alot of things I've done in my life, but being a warrior ain't one of 'em.
Tho I agree it's not something everyone is cut'out to be...I'm sure proud to have
those younger fella's out there keeping aggression off my young'ns today and
theirs tomorrow....and take'n it to their backyard instead of mine...I hate there
is so many civilian casualties in battle...but they don't suit-up in uniform as
warriors and hide behind their women, children and elderly in there homes and
villages....It has always been quite a problem...I'm sure that most warriors would
rather it not be that way...I remember being 18...I didn't think I was stupid then..
I still don't today...Perhaps I did feel a need to prove to myself  and others at the
time...I felt it shame'ful if'n I didn't carry'on that what so many have perished
before me...and there were many....I got this thing about such as that...Respect,
discipline,...just basic intellegence differs from one culture to another as veiwed.
Just never seems to be enough time for negotiation, sometimes.................BH51..