Calling all Military/Veteran owners

[Illinibird]

veteran of many REFORGERs , including '74. Wish you were around when I had my wisdom teeth(all 4) sawed out. Only good thing was the pain relief from the impacted teeth.
Noticed you were not forced to serve all 6 years. Good for you. Uncle Sam kept me on active for 4 years. Just a stupid ground pounder (actually ADA most of the time).

First, thank you for your service. I wasn't "forced" to do anything. I voluntarily went into the Army after graduation. The Health Professions Scholarship I received in dental school required serving two years active duty and the rest (5 years) in the reserves which I signed when I accepted my commission. I later got a waiver from serving in the active reserves after I was discharged.

REFORGER '74 was the first time that General Dentists served in the three companies of the 1st Medical Battalion (I was in B Company) and we were close to the front lines in Germany. This was at the request of the CO's who did not want their troops to use dental pain as an excuse to be transported back to a hospital where there were dentists and oral surgeons. We were there to triage cases and provide necessary dental services in the field to those troops who could be treated there and refer those cases severe enough to go back to the hospital. The medical docs did not know what to do with dental pain patients and thus the need for dentists with the Battalion on REFORGER.

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[woody]

First, thank you for your service. I wasn't "forced" to do anything. I voluntarily went into the Army after graduation. The Health Professions Scholarship I received in dental school required serving two years active duty and the rest (5 years) in the reserves which I signed when I accepted my commission. I later got a waiver from serving in the active reserves after I was discharged.

REFORGER '74 was the first time that General Dentists served in the three companies of the 1st Medical Battalion (I was in B Company) and we were close to the front lines in Germany. This was at the request of the CO's who did not want their troops to use dental pain as an excuse to be transported back to a hospital where there were dentists and oral surgeons. We were there to triage cases and provide necessary dental services in the field to those troops who could be treated there and refer those cases severe enough to go back to the hospital. The medical docs did not know what to do with dental pain patients and thus the need for dentists with the Battalion on REFORGER.

I was simply complimenting you on your savvy enabling you to fulfill your duty. Many of the MDs I ran across during that time had to put in 6 years of active duty.
I fully understand about the MDs not knowing (and even some of the DDSs).
Granted , there were always GIs who tried to shirk their duty. They were a minority. I was most certainly not among them. I did my duty exemplarily, even have a letter of commendation stating such.
My impacted wisdom teeth were not a means for getting out of duty. I guess I am a wimp, because they were quite painful, in my estimation.
Once I became suddenly very ill, fever, etc. Knew I had to be looked at by medical personnel. It was not the scheduled time for sick call! Drove myself to the division hospital (after duty). Passed out a couple of times on the way. Literally bounced my VW Bug off the curb leading to the steps of the facility. Actually crawled up the steps. Went in to the sick call room where I was told it was not time for sick call. Sat /slid down on the floor, told him I was really sick. Was in a coma for 3 days. Had an "unknown" bacterial infection.
The government has used GIs as guinea pigs for over a century (poison gas, nuclear radiation, agent orange, LSD, viruses, bacteria - just some of the known experimentation, ignored by the public). Not to mention the unknown. All in the name of????
My first exposure was in basic. The full bird MD who addressed us after we filled out the survey said it was a drug to be used on pregnant females. I am still alive and kicking. so just maybe it was a good thing (perhaps boosted my immune system). Who knows.
They used influenza vaccines as the reason they were injecting us twice a year from unlabeled vials (numeric labels only). At that time, no healthy individual under the age of 26 could receive an influenza vaccine. [EMs only, of course]
Perhaps we were not forced, but we certainly had no choice, unless we were creative....
Food for thought

 

[Illinibird]

Woody - I PM'd you. Mike

 

[Stevey]

US Navy 89-94
VP-40 AW2 (Anti-Submarine Warfare Operator)
NAS Moffett Field, CA
NAS Whidbey Island, WA
3 Deployment (1 in support of Operation Desert Storm/Shield)
Most rewarding time of my life!
Big Shot out to all that served!

Thanks for your service!!

 

[Flint302]

USMC 1976 - 1980
Parris Island
3rd Mar Div - Okinawa
2nd Mar Div - Camp Geiger
USS Guam LPH-9 Med Cruise
USS Iwo Jima LPH-2 Med Cruise

 

[JCHLi]

Spent about 4 years on a boat out of Pearl from 2000-2004.

"Maka'Ala Mau"

 

[QUIN350]

Army 1967-1990
Viet Nam 1968-1969 174th AVN
Ft. Wolters, TX 1969-1971
Kansas National Guard 1971-1990
Pilot UH-1D/H OH-23G OH-58A
DFC (2)

 

[JCHLi]

Brothers and sisters, want to start one to see who's out there

US NAVY (RET.) 1995-2016 13 DEPLOYMENTS
USS ARCHERFISH (SSN-678) GROTON CT (96) TM-DIV
USS ALBUUERQUE (SSN-706) (96)TM-DIV
USS CALIFORNIA (CGN-36) A-DIV/HVAC-DIESEL SHOP (97-99)
USS SACRAMENTO (AOE-1) MP-DIV (99-01)
USS KAMEHAMAHA (SS(B)N-642) TM-DIV (01)
USS CHARLOTTE (SSN-766) TM-DIV/ASDS/SOF-DIV (01-05)
JSDF ISOSHIO (SS-594) 1 DEPLOYMENT WITH THE JAPANESE (04)
CENTER FOR ANTITERRORISM PEARL HARBOR DET (NOW CENTER FOR SECURITY FORCES) INSTRUCTOR (05-08)
IRAQ (9MOS) SOMEHOW WAS SUPPOSED TO BE A 1 MONTHER+++
USS TUCSON (SSN-770) TM-DIV (MADE CHIEF PETTY OFFICER HERE, BEST TOUR IN THE NAVY (08-12)
NAVAL TRAINING CENTER PACIFIC, PEARL HARBOR ( DAMAGE CONTROL/FIRE FIGHTING) (12-16) RETIRED.

TO ALL THAT SERVE, PAST PRESENT AND FUTURE, THANK YOU-OH HOW I DID ENJOY THE WORK

I never knew that had a boomer in Pearl Harbor. I guess with the name Kamehameha it had to be there!

 

[Deleted member 9461]

I never knew that had a boomer in Pearl Harbor. I guess with the name Kamehameha it had to be there!

the 50's till the 70's off crew did their thing at ford island, I got to KAM, the missile tubes were converted to carry the Seals equipment had 2 dry dock shelters...no boomer dude here

 

[OWG]

Army 1981-2004
Berlin Brigade '84-'87
Ft. Bragg '87-'91 (side excursions to Honduras '88-'89 and Saudi Arabia/Iraq '90-'91)
Ft. Monmouth '91-'94
ARCENT Saudi Arabia '94-'95
Garden City, NY '95-'98
Pentagon '98-'04, SecArmy and OSD staffs

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