A small tid bit for older veterans

[Bob_VT]

I am a retired Army who started in the early 70's. Many of the people here on iboats are veterans and I salute all of you!

A close friend of mine (who is a man I actually recruited into the Army while I was a recruiter) has an 18 year old son who enlisted into the USAF and arrived at Lackland AFB last week.

Here comes the shocker..........

On the 3rd day of USAF basic training my friends son called home on his own cell phone!!! OMG they not only let new recruits have phone privileges but they can have their own cell phones.

Cell phones in training??? LOL I wonder if there is a no texting while fighting rule!

LOL I can remember Ft Dix and we were lucky to have speaking privileges the first week!

I wish the young man well.

 

[bigdee]

Re: A small tid bit for older veterans

Yeah,times have changed for sure. I remember my basic training at Fort Bragg in the sixties....it was a weird feeling of complete isolation from the rest of the world. I was only 50 miles from home yet it felt like I was on the other side of the world.

 

[r.j.dawg]

Re: A small tid bit for older veterans

Cell phones in training???

Wow. I did my basic in 73 and we weren't allowed anything that wasn't military issue until week 4. Mind you, there was no such thing as cell phones, personal computers and the like. I remember I was so excited when week 4 came around and the Sgt. allowed me to get my 8 track player out of storage.

 

[JB]

Re: A small tid bit for older veterans

We come from a different century and a different planet, Bob.

 

[tswiczko]

Re: A small tid bit for older veterans

Not trying to offend any fellow veterans here but after reading this I just had to post a pic a friend sent me.

Semper Fi!!!

 

[southkogs]

Re: A small tid bit for older veterans

Not trying to offend any fellow veterans here but after reading this I just had to post a pic a friend sent me ... Semper Fi!!!

... grew up with lotsa' family (dad, uncles, grandfather) in the Air National Guard and spent a lot of time on Selfridge ANGB. All five branches are posted on Selfridge. One afternoon that I remember on the base radio station, "it's 1600 hours for all you Air Force and Army types. For the Navy guys with us today, that's 4 bells. And for our Marine Friends out there, the big hand is on the 12 and the little hand is on the 4."

It's fun to yank chains, but I've never been less than impressed with any of the branches ... and more specifically with the guys and gals serving.

We come from a different century and a different planet, Bob.

... but I would suggest that your time and planet set our security in place. Thanks to all you guys and gals did/do the heavy lifting.

 

[korygrandy]

Re: A small tid bit for older veterans

I am a retired Army who started in the early 70's. Many of the people here on iboats are veterans and I salute all of you!

A close friend of mine (who is a man I actually recruited into the Army while I was a recruiter) has an 18 year old son who enlisted into the USAF and arrived at Lackland AFB last week.

Here comes the shocker..........

On the 3rd day of USAF basic training my friends son called home on his own cell phone!!! OMG they not only let new recruits have phone privileges but they can have their own cell phones.

Cell phones in training??? LOL I wonder if there is a no texting while fighting rule!

LOL I can remember Ft Dix and we were lucky to have speaking privileges the first week!

I wish the young man well.

Wow now that wasn't allowed when I was in 10yrs ago. They took most everything I owned and locked it up on day 1, I was happy I slipped my contacts through unnoticed as I didn't want to wear the Birth Control Glasses or BCG's.

I didn't get to "call home" for 7days because our training flight were such mishaps...hahaha. It seemed like months I can remember. But yeah we had to buy a calling card, and I definitely had a cell phone back then. I wonder if he didn't "sneak" the call in. In the Airforce it seems people were getting away with a lot of stuff...I phased myself up in tech school so I could enjoy off-base privileges and didn't have to walk around in battle dress all day.


I am impressed with all of our armed forces as well...especially there budgets

 

[staydry]

Re: A small tid bit for older veterans

Wow....I was at Ft Knox May 75 for basic...wasn't until week 3 or 4 that we could make calls home from a pay phone...

 

[glenn property of pam]

Re: A small tid bit for older veterans

army is meant to have a time out/stress card now for basic. my sons is 17 and already signed to the marines as a pre entry so i asked his recruiter if the marines have stress cards....the look was priceless "your son will be stressed sir we will not require a card to tell us".

 

[Bob_VT]

Re: A small tid bit for older veterans

army is meant to have a time out/stress card now for basic. my sons is 17 and already signed to the marines as a pre entry so i asked his recruiter if the marines have stress cards....the look was priceless "your son will be stressed sir we will not require a card to tell us".

You have been a victim of one service bad mouthing another. Do a search and you will see it is a lie and a rumor. I am sorry to hear that the lies are flying around. I have no respect for people who need to resort to that level.

 

[mphy98]

Re: A small tid bit for older veterans

Yeah we had it good in the Air Force. Best duty, best barracks, best mess halls, best looking women, best uniforms. Oh yeah am I bragging? Sorry

 

[mscher]

Re: A small tid bit for older veterans

LOL

USAF '86-'90

When the Army or Marines, went TDY, they live in tents and polished their rifles.

When the Air Force went TDY, they lived in hotels and polished their automobiles.

It was rough. My hotel room was 100 paces from the bar.

Good thing, the USAF have the Army and Marines, to protect us.

 

[NYBo]

Re: A small tid bit for older veterans

My son leaves for Parris Island next week, and he tells me the only way to contact him is by letter. No cell phones allowed.

 

[r.j.dawg]

Re: A small tid bit for older veterans

LOL

USAF '86-'90

When the Army or Marines, went TDY, they live in tents and polished their rifles.

When the Air Force went TDY, they lived in hotels and polished their automobiles.

It was rough. My hotel room was 100 paces from the bar.

Good thing, the USAF have the Army and Marines, to protect us.

Yup, was the same up here in the RCAF. 73 - 95

 

[glenn property of pam]

Re: A small tid bit for older veterans

dam nybo thats a shame i liked the idea of texting not so much for there sanity but for mine and the wifes. mines still months away from boot camp but i already know im going to get the "do you think hes ok" etc question a few times a day

 

[glenn property of pam]

Re: A small tid bit for older veterans

Yeah we had it good in the Air Force. Best duty, best barracks, best mess halls, best looking women, best uniforms. Oh yeah am I bragging? Sorry

i lived near 3 usaf bases in uk and spent many nights in the galaxy club as the drink was cheap but im unsure that the statement of "best looking women" is true.....but the beer was cheap

 

[foodfisher]

Re: A small tid bit for older veterans

"Women ALL get prettier at closing time"

 

[NYBo]

Re: A small tid bit for older veterans

dam nybo thats a shame i liked the idea of texting not so much for there sanity but for mine and the wifes. mines still months away from boot camp but i already know im going to get the "do you think hes ok" etc question a few times a day

Well, it's "only" 13 weeks.

Maybe there's a support group for us.

 

[angus63]

Re: A small tid bit for older veterans

At USMMA, use of cell phones is a priveledge that plebes have to earn. Cell phones didn't exist when I entered. Pay Phone priveledges came after 4 weeks and was limited to a few hours on Sundays.

 

[The_Kid]

Re: A small tid bit for older veterans

My son leaves for Parris Island next week, and he tells me the only way to contact him is by letter. No cell phones allowed.

Sounds like the Marines haven't changed a lot since I went through San Diego back in 71. The first thing I remember when we got there was the DI climbing on the bus and yelling "You've got 30 seconds to get off this bus and 15 of them are already gone". I thought what did I get my self into.

You'll probably get a weekly letter since Sunday morning was the designated letter writing time. If you didn't want to write someone the DI would find something else you could do to occupy your time, like pushups, situps, and other fun things. Everybody wrote letters. I think we got to make one collect phone call home towards the end of basic.

Give my thanks to your son for serving his country.

Semper Fi
USMC 71-74
MACS-5 Beaufort SC