I'm a Vet as you all know but I don't feel like one since I never carried a rifle, never went to boot camp, never left San Diego. Congrats to all those Vets who were or are in harms way they are true hero's and the country owes them a lot.
Terry, you served. It counts. In the past, I've never stood at gatherings where vets were recognized. I enlisted voluntarily in the army reserves at the height of the Vietnam War and wnet to basic training at the 1 year mark. The doctors discovered my case history of asthma (spent a few days in the hospital for it during my first summer camp) and processed me out with a medical discharge on the basis of erroneous induction. On Friday, during my grandsons' school's grandparents' day Mass, they recognized veterans. For the first time I stood. I served....not for long, but I served. Thanks, Terry and all the Skybox veterans.
My thanks go out to you as well. Cindy and I were showing our thanks by participation in a parade to honor the vets in Cedar Park.
I can be counted in that list of those who served for a short time. When I was in college the Army came out with a program for 6 months active duty and 5 1/2 years in the active reserve for a total of 6 years. I joined after my sophomore year and went in during the summer and returned to school the next spring, only later to drop out to grow up some more. After working a couple of years I requested to go to the inactive reserves to be able to attend school at night, it was granted and I served the rest of my time in the inactive reserve. I did attend basic and then .................. Clerk Typist school to be a clerk. Later in the reserves I was attending training to become a mechanic when I got the transfer to inactive status. So yes, in the Army but never in harms way.
Job market was extremely tight in 1958, when I graduated from Ohio State. I volunteered for the draft to solve my student deferment situation. Performed basic and advanced training at Fort Knox. I was assigned to a G-4 slot (intelligence) at Fort Knox and later was sent to Korea for my final 12 months of a 24 month commitment. Interesting peace time assignment in the 2nd Engineers Group Headquarters, near Kimpo Air Base and about forty miles from Seoul. I served there as a special orders clerk and ran the base theater in the evening. Managed to take an R&R in Japan. My service time was very rewarding and meaningful to me. I never reqretted the experience.