Armed Forces
 

Anyone on here served with their respective country?

No fibbers please just honesty!

I will start - I joined Royal Navy in 1989 as a radio operator, i served on a type 42 destroyer, a mine sweeper, aircraft carrier and did a tour on a leander class frigate.

in 1993 i retrained to be a diver and in 1994/95 i swapped to the boat service, i did 5 years and then left the forces in 2000

Anyone else

Yes I served in the Canadian Armed Forces for 4 1/2 years. I started right after high-school and received training in Electronics and communications. I even got to spend a glorious 6 months (183 days) at the Top of the World (Alert). I spent the majority of my time in electronics intelligence and 2 years in Electronic Warfare Testing and Evaluation team. I was even lucky enough to live in Germany (Lahr) for 3 months in 1985-6

I was in the US Navy back in the mid-60's. I was a Communications Technician. And guess what? I've never been on a ship in my life! Shore duty in California, Puerto Rico, and Washington, D.C. :doh:

U.S. Marines, '87 - '95 :rock:

Right out of high school, tour in Asia then on to Europe and Africa on Embassy duty. Was out and traveling abroad almost the entire time.

Quickie: While in Japan, my 1st Sgt gets a call that some U.S. Navy ships are heading to Hong Kong for a cruise and they have room for some bodies. A few of us get to go on an impromptu vacation aboard a massive Navy ship, an LST I believe. :arrgh!:

Enroute we hit a typhoon and our group is tasked to help search for a downed Navy pilot. That boat was ROCK'N! Unfortunately the pilot wasn't found and declared MIA, and we continued on to HK. I was 18.

If I were to do it all over again, I think I'd have a very difficult time deciding between the Navy and USMC.

Well, I was a merchant marine, but since my time with them wasn't during wartime, it wasn't considered a branch of the armed forces. I just worked on tankers moving fuel around.

Translation: "I worked for the NSA/CIA." :up:

Does high school NJROTC count? I stood around at a lot of cerimonies....

(runs and hides)

Out of the Academy...diesel boat school in New London (couldn't meet Rickover's nuke standards, too much football; not enough caculus)...qualified...applied for/sent to BUDS West Coast....completed (damned tough)....went to Vietnam (three tours)....easier than BUDS...got out in 1970 (ass shot several times)...went to law school...stayed in Reserves....made Commander...retired from Reserves 1993...quit practicing law 2002...made a crapload of easy money (lawyer with briefcase can steal more than Mafia with a cannon and the population of Sicily).... currently sitting on ass, enjoying life, third wife (age 45) and zooming around the world on a pepetual vacation. War is hell...but, if you survive....ain't bad to look back on. Hooyah!!!

But then there was that flibbers... :rotfl:

Believe what you want...I have no reason to lie. Real people do these things you know....or maybe you don't.

real people do have these pasts - its a credit to read some of your experience

well done to you all :up:

Joined the Royal Netherlands Army in 1993. Served in the infantry, signals and as a company clerk. Been 2 times in Bosnia and once in Kosovo. Left the army in 2002. :hmm:

To Capt Tommy: Out in Reno August. Rode Rubicon Trail in Jeep in August (late) with Jeep Jamboree USA. Love area. Not much water...but what there is...beaucoup beautiful....especially Tahoe. You can drop a sup to 1600 in Tahoe...provided you don't forget its fresh vs salt water and miscaculate water SG and bottom out.

One year concript service in the Finnish defence forces, rank corporal. Served as a FO in a recon team. After that, training in the reserve.

To Teufelschiff:
Guess you're familiar with some of this stuff eh? At one point I had an opportunity to go T.A.D. on a "900' series trip. That meant subs. I now wish I'd gone for it after reading "Blind Man's Bluff". But, I was real short by then, and had learned the value of "never volunteering" - ha. Even though I'd joined the navy to get into the sub service, I was hoodwinked. Back then they could promise you anything, then have their way with you once you signed up. I knew early on that my color vision was, uh, flawed. They just breezed over that during the testing and acted like it was nothing. Once in, and in boot camp, they called me in to 'sick bay' for another color test. I knew I was screwed. So out of subs I went (before I even knew how to spell it), and later on got called for the CT's. Turns out, I had a ball in that rate anyway - but I still wish I'd gotten what I wanted in the first place. Who knows - I may have stayed in.

To frogdog:
Ya know, I've never been on the Rubicon, but my wife and I have ATV'd all over lots of Nevada. It's a great place for outdoor type stuff, particularly because the Sierra Club hasn't had a chance to ruin it for everyone. We ride for miles and miles (read that hours and hours) and never see another person. Love it! Don't spend too much time at Tahoe. Too many people. I'm originally from Chicago and I now spend as much time in the "out back" as I can swing. So, as you obviously know, this is "Off Road" country - and we love every square inch.

Did you happen to visit the US Naval Undersea Warfare school in Hawthorne? I think the last time there was anything "undersea" around there was 10 millions years ago when this was all under water :lol: